Monitoring HD footage

E

ericcosh

Well-known member
Quick question. With cards like Kona or Decklink, can I send the HD signal directly to say an HD TV Monitor if that monitor has component inputs?

Also, does anyone know if there is a cheaper solution than Kona or Decklink?

thanks,

eric
 
Yes. With a Kona or Decklink you can go component or SDI to a monitor. What I like about the Panasonic LH1600 is that it has SDI in, something that would cost a bundle more in the Sony Luma series. Your other option from the capture board is to use something like the Kona HDP box which will take SDI to DVI and then use a monitor like an Apple Cinema Display or Dell 2405FPW. This is not as good a solution as the dedicated HD monitor but does work. That runs around $700-800 for the Kona or Decklink box. The Decklink Multibridge Extreme Pro (at around $1500-- new product) includes the DVI outputt. You need a PCI Express Mac to use it. Last option.. just introduced at NAB is the Matrox MXO. This will take DVI from your Mac's video card and then output both DVI and SDI (with embedded audio) to a high-quality spec (see the Matrox site for details... I'm trying not to be too verbose here). I saw it at NAB and was very impressed with output going to a Cinema Display. This lists at $995. I will be getting a unit from Matrox for a more thorough review for a magazine article. As far as sending to HDTV consumer TV, I tried that to my flat panel 27" LCD HDTV both through component as well as through the Kona HDP box into my TV's DVI port. The DVI input looked better but the short answer is yes, you can see HDTV through the capture card to component. Would I use that as a reference monitor to color correct a piece for PBS? No. But it still is on the lower fringe of acceptable (depending upon where you set your own personal threshold).

Sorry about a longer answer to what you asked as a "quick question."

Ned Soltz
 
Thanks Ned:

That information is very helpful to me. Looking forward to your review on the Matrox MXO.

take care,

eric
 
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