Greetings! I'm a little confused with the Black Magic HDLink DVI Conv. I'm picking up two Dell 24" monitors... one for a computer monitor, and one specifically for monitoring video. I'll be using the component inputs on the Dells... is the HDLink a necessity for me? I'm pretty confused on the subject.....
Black Magic HDLink.... ????
- Thread starter dosborn
- Start date
Anders Holck
Well-known member
HDlink will convert a HD-SDI signal into a DVI signal.
Basically you use this box if you want to monitor a HD-SDI signal onto a LCD display.
Some use this in the field when you have a HD camcorder with HD-SDI out and a 1920x1080 LCD display with DVI
Others use it in their edit suite, when you have a Decklink HD Card and cannot afford a real HD monitor.
Basically you use this box if you want to monitor a HD-SDI signal onto a LCD display.
Some use this in the field when you have a HD camcorder with HD-SDI out and a 1920x1080 LCD display with DVI
Others use it in their edit suite, when you have a Decklink HD Card and cannot afford a real HD monitor.
DP StrangeLove
Well-known member
So, to monitor and playback my HD footage on a SD monitor, do I need this card?Anders Holck said:
Currently, my SD monitor won't playback any of my footage from my 720p Final Cut Pro timeline, it only shows an image when the playhead is still and frozen on a frame
holditnowfilms
Well-known member
You can use the computer to monitor the LCD witout the card. Just set the Cinema desktop as the output for the play to tape setting or expand your viewer window full screen. Obviously you need two monitors to do this effectively.
Anders Holck
Well-known member
All Blackmagic Cards except the basic SD $295 one and $ 595 HD one has analog component out.
As you say some LCD monitors have component in.
The big difference is that using the HD-link you get a 100% digital connection. Analog component has aliasing on a digital display. HD-SDI > DVI has a 1:1 pixel translation. Big difference.
The HD link can also load a LUT to help you profile and emulate a specific colortable.
Greame Nattress has a great article on the HDlink, and makes a sharpness comparison between using the Cinema desktop compared to the HD link.
The HD link is much sharper on a 23" Cinema Display.
http://www.lafcpug.org/reviews/review_decklink.html
As you say some LCD monitors have component in.
The big difference is that using the HD-link you get a 100% digital connection. Analog component has aliasing on a digital display. HD-SDI > DVI has a 1:1 pixel translation. Big difference.
The HD link can also load a LUT to help you profile and emulate a specific colortable.
Greame Nattress has a great article on the HDlink, and makes a sharpness comparison between using the Cinema desktop compared to the HD link.
The HD link is much sharper on a 23" Cinema Display.
http://www.lafcpug.org/reviews/review_decklink.html
Hey guys so I am using a HDMI monitor with a RGB input to use both as a monitor for tool bars and then I can switch it to a HDMI signal if I bought on of the $295 black Magic can I use that to monitor my HD timeline and out put ?
I tried the componet cable from the HVX200 to the monitor and fire wired the timeline to the camera from the G5 and canot get a playback image so I asume I need a HDMI card for a output? I am confused but need advice
I tried the componet cable from the HVX200 to the monitor and fire wired the timeline to the camera from the G5 and canot get a playback image so I asume I need a HDMI card for a output? I am confused but need advice
Your monitoring options:
Blackmagic Intensity Card - HDMI output to HDMI monitor
Matrox MXO - Takes DVI output from MB Pro or 2nd DVI port of your desktop Mac to DVI monitor such as Apple Cinema Display
Capture card to SDI->DVI adapter (both Blackmagic and AJA make thos)
Capture card to SDI or Component monitor
Best solution-- capture card to SDI monitor.
Matrox MXO is almost as good.
Blackmagic Intensity to DVI monitor is definitely last place but it really is quite adequate for monitoring HD.
Ned Soltz
Blackmagic Intensity Card - HDMI output to HDMI monitor
Matrox MXO - Takes DVI output from MB Pro or 2nd DVI port of your desktop Mac to DVI monitor such as Apple Cinema Display
Capture card to SDI->DVI adapter (both Blackmagic and AJA make thos)
Capture card to SDI or Component monitor
Best solution-- capture card to SDI monitor.
Matrox MXO is almost as good.
Blackmagic Intensity to DVI monitor is definitely last place but it really is quite adequate for monitoring HD.
Ned Soltz
Ned, I am curious why the Blackmagic Intensity HDMI option is last place. What are the downfalls compared to the other options? Seems like a great inexpensive way to monitor HD once I step up from my G5 to an Intel Mac (it only works on Intel).
Plus you can use it to capture HD from a camera with HDMI out as well.
Plus you can use it to capture HD from a camera with HDMI out as well.
I see the Intensity in last place since you are then monitoring to a consumer HDTV (at least until we begin to see significant numbers of computer monitors with HDMI-- and that's coming) with no possibility of any calibration whatsoever. Now, that doesn't make it bad; it just means it is not as good a solution as monitoring through MXO you are monitoring to a DVI monitor with the possibility of calibration (not to mention all of the other features that MXO offers from downrez, to presentation mode, to SDI, composite and component out in HD or SD).
Intensity does a great job of capturing from HDMI cameras and a great job of displaying to HDMI-equipped monitor. And I am certain that even Blackmagic will say that the optimal situation is going from capture card to SDI monitor. It is all a matter of what you are willing to accept and what you are willing to pay. It is, after all, $600 less than the MXO.
So, let me state it another way since I don't want to be critical of the Intensity. All monitoring solutions are equal but some are more equal than others.
Ned
Intensity does a great job of capturing from HDMI cameras and a great job of displaying to HDMI-equipped monitor. And I am certain that even Blackmagic will say that the optimal situation is going from capture card to SDI monitor. It is all a matter of what you are willing to accept and what you are willing to pay. It is, after all, $600 less than the MXO.
So, let me state it another way since I don't want to be critical of the Intensity. All monitoring solutions are equal but some are more equal than others.
Ned