Macbook used for monitoring EX1?

Brad Grimmett · July 17, 2009

"hey, do you know if its possible to use a macbook pro laptop as a monitor via cable to a digital camera - sony pmw-ex1?"

A director friend of mine asked me this, and I don't know the answer. Can this be done, and if so, how?

Thanks.

Phil Rhodes · July 17, 2009

You may want Adobe OnLocation.

This is what DV Rack used to be; I've never used it, but I believe it offers scopes and so forth. You could, if an operator was available, actually record the show to it, and have everything precaptured.

P

David Williams · July 18, 2009

Remember though, you won't be monitoring the full HQ signal, it'll be HDV. 25Mbit 1440*1080.

One thing I plan to try in the future is a new HD-SDI express card adapter recently released.

http://www.imperx.com/frame-grabbers/hd-sdi-express

With a decent laptop which has a quality screen, some realtime software waveform, scope, parade, etc, you'd have a handy tool. A portable production monitor that records and manipulates.

Brad Grimmett · July 18, 2009

OK, pretend I'm a complete moron (which I may or may not be) and just answer the question....please. She doesn't need scopes or to record to the hard drive, or anything fancy whatsoever. She's working at comic-con and my assumption is they will have a camera set up on sticks and they want to monitor it with the Macbook. To re-iterate, they want to use the computer as a monitor and nothing else. Is that possible without being an electronic/hardware/software/video expert? She is not.

Phil Rhodes · July 18, 2009

Well, any capture application - just pop up the capture window and fullscreen it!

You will probably find that it's pretty laggy, though. It's often an intrinsic characteristic of HDV firewire outputs.

P

Brad Grimmett · July 18, 2009

Cool, thanks.

Andrew Rawson · July 18, 2009

Remember though, you won't be monitoring the full HQ signal, it'll be HDV. 25Mbit 1440*1080.

One thing I plan to try in the future is a new HD-SDI express card adapter recently released.

http://www.imperx.com/frame-grabbers/hd-sdi-express

With a decent laptop which has a quality screen, some realtime software waveform, scope, parade, etc, you'd have a handy tool. A portable production monitor that records and manipulates.

This is great and this looks like your solution Brad. I have a Sony EX-1 and have often wished I could use my Mac Book Pro to monitor it since I have it out there in the field with me anyway to do all the archiving from SxS cards to HD's. Instead I always end up having to rent a 17" monitor. This HD-SDI express card looks like it might be the answer.

Jim Hyslop · July 19, 2009

This is great and this looks like your solution Brad. I have a Sony EX-1 and have often wished I could use my Mac Book Pro to monitor it since I have it out there in the field with me anyway to do all the archiving from SxS cards to HD's. Instead I always end up having to rent a 17" monitor. This HD-SDI express card looks like it might be the answer.

Alas, I don't think so. As far as I can tell, it has no Mac OS X support, only Windoze. Pity, really.

Andrew Rawson · July 19, 2009

Yeah, finally got around to checking out the specs ( and the price, almost $1000) and was very disappointed. I sent an email to imperx and am waiting to hear back, really quite unbelievable that they would not support mac os. This is exactly the product I've been looking for...

David Williams · July 19, 2009

Sorry guys, mac compat didn't occur to me. I have a nice HP ready for it...

Andrew Rawson · July 22, 2009

Here was the response I got from the guys at Imperx.

Imperx is not supporting MAC OS, but we have every intention of doing so in the future. Norpix software solutions is offering a support for Windows OS on MACBOOK Pro with their proprietary software. Please contact Luc at Norpix, ln@norpix.com, and he can give you details. If you are satisfied with his solution, he can sell you the card and his solution.

Best Regards,

Nathan

Nathan Cohen

Imperx, Inc.

John Sprung · July 22, 2009

To re-iterate, they want to use the computer as a monitor and nothing else. Is that possible without being an electronic/hardware/software/video expert? She is not.

I don't know, but I know who does:

http://www.melrosemac.com/

Since you're local, just walk in the door with your gear, and they'll get you hooked up with whatever it takes to do what you want.

-- J.S.