Resolve Video monitoring MacBookPro?

I've been doing research and can't seem to find the definitive answer I'm looking for. Working on a current generation 17" MBP.

Is there currently ANY way, either via Thunderbolt or the ExpressCard3/4 slot, to monitor DaVinci Resolve output to a broadcast monitor? I'm currently using the Matrox MX02 mini which I know doesn't work.

There's some info to suggest you can monitor via the Thunderbolt UltraStudio 3D, but there's no documentation to support that.

I've also seen some posts around the web suggesting that a Decklink card could be put in an external housing and connected via ExpressCard or TB, but haven't found any solid info that this works either.

I'm only just getting into Resolve, but it's killing me not using my broadcast monitor. If I end up doing a lot more grading, I'll eventually buy into a MacPro again, but for now I'm looking for a solution using my current machine.

Any help much appreciated.

Marcus Moore
Disproportionate Pictures

I've read through the guide several times, and they make no explicit mention of being able to do video monitoring in their MacBookPro or iMac orientations.

I'm running the software just fine, it's only monitoring that I'm trying to find the solution for. Considering that I can monitor 1080 from my MX02, I cannot imagine that there is a technical limitation preventing monitoring from Resolve on a MBP. Real-time playback performance my suffer in heavy grades, but beyond that I can't imagine the limitation...

Has there been an update to this document?

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/media/1764189/DaVinci_Resolve_8.0_Mac_Conf...

If not, then the only thing I can glean is that you're trying to get me to come to the conclusion that broadcast monitoring is not supported.

Hey there, Marcus

You seem to be reading the Resolve 8.0 manual - we're up to 8.2 now! Here ya go:

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/media/3358646/Resolve%20Mac%20Config%20Gui...

Check out pages 21-23. That should clarify everything for you. In short, yes you indeed can use the Ultrastudio 3D, with supported BMD certification!

--
Carl Ryan Stemple
Color | Edit | VFX
digitalbarbershop.com

Just to say that I am using the MBP / Thunderbolt display / UltraStudio 3D / JVC Broadcast monitor setup with Resolve (and Avid for that matter) and it works very well.

It's a niggle not to be able to use my old 30" NEC monitor for the GUI, but the Apple Display is fine really, and I also highly recommend the Promise Pegasus RAID units - super fast and ultra reliable.

One thing to watch for with Thunderbolt which doesn’t seem widely known - the close presence of a mobile phone to a TB lead can lead to disconnects. Once I'd pinned down that issue the system has worked superbly.

Inevitably it's not exactly smokin'.... that Resolve is willing and able to use the MBP video card is brilliant, but it's not going to win any punching contests with a Cubix-equipped system, or realistically even a Mac Pro with one CUDA card. But it does work, reliably enough, so long as you don't need realtime playback on anything but the simplest of grades.

The Intensity Extreme works with Resolve as well? I wish BlackMagic would make it clearer which of their products work with Resolve. I don't need 2K or 3D at this point, and I'm ONLY using this device for monitoring.

Is there a clear deficiency between monitoring via component and SDI?


As to my setup, I'm actually considering selling my MBP and moving over to the iMac I just bought late last year. It's actually rated for "heavier" work in the Mac Configuration Guidelines.

Plus, with the iMac's 2 Thunderbolt ports, I'll be able to connect BOTH the UltraStudio [or whichever one I end up getting], AND my Wacom Cintiq at the same time, which would have been a challenge with MBP's one Thunderbolt port, since they're both "end of chain" devices.

Yeah. I fully acknowledge the limitations of a system like this- but I'm just learning the software and in a year I might decide that it's not where my strength/interest lies and I should just hire someone.

If I do really take to DaVinci and some of the larger jobs potentially on the slate for the later half of the year go, then a new MacPro will definitely be the next step, along with a Tangent Wave.

Unfortunately, 2 ports on a drive doesn't solve my problem- that simply allows it to be part of the chain. With neither the Intensity or the Cintiq having a pass-through, I'd ultimately have to pick one to be at the end of the chain and then try to hook the other one up to the ExpressCard slot. That's probably would have been the Cintiq, using a ViDock and an external graphics card- ANOTHER $500!

Hooking all this gear up to my MBP was just getting too convoluted. The 2 TB ports on the iMac solves a lot of problems.

the built in SSD was the one thing I didn't have put in when I order the machine. I hope I can get that done aftermarket when I get the RAM bumped to 16GB.

RAM is easy. The HD I'm a bit more dubious about, and might leave to a 3rd party who makes that their stock in trade.

I'll take a look at the procedure.

What's the maximum recommended internal SSD you can get now? I was insane and paid the $1100 for the 500GB SSD on my MBP. Never regretted it.

M

The golden rule - never order add-ons from Apple! RAM and hard drives are terrible value if you order them as part of a computer purchase. I think most people know this now, but in case not, it's worth saying again.......