planning to buy RT2000, some questions please?

[bongo]

Hi

I am looking at the RT2k as a NLE solution, but a couple of nagging things arise:

I currently use a G400 Dual head and like the ability of 2 monitors...but I hear that The RT2k ships with a single head AGP card..the flex 400...how do I get a workaround so I can have 2 monitors and an rt2000? The guy at the store said some folks running the RT2000 (in one PCI slot I presume), the Gflex in the AGP slot and a 3rd PCI Matrox G200 to get the effect of dual monitors...is this the only way??

because this solution of 2 pci slots and one agp leads to a complication of my other demand...to capture TV broadcasts via a tuner card...I would also like to capture TV images so I need a tuner card...any suggestions for a good card...

so now will I have to have 1 AGP and 3 pci slots occupied for my video demands...seems like I am asking for IRQ nightmares...

thoghts please..

(forgive me if I have made some incorrect tech assumptions)

[This message has been edited by bongo (edited 17 July 2000).]

[Pertti]

Bongo,

The G400Flex is a dual head card, but the second head is used in the process (the BOB connects to both cards). You see your preview on the TV/Monitor connected to the BOB though.

When the setup is not used for editing, you can disconnect the BOB cable from the G400flex, and use the second head for second monitor.

If you want to use two monitors during editing, you have to use a second display adapter (Matrox preferred).
I use a Millenium II, and it has worked fine so far.

If you want to capture TV footage, you do not need a tuner card, you can connect your VCR to the BOB (or if such a VCR excist use the 1384 for the connection).

The IRQ:s are not necessarily a nightmare, I have all the slots filled on my P2B-S and the setup has been very well behaving.

As for the rest of your setup goes, The motherboard is the most important component, the newer the motherboard, the more unsolved (yet) problems of their own they tend to have.
If you are familiar with troubleshooting motherboard related problems I will say nothing more..., but if you are not, I would recommend you to get a Asus P3B-F for the backbone of your system.
Whatever new (Intel) processor you get, it will be fast enough, just about all the HD:s on the market today are fast enough (no need for RAID)... etc...
But, DO SELECT THE MOTHERBOARD RIGHT !!

Pertti
(who has been waiting for a year for Intel to get their head out of their ass to see that no one wants that rampuss junk)

[Dr Mordrid]

I'll second Pertti's info and add a suggested mainboard: the Asus P3B-F 6/1/1.

This has been a very stable mainboard for me and handles shared IRQ's much better than most. The RT-2000 and it live very nicely together.

Also: take those hardware recommendations on Matrox's RT-2000 page very seriously. That is hard won and important information.

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 18 July 2000).]

[bongo]

Thank you for the sugestions, just one more clarification:


Is it possible to have both monitors on the G400flex, and simultaneously use the video machine as a tuner thru bob?

thanks again

[Dr Mordrid]

If I'm reading you right, no. The BOB plugs into the DualHead port negating its use with a second monitor. This is why Pertti suggested a PCI display card for use with the second monitor. It's so you don't have to constantly play with reconnecting the cables.

As far as using the VCR as a tuner plugged into the BOB inputs, sure. The only problem is that you can only use it to "watch" TV when the Premiere analog capture window is open and selected.

Sorry, no Marvel-ish stuff with the RT-2000. It's a dedicated editing workhorse and not a multi-purpose device like the Marvel.

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 18 July 2000).]