Matrox RT.X100 - Unleash the power of X

[Gary Bettan]

Matrox launches the new Matrox RT.X100 realtime video editing platform based on the new "Power of X" architecture.

The RT.X100 is based on the new "Power of X" architecture that leverages scalable CPU power with the explosive performance of dedicated hardware to give users a new level of realtime productivity. Priced at $1099 US in North America including the full version of Adobe Premiere, Matrox RT.X100 delivers full-quality, full-resolution, no compromise realtime editing at a price that is comparable, or even lower, than other software-only realtime applications. You gave them your feature wish list, and Matrox delivered!

* Realtime DV output
* Realtime SinglePass DV scan and capture
* Realtime MPEG-2 capture and encoding for DVD authoring
* Realtime advanced colour correction with 18-parameter control
* Realtime chroma and luma keying
* Realtime adjustable slow and fast motion
* Realtime Matrox Flex 3D effects such as 3D DVE, blur, ripple, cube, and many more
* Freedom to combine and keyframe up to 16 effects in real time, at full-quality
* Realtime composite and Y/C input and output
* Accelerated batch encoding of VCD, SVCD, multimedia, and web formats

The RT.X100 is scheduled to ship mid July. Our price for this incredible new product is going to be $999.95. We are taking pre-orders. You can find more info on the Matrox website and at http://www.videoguys.com/rtx100.html

Those of you going to the DV Expo in NYC will be able to see this hot new card in action at the Matrox booth. I'll be posting my hands on review next week.

Gary
Videoguys.com

[Chris Hurd]

Gary, are you guys planning a comparison to Canopus DVStorm?

By the way it was great to see you again at DV Expo. Thanks for the heads-up about this.

[sjvideoPlus]

I was considering that card, except i found out i need win2k or xp to run it. I guess I am going with storm then.

[Rob Lohman]

Why would you run anything other than win2k or XP? Any of the
win9x/ME platforms is just too unstable to run any serious video
work. They don't have NTFS volumes which protect your data.
Windows NT isn't an option since it doesn't support a whole lot
of "multimedia" stuff. What are you using and why?

[sjvideoPlus]

you bring a good point, win98se must be the crappiest os out there. I am just afraid up upgrading to xp and finding out most of my stuff will not work with it. I have heard a lot of nightmares that their hardware isn't compatible with xp yet, I just don't want to run in with the same problems.

I figure i'll make my move to xp on my next purchase of a computer. is wink2k stable enough for video? I am also wondering if i am going to have a hard time dealing with compatibility issues with win2k as well.

[Rob Lohman]

Most of the compatibility issues can be researched *before* you
buy your computer! Just make a list of equipment brands and
models and check the manufacturers website. Windows 2000
is very stable (at least for me) with video editing and such. I'm
beginning to check out XP myself and at the moment I am not
having much troubles. Drivers for your extra hardware is the
most crucial to have working, applications will usually work either
in normal or in win2k/9x compatibility mode. Good research is
ofcourse important.

Did you know there are trial versions of XP/2K available? I don't
know how you can get these (I usually get them at some
microsoft seminar or course), but they are there. You could install
these besides your Windows 98 (yes, that is possible) to check
it out first.

Good luck.

p.s. one other point. Win 9x doesn't support AVI files larger
then 2 or 4 GB. Which can be a real show stopper if your working
with DV sources. Under Windows 2000 or XP you will not have
this problem if you run NTFS filesystems with apps that support
OpenDML or DirectShow (AVI 2.0).

[Chris Hurd]

On a PC-based editing platform, it's usually a better idea to have the editor on a separate machine from all your other stuff. I have a Canopus DVRex RT and all it does is edit video and audio. Everything else... company books, websites, word processor, e-mail, net access, etc. etc. is on another machine (the one I'm banging on at the moment).

With a Mac you can get away with everything in one box, but on a PC you'll want to keep the editing separate, for stability purposes.

Can't afford to build another box *and* buy the Matrox card? Consider Vegas Video on a laptop instead... portable editing. Won't be realtime like the Matrox card, though. Hope this helps,

[Rob Lohman]

Although I agree with Chris (it is usually always better to keep
your working machine away from anything else, especially the
internet, be it a video editing station, sound mix station, 3d
modeling station, programmers station etc.) this is ofcourse
not always possible. There are a couple of solutions:

1. install at least two harddisks (or at least two paritions)
and dual install windows 2000 or xp (requires two licenses
I think, technically). You install the first on your primary
harddisk or partition, as usual. Then you install windows
again, only now point it at the second harddisk or partition.
After the installation is done you will see a startup menu
with both windows versions in it, you can now choose which
one you want. Since both the names are the same it can
be a bit confusing, but you'll figure it out. You can now use
one windows for editing etc. and one for all the other work.
Keep in mind that you install the programs on the disk/
partition of the current running windows and not the other.
Ofcourse you must reboot to have the other windows.

2. buy two seperate machines. Best way, most expensive as
well. You do have the luxury though that if one PC is doing
something time consuming (rendering) or problematic
(burning) you have another pc to work on.

3. just use one windows. Be careful with this though. This can
lead to instability. But if you do not install software you do not
need and run windows 2000 or XP it is very possible to
maintain a stable system and still run everything.

Good luck with your choices.

[Gary Bettan]

Matrox has done it again. Not only was the RTX.100 the hit of the DV Expo, but here we are just 2 weeks later and it is in stock!!

Here's a good first look article by Charlie White for those interested in more info http://www.digitalvideoediting.com/2002/06_jun/features/cw_rtx100.htm

Gary
Videoguys.com