Matrox MXO for color correction and color grading

[Chris Borjis]

I have used an MXO output to color correct on a Sony PVM 14L5 (HD/SD) monitor via component.

Works perfectly fine.

Don’t assume a good CRT monitor is out of your budget, I found the above mentioned crt here at the cow for $ 1,500 and its almost brand new.

They are kinda rare but I’ve seen sometimes 5 of them at a time going for 1,500 to 700 on ebay.

if you don’t have to have HD monitoring, there are loads of SD monitors out there for cheap.

I personally cannot speak for color correcting on the mxo via lcd panel, and I still have a hard time believing that proper contrast adjustments can be a made on an lcd that has a much more limited contrast than even the best plasma panels.

[Samah Bennett]

We do need to be able to monitor HD. Do you think going with the Matrox would allow for professional quality color correction?

Besides the MacPro and the HD Cinema display, what would I need to purchase that doesn’t come with the MXO to make everything connect and work right? Component cables? Might sound like a silly question but my video engineering experience is pretty thin.

Thanks Boris.

[Shane Ross]

Chris…I hear ya. It was VERY difficult for me to believe until I compared the ACD to the PVM and saw how close they were. (I too have the PVM 14L5)

Samah…first off the MXO only works with the 23″ Apple Cinema Dislay, not the 30″ The 30″ is DUAL DVI, and the MXO is single DVI. Plus the 23″ is pixel for pixel correct…well, close. 1920×1200…close to 1920×1080, so there are black lines on the top and bottom of the screen. And you can display 720p pixel for pixel too.

I find it perfectly viable as a color correction solution. YOu can use the ACD now, and then get a proper HD LCD later, or HD CRT (but what is the point of a CRT now when all the TVs sold are LCDs?). I have a review of the unit here on the Cow. Click on my head at the top and you will see it in the list of stuff I reviewed.

The MXO comes bundled with connections to get it connected to your Apple display, and a small converter cable to get an S-Video signal. The Component and HD SDI cables you’ll have to supply yourself.

Fantasic little device. And quality you cannot believe when you see it.

Shane

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[Zak Mussig]

Shane,

I’ve had this question for a while, but just haven’t asked it…

With the MXO, did you add a second graphics card, or do you just give up one of your monitors while you’re grading?

I’m working on a 30″ next a 23″ ACD and I end up using all of the real estate I have, if even just to keep mail, itunes, and some finder windows open on the 23″. I suppose I wouldn’t miss them while I was working and they might distract me less.

You can still use a 23″ hooked to an MXO as a computer monitor, right? If so, does it switch like a monitor hooked to a decklink card as you turn preview on/off or switch to an app that isn’t sending out video?

Thanks,
Zak

[Chris Borjis]

zak you would need to give up one side or add another video card which I’m not even sure would work without initial setup issues.

[Shane Ross]

[Zak Mussig] “With the MXO, did you add a second graphics card, or do you just give up one of your monitors while you’re grading?”

I use it with my laptop, as I have a Kona LH and Kona 3 for my towers. I would like to test it with two graphics cards on the MacPro, but that can’t happen for a while…it is in use on a series. However, at the Matrox Booth at IBC they ran three monitors, and did this by using a DVI splitter they make called the Triplehead2Go. I will be working the booth this year at NAB, I’ll inquire into how this works.

[Zak Mussig] “You can still use a 23″ hooked to an MXO as a computer monitor, right?”

Yes, then you can hit Apple-F12 to get it to display your footage. This way you can use it at the end when you are color correcting, as you really only need one monitor for the timeline stuff.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD now for sale!
http://www.LFHD.net
Read my blog!