latest solutions to monitor out for Mac

[Craig Alan]

Thanks. I see the need for card for each. The more i think about this, I think I will color correct only on the Mac Pros but still need to monitor out of laptop — so if Blackmagic’s isn’t a better choice for all these needs, I’ll go for the portable version of the AJA I/O since it will also help monitor out when I’m using the Ki Pro. I’m getting the Ki Pro exo skel to mount under a camcorder and it would be great to monitor to broadcast monitor and then swap out hard drives on Ki Pro and transfer file to macbook pro on location while continuing to record. I’ll ask on the KiPro forum if the blackmagic box can monitor out the KiPro since it will work for resolve as well. Then I’ll get a second graphic card for the Mac Pro and that should do it.

OSX 10.5.8; MacBookPro4,1 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz MacPro4,1 2.66GHz 8 core 12gigs of ram. GPU: Nvidia Geoforce GT120 with Vram 512. OS X 10.6.x; Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30/40, Sony vx2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Shane Ross]

CURRENT SOLUTIONS FOR AVID MONITORING:

Matrox MXO2 Mini. Output only, no capture.

AJA IO EXPRESS. Capture and output. SDI in only, Component and SDI out, but limited audio options (SDI in and out only, RCA out only…no XLR, no AES)

Both work with laptops and MacPros. Neither work with RESOLVE.

WIth Media Composer 6, the options are many. Pretty much every current model of all the major makers…AJA, BlackMagic Design, MOTU, Matrox. BUT, the ONLY ONE that works with Resolve is the Decklink Extreme 3D. No, you do not need to be doing HD for this to work…it just an option. Now, the Decklink will NOT work on a laptop. So if you want an all in one solution that works with Media Composer, Resolve, MacPro and Laptop…sorry, one doesn’t exist.

If I were you, I’d get the Decklink Extreme 3D for the MacPRo, and the AJA IO Express for the laptop.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Craig Alan]

If I were you, I’d get the Decklink Extreme 3D for the MacPRo, and the AJA IO Express for the laptop.

Thank you Shane,

Just to be clear the decklink should be paired with a second graphics card like the quadro fx 4800 (I have one available I know there are others) ?

The AJA I/O express could be used for monitoring on a second macpro if I have the HBA for it? It won’t be able to use davinci on the second system but will be able to use an analog monitor. Or if I am not using the second pro for resolve is there a fairly inexpensive pci card that will do the trick?

OSX 10.5.8; MacBookPro4,1 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz MacPro4,1 2.66GHz 8 core 12gigs of ram. GPU: Nvidia Geoforce GT120 with Vram 512. OS X 10.6.x; Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30/40, Sony vx2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Shane Ross]

[Craig Alan] “Just to be clear the decklink should be paired with a second graphics card like the quadro fx 4800 (I have one available I know there are others) ?”

Yes, Resolve requires that (or other model) NVIdia card in order to work properly.

[Craig Alan] “The AJA I/O express could be used for monitoring on a second macpro if I have the HBA for it?”

Yup. Order both the PCIe and Express34 cards with the AJA IO Express, and then you can just switch it back and forth between machines.

[Craig Alan] ” It won’t be able to use davinci on the second system but will be able to use an analog monitor.”

Correct. As well as capture, if you so wanted.

[Craig Alan] “Or if I am not using the second pro for resolve is there a fairly inexpensive pci card that will do the trick?”

Matrox MXO2 mini is the current cheapest option that works with MC5.5….and both Laptop and MacPro. with MC6, the Decklink Intensity Pro is the cheaper option…but is tower only.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Craig Alan]

[Shane Ross] “(or other model) NVIdia card”

What if the graphics card that came with the MacPro is a Nvidia? Would I then need to add only another Decklink Extreme 3D and I could use resolve on that as well? Or does it need to absolutely be one of the ones Walter mentioned: like the GTX 285, Quadro FX 4800, or Quadro 4000? There is a HP Dream Color monitor at the school as well. Could that be used for color correction with decklink extreme 3d and the stock NVIDIA card? Or a panasonic pro monitor? I know none of these are as good as a broadcast monitor, particularly a Flanders.

OSX 10.5.8; MacBookPro4,1 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz MacPro4,1 2.66GHz 8 core 12gigs of ram. GPU: Nvidia Geoforce GT120 with Vram 512. OS X 10.6.x; Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30/40, Sony vx2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Walter Soyka]

Other NVIDIA cards (GT120, 8800) are not powerful enough or do not support the technologies necessary to run processing for Resolve. You can use AMD cards which support OpenCL (such as those in new iMacs), but they are not as fast as as the CUDA-enabled cards I mentioned earlier, and they do not support noise reduction with Resolve at all.

I gave you the list of officially recommended GPUs for Resolve. Some colorists are using specially flashed GTX 470 and GTX 480 cards. See the thread Comparing Resolve performance… [link] for more.

Again, BMD recommends 2 graphics cards and 1 video capture card. You will also need good, fast storage. You don’t need a control surface to drive Resolve, but it’s a much more pleasant experience.

This is all in the configuration guide, and there has been quite a lot of discussion already on the Resolve forum that you will benefit as you try to spec your system and establish a budget.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Craig Alan]

got it. Thanks. I’ll set one mac pro up for resolve and get a monitor out card for the other. I’ll keep tuned this week for other options if time allows and will read through resolve forum for an entry level control surface if I can make room in budget.

OSX 10.5.8; MacBookPro4,1 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz MacPro4,1 2.66GHz 8 core 12gigs of ram. GPU: Nvidia Geoforce GT120 with Vram 512. OS X 10.6.x; Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30/40, Sony vx2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Micah Herman]

Walter,

I’ve been a big fan of your posts and have followed your contributions for sometime. I’m a feature director who is getting into some more intensive post in my home office and recently decided to take the plunge and by a new mac to edit alexa and red footage and, ideally, do some color grading with Davinci Resolve.

I just bought the new imac i7 3.4 ghz with an SSD drive and 6970 2 gb card, along with the pegasus 8TB thunderbolt external drive. I’ve ready your not the hugest fan of the new iMac for high end post, but I was wondering under the circumstances, what setup you would use for what I’m trying to accomplish. I’m not planning to buy right away, and am comfortable waiting a few months until the new TB peripherals come out. But any suggestions of what I should be planning for are appreciated.

I’ll probably be cutting in MC 5.5 or 6, along with Final Cut Pro X on occasion. Maybe use Scratch or Resolve, depending on what you suggest. I’d also like to be able to edit and output uncompressed HD (if that’s possible) and would really appreciate any equipment recommendations (the new AJA ioxt) or any monitor suggestions you might have.

I’ve read lots of different things on these message boards, but I’ve found you to be very informative. Also, i just purchased the iMac so if you think it’s a bad investment for the next 2-3 years, I can still take it back as it’s on back order for a week.

Thanks again and I look forward to reading more of your posts.

-Micah

[Walter Soyka]

Thanks for the kind words, Micah. Much appreciated!

I think that now is a tough time to be buying a Mac — Thunderbolt iMacs are tempting, and the current Mac Pro is looking a bit outdated and due for a refresh (with Sandy Bridge just on the horizon).

That said, if you’re serious about RED work and want to buy today, I’d lean towards the Mac Pro. You can get a CUDA card (for better performance and noise reduction), you could get a RED Rocket card, a second dedicated GPU for Resolve processing, or all of the above with an expander (assuming you also have a RAID card and Decklink).

If you can hold out, I’d consider waiting for Resolve on Windows to be released, as some PCs have more expansion slots than the Mac Pro (alleviating the need to buy an expander), and there are more options on Windows for CUDA-enabled GPU processing. By the time that is released, more TB peripherals should have hit the market and you can make a more informed decision about both platform and computer model.

On the subject of monitors, I’ve got an FSI, and I love it.

I don’t do RED work, but a lot of folks on the Resolve forum do. If you have specific questions, you might head over there for better answers.

I haven’t used SCRATCH, either, because I didn’t see how it would fit in my workflow. I’m more focused on graphics-heavy animation, compositing, and finishing, and I thought SCRATCH was too DI-focused to be worthwhile for me. It may be a good fit for you, though, and it’s available cross-platform now, too. It may be worth doing the demo once you buy your system.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Micah Herman]

Walter,

Thank you so much for your input. I thought long and hard about what you said, and actually got an apple engineer on the phone through a contact I have there. I showed him your email and he agreed with what you’re saying for the most part.

Thanks again for your prompt response. I’m going to check out your company’s site. I shoot lots of commercials, develop TV and am shooting my first major studio feature this year, so perhaps there is some synergy down the line.

my best,

Micah