Apple Color (monitoring) at DVinfo.net

Daniel Alexander · July 9th, 2008, 08:54 AM

Hi, I've not used apple color yet but i'm attracted to it's power and control, and as im hoping to use it for serious color grading theres something that is really bugging me...how are you monitoring your results on an external monitor? Im aware it doesn't support firewire output so im interested to find out from those people who use it, how they are getting acurate results if all they have as reference is a computer monitor? Im also aware of the mxo solution, but for those of us who are used to firewire out what do we do? Thanks

Michael Liebergot · July 9th, 2008, 11:25 AM

For me it's easy.
I have a Black Magic Intensity Pro card installed in my Quad Mac Pro.

So I can preview my footage either on my small SD production monitor (via Component) (for either SD or HD footage) or via HDMI to my 32 Samsung HD set.

Daniel Alexander · July 10th, 2008, 08:44 AM

ok, i never thought of that option. what do you get fed through the component signal, just the canvas window or????? also thanks for the fast reply :)

Michael Liebergot · July 10th, 2008, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Alexander

ok, i never thought of that option. what do you get fed through the component signal, just the canvas window or????? also thanks for the fast reply :)

Yes, I believe that I use the canvas window.
You are previewing your footage, not viewing your timeline.

The Intensity card has it's own control panel that you set for which ever display you would like.

In the FCP Audio/Video settings, you would change your output preview device from firewire to Black Magic Intensity. And the card does the rest, depending on what output you prefer.

I forgot to mention, that you can also preview both SD via Component and HD via HDMI, simultaneously, to see how your footage will look in both formats. Pretty cool.

Daniel Alexander · July 10th, 2008, 11:47 PM

Ok, that sounds great but im just a bit confused about one thing. If the blackmagic card displays your 'footage', then how does it display your output from apple color or even say magic bullet as i thought that it loads it's own interface, how would that translate into an output from the card to an external monitor? Thanks

Michael Liebergot · July 11th, 2008, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Alexander

Ok, that sounds great but im just a bit confused about one thing. If the blackmagic card displays your 'footage', then how does it display your output from apple color or even say magic bullet as i thought that it loads it's own interface, how would that translate into an output from the card to an external monitor? Thanks

The BM card only has it's own interface only for setting the card up for the system. It's a control panel which enables you to select which color space and output format you would like the card to output for all programs.
Once you have these preset, you would simply instruct each program card to use the BMIntensity card in their individual audio/visual preference.

So in FCP, you go into your Audio/Video Settings and change the preview device from FW basic to BMIntensity. You would do the same for your audio. My SD monitor can play sound as well so if I want my audio played on it I select BMIntesity. If I want my system to handle the audio and play audio out to my monitor speakers, then I would set it to Line output.

If you want Color to use the BM card for preview, then you simply set the BM Intensity card for external preview in the preferences.

I don't remember off of the top of my head, but I think that Color will recognize the card to be the default preview device anyway, as it looks for an external card of some sort for preview, since it doesn't recognize Firewire as a preview source.

Martin Chab · July 11th, 2008, 08:04 AM

I´m using Color a lot. I bought a Nec 26" Spectraview monitor and pluged directly as a second monitor. With an eye one pro I can calibrate the spectraview to whatever the LUT I want (for example I´ve been making color grading for a project to transfer to 35mm and I used Cineon as a target for my calibration, the 35 mm copy looks exactly the same as it was on the monitor, now I´m making some gradings for HDTV and simply I made a new calibration) is a simple, fast and transparent operation. The good thing is that you dump the LUT the monitor hardware and the stability is really great, also you dont need any external extra hardware. As a plus you have the benefit of the wide gamut (much more accurate colors when you work on 10 bit projects)

Daniel Alexander · July 11th, 2008, 11:25 AM

great stuff guys, exactly what i was looking for. Great news that color can output via the BM that easily. Also Martin im happy to know you got such good results using your method, I'm going to experiment with this myself, as i will be grading a film which will be the first project i have transfered to 35mm and as you can imagine im very worried about being able to take advantage of the full colour range from the original 1920x1200 image and make sure it matches up to what i'm seeing on my monitor.

July 9th, 2008, 08:54 AM	#1
Daniel Alexander Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: West Midlands, UK Posts: 320	Apple Color (monitoring) Hi, I've not used apple color yet but i'm attracted to it's power and control, and as im hoping to use it for serious color grading theres something that is really bugging me...how are you monitoring your results on an external monitor? Im aware it doesn't support firewire output so im interested to find out from those people who use it, how they are getting acurate results if all they have as reference is a computer monitor? Im also aware of the mxo solution, but for those of us who are used to firewire out what do we do? Thanks

July 9th, 2008, 11:25 AM	#2
Michael Liebergot Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,505	For me it's easy. I have a Black Magic Intensity Pro card installed in my Quad Mac Pro. So I can preview my footage either on my small SD production monitor (via Component) (for either SD or HD footage) or via HDMI to my 32 Samsung HD set. __________________ Michael www.lvpvideo.com

July 10th, 2008, 08:44 AM	#3
Daniel Alexander Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: West Midlands, UK Posts: 320	ok, i never thought of that option. what do you get fed through the component signal, just the canvas window or????? also thanks for the fast reply :)

July 10th, 2008, 11:47 PM	#5
Daniel Alexander Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: West Midlands, UK Posts: 320	Ok, that sounds great but im just a bit confused about one thing. If the blackmagic card displays your 'footage', then how does it display your output from apple color or even say magic bullet as i thought that it loads it's own interface, how would that translate into an output from the card to an external monitor? Thanks

July 11th, 2008, 08:04 AM	#7
Martin Chab Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Malmo Sweden Posts: 103	I´m using Color a lot. I bought a Nec 26" Spectraview monitor and pluged directly as a second monitor. With an eye one pro I can calibrate the spectraview to whatever the LUT I want (for example I´ve been making color grading for a project to transfer to 35mm and I used Cineon as a target for my calibration, the 35 mm copy looks exactly the same as it was on the monitor, now I´m making some gradings for HDTV and simply I made a new calibration) is a simple, fast and transparent operation. The good thing is that you dump the LUT the monitor hardware and the stability is really great, also you dont need any external extra hardware. As a plus you have the benefit of the wide gamut (much more accurate colors when you work on 10 bit projects)

July 11th, 2008, 11:25 AM	#8
Daniel Alexander Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: West Midlands, UK Posts: 320	great stuff guys, exactly what i was looking for. Great news that color can output via the BM that easily. Also Martin im happy to know you got such good results using your method, I'm going to experiment with this myself, as i will be grading a film which will be the first project i have transfered to 35mm and as you can imagine im very worried about being able to take advantage of the full colour range from the original 1920x1200 image and make sure it matches up to what i'm seeing on my monitor.