Matrox MX02 Mini Display Issues with FCP
by William Thompson
on
Aug 6, 2009 at 6:09:25 pm
I am using the Matrox MX02 Mini for display to an LCD monitor with FCP. My project is 720p @ 23.98. The video output from FCP is full of noise and digital stepping. I have connected the monitor to the MX02 via HDMI and component (HD), both having the same result, poor image quality. I have changed cables, as well as used the same cables to connect other devices to the same monitor and they look great. Is there something I am missing with the MX02 set up?
Re: Matrox MX02 Mini Display Issues with FCP by Christopher Wright on Aug 6, 2009 at 6:59:04 pm
It sounds like you might have the wrong "Easy Setup" Matrox mini preset selected in your FCP project, or a mismatch in the project, sequence, and/or video out settings.
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Re: Matrox MX02 Mini Display Issues with FCP by William Thompson on Aug 6, 2009 at 8:08:31 pm
I don't believe the set up is the issue, at least as far as I can tell. The FCP video output is set to 720p 23.98 8 bit YUV. The Matrox Mini is set to "follow application." I have tried setting the Matrox to 720p and it gives me the same result either way: noisy, steppy video display on my monitor. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Re: Matrox MX02 Mini Display Issues with FCP by William Thompson on Aug 6, 2009 at 11:50:33 pm
I am using the Matrox set up in Fcp. I have tried setting the output to 720p @ 59.94. Unfortunately that doesn\'t change anything as far as the output image quality. It still looks horrible.
Re: Matrox MX02 Mini Display Issues with FCP by William Thompson on Aug 7, 2009 at 12:04:02 am
I am using the Matrox Mini set up in FCP. I have also tried switching the set up from 720p@23.98 to 720p@59.94. The result was the same: poor image quality on the display.
Re: Matrox MX02 Mini Display Issues with FCP by Kirt Parshad on Aug 7, 2009 at 3:28:07 pm
Hi William
make sure that your play video setting in fcp exactly match your sequence setting, by this I mean that you need to make sure that whatever you check the matrox settings that come up also matches the sequence setting that you are viewing.
Re: Matrox MX02 Mini Display Issues with FCP by William Thompson on Aug 7, 2009 at 5:15:30 pm
After reading Shane's post above and speaking to some other folks, I tried setting my sequence settings at Matrox MX02 -DVCPRO HD 720p 59.94. However there is no exact match for this under video playback. The closest is Matrox MX02 Mini - 720p 59.94 YUV 8-bit (1280 x 720). Which again results in the same poor image quality. The LCD monitor is full 1080p. I have attached a blu-ray player to it via the same HDMI cable I am using to connect the Matrox, and the blu-ray looks great, so I am truly at a loss as to what to do next. Is anyone out there using the Matrox Mini for what I am attempting to use it for, and if so are they having success?
Re: Matrox MX02 Mini Display Issues with FCP by Kirt Parshad on Aug 7, 2009 at 9:10:55 pm
Hi William
Would it be possible for you to copy and paste your sequence setting in fcp and also the matrox mini video output settings. Also let me know how you ingested this footage and is the timeline in fcp gray or do you require rendering. I know this may all sound a bit over the top but you never know.
Re: Matrox MX02 Mini Display Issues with FCP by William Thompson on Aug 9, 2009 at 5:09:42 pm
After going through each and every variable with settings, both in FCP, the Matrox control window, and the actual monitor itself, I have come to the conclusion that the compression I am seeing is native to the camera (Panasonic HVX). The show utilized 17 cameras, all of which were the HVX except one, which was the Sony EX 1. The Sony looks slightly better but still has heavy compression as well.
Resolved to move on, I threw a few shots in a timeline and sent them to Color. In Color the shots do not play out to my monitor via the Matrox Mini. It will display the frame I am parked on, but if i press play I get the rainbow wheel of death. If I disable the display in the Color set up tab, the sequence plays fine. I have tried every "Matrox Mini" display option in Color. None of them work.
