Blackmagic Intensity and HDMI

[Craigy]

We are new to FCP and mainly edit id HDV.

I've seen many comments about not trusting our Mac monitors (Dell 24" LCD x 2) for colour accuracy of video, and also that the Digital Cinema Desktop mode isn't good either.

I noticed the Blackmagic card and my question is that if we hook up a consumer LCD TV to this card, will it produce a much more accurate image that what we could acheive using out monitors? It seems logical that this would depend on the quality of the LCD TV etc...I assume this is so.

Anyway any advice would be great - thanks!

[bkvideography]

We are new to FCP and mainly edit id HDV.

I've seen many comments about not trusting our Mac monitors (Dell 24" LCD x 2) for colour accuracy of video, and also that the Digital Cinema Desktop mode isn't good either.

I noticed the Blackmagic card and my question is that if we hook up a consumer LCD TV to this card, will it produce a much more accurate image that what we could acheive using out monitors? It seems logical that this would depend on the quality of the LCD TV etc...I assume this is so.

Anyway any advice would be great - thanks!

actually the apple cinema displays are some of the most accurate monitors in terms of color.......BUT in any case, you don't look at a computer monitor for color correction, period.

So ya, go for the LCD tv's.

[LethalWolfe]

It does depend on the quality of the LCD. The most inexpensive b'cast quality LCDs are from Panasonic, and start around $2500, IIRC (I can't think of the model number off hand). I haven't seen any info about using the Intensity w/LCD brand X for accurate monitoring even though I've been keeping my eye out for.

An alternative solution is the Matrox MXO (http://www.matrox.com/video/products/mxo/home.cfm) to use in conjunction w/your current monitors (it's $999). Shane Ross (http://lfhd.blogspot.com/), an editor out in LA and a respect member of a number of post production forums, did some real world tests using the MXO, a 23" ACD, and a Dell 2405. He was able to get both monitors close to what he saw on his b'cast HD CRT. The ACD was able to get closer to the CRT image than the Dell, but both got close enough to be useable by the cash strapped.


Lethal

[pdpfilms]

I'd like to know if anyone here has the Matrox MXO. One thing I can't seem to find is if one needs to manually disconnect your ACD from the MXO and reconnect it directly to your Mac to switch back to desktop mode from display mode. If so, this little box looks great.

[LethalWolfe]

I'd like to know if anyone here has the Matrox MXO. One thing I can't seem to find is if one needs to manually disconnect your ACD from the MXO and reconnect it directly to your Mac to switch back to desktop mode from display mode. If so, this little box looks great.

I don't have an MXO, but it does allow the DVI to pass though. Turning on/off "external monitoring" will toggle between HD feed and desktop.


Lethal