Comments

prezbass wrote on 1/4/2002, 10:21 PM
Not a dumb question at all. But, it is very easy- there are a number of makers of "dual-head" video cards. I have a Matrox G450 dual-head, and it works swimmingly with all Sonic Foundry stuff.

HTH!

-Marc Miller
mmiller@cascadehillschurch.org
Chienworks wrote on 1/5/2002, 1:21 PM
A dual-head video card is great if all you want is extra desktop space to
work with. And that's not a bad thing at all considering how ... ummm ...
full Vegas' interface is. But a second computer monitor is not ideal for
use in monitoring your project preview.

The computer monitor has a different gamma than a television, and
also only shows fields instead of full frames. Sending the preview through
firewire to a television lets you preview your project the way it will really
appear on a television (since you are watching it on a television).

I'll probably switch to doing both. I'll install the Matrox G-450 card to run
two monitors; one for the timeline and the other for the other parts of
the desktop. And also use the firewire out for external previewing. A
little extravagant perhaps, but it will be a lot nicer to work with.
DougHamm wrote on 1/5/2002, 4:52 PM
It's how I work and I'd never go back to working any other way!

-Doug
FuTz wrote on 1/5/2002, 5:49 PM
but... do you need an extra "box" to convert FireWire to TV signal, like FireWire out to TV in ???
Chienworks wrote on 1/5/2002, 6:24 PM
Most likely yes you do. I suppose eventually TVs and video monitors
with a firewire jack will become commonplace, much as current models
come with composite and s-video inputs instead of just RF. But until then
you will need some sort of converter. I use the same Sony DVMC-DA2
box that i bought for capturing from VHS. I can also use my DV camcorder
too. It has firewire in and NTSC composite output.
wvg wrote on 1/5/2002, 8:51 PM
OK, I understand I think, but now I got another question. Assuming you have a dual head video card and feed the signal through a black box or video camera, how in the heck does JUST the preview or whatever you want to appear on the 2nd monitor work or can it?

Chienworks wrote on 1/5/2002, 11:54 PM
Well, that's kinda mixing the two different types of monitors we're talking
about. A dual-head card simply expands your Windows desktop space on
to two monitors. If you go with that solution, there's no nead for a converter
at all. Just plug in a second computer monitor. Once you've got the
dual-head drivers running, you will have a desktop twice as wide and you
can drag program windows over to the second monitor with your mouse.
You can "undock" the video preview window from the main monitor, drag
it to the second one, and stretch it out to fill the screen.

If you want to preview on a television or NTSC monitor, then you won't
be using the second video card output at all. For that you will use the
firewire port to the converter box. Of course, you could use both of these
methods and get three displays running all at the same time!

Now, if i haven't confused you enough yet ... you can use the second
output of the dual-head card to run a television or NTSC monitor if you
really want to. Matrox gives you an adapter cable that connects to the
15 pin socket on the card and has S-video and composite jacks. However,
this isn't the same as previewing on an external monitor. You will still be
seeing fields instead of full frames, and you will be getting color correction
for computer monitors instead of for televisions. So there really isn't much
advantage unless you're just looking for a cheap second monitor and
already have a spare television sitting around.
just4fun wrote on 1/6/2002, 2:58 AM
Also don't forget that if your DVcam has S-video or A/V output you can set external monitor (opt/pref/external monitor) to the OHCI card you have, output to the camera, and have the camera outputing through the S-video output to a monitor you have connected to the camera. It's just a long daisychain. I have a dualhead Nvidia GeForce2 so I have dual monitors for my desktop, plus I have an NTSC monitor connected to my DVcam to see what my NTSC output will look like when previewed from the timeline.
wvg wrote on 1/6/2002, 2:36 PM
Soounds kewl, got try some of it out. Thanks!
EArrigotti wrote on 1/6/2002, 7:14 PM
Has anyone had trouble with dual monitors causing interference with each other? I am getting horizontal lines in my big 19inch monitor when the 15 inch sits near it.
Chienworks wrote on 1/6/2002, 9:09 PM
I have two computers on my desk at work and the monitors are about
8" apart from each other. The MAG 15" doesn't show any interference,
but the Sylvania 17" next to it has a very light horizontal line that keeps
rolling down the screen the whole time the MAG is on. After a couple of
weeks i got used to it and don't even notice it anymore.
EArrigotti wrote on 1/7/2002, 12:29 AM
That is the same thing I get. Maybe I'll get used to it, but if not I wonder what some options are. I have heard that LCD displays do not put out the same type of field although they are much more expensive than traditional monitors. Maybe I'll just have to surround one in a lead casing..... Probably not a good idea.