Hardware for separate Video Out-DP8

[leosujatovich]

Hi, can anybody recommend a hardware in order to get my video signal totally separated from my computer monitors?
Something like MOTU HD Express or Black Magic Design?
Thanks!
Leo


I use DP8 with Mac Book Pro

[mesayre]

Hi Leo,
This is something I'm wrestling with myself at the moment. Was just on the phone with the folks at MOTU to see what the options are - at the moment there aren't many.

According to the fellow I talked to, you'll need to get a MOTU video interface. And since you're on the new MacBook, I believe your only option is the new Thunderbolt HDX-SDI, which rings up at a rather salty $1200. Others may have experience getting something like the HD express to work with the Macbook Pro, but I think you need a PCI Express slot and I don't think you've got one, right? Not sure if there's some way to do that via adapters.

I have seen whispers elsewhere on this forum of people using other interfaces, but my research hasn't turned up solid info on any other interfaces that work with DP, and I have personally tried (and returned!) a BlackMagic Intensity Pro that I thought would work for this. Not compatible.

If anybody else has any insight, I'd sure appreciate it too. I'm happy to wrong about any of the above, as I've been banging my head against the wall for a while on this problem. While on the phone with MOTU, I did let them know that this is a point of pain for some of us who want to sync a large screen with DP, but really don't need video capture or any of the other fancy stuff offered by the new HDX. A thunderbolt equivalent to the HD express would be a welcome addition to the MOTU line, if you ask me.

Cheers,
Mike

[bralston]

Why does it need to be a separate signal from your computer monitors?

You could run a third monitor and make the video full screen on that monitor...and because it is not being converted out there will be no frame delay for the video out conversion. And upgrading your video card to support 3 monitor outputs is probably a LOT cheaper than getting a video device from MOTU that could output an HD signal in HDMI that would go to its own monitor. The result is the same, yes?

[bralston]

If anybody else has any insight, I'd sure appreciate it too. I'm happy to wrong about any of the above, as I've been banging my head against the wall for a while on this problem. While on the phone with MOTU, I did let them know that this is a point of pain for some of us who want to sync a large screen with DP, but really don't need video capture or any of the other fancy stuff offered by the new HDX.

Cheers,
Mike

Not to sound like a broken record...but my 70" HD TV has a resolution less than my 24" Ultra XGA Dell monitor. By running a third monitor with a converter of DVI to HDMI for that 70" monitor...I get full screen HD video of the movie from DP and it is perfectly in sync and did not cost tons of money for some box to do the same thing.

[James Steele]

Why does it need to be a separate signal from your computer monitors?

You could run a third monitor and make the video full screen on that monitor...and because it is not being converted out there will be no frame delay for the video out conversion. And upgrading your video card to support 3 monitor outputs is probably a LOT cheaper than getting a video device from MOTU that could output an HD signal in HDMI that would go to its own monitor. The result is the same, yes?

That's why I'm thinking of picking up an older HDTV that has a VGA input on it. I have a mDP to VGA adapter and have run a third monitor on my ATI 5770.

[Simsy]

I bought a miniport to HDMI cable on ebay for £5, works great! If you are on a mac pro you can get a cheapish video card with 3 mini port outs, use two for your monitors and one for the HDTV.

[mesayre]

Hi again:

Not to sound like a broken record...but my 70" HD TV has a resolution less than my 24" Ultra XGA Dell monitor. By running a third monitor with a converter of DVI to HDMI for that 70" monitor...I get full screen HD video of the movie from DP and it is perfectly in sync and did not cost tons of money for some box to do the same thing.
Regards,

Brian Ralston

Brian, assuming I understand you correctly (DVI or miniDisplay out of the computer, through an HDMI adaptor and into the TV via HDMI), that doesn't work for true sync. Many (I'd venture to say most) HD TV's coming out these days are doing quite a bit of processing of the image between when it goes in the HDMI jack and when it pops up on the screen. Depending on the TV this can create anywhere from a 15-60ms or more delay. If it's on the low side you can get away with it, but a discerning eye can pick out a 30ms delay. It just "looks weird".

It's possible to turn some of that image-processing crap off through the menus on the TV, and get it down to where it's bearable. But to really have frame lock there has to be some hardware compensating for that delay since DP doesn't do it in software. That's been my experience, anyway. I'm hoping DP's next big release will include an overhaul of some of that stuff.