View Full Version : How to use MBP as monitor on ex-1?
Granville
03-23-2009, 12:29 PM
Is anyone currently using their Macbook Pro as a monitor (not for pulling focus but for the director).
How do you do it?
Cables?
Software?
dpryke
03-23-2009, 03:50 PM
There are two software options for the Mac that might do the trick. One is On Location (formally DV Rack) http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/onlocation/ which is available for the Mac as part of Adobe Premiere.
The other is ScopeBox http://www.scopebox.com/. You should be able to run Firewire from the camera (HDV) into your Mac. Both programs include a lot of useful features like a waveform.
Hope this helps...
Michael B. McGee
03-25-2009, 01:00 AM
seems like you could use a AJA or Black Magic converter like HD/SDI - DVI, HDMI, or FW. i'm just guessing though.
MitchLewis
03-25-2009, 04:59 AM
Too bad you can't record HQ video to the SxS card at the same time your outputting SQ video (HDV) via firewire to OnLocation or ScopeBox.
AJA makes the Io HD which will convert the EX1/EX3 HD-SDI 10-bit 4:2:2 output to firewire using Apples ProRes 4:2:2 codec. But it's not a small unit and you'll need to power it.
If you want to record to your laptop, that's another issue as you need a fast hard drive and hard drive connection to do it. Sonnet makes a solution that works with the AJA Io HD and a MacBookPro (the previous model....the new model only has one FW800 port).
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/fusionf2.html
$399 for the Sonnet F2 drive and $299 for the eSATA Express card, plus the cost of OnLocation. It might be simpler/cheaper to just buy a portable monitor. But then you wouldn't have all the features of OnLocation and ScopeBox.
Michael B. McGee
03-25-2009, 11:11 AM
Doesn't AJA make the KONA cards which allow you to record to your HDD?
MitchLewis
03-25-2009, 11:12 AM
Yes, but to record HD video at the quality our camera can produce, you need a fast hard drive RAID. The laptop's internal hard drive isn't fast enough.
Michael B. McGee
03-25-2009, 11:14 AM
yeah, i know. i forgot to specify "External HDD". so anyways, Granville you can use a MBP as a monitor.
MitchLewis
03-25-2009, 11:19 AM
Just to clarify....
Yes, you can use your MBP as a monitor, but you need Adobe OnLocation or ScopeBox software. AND because you're connecting your EX1/EX3 to your laptop via firewire, you can only view video from the camera in the Standard Quality formats (HDV format). Those format's look pretty good, but it's a shame you can't get 1080 30p HQ video into the laptop without a ton of additional equipment.
I just had a low-budget idea that I tested and it seemed to work out OK for this purpose -- use the Elgato EyeTV Hybrid. It has a dongle that lets you input a composite or S-Video source and show it/record it on a laptop. Might be good enough. Supports the 16:9 signal OK. Cost is $149, used under $100. No other pro tools in there (scopes, etc), but for on-set monitoring on a laptop it'll do the trick.
Granville
03-25-2009, 02:09 PM
Thanks to all.
So, I have scope box and I will do some testing today.