Problem with Parhelia APVe HDTV Display

[Joseph Clark]

I'm not getting any display from the Parhelia PCIe HDTV output. I have the Parhelia set up for two HD15 monitors and an HDTV display, all confirmed in the Matrpx Powerdesk software. I installed the Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 plug-in from the Matrox disk. Although the Matrox software confirms that I'm set up for two HD15 displays and an HDTV display, the third display does not appear in the standard Windows Display settings dialog, and I'm not getting anything from the RGB cable from the Parhelia. I've triple checked the connections from the Parhelia - the two monitors with the Premiere editing interface are working fine, just nothing from the Parhelia to the HDTV monitor. I've also checked the input on the HDTV from another source. It's working fine, too. When I go to File>Export>Matrox WYSIWYG Plug-in..., it gives me the option to use the plug-in (I can check the box), but the box is unchecked when I go back in again.

Any ideas?

[David Newman]

You shouldn't need any Premiere plug-in from Matrox if you are using Aspect HD. Run a clip through media player, once you can get that to appear on the third monitor Aspect HD will work on all three displays. i.e. the standard overlay surface should appear on the external display.

[Joseph Clark]

Originally Posted by David Newman

You shouldn't need any Premiere plug-in from Matrox if you are using Aspect HD. Run a clip through media player, once you can get that to appear on the third monitor Aspect HD will work on all three displays. i.e. the standard overlay surface should appear on the external display.

Thanks, David, but that didn't work either. I tried first just to play something in Media Player - no go. I uninstalled the Matrox plug-in for Premiere and tried again - no go. No signal to the HDTV.

I know I'm plugged into the correct output on the Matrox cable, according to the instructions. Am I supposed to be able to see three monitors in the Windows Display Settings dialog? I see just the two LCD monitors, set to 1280x1024. As I said, the Matrox software confirms that I'm set up for two HD15 analog displays and one HDTV. And the HDTV is set to 1280x720, according to the Matrox software.

[David Newman]

For the mode you need you should only see two monitors in the Windows Display Settings -- I think. Focus on getting Media Player to work, and only tell that to Matrox support (you don't want them confused that it is a Premiere or CineForm thing, because it is not.)

[Joseph Clark]

Originally Posted by David Newman

For the mode you need you should only see two monitors in the Windows Display Settings -- I think. Focus on getting Media Player to work, and only tell that to Matrox support (you don't want them confused that it is a Premiere or CineForm thing, because it is not.)

Thanks. So this does sound like a problem with the Matrox card or its software? You've not had to do anything special to get the HDTV display to show? I assumed I would see the Premiere timeline playing during editing. This is the way it works when it's working properly, isn't it?

[David Newman]

It is a setup thing, I doubt anything is wrong with the card.

[Patricia Lamm]

Joseph, have you set up things properly using the Matrox PowerDesk-HF? Go to "Video Playback Settings" and check both "Use video overlay" and "Use PureVideo/DVDMax" (you may need to change the settings for the latter if you have a 16:9 hdtv).

[Joseph Clark]

Originally Posted by Patricia Lamm

Joseph, have you set up things properly using the Matrox PowerDesk-HF? Go to "Video Playback Settings" and check both "Use video overlay" and "Use PureVideo/DVDMax" (you may need to change the settings for the latter if you have a 16:9 hdtv).

Thanks, Patricia. That was the problem. I'd looked through that section before, but I suppose I didn't hit upon the right combination. The overlay is working fine now for Media Player.

However, it's still not displaying the timeline in Premiere. Probably user ignorance. Am I wroing in assuming that the timeline should play back during Premiere editing? What else do I need to do?

Thanks again.

[Patricia Lamm]

I'm glad that you're getting a little closer. It's not straight-forward, as my multiple calls to Matrox and hours of reconfiguring show!

Anything playing in your Premiere monitor-display window should play on the HDTV. The only thing I can think of is to try moving your Premiere monitor window to your second physical monitor window (or to the first physical monitor if you've already tried playing it in your second physical monitor). This made a difference to me when I had another configuration of monitors (and I've tried many).

The Matrox WYSWYG plug-in didn't make a difference for me as far as Premiere goes -- it would play on the HDTV whether I exported the plug-in or not.

[Joseph Clark]

Originally Posted by Patricia Lamm

I'm glad that you're getting a little closer. It's not straight-forward, as my multiple calls to Matrox and hours of reconfiguring show!

Anything playing in your Premiere monitor-display window should play on the HDTV. The only thing I can think of is to try moving your Premiere monitor window to your second physical monitor window (or to the first physical monitor if you've already tried playing it in your second physical monitor). This made a difference to me when I had another configuration of monitors (and I've tried many).

The Matrox WYSWYG plug-in didn't make a difference for me as far as Premiere goes -- it would play on the HDTV whether I exported the plug-in or not.

Thanks, once again.

Everything is working well now. I have full preview of anything playing in the Preview or Program Monitor windows in Premiere. I think I'll post the step by step how-to in a separate thread, just so others won't have to go through this again. I imagine there are several people who will be going through a nearly identical learning curve with this card and AspectHD.

[David Newman]

Joseph,

That will be great, I'll even see that it gets added to the CineForm FAQ.