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Video I/O Experience and Advice?
  • qwerty123qwerty123

    Following up on a thread I started a while back--Broadcast Monitor for Color Correction vs Affordable Alternatives--to which there were quite useful replies, I want now to ask people about their experiences and recommendations for a video I/O device to help get a "near" broadcast quality image on a second computer monitor / HD TV.

    I'd ideally like something that:

    • Is compatible with both Mac and PC
    • Can be used with CS5.5, CS6, (compatibility with Avid and FCP are bonus
    • can work with davinci resolve
    • Not more than $600 ($900 absolute highest if it's really worth the extra $)

    I know of the Matrox MXO mini, but I don't have any experience with it or any other box.

    Also, is there any box solution that will work on an old 2007 Imac that lacks both a PCI slot and a thunderbolt?

  • 8 Replies sorted by
  • subcosubco

    HD TV visual quality is subjective. You are much better off getting a decent (non-reflective coating) LCD monitor and user a hardware device ($$) to calibrate it. BUT you can always eye-ball it and...

    Learn and use a software vectorscope/waveform monitor (depends on your NLE). Some options here.

  • qwerty123qwerty123

    @subco I'm mostly leaning towards an LCD monitor. I know how to use scopes / waveform.

    I'm asking about people's specific experiences with video i/o devices that meet some or all of the criteria I list above.

  • subcosubco

    Oh I see. My only experience is with Kona cards for FCP, going SDI to Panasonic broadcast monitors. Not sure about the cost but it must be very high. I only use them to casually view my edits because I rely heavily on waveform/vectorscope (through a fairly expensive Tektronix WVR7100 box) to get my video to be broadcast-ready.

  • qwerty123qwerty123

    Ok well... I just found out that matrox products won't work with Resolve. Matrox is also apparently not very good with driver updates, etc. So... now investigating blackmagic...

  • mrbillmrbill

    Tried any aja products?

  • subcosubco

    You have to give props to Blackmagic really...

    "Here, have this Davinci Lite absolutely free! heck yeah.. oh right, you need our hardware for monitoring"

    In any case, it appears the cheapest solution to monitor with HDMI output is by using a DeckLink Studio card ($700). They also offer a cheaper $300 DeckLink SDI card, but then you would have to spend big bucks getting a monitor with SDI inputs.

    The sources:

    http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/decklink/models/

    http://colorgrader.net/index.php/grading-tools/davinci/272-davinci-resolve-on-windows-hardware-requirements.html

  • andresandres

    Many people claim that the intensity card work great with resolve, it's like some kind of secret http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/364/114 http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/intensity/ that is 200$. I don't know abaut the usb version but the intensity pro seems to work good with resolve and avid and others too. hope that helps.

  • qwerty123qwerty123

    @subco Exactly! Also, don't forget getting a suitable grading monitor! (looking at a panasonic plasma as budget solution). Well, I'm glad I waited a little while before getting a local firm to custom build a pc for me. Gonna need to ensure work with Resolve.

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