AspectHD vs Matrox RT.X2 at DVinfo.net

Steve Sobodos · December 24th, 2007, 10:55 PM

I am trying out AspectHD on my Premiere Pro 1.5.1 system with footage from my new Canon XH A1. I have a ticket in for the capture preview window being green when playing footage through the firewire (capturing or not). The footage looks fine if I ignore the green screen and go ahead and capture. Any one else have this problem?

Also, when I drop footage on the timeline and put a Cineform cross dissolve between clips, I get the red bar requiring rendering. I can't drag through it real-time either. This is a surprise as this is supposed to be real-time. I can put video on V1 and V2 and change opacity real-time which is what a cross dissolve does.

I do have a .X100 in my system right now, do you think this is the conflict?

I need to make a choice: PPro3 & Matrox RT.X2 for about $1,500 or AspectHD & PPro3 Upgrade for about $800. I have already upgraded my system to be on the Matrox validated list but it seems like so many have problems with .X2. Matrox's solution seems to be wipe and re-load windows and all your software. I'm sure the crash-o-matic Premiere deserves some blame but I have not heard the huge negatives about Cineform.

Sorry for rambling . . .

Carl Middleton · December 25th, 2007, 07:11 AM

Are you using the Cineform project presets?

David Newman · December 25th, 2007, 10:55 AM

There are conflicts with some of the Matrox cards, but I don't know the symptoms so I'm not sure if this is the issue. Please file a trouble ticket and support will be back at the office tomorrow, hopefully they will have a simple solution. Our support lead is an old .X100 user.

Steve Sobodos · December 25th, 2007, 10:59 PM

Yes I am using the Cineform preset for 1080/60i.

I filed a ticket on the green screen problem a week ago and we have not found the solution yet.

With fundamental functionality issues (Cineform cross disolve requires rendering and the green screen thing), I am apprehensive.

Richard Leadbetter · December 26th, 2007, 03:29 AM

Simple question - does it do the same thing without the Matrox card installed? CineForm's components are realtime without rendering, you really need to know if the problem is Matrox (likely) or some other element of your system.

Matt Vanecek · December 28th, 2007, 12:01 AM

I use Cineform with PPro 1.5.1. The Cineform effects are real-time, but if you have other effects on the clips, then rendering will be required. Also, if you've set the motion properties (scale, position, etc.), then rendering will be required. I forget if opacity changes also force a render, but I don't think they do...

On just straight cross-dissolves between two otherwise unaltered clips, Cineform effects/transitions do not require rendering (for me), but I do not have your Matrox card.

Thanks,
Matt

David Taylor · December 28th, 2007, 01:19 AM

All effects/transitions/filters in the CineForm folders will be real time when using a CineForm preset. With minor exception (including cross dissolve), we don't map other Adobe effects/transitions/filters into the CineForm RT engine. So for the most RT performance always try to use a CineForm filter to minimize forced renders.

David Newman · December 28th, 2007, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Vanecek

Also, if you've set the motion properties (scale, position, etc.), then rendering will be required. I forget if opacity changes also force a render, but I don't think they do...

Motion and opacity are real-time, even with scale and position, the only issue is we don't support b-spline paths, linear operations are RT.

Steve Sobodos · January 1st, 2008, 09:12 PM

Well I had a different problem with Premiere 1.5.1 and my Matrox RTX.100. I could not export an existing SD project to a movie using the Matrox Pre-set. This worked fine prior to all this so I uninstalled Quicktime which I upgraded a couple of days prior and Premiere could export the movie.

I tried many versions of quicktime and all had the same problem. I finally uninstalled Aspect HD, Matrox Xtools, and Premiere. I reloaded Premiere 1.5, then 1.5.1, then Matrox Xtools and the latest Quicktime - all worked fine, I could export my movie. I re-loaded Cineform Aspect HD and the problem returns - can't export Matrox preset movie project (no change to the project).

Since I plan on still using my Matrox RT.X100 - I am now giving up on Cineform. The green screen is the least of my problems. Thanks for your efforts.

December 24th, 2007, 10:55 PM	#1
Steve Sobodos Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lake Forest, CA Posts: 106	AspectHD vs Matrox RT.X2 I am trying out AspectHD on my Premiere Pro 1.5.1 system with footage from my new Canon XH A1. I have a ticket in for the capture preview window being green when playing footage through the firewire (capturing or not). The footage looks fine if I ignore the green screen and go ahead and capture. Any one else have this problem? Also, when I drop footage on the timeline and put a Cineform cross dissolve between clips, I get the red bar requiring rendering. I can't drag through it real-time either. This is a surprise as this is supposed to be real-time. I can put video on V1 and V2 and change opacity real-time which is what a cross dissolve does. I do have a .X100 in my system right now, do you think this is the conflict? I need to make a choice: PPro3 & Matrox RT.X2 for about $1,500 or AspectHD & PPro3 Upgrade for about $800. I have already upgraded my system to be on the Matrox validated list but it seems like so many have problems with .X2. Matrox's solution seems to be wipe and re-load windows and all your software. I'm sure the crash-o-matic Premiere deserves some blame but I have not heard the huge negatives about Cineform. Sorry for rambling . . .

December 25th, 2007, 07:11 AM	#2
Carl Middleton Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fernandina Beach, FL Posts: 562	Are you using the Cineform project presets? __________________ Carl Middleton Whizkid Mediaworks

December 25th, 2007, 10:55 AM	#3
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	There are conflicts with some of the Matrox cards, but I don't know the symptoms so I'm not sure if this is the issue. Please file a trouble ticket and support will be back at the office tomorrow, hopefully they will have a simple solution. Our support lead is an old .X100 user. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

December 26th, 2007, 03:29 AM	#5
Richard Leadbetter Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 323	Simple question - does it do the same thing without the Matrox card installed? CineForm's components are realtime without rendering, you really need to know if the problem is Matrox (likely) or some other element of your system. __________________ Company Website: Digital Foundry Ltd Video Games HD Blog: Digital Foundry@Eurogamer

December 25th, 2007, 10:59 PM	#4
Steve Sobodos Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lake Forest, CA Posts: 106	Yes I am using the Cineform preset for 1080/60i. I filed a ticket on the green screen problem a week ago and we have not found the solution yet. With fundamental functionality issues (Cineform cross disolve requires rendering and the green screen thing), I am apprehensive.

December 28th, 2007, 12:01 AM	#6
Matt Vanecek Major Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Denton, TX Posts: 334	I use Cineform with PPro 1.5.1. The Cineform effects are real-time, but if you have other effects on the clips, then rendering will be required. Also, if you've set the motion properties (scale, position, etc.), then rendering will be required. I forget if opacity changes also force a render, but I don't think they do... On just straight cross-dissolves between two otherwise unaltered clips, Cineform effects/transitions do not require rendering (for me), but I do not have your Matrox card. Thanks, Matt

December 28th, 2007, 01:19 AM	#7
David Taylor Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Solana Beach, CA Posts: 853	All effects/transitions/filters in the CineForm folders will be real time when using a CineForm preset. With minor exception (including cross dissolve), we don't map other Adobe effects/transitions/filters into the CineForm RT engine. So for the most RT performance always try to use a CineForm filter to minimize forced renders.

January 1st, 2008, 09:12 PM	#9
Steve Sobodos Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lake Forest, CA Posts: 106	Well I had a different problem with Premiere 1.5.1 and my Matrox RTX.100. I could not export an existing SD project to a movie using the Matrox Pre-set. This worked fine prior to all this so I uninstalled Quicktime which I upgraded a couple of days prior and Premiere could export the movie. I tried many versions of quicktime and all had the same problem. I finally uninstalled Aspect HD, Matrox Xtools, and Premiere. I reloaded Premiere 1.5, then 1.5.1, then Matrox Xtools and the latest Quicktime - all worked fine, I could export my movie. I re-loaded Cineform Aspect HD and the problem returns - can't export Matrox preset movie project (no change to the project). Since I plan on still using my Matrox RT.X100 - I am now giving up on Cineform. The green screen is the least of my problems. Thanks for your efforts.