Monitoring Edited HXV footage

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darwinandpaine

Well-known member
I got my HVX last weekend and have been able to shoot and bring my 720pn stuff into FCP5 on my 1.25 Dual G4 (playback and editing works great on the computer monitor). But, I am currently without a way to monitor this footage on either my NTSC monitor (down-converted?) or the Dell 2405 (in HD).

Through the camera, both of these monitors work fine --- the Dell in HD and the NTSC through the S-Video out. But once I start editing, I have no way of viewing what I've shot on anything but the computer monitor, which sucks for color corrections, etc...

I have not upgraded to a G5 because I'm waiting for the Intel switch-over, so I might just be screwed. I don't necessarily need to see the full HD --- I can take the down-conversion to NTSC. Does anyone have a solution for me?
 
When you're on a G4, the only "affordable" solution isto get a graphics card that supports two monitors and use your Dell with the "Cinema Desktp" function in FCP.
This gives a quite accurate pixel by pixel recount of what's going on.

You'll have definite subjects color grading on this solution, though if your material is intended for broadcast.

With a G5 - a Decklink HD card with HD-link is an option - and the one I'm currently running/testing, but I must say that initial testing leans me heavily in the "get a real hd-sdi broadcast solution" even though I hoped I'd get away with the HD-Link.


I think my next step will be the Panny 17", which I also will use for field monitoring.

Gunleik
 
Isn't the Decklink compatible with G4's? Last time I heard it was compatible with PCI 100 and with PCI 66 and 33 (SD only)...

Please share your thoughts on the G5+Decklink+HDLink system!
 
I'm glad that this was brought up, as I am just about to get the dell 2405 for my Apple G4 laptop. Would I be able to monitor the footage on the Dell 2405 in Final Cut , or do I need to get a Deckline HD Card too? ?
 
Thanks for your replies. I'm not comfortable with using the Dell for color correcting --- it's just not up to speed. And yes, I was told that the Decklink SP would work with the SD stuff (no one I've talked to has been sure of whether it would down-convert the 720p HD stuff to send to the NTSC). However, I was also told that I would need a disk array just to make the Decklink SP work. Does that sound right? All the sudden I'm out another $5k?
 
1. Current decklink Mac drivers only work on G5's if you're editing in HD:
http://www.decklink.com/support/detail.asp?techID=60

2. The HD cards can do SD downconversion, whether an SD card will work at all is not for me to say. Dunno, but they can be used with G4's - just my assumption that you'd like to monitor in HD. Sorry.

My problem with the HD-link will need some further research. I think they might be due to NTSC optimisation of the software (or a bug). I get interlace-like scanlines even when viewing progressive material in 1080, both when monitoring from an AJ 1200 and through the decklink card. It basically just does not do what it is supposed to, as of yet, but I guess this might be due to some software hickup.

The HD-link is capable of doubling the size of an SD image to get a better image to edit from.

For now I actually think Digital Cinema Dektop does a better job of showing the pixel - and I KNOW that ain't good news...

For color grading - I'm still on the lookout.

Gunleik
 
Strangelove,
If your G4 laptop can use the Dell as a second monitor, then I suspect you could set it up as your "Digital Cinema Desktop". The problem is that the Dell is no where near good enough for color correcting.
 
"me heavily in the "get a real hd-sdi broadcast solution" even though I hoped I'd get away with the HD-Link."
Hi Gunleik - what do you mean by this "real hd-sdi broadcast solution " I face the same problem soon and am looking for hard-software advice. Thanks
 
I have the Dell I use it as the main desktop with a second monitor for all the bins. I have an NTSC studio monitor that I can color correct check to. On the studio monitor I have to render down-rezed samples to see motion but it gives me still frames in full HD. I compared the image on the studio monitor to the DELL and they look pretty damn close.

The Dell is not as bright as NTSC as TV TUBES have a bit more brilliance it seems. The color profiles look the same though. Maybe just a hair off in the blue channels but certainly something I can compensate for.

I use hot buttons to pull the canvass window into full screen size to double check the look and I set the print to tape to show me actual size on the DELL. You don't really need to have a color correction monitor until you are ready to color correct anyway so it's a workflow that makes sense for me. I have no problem matching the studio monitor with the Dell. Not perfect but what in this world is? It'll get' er dun tho.

Oh yeah check yer scopes to make sure you are BC safe per standards
 
I second Pete here. What is a "real hd-sdi broadcast solution?" And how much money are we talking about?
All I've ever done is shoot DV, monitoring my FCP edits through either a deck or camera via Firewire. With the HD and the DVCPro50, I'm not sure what exactly I need --- nor does anyone else! Perhaps Barry or Jared can chime in and tell us what they're doing and if they know of any other affordable solutions(?).
 
I have a 17-inch HD LCD monitor that I wanted to just use to playback footage from Final Cut Pro on my G5, could I get the DeckLink HD Pro 4:2:2 card that goes for $995 on their site and go out through the component cables on the breakout cable?

Also, does the footage have to be in the Blackmagic codec for this to work? Will the DVCPRO HD 720/24p signal go out through the card okay?
 
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No card I run the video on the NTSC through the FIREWIRE and my DV deck. Like I said it only shows frames unless I go uncompressed or DV in the Sequence setting. So I set up a second Sequence for motion testing the corrected footage on NTSC. The LCD plays both DVCPRO-HD and DVCPRO
 
Toke,
The Spyder 2 looks like a pretty good solution. Have you used either of these to calibrate an LCD? In other words, are you recommending these from personal experience, or just theorizing?
 
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