Will Color Install on a Laptop w a Large Ext. Monitor

Has anyone attempted to install FCS 2 on a laptop other than a 17" MacBook Pro using a large external monitor that meets the requirements for Color to install?

Apple is vague as to whether or not an external monitor will *make* Color install or not.

-Andrew Stone

I have no idea whether or how it checked for the external monitor, but Color installed and runs just fine on my 15" PowerBook. I have a 1600 x 1200 external monitor.

Apparently one safe way to do this is to use the Matrox MXO through DVI connection to a DVI connected large display.
Color will still load on a MacBook Pro, but unsure of how it will react on a PowerBook??
I don't think a PowerBook is shown to be applicable for loading FCS2???

braker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have no idea whether or how it checked for the
> external monitor, but Color installed and runs
> just fine on my 15" PowerBook. I have a 1600 x
> 1200 external monitor.

That is good, very good. I have a similar setup. Do you notice any subjective performance increase or decrease in general FCP use? Is it worth jumping at?

My intent is to get a Mac Pro at some point in the near future but I am hesitant to move to FCS 2 unless there are some really stunning advantages. Color is definately compelling but maybe there are some things about the new FCP that are worth using even on a machine with an older processor. Thoughts appreciated.

-Andrew

Braker,

You said you've got it to install and run on your Powerbook. Can you give us some details on the performance? I've got a Powerbook too and am not yet ready to upgrade to FCS2 if my Powerbook won't be able to handle it.

My Powerbook specs:
17" 1.67Ghz, 1.5 RAM, 160HD, FCS1

Cheers Karan

John:

I just installed my MXO yesterday. FCP 6 arrives on the 29th and I'll report back on how Color looks on the 23" display.

Jamie

Just installed FCP 6 and My MXO will not monitor Color. If you get yours to work please advise how.

Thanks, Tom

Tom:

I'm up and running with FCP 6 and the Matrox MXO. Everything seems to be working fine.

My MacBook Pro has got the MXO dvi plug running to the dvi in on the MXO and the dvi out on the MXO runs to my 23" in Apple display.

I plugged my speakers into the box as well. Ensure that you have the 2.0 software uploaded.

The Color GUI is not even remotely familiar to me. Very different from Apple's interface. Note that Color only accepts FCP sequences, not clips.

Color also works best with two displays. You really don't need to reference the FCP interface when working Color.

The box runs hot so make sure that you have adequate ventilation.

Jamie

Jamie Kelley Wrote:
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> The Color GUI is not even remotely familiar to me.
> Very different from Apple's interface. Note that
> Color only accepts FCP sequences, not clips.

That's too bad. Makes sense if you are a big production house where a colorist would work on a sequence or an entire movie. There are a lot of people using FCP that don't have production house workflows. Still workable.

> The box runs hot so make sure that you have
> adequate ventilation.

Do you mean the MBP or the MXO?

-Andrew

Both.

I have two cooling fans underneath my MacBook Pro. The MXO runs a little warm - just ensure that it's not confined.

Jamie, are you saying that you can monitor COLOR with the MXO?


www.shanerosseditor.com

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Shane, I'm not clear what you mean by "monitor". I believe the original question was about installing.

I installed FCP 6 today and fired up Color. I viewed an HDV project on my 23" Apple display via the MXO box. Looked great. As for color correcting, I just toyed with it enough to realize I need a good tutorial to kickstart me.

I calibrated the monitor to MXO settings however the Matrox rep said that finetuning by color bars was more or less subjective.

Jamie

Unclear what I mean by MONITOR?

Monitor your footage...VIEW it on the ACD via the MXO. Like you monitor your timeline in FCP on the ACD via the MXO, can you view what you are doing in Color via the MXO on the ACD?


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OK Shane. Yes, I can monitor my footage, view my footage on the Apple Cinema Display via the MXO. I can view what I'm are doing in Color via the MXO on the ACD. I can make color changes to my footage in Color that simultaneously change on the 23" display.

I don't know why that would be a surprise. I was told by Matrox that I had the optimum setup.

I make films for the web. I do not have to color correct for NTSC broadcast. The only color bar standard that is provided is a looped QuickTime movie of a color bar.

I would not use Color and the Matrox MXO for broadcast footage.

Jamie

Color is a new Application...so that is why I was curious.

The provided Quicktime loop of color bars are accurate bars. And I would use the MXO for broadcast footage. NBC? CBS? Maybe not, but cable...yeah...I would.


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Shane:

I cannot monitor Color thru the MXO. The option in Color for video output reads Disabled. MXO viewing options are all greyed out. I have FCP 6 on a G5 and everything else works OK.

Tom

And you can transfer just a clip from FCP 6 to Color. Also I have a suspicion that Jamie is monitoring thru the Presentation mode of MXO in Color, not the mastering mode we would need for bradcast correction.

Ahh. Thanks Tom.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
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All right, I now see what you're all getting here. Apologies, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Yes, I was in Presentation mode.

I swapped out with Apple F12 and switched to Mastering mode.

And no, I can't get Color to color correct on the MXO in mastering mode. The ACD is blank.

I phoned Matrox in Montreal. They are newly aware of this deficiency.

Jamie