Capture/Edit with Matrox MX02 Mini

[Alex DeJesus]

[QUOTE=Peter Manojlovic;1537929]Okay, i have a fundamental and pressing question.

Since firewire and HDMI support playback from the shuttle of the capture software, how does it work for Component cables? Are you forced to hit the PLAY button on the XHA1, and RECORD on your NLE, without any control?
How would somebody keep the timecode of their footage?

You're supposed to be able to capture the entire tape automatically, but I seem to have lost that ability. It will not sense the end of the tape, so if I walk away it keeps capturing blank footage until I turn it off. Very frustrating. If I capture from within Premiere I can capture In/Out points and shuttle via firewire control, but not if I capture with the standalone Matrox Tools. It worked well at one point. I can also capture HDV mpeg via firewire, but cannot monitor video while capturing with the Matrox connected.

[Alex DeJesus]

[quote=Perrone Ford;1538265]So you've taken a digital signal from your camera, to analog, and back to digital in a compressed codec. This process is lossy, and increases the size of the file. The benefit to this (potentially) is that you have a file that is now easier to handle in many NLEs, and can be more robust for handling things in post. BUT make no mistake, you have lost data in the process.

I was told on the Matrox forums that Matrox capture was the way to go. Yes, it is going from digital to analog and back to digital, but Matrox supposedly does this well - and you end up with high data rate video and all I Frames. I guess the long form HDV is not good for editing and effects.

Originally Posted by John Ray

I am running the mxo2 mini on a Mach V PC from Falcon Northwest. I shoot with XHA1 however I use an HV20 to capture directly from the sensor via HDMI. I can capture XHA1 footage at 1080i 1920x1280. You cannot capture via firewire with mxo2 mini..only HDMI, component, or s-video. You can use firewire for device control though. So far I have been pleased with the performance. Even sequences that require rendering will playback in realtime..although that has more to with the horsepower in the PC than the mxo2. Drivers for CS5 are not out yet..supposed to be here sometime this Month(June). They are supposed to provide some realtime editing. I use a Vizio hdtv for monitoring and the mxo2 provides a calibration utility.

John, so you use the HV20 as a deck to capture MiniDV tape via HDMI? Do you get a different result from capturing firewire? It should still be HDV, right? I am stunned that that XHA1 can't do this. You have to go to a consumer unit to avoid recompression?

[Peter Manojlovic]

Originally Posted by Alex DeJesus

John, so you use the HV20 as a deck to capture MiniDV tape via HDMI? Do you get a different result from capturing firewire? It should still be HDV, right? I am stunned that that XHA1 can't do this. You have to go to a consumer unit to avoid recompression?

No Alex...
John is using the HV20 to capture straight from the sensor, through the MXO2, and into the computer. I'm not sure whether you can capture uncompressed, choose your own codec, or have to use Matrox's I Frame codec. But nonetheless, he's bypassing HDV's compression for something much better, and for square pixels (1920x1080).
You've got to dig deeper into the XHA1 section, and see if you can also bypass the tape. But instead of using HDMI you'd have to go out via Component cables. I don't know if it can be done.

The HDMI bypass is nice, but how many people can realistically get into the field and drag a Raid monster to capture uncompressed footage...

So if i understand John correctly, are you controlling the XHA1 with the firewire cable, and capturing with your RGB cables correct?

[Alex DeJesus]

does lost data equal lower picture quality? I am still up in the air. Should I capture HDV over firewire or throguh the Matrox Mini?

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Alex DeJesus

does lost data equal lower picture quality?

Yes. It may or may not be visible to you.

Originally Posted by Alex DeJesus

Should I capture HDV over firewire or throguh the Matrox Mini?

Whatever makes you happy.

[Taky Cheung]

If you record your HDV to mini-DV tape, it will be 1440x1080. If you capture through Firewire, that will be the same resolution 1440x1080. Through HDMI, it will be 1920x1080. However, if the content is already stored in HDV tape, it will just upscale it to 1920x1080 through HDMI. You get bigger file size but no improve quality.

I do not have the Matrox MX02 so this is from my general knowledge.