Anyone using a 3rd monitor for video?

[Kyle Root]

I recently bought my second monitor to add to my editing workstation. Back in 2011 I built my current i7 2600K, 16GB RAM System. At the time I bought a NVidia GTX560Ti video card and it's been working great.

We recently moved and due to some things, we have an extra 32" HDTV that's not able to be used.

I had thought about trying to use it as some kind of external viewer for the "timeline" video output... but (1) I discovered my video card can only run 2 monitors at once, even though it has 3 ouputs, 2 DVI and 1 miniHDMI. and (2) I'm not even sure if it's possible.

Is anyone doing anything like that?

[Dave Blackhurst]

I ran a 3 monitor configuration at one time... so yes, you can do it. Somehow I want to say I had a secondary video card to pull it off - it was some time ago.

Current solution is a 39" Seiki 4k TV for my "monitor"... equivalent to 4 1920x1080 screens, with a smaller secondary 1080 screen to watch web TV or do previews...

[Matt Sharp]

I use 4 screens on my editor it takes two cards that each output two signals. I have them arranged in a 2x2 grid using a stand like this: Amazon.com : Quad LCD Monitor Free Standing Desk Mount/ Stand Heavy Duty Fully Adjustable fits 4 /Four Screens up to 24" ~ (by VIVO) : Computer Monitor Stands : Office Products

I'm going to swap them all out for a Seiki 55" 4K screen soon. Dave how do you like your setup?

[Noa Put]

I'm using Edius with 2 monitors showing Edius and a large led tv connected to a spark card (only works with Edius) which gives a clean full screen output to that screen of whatever the timeline is showing.

[Jeff Pulera]

The newer Nvidia cards such as the GTX 760 or 770 can run 4 concurrent displays. Another option would be a third-party I/O card such as Matrox MXO2 Mini, BlackMagic Intensity, or Spark (as Noa mentioned). Depends on the NLE and would feed clean HDMI to a display. These cards often produce smoother results than the "computer video" from the graphics card.

Thanks

[Donald McPherson]

I'm using a 650 ti card three monitors two DVI and one HDMI.

[Clive McLaughlin]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

I'm using Edius with 2 monitors showing Edius and a large led tv connected to a spark card (only works with Edius) which gives a clean full screen output to that screen of whatever the timeline is showing.

Noa, just had a brief look at Edius. Edius 7 looks good. What's your opinion? HAve you always used it, or did you recently switch?

I'm tempted...

[Barry Hunter]

When Avid Liquid was deemed end of line we switched to Edius & find it a very stable platform! I use Encore for my authoring though as that is quite basic from with Edius!

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Clive McLaughlin

Noa, just had a brief look at Edius. Edius 7 looks good. What's your opinion? HAve you always used it, or did you recently switch?

I'm tempted...

I was a adobe premiere user up till cs3, then I got my first avchd camera and had to upgrade as only cs4 supported that codec, as I had many issues with the stability of cs3 I decided it was time to switch and started with edius5 which was rocksolid, never a single crash, then I went to edius 6 and experienced random crashes, not often but still and it took edius 7 to get that rock solid performance again.

Been experiencing some bsod's lately but those are due to driver issues with a new cheap ati card I installed a while back but that will be replaced soon. Had to get that card as the resolution of my 29 inch monitor was not supported by the motherboards onboard gpu and then trouble started.

Edius doesn't require a fast gpu (unless you use some gpu accelerated gpu transitions which I never use), I actually had been editing without a separate videocard since I got edius 7 and a new pc, it was only until I got a new monitor I had to add a card.

Edius is basically a very stable and fast cutter to handle about any codec that's out there, and it's very good at realtime playback, even on a medium powered pc, if you get the right motherboard edius will utilize the onboard gpu to accelerate mp4 renders which is much faster then using the cpu.

Multicam is also really easy to do and if you would need a intermediate codec, their own hq(x) avi codecs are excellent but take up a hugh amount of space.

I can also edit on my main pc, export that edit to a slow laptop using a intermediate codec, continue working on that project on my laptop and when I get home transfer my edit back to my main edit pc for further colourcorrecting and exporting.

I do use tmpgenc authoringworks for my dvd and blu-ray creation as I find edius lacking in that department and their audio correction possibilities are also more limited.

Adobe has the main advantage of integration, the way their different programs work together and it allows you to be more creative if you use after effects as well but adobe has some very specific pc requirements like lots of memory and often a expensive videocard. My edit pc has only 8gb memory and with edius active there is never more then 4gb used and you don't need a dedicated videocard.

Edius also has a very helpfull forum with many experienced users helping you out if needed and even edius employees are actively joining discussions or reacting to reported bugs. I think this is very unique.

Another big advantage is my sparkcard as I get a high quality full screen output to my big screen without any artifacts or delay which allows me to use a 3 monitor setup.

If you are used to premiere pro and want to switch there is a learning curve and it took me months to get used to it, for me it works now and I don't see any reason to switch.

[Dave Blackhurst]

Originally Posted by Matt Sharp

I use 4 screens on my editor it takes two cards that each output two signals. I have them arranged in a 2x2 grid using a stand like this: Amazon.com : Quad LCD Monitor Free Standing Desk Mount/ Stand Heavy Duty Fully Adjustable fits 4 /Four Screens up to 24" ~ (by VIVO) : Computer Monitor Stands : Office Products

I'm going to swap them all out for a Seiki 55" 4K screen soon. Dave how do you like your setup?

Not bad for the money (wanted cheap 4K capability, as the tech will drop in price and get better quickly, so no sense in spending TOO much now!)...

You sometimes have to figure out where your mouse pointer is with all that real estate... I'm still not convinced that the Seiki is completely calibrated, but it's "good enough" for editing. Definitely a different experience in terms of sharp crisp images and text, you can get used to it pretty quickly, but then you realize that what used to look great now looks a little soft, though not necessarily in a "bad" way.

[Matt Sharp]

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

You sometimes have to figure out where your mouse pointer is with all that real estate... I'm still not convinced that the Seiki is completely calibrated, but it's "good enough" for editing.

Do you have it setup as one single screen or arranged as 4 separate 'screens'?

[Dave Blackhurst]

One huge screen, and typically I just use a portion of it... just resize programs as needed and drag them around.

[Chris Hewitt]

Noa, what is a sparkcard? Can't find any reference to it but it sounds like something that would be useful for me.
Can you put a link to it if possible. Thanks!

[Noa Put]

There are 2 versions, remember, they only work with edius and they are limited to HD output, you can view 4K footage through it but only when downscaled in a 1080p project, if you open a 4K project and want to hook up a 4k monitor it won't work.

HDSPARK | Grass Valley, a Belden Brand
HDSPARK Pro | Grass Valley, a Belden Brand

[Chris Hewitt]

Thanks Noa, yes, you did mention the Edius only option so that rules me out (SVP).