Matrox MXO and the Black Magic HD Extreme

S

StreetsofPlastic

Member
Hey everyone,

I decided to go with the MAtrox MXO for monitoring and output. There were a few people who had suggested the BlackMagic HD Extreme. Do these two capture devices do the same thing? Are there any advantages/disadvantages to either device?

They are both similar in price so I can just switch to the BM if I need to. I want the best monitoring option with the most output formats.

One thing that occurred to me is that the Matrox is external while I can have the BM card installed in my MacPro. Does this matter any?

If anyone owns either of these please chime in with your expereinces!

thanks

Streets:2vrolijk_08:
 
ok

ok

JesterJJZ said:
Well, the MXO is output only, you can't capture with it.
Click to expand...

thanks Jester

So the BlackMAgic HD Extreme does everthing the Matrox MXO can do plus it captures analog?

I heard that the MAtrox has better output format options (DigiBeta, HDCAM, etc) than the BM card, is this true?

Streets
 
You're not quite getting it.

Decklink Extreme is a capture card. You can monitor if you have SDI monitor.

Matrox MXO is an output only external box for DVI monitor but also has SDI, composite, component.

I would imagine that you might get better monitoring from Decklink Extreme going directly to SDI HD monitor. It would also be significantly more expensive.

Matrox MXO- $995 + Apple Cinema Display $899
Decklink Extreme- $995 + Panasonic LH1700 $2800... and higher depending upon which SDI monitor you choose


Ned Soltz
 
nsoltz said:
You're not quite getting it.

Decklink Extreme is a capture card. You can monitor if you have SDI monitor.

Matrox MXO is an output only external box for DVI monitor but also has SDI, composite, component.

I would imagine that you might get better monitoring from Decklink Extreme going directly to SDI HD monitor. It would also be significantly more expensive.

Matrox MXO- $995 + Apple Cinema Display $899
Decklink Extreme- $995 + Panasonic LH1700 $2800... and higher depending upon which SDI monitor you choose


Ned Soltz
Click to expand...

It looks as though the Decklink HD Extreme's breakout cable feeds component video out, so an HDTV could also serve as a monitor. A broadcast quality one wouldn't be cheap though, and I guess there's the difference again.

For me the MXO is perfect because I already have an Apple 23" as a second display and don't particularly need analog capture capability. The fact that the MXO is external, portable, and can be used with my G4 powerbook as well (with the 23") is also a plus. Its inherent ability to calibrate the 23" display to broadcast quality is the clincher.

Still, having analog capture might be handy every so often...
 
I got the Matrox MXO about two weeks ago and am loving it! I too had the same conclusion that with the HVX I had no need for capture (I got straight to disk)....So I went with the mxo/cinema display combo and am really happy. I can output to my calibrated 23" and go to a normal consumer TV at the same time. It's great and inexpensive.
 
Thanks Ned

Thanks Ned

nsoltz said:
You're not quite getting it.

Decklink Extreme is a capture card. You can monitor if you have SDI monitor.

Matrox MXO is an output only external box for DVI monitor but also has SDI, composite, component.

I would imagine that you might get better monitoring from Decklink Extreme going directly to SDI HD monitor. It would also be significantly more expensive.

Matrox MXO- $995 + Apple Cinema Display $899
Decklink Extreme- $995 + Panasonic LH1700 $2800... and higher depending upon which SDI monitor you choose


Ned Soltz
Click to expand...

Ok I think I got it now. The Matrox MXO would be a better fit for me.

I see a lot of people use the MXO/Cinema Display combo. Anyone use the MXO with the Dell 2405 Widescreen?

How are you connecting your MXO to your Apple display? DVI or component?

I will be sticking with the MXO

Streets
 
I have a Dell 2405. I have also used it on Apple Cinema Display. The Apple is superior. You connect the ACD or Dell via DVI. That's the point of the MXO.

Ned
 
StreetsofPlastic said:
How are you connecting your MXO to your Apple display? DVI or component?

I will be sticking with the MXO

Streets
Click to expand...

My 23" ACD is connected through the MXO by DVI as a second display (the main display is a 30" ACD). The cool thing is, when I'm not using it in FCP as a broadcast monitor, it behaves exactly like it did before - as a second computer monitor/extended desktop. But switch over to FCP and the 23" automatically "knows" it's supposed to be a dedicated broadcast monitor on the Canvas preview. Sweet...
 
I'm right in the middle of trying to figure out this monitor thing. I have two ACD 23" and 1 HannsG 19" monitor. I like to use one 23 and the 19 to work in FCP. I want the other 23" display to be my playback monitor.

I have a Mac Pro with the stock Nvidia 7300 card. I have looked into the MXO and it sounds pretty good. I don't really ever need to capture HD since I have the HVX.
My question is does anyone use more than two monitors?
I guess I'm stuck in my ways and I like that 19" display for my browser window. I had this same set up running on my G5 about 2 months ago....

I did talk to someone at ProMax and he said the MXO was not a good investment because it's expensive for what it does...he said for a little more I could have a decent card that captures. I would need an additional card to go out to the ACD?
I really don't see using the BM Extreme card to capture anything. Most of my work is HD and if I don't shoot it then it's delivered in digital files.
If I did get this BM card could I use it on a newer/up grade Mac Pro next summer? How much better does this make SD footage look? Sometimes I do have to capture SD and I have a dsr11 deck for that....but I'm really trying to stay away from those projects.
I'm ready to make this work. I have this 23" display just sitting here-useless.
One more rant- Apple, what's up with the change? It was so easy to do this before.
 
$995 MXO.

Least expensive capture card: Blckmagic at $995. Then add $445 for SDI to DVI converter. Yes. You could capture. The question is-- will you?

Why 3 monitors? Edit in FCP with your 2 monitors. When you want MXO preview, hit Cmns-F12 and your second monitor (which I usually just keep as my Browser window expanded) becomes your broadcast display.

Apple didn't change anything. You can load up your MacPro with video cars (I wouldn't mix the nVidia with the ATI) and have all you want. The question is why?

OK.. you have the opinion of a ProMax salesman and you have other opinions.

My real opinion is get a good mid-range capture card like a Kona LH ($1600) and a Panasonic LH1700 ($2800) if you wish to capture.

By the way, the MXO has SDI so with the $445 you just saved by not kludging together a low-end Blackmagic card and converter box, you could have the SDI monitor for only $2355. And have a top notch LCD panel you could take with you on field shoots.

Ned Soltz
 
I don't feel I need to spend $4,300 of my own money in order to capture- I never have to capture. I usually just have the client get that done and deliver digital files to me.

So for the $995 I can get the MXO.... and when I need to view I can just hit a quick key and there it is? The MXO combined with the Apple display is supposed to be pretty good for Color Correction and braodcast viewing?

Should I up grade my video card? Get the ATI ?

Really appreciate this information!
 
The MXO should work fine with the Nvidia 7300 that came with your Mac Pro. No need to upgrade the display card.

To turn your secondary monitor into a broadcast monitor you just have to hit apple F12 in FCP.

For DVI monitor calibration there is a tool in the MXO software along with directions with how to calbrate your DVI monitor so that you can trust it even for color grading.

Hope this helps,

Chris.
 
blackmagic design has a fairly new card out called the Intensity PRO. It's a PCI_express based card for mac or pc that has HDMI input and output, and Component input and output, as well as audio, etc... It supports HD and SD and various codec outputs.

it's only around 340 dollars on our website. www.4videoequipment.com

anyway - the hd extreme is a higher end card, and has SDI, etc on it, but the intensity pro is a great starter card, and can capture as well as output. it supports the same codecs, and since it has HDMI, can be used with a cheap HD LCD.

the HDMI output to a HD LCD for monitoring has to have HDMI, you cannot use a cinema display with it (you can't convert blackmagic hdmi to dvi).

Take care,

Henry

Henry T Kirk
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