EX Footage, FCP, and AJA Io LA. Do they all work together?

[Winston Ashley]

Anyone edit with EX XDCAM footage in FCP and monitor it via AJA's Io LA? Is AJA's Io only able to be used with it's own codec or apple's Pro Res 422? I'm looking for something around 1000$ for monitoring the EX Footage via my macbook pro. The DVI port (extended monitor) isn't ideal. I've tried the Matrox MXO and it doesn't work with the 720p EX codec.

What do you use to monitor your EX XDCAM footage with FCP and a Macbook?

[Matt Davis]

Originally Posted by Winston Ashley

What do you use to monitor your EX XDCAM footage with FCP and a Macbook?

Maybe I'm missing an important point, but I cut my 720p25 footage on a MacBook Pro 17" and when in 'impress the client' mode, I use the 'Cinema Display' of the laptop by hitting Cmd-F12 so they can view my magnum opus du jour:

View-->Video Playback --> Digital Cinema Desktop Preview - Main

With that selected, hit Cmd-F12 and you're off.

Is it accurate? Can I colour correct on it? No. Not really. It takes up the whole screen.

But I do get a good feel for how things will look. Besides, any correction in gamma from Mac to PC for web based stuff happens at the compression stage.

When it comes to grading for DVD, I've found an odd but useful workaround. For some strange reason, if I have my Sony M-15 deck attached, it seems to do a pretty good 720 to SD conversion to my Grade 2 SD monitor via the firewire connection which gives me enough to do a Standard Definition grade - though I haven't had one go through broadcast spec lately. FCP is usually pretty good with that if you use about 98-99%.

The AJA and MXO do amazing things in a multiformat world, and if you're committed to HD-SDI throughout, you may get some workflow benefits. But if you're an indie in control of what you're shooting and editing and have settled into one format, maybe it's harder to justify the cost. If you're doing broadcast HD, different rules apply, including the width and capacity of your wallet.

[Winston Ashley]

So when you go full screen, do you get strange lines throughout the picture? I do. Especially during camera movements. It's like the ProJVC monitor that I am using (DVI input) is trying to catch up to the movement. Like it's still interlacing. Not sure the lingo but it doesn't look like it should. I guess I am trying to figure out a way to monitor with out the banding or stripe or "catch up" lines coming across the screen. Any ideas? what 17inch MBP are you using?

[Brooks Graham]

Does it look like someone took a comb and smeared the image horizontally across the screen? If so, then it sounds like you're experiencing "interlacing artifacts" which come from viewing interlaced material on an inherently progressive display.

[Matt Davis]

Originally Posted by Winston Ashley

So when you go full screen, do you get strange lines throughout the picture? I do. Especially during camera movements.

I am getting no distortion, 'hooking' of motion or anything that can be described as 'Strange Lines'.

What you describe sounds like interlace interference, but if you know (REALLY KNOW) you're shooting progressive, I'd say you should cleanse your system thoroughly of all mention of Div-X and Xvid. These codecs made my EX1 life hell without me knowing what it was. I had a troublesome system and I worked with it. It burned its internal hard disk, and I rebuilt it and it worked like a charm. I restored from an old backup, and all the faults came back again. It's a software conflict, not a Mac or a Hardware thing.

Originally Posted by Winston Ashley

what 17inch MBP are you using?

Oooh, just an ordinary one. 17" MacBook Pro from last year, 2GB RAM, about 250 GB disk space. Whatever. Honestly, should all work fine.

[Winston Ashley]

Thanks that helps a lot. i will try the cleans!