Overlay/frame buffer with Nvidia QuadroFX 5500 SDI

Fredrik Harreschou · July 9th, 2008, 02:25 PM

People are definitely using Nvidia in the "professional video" world. We have Assimilate SCRATCH on the same system, and that is a lot more "professional" than Cineform, sorry for saying.

There is supposedly a bug with Blackmagic products (for what, two years now?!) and now there is a bug in the Nvidia drivers as well. I am a little dissappointed, to say the least.

I know that you try to cater the RED users with your solutions; I have a question:
What kind of (dual head) GPU do you think will be in most of the Windows RedCine-boxes out there? Don't you think it would be smart to have working solutions around these setups? I know alot of people who are definitely NOT getting Matrox cards...

EDIT: Seems like monitoring isn't Cineforms strongest side... http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=115382

David Newman · July 9th, 2008, 03:56 PM

And your point is? We know all of this. We don't have the resources to chase after card vendor peculiarities, when most of our customers are not impacted. We do plan to address monitor concerns under Premiere in various ways, some many even help NVidia. We currently support ATI, Matrox, NVidia (many cards), AJA (capture and monitoring) and BlackMagic (HDLink capture.) Adding more when we can.

William Middleton · July 11th, 2008, 07:08 AM

Nearly all of the cards you mentioned that cineform works with are IO cards that are in the 1000$ + range. I don't need IO, I use firewire and just need good monitoring. And after hearing that Nvidia was the better route to go (on forums like these), I went with them. Is there a list of Non-IO cards (or maybe I should say 'O' cards) that Cineform supports dual-monitoring on the Cineform site?

David Newman · July 11th, 2008, 09:33 AM

Most sub-$200 cards work, ATI particularly, even most NVidia. The problem arrose with the newer high-end NVidia cards that removed overlay support, the mechanism we use for dual screen monitoring. There is always the compromise with your current card, simply have a desktop that is two monitors wide, and fill the program monitor on the second screen (that we did at NAB.)

Robert Young · July 11th, 2008, 12:07 PM

David
I'm definitely thinking that your idea would be a terrific solution for us "non-I/O" users: to get the emphasis off of the graphics card for monitoring, and focused instead on an inexpensive solution like the BM Intensity HDMI output to monitor.

David Newman · July 11th, 2008, 12:14 PM

Robert, we totally agree.

Stephen Timpe · July 12th, 2008, 09:11 AM

Like so many here, I've been through the ringer trying to figure out the monitoring issue. I recently put together a new system (went with ATI 3850) but spent a huge amount of time trying to figure it all out, reading this and other forums. Now, since this is the weak issue of Cineform (along with color correction, imho, as I find monitoring with both Cineform and Color Finesse to be difficult) wouldn't it be nice if there were a sticky or wiki or page on the Cineform website that spelled it all out? Start the thing out with the very important distinction between monitoring with a graphics card and with a 'video i/o' (?) card, like AJA etc. Then list what works and what doesn't, order of preference (aka David N's comments about AJA, Blackmagic, Matrox, ATI and then far down the list, Nvidia).

I often wonder, if a better format for these forums wouldn't include the permanence of a Wiki (or at least some very carefully worded, limited access sticky's) along with the jabberings of the rest of us.

Graham Hickling · July 12th, 2008, 12:37 PM

Yes, it would be nice!

And meanwhile ... would you recommend the ATI3850?

Stephen Timpe · July 12th, 2008, 02:27 PM

Regarding the Gigabyte ATI 3850 (385512), so far, yes, I like it. After reading David N's comments regarding Nvidia, after my own experience with previous Nvidia cards and after coming to the realization that I detest the user interface of the Nvdia software, I choose to go ATI. I picked this model cause it's powerful enough and runs cool (unlike the 3870 or 4000 series). The overlay works all the time (unlike with the Nvidia card). And the software interface is simple, clean (unlike Nvidia's). So far, so good.

Graham Hickling · July 12th, 2008, 03:39 PM

Thanks for that Stephen - with the ATI does the monitor still hiccup briefly going in and out of timeline playback?

Stephen Timpe · July 13th, 2008, 04:23 AM

Graham, I would suppose I get the same kinds of issues as others. There is a very quick hiccup with Cineform overlay, the aspect ratio changes (I'm using DV), I don't 'see' the color correction changes I've made (with Color Finesse) and there is no image with scrubbing (on the monitor). Without Cineform, overlay monitoring is excellent.

July 9th, 2008, 03:56 PM	#17
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	And your point is? We know all of this. We don't have the resources to chase after card vendor peculiarities, when most of our customers are not impacted. We do plan to address monitor concerns under Premiere in various ways, some many even help NVidia. We currently support ATI, Matrox, NVidia (many cards), AJA (capture and monitoring) and BlackMagic (HDLink capture.) Adding more when we can. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

July 11th, 2008, 09:33 AM	#19
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Most sub-$200 cards work, ATI particularly, even most NVidia. The problem arrose with the newer high-end NVidia cards that removed overlay support, the mechanism we use for dual screen monitoring. There is always the compromise with your current card, simply have a desktop that is two monitors wide, and fill the program monitor on the second screen (that we did at NAB.) __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

July 11th, 2008, 12:07 PM	#20
Robert Young Trustee Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Coronado Island Posts: 1,472	David I'm definitely thinking that your idea would be a terrific solution for us "non-I/O" users: to get the emphasis off of the graphics card for monitoring, and focused instead on an inexpensive solution like the BM Intensity HDMI output to monitor. __________________ Bob

July 11th, 2008, 12:14 PM	#21
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Robert, we totally agree. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

July 12th, 2008, 09:11 AM	#22
Stephen Timpe New Boot Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cairo, Egypt Posts: 9	Overlay Like so many here, I've been through the ringer trying to figure out the monitoring issue. I recently put together a new system (went with ATI 3850) but spent a huge amount of time trying to figure it all out, reading this and other forums. Now, since this is the weak issue of Cineform (along with color correction, imho, as I find monitoring with both Cineform and Color Finesse to be difficult) wouldn't it be nice if there were a sticky or wiki or page on the Cineform website that spelled it all out? Start the thing out with the very important distinction between monitoring with a graphics card and with a 'video i/o' (?) card, like AJA etc. Then list what works and what doesn't, order of preference (aka David N's comments about AJA, Blackmagic, Matrox, ATI and then far down the list, Nvidia). I often wonder, if a better format for these forums wouldn't include the permanence of a Wiki (or at least some very carefully worded, limited access sticky's) along with the jabberings of the rest of us.

July 9th, 2008, 02:25 PM	#16
Fredrik Harreschou New Boot Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Kragerø, Norway Posts: 5	People are definitely using Nvidia in the "professional video" world. We have Assimilate SCRATCH on the same system, and that is a lot more "professional" than Cineform, sorry for saying. There is supposedly a bug with Blackmagic products (for what, two years now?!) and now there is a bug in the Nvidia drivers as well. I am a little dissappointed, to say the least. I know that you try to cater the RED users with your solutions; I have a question: What kind of (dual head) GPU do you think will be in most of the Windows RedCine-boxes out there? Don't you think it would be smart to have working solutions around these setups? I know alot of people who are definitely NOT getting Matrox cards... EDIT: Seems like monitoring isn't Cineforms strongest side... http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=115382

July 11th, 2008, 07:08 AM	#18
William Middleton Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Antioch, TN Posts: 67	Nearly all of the cards you mentioned that cineform works with are IO cards that are in the 1000$ + range. I don't need IO, I use firewire and just need good monitoring. And after hearing that Nvidia was the better route to go (on forums like these), I went with them. Is there a list of Non-IO cards (or maybe I should say 'O' cards) that Cineform supports dual-monitoring on the Cineform site?

July 12th, 2008, 12:37 PM	#23
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	Yes, it would be nice! And meanwhile ... would you recommend the ATI3850?

July 12th, 2008, 02:27 PM	#24
Stephen Timpe New Boot Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cairo, Egypt Posts: 9	Regarding the Gigabyte ATI 3850 (385512), so far, yes, I like it. After reading David N's comments regarding Nvidia, after my own experience with previous Nvidia cards and after coming to the realization that I detest the user interface of the Nvdia software, I choose to go ATI. I picked this model cause it's powerful enough and runs cool (unlike the 3870 or 4000 series). The overlay works all the time (unlike with the Nvidia card). And the software interface is simple, clean (unlike Nvidia's). So far, so good.

July 12th, 2008, 03:39 PM	#25
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	Thanks for that Stephen - with the ATI does the monitor still hiccup briefly going in and out of timeline playback?

July 13th, 2008, 04:23 AM	#26
Stephen Timpe New Boot Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cairo, Egypt Posts: 9	Graham, I would suppose I get the same kinds of issues as others. There is a very quick hiccup with Cineform overlay, the aspect ratio changes (I'm using DV), I don't 'see' the color correction changes I've made (with Color Finesse) and there is no image with scrubbing (on the monitor). Without Cineform, overlay monitoring is excellent.