CS5 on a Mac Pro running on Windows + Matrox MXO2 Max

[Brian Cassar]

I currently have an HP 9400 quad core workstation with an Axio LE card. I am still using CS3 and I shoot with on a Sony EX3 hence I edit entirely XDCAM EX files. My output is always on Blu-Ray discs. I find this system quite suitable especially since encoding to mpeg2HD is about 1:1.5 in terms of speed and hence production of Blu-Ray is very fast.

I am however thinking of switching to the following system:

A Mac Pro 8-core with CS5 and a MXO2 Max. The CS5 will be used on Windows on the Mac.

Is anyone using such a system. If so can you please shed light on the following questions:

1)Will I still have the real time effects that I presently enjoy with my current system such as real time colour correction, real time slow motion?

2)Will I be able to encode in H264 Blu Ray at real time or faster, which will mean that it will be better off than my present workflow?

3) Is it advisable at all to make this jump or shall I stay with my current set up - which I'm afraid will soon age and will need to be replaced?

BTW I decided to use CS5 on Windows since I believe that CS5 on OSx does not benefit from the MXO2 properties. I wish to jump to a Mac Pro because I'm fed up with the way pc's work.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Devin Termini]

Please describe how you're dissatisfied with the way PCs work. I can tell that your issue is not with windows because you're willing to install it on a new mac.

If you are indeed so dissatisfied with PC hardware and need Mac hardware then your proposed idea will work. I cannot tell you how well it will work, but I can tell you that it will cost you more.

[Steve Kalle]

If you want more power, why not get another HP workstation such as the Z800? I recently compared a Mac Pro and a Z800 and the HP was by far a better bargain, which is why I now have a dual-6 core Z800 with 24GB ram and Quadro FX3800 - all for $5500. The base price of my Z800 was $6000 and just by requesting a quote, the sales guy took off 25%. FYI, I purchased the ram from Provantage.com for $1000.

Also, this is a biggie, you have far more choices for a graphics card with PCs so you can use anything from a $180 GTX 260 to a $400 GTX 480 or even a FX3800 - none of these work on a Mac.

Furthermore, I really think you will be very disappointed with the matrox Mini and Premiere Pro as I was and many others. Search my name and Mini here to find my posts discussing the problems I had with the Mini. To sum them up, I used the Mini for all of 2 days and now it sits on the shelf.

One last point: the Mini does not provide accurate color. For that, you need a LCD that is calibrated to Rec 709 (since you are delivering via BR). The best value is the Eizo CG243W at $2000 and a X-Rite i1 at $200.

[Gary Bettan]

For CS5 check out the MXO2 Mini w/ MAX or if you need SDI the MXO2le w/ MAX.

we just updated our MXO2 family FAQ to include the very latest CS5 info:
Videoguys Blog - Videoguys' FAQ: Matrox MXO2 Family of Products

Gary

[Khalil Ismail]

Gary I choosethe MX02 route and I will be dumbing my matrox RX2 LE for 50% of what I paid for it shortly. Thanks

[Gary Bettan]

Yes! Matrox just announced a loyalty discount program!!

Dear Matrox owner,

For a limited time, Matrox is offering Matrox Axio, RT.X2, and RT.X100
owners a loyalty discount on purchases of selected versions of the
MXO2 products with the MAX H.264 encoding option.

Save $200 on a Matrox MXO2LE with MAX
Save $500 on a Matrox MXO2 with MAX
or Save $500 on a Matrox MXO2 Rack with MAX

Here are just a few of the reasons why Matrox Axio, RT.X2, and RT.X100
owners will take advantage of this offer:

• The MXO2 devices provide the most complete platforms for Adobe
Creative Suite 5 Production Premium.
– professional audio and video input and output with 10-bit hardware
up/down/cross conversion
– built-in color calibration tool for inexpensive HDMI monitoring
– lightning fast H.264 hardware encoding for Blu-ray, the Web, and
mobile devices via Matrox MAX technology
– full-resolution, full-frame-rate, multi-layer, realtime video
editing via Matrox RT technology

• The MXO2 devices will let users continue work with the advanced
realtime Matrox Flex CPU effects they are familiar with such as
primary and secondary color correction, smooth speed changes, and many
more.

• The MXO2 devices will let users continue work with the high-
quality, highly-efficient Matrox MPEG-2 I-frame intermediate codec
that streamlines working with CPU-taxing footage such as AVCHD and
XDCAM.

• The Matrox MXO2 devices can be used with laptops for mobile
editing.

• The Matrox MXO2 devices offer cross-platform support for PC and
Mac.

• Matrox MXO2 PC systems will seamlessly integrate into RT.X2 and
Axio environments, with complete project compatibility, once our CS5
drivers for RT.X2 and Axio become available in October.

For more info on this greaat offer
Matrox Loyalty Discount on MXO2LE with MAX, MXO2 with MAX and MXO2 Rack with MAX

Gary

[Khalil Ismail]

Thanks Gary, If I decide that that route I will be taking . I will buy from you. Thanks