Can you use a MacBook Pro as a monitor while shooting?
 

I have spent all my time learning to shoot with the EX 1 that I have not even tried the connections under the little door! I had lunch with a friend and another EX-1 owner yesterday and the idea of monitoring a shoot with my MacBook Pro came up. Have any of you tried this and if so how did you do it and what do you need to make it work?

Thanks,

Phil

Maybe if you shoot in SP/HDV mode you could monitor through firewire, but even then there would likely be a delay. In HQ mode I am not sure that would be possible as there is no monitor in on the MBP and the firewire is disabled.

B

thanks!
 

Just a thought. On my GL2 I had a video out jack and could plug it into a monitor. This is how I used it on a Jib.

Phil

Given that the V1U has HDMI output, it would have been nice for Sony to include a way.

Has anyone found a compact component to VGA, DVI or HDMI connector ? It would be really nice to use any LCD as a larger display.

Here is a candidate :
http://www.digitalconnection.com/pro...deo/dcp261.asp

You could connect the EX1 via firewire in SP mode and use the capture window of FCP, but it's not full frame rate, or a decent image size, and has a terrible delay. You could also use an AJA IO box with the SDI, but you still have the same problems. The EX1 has a full range of outputs, from composite to SDI. Most flat panels that you would want to connect to (even some tubes) have component. Any decent HD broadcast monitor will have SDI. If you want DVI/HDMI, get a black magic HDLink box. Just keep in mind that just because a display is 1080p doesn't mean it is going to show an accurate image.

-Sean

I use my PowerBook G4 all the time via firewire with iMovie as a monitor while shooting. Works like a champ!

HQ? No delay? Please, How?
That would be awesome!

camera > firewire > G4 laptop > iMovie

no more complicated than that :)

And in a few months: EX via HD SDI -> MXO2 -> MBP -> LCD

And connect a FW800 drive to your MBP and capture HQ in ProRes422 HD.

George.

My iMovie crashes
 

I hooked up the EX1 to the MacBook Pro via supplied cable and turned on iMovie. The camera tried to locate the computer and then iMovie crashed. Do I have to set things up in a special way? What steps do you use?

Thanks,

Phil

I guess I'm out of luck, I'm a PC guy,
:-(

I just checked that out with iMovie. When you fire it up with the camera connected it is automatically in capture mode. However, its capture mode looks quite good, unlike the FCP capture mode.

There is the same lag, though. Still, it's an easy way to use the Macbook Pro as a monitor. If somebody wants to watch a monitor while you're shooting, they can live with the delay.

OK, I think in my case the missing part was FireWire 800, though I have the latest VAIO it does not offer FireWire 800, so I'm getting Express card FireWire 800 adapter; I hope that will fix the delay part, but will I be able to capture straight to the laptop in QH using any software?
I keep learning from all of you guys,
many thanks!

Try DVRack HD.

Nope, I'm using FW400. I think it depends on what software you're using. Not sure how well the video stuff on windows supports FW (apple tech), I would think they'd be pushing USB (Intel tech).

I don't know about other cameras, but I've done this with both my $800 JVC and my XL1s and it works for me over FW800. the Firewire cable I use is a 6-pin to 4-pin which came with the JVC.