Video distribution thro' a MX02?

[Lenny Warren]

Anyone using a MX02? I'm thinking of getting one, the Max version as I do a lot of H264.

Anyway, just wondering, can you use it on it's own without connecting to a computer? The reason I ask is that when on location, I use a Sony 9" field monitor, but wondered if I took HD-SDi out of my field monitor into a powered but not computer connected MX02, could I then distribute loop through composite video to another monitor?

In effect use the MX02 as a video distribution hub? It IS an I/O box but wondered if it would work without computer?

[Samer Aslan]

I have Matrox MXO2 mini with matrox max version and I can tell you that it doesn't work alone like that, it needs a computer. Blackmagic got many nice products like mini converters and this: Blackmagic Design: H.264 Pro Recorder the two togather maybe have the price of the MXO2....I for myself can tell that I'm not that happy with my MXO2...
Samer

[Lenny Warren]

It was the MX02LE Max I was going for, and it was mainly to be used WITH a computer, but just wondered if it would work when I'm filming.

What aren't you happy about with the mini?

[Ron Little]

I also have the MXO2 mini and I can tell you it works great for capture. The problem I have is using it to monitor on a third monitor. It works but the timeline is so sluggish it stalls and crashes. You can open the same project in desktop mode and the project will play just fine. But you have lost your third monitor at that point. I have been thinking about ordering the expensive DVD from Safe Harbor to see if I can get it to work right. I can not believe that companies will sell products without proper setup directions. You actually have to go to a third party to learn how to setup and use the product.

[Jay West]

"I also have the MXO2 mini and I can tell you it works great for capture. The problem I have is using it to monitor on a third monitor. It works but the timeline is so sluggish it stalls and crashes. You can open the same project in desktop mode and the project will play just fine. But you have lost your third monitor at that point. I have been thinking about ordering the expensive DVD from Safe Harbor to see if I can get it to work right. I can not believe that companies will sell products without proper setup directions. You actually have to go to a third party to learn how to setup and use the product."

I have to ask about your system set-up. What are the system specs? I've been using the MXO2-Mini from CS4 to CS 5.5 through two different workstations. The first was an I7/920 w/12 g RAM and GTX 260, The current system is an I7-2600k with 16gb RAM and a GTX 560Ti/448). I never had anything special or clever with set-up of the MXO2 mini. The only issue with sluggishness has been with longer (over ½ hour) AVCHD multi-cam timelines. Otherwise, the issues I've had with with crashing and lock-ups have been traced back to processor failure due to heat build-up (for example, I7-920 CPU getting above 87° C when scrolling the timeline) and RAM going bad. Taking the MXO2 Mini out of the sysme only temporarily avoided crashes.

Which leads me to ask if you might want to start a separate thread on your difficulties? Folks who could help you sort out the problem with your MXO2 Mini will not think to look here since this thread is about using an MXO2 LE for monitoring without a computer.

And that brings me back to to Lenny's original question about using the MXO devices without a computer. All of the MXO2 devices function via a PCIe 1x card in a workstation or an express card in a laptop. All require software run by a computer. Thus. they cannot function independently of a computer. Or, more specifically, without the computer and and the card, there is no way for an MXO break-out-box to process signals or feed a distribution amp. Basically, there is no practical way to power them (or run their software) without a computer of some kind.

BUT, Lenny, if you do not need timeline monitoring and all you really want is accelerated H.264 encoding, you might want to look at the Matrox Compress HD card. See, here, for example, from a DVInfo sponsor:

videoguys.com/Item/Matrox+CompressHD/448434D4.aspx

Otherwise, for feeding composite video to another monitor while shooting, an inexpensive distribution amp might be a better bet.

[Lenny Warren]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the feedback.

I have a field monitor I use, a Sony HD which has SDi, I have my two camera connected into that, switch channels to view my camera and my remote second camera. I just wanted to add a second monitor, for client use. My monitor has HD-SDi loop through so wanted to avoid getting a HD monitor for the client. I suppose I could just use a HD-SDi convertor to HDMI and use a cheap lcd tv???

Jay, as well as H264 acceleration on my mac pro, I occasionally need it on my macbook pro and also like having an I/O box. I was thinking the MX02LE Max fills all my criteria. :-)

Saying that, a video dist amp may be handy to have...

Cheers,
Lenny

[Jay West]

For what you want to do, I think the HD-SDI-to-HDMI converter and any decent, small LCD HD-TV would be far better than a composite video out. (Composite signals are SD). If memory serves, converters can be had for less than $200. I think B&H carries some.

[Lenny Warren]

Cheers, that's probably the best bet. :-)