8 Replies Latest reply: Aug 20, 2014 7:13 AM by Fran Roig RSS

    Quadro HDMI reference output?

    dr_abacaxi Community Member

      Hi,

       

      I see a lot of references to "the only way to get output to a reference monitor in speedgrade is using an nvidia SDI card". Ok, I'm ready to buy one because it seems like the GPU is great too and my current ATI cards don't work great with Adobe software, but can I also get video out via HDMI? I don't mean as a second computer display but a "true" video signal like I'm used to getting from my BM intensity card. I'm using high end consumer gear for professional grading on a budget, and while both the plasma and the DLP can be calibrated to great reference color they don't have SDI.

       

      Yes I know Matrox and Kona cards work but since I need a new GPU too it's getting expensive.

       

      Thanks,

      Mattias

        • 1. Re: Quadro HDMI reference output?
          Joost van der Hoeven CommunityMVP

          To be honest, while those articles are still accurate, the days of nVidia SDI as the sole way to get video to a external monitor are behind us. So do read those documents in the context of the technology of 2012 and 2013. ;-)

           

          The current HDMI options to attach a consumer TV to a second (or third) output of your GPU (possibly using a DVI-HDMI or DP-HDMI adapter/dongle) work great. For true quality monitoring, use the supported 3rd party brands. Currently Sg does not support BM hardware. That might change in the future, but that doesn't help you now.

           

          When buying a GPU consider a nVidia CUDA card that is supported by Premiere Pro with enough VRAM to support your media. 1GB will work, but 2GB is better for full HD. More should be considered when doing 4K.

          • 2. Re: Quadro HDMI reference output?
            dr_abacaxi Community Member

            great, it would still be nice however if i could get "true quality monitoring" from the dp on the nvidia instead of the sdi, not possible? i'm not that fond of the idea of using a "normal" monitor output for grading or is this also an old concern? i feel there's no way of of knowing what the os does with the video signal, it might scale, change frame rate, mess with video levels and even apply color "corrections", unless it's a straight output from the software to the monitor. oh well, i guess an sdi to hdmi converter, maybe one from bmd for some true irony, is the easiest way, assuming i have an nvidia sdi card?

            • 3. Re: Quadro HDMI reference output?
              R Neil Haugen Community Member

              You'll love this answer: it depends ... (sigh)

               

              There are folks I've seen who deliver regularly to broadcast organizations that cut & grade on the type of setup Joost mentions above. Using a carefully chosen "consumer" tv (not all tv's are alike) and computer/monitor calibration routines, and then having checked their output by sending "test" sequences to their typical broadcast services for feedback.

               

              There are folks who tried that and for whatever reason ... couldn't get it to work. And HAD to get a Matrox & "full" broadcast monitor.

               

              There are folks who ... if they even hear you've tried with anything other than a full spendy "professional" card/monitor setup ... will froth at the mouth.

               

              "Truth" in this matter is elusive. The full pro gear tends to be quicker to get to a place you can be confident of your output, period. The "prosumer" approach will take some study up-front, and then plenty of testing, before you can establish confidence in your gear & procedures. The first takes more cash, the second perhaps significantly more time. Which do you have better access to?

               

              Neil

              • 4. Re: Quadro HDMI reference output?
                dr_abacaxi Community Member

                thanks it sounds like a regular hdmi out won't work for my purposes even if there are workarounds, i need a ”simple but good enough professional solution” i guess, like the intensity which is probably the best prosumer piece of gear ever built. i already deliver for broadcast and indie theatrical using my tried and tested prosumer setup, it's just that my intensity card doesn't work with speedgrade which i'm thinking of switching to since apple color hasn't been updated for ages. so the remaining question is: can i get hdmi video (not ”data”) out from a quadro card or just sdi?

                • 5. Re: Quadro HDMI reference output?
                  Fran Roig Adobe Employee

                  SpeedGrade can't get the signal out of your Nvidia Quadro's HDMI. You should use and SDI card for that purpose.

                  • 6. Re: Quadro HDMI reference output?
                    dr_abacaxi Community Member

                    ok, thanks a lot. i guess an sdi to hdmi converter will do the trick then. certainly a lot cheaper than a matrox box.

                    • 7. Re: Quadro HDMI reference output?
                      dr_abacaxi Community Member

                      wait i think i may have misunderstood, the nvidia sdi card is a separate card? i was under the impression that you could buy an nvidia quadro card with sdi built in. oh well, that mxo is starting to look interesting again...

                      • 8. Re: Quadro HDMI reference output?
                        Fran Roig Adobe Employee

                        It is an extra unit that can be attached to some Quadro cards. You can buy a new Quadro FX card, that already comes with that unit, apart of the graphic card of course, or if you have a compatible Quadro card, I think you can buy the unit separately, and then attach it to your Quadro. But for better information, please get some help from an official Nvidia supplier.