G400 RT2000 DV500

[Todd1]

I requested another G400 at work. The powers that be came back and suggested a Pinnacle DV500. The Pinnacle DV500 looks similar to the RT2000 but I like the G400 because I know what I'm doing.

Are there any opinions on the DV500 vs. RT2000?

Thanks

[Sillyname]

Everybody here is gonna say RT2000...

Try an unbiased board or look for review/comparisons via a search engine.

------------------
Deep is not the root word of depression.

[EVA2000]

DV500: Realtime DV editing only
RT2000: Realtime DV and MPEG-2 editing

DV500: add-on card only, no display card
RT2000: Include G400 Flex 3D edition 32MB
http://www.matrox.com/videoweb/produ...0_vs_dv500.htm

[Pertti]

AFAIK, the DV500 is not really a RealTime card, unless you buy an additional add-on card

[Michel Carleer]

The DV500 is a real time card, no add-on needed. If I am not mistaken, there is another difference:
DV500: works under W2K
RT2000: does not yet
Michka

[harry]

DV500 - Software bundled --- good

RT2000 -Software bundled --- not good

[Elie]

Here are the differences between the two..

RT2000
1-Real-time 2D effects, organic wipes and page curls.
2-Real-time 3D effects thanks to the flex 3D engine.
3-can capture and playback in both Mpeg-2 and DV formats.
4-over 700 new effects.
5-able to playback 2 video streams plus one 32bit TGA all in real-time
6-low system requirements, PII350 or better with IDE drives, SCSI not nessocary.
7-you get a display card, the G400 flex 3D that is very high quality, hastle free installation.
8-Matrox video tools version 2.0 just around the corner which will provide you with bumpmapped effects, tile and particle 3D effects, and many more features.
9-Matrox support is the best.
10-Title Express from Inscriber is awesome for professional television quality titles.
11-Matrox just dropped the price on the RT2000 to something like $995 US.

DV500
1-real-time 2D, Organic wipes only
2-no real-time 3D period
3-Capture and playback in DV only
4-you need to buy your own seperate video card.
5-Free FX is Pinnacles answer to 3D effects, it's software based, you cannot even preview it on your NTSC/PAL monitor until you render it.
6-Title deko for titling is just as good as Title Express from inscriber.
7-High system requirments, i.e. PIII 450 or better, with SCSI drives recommended for audio video, this is what Pinnacle recommends, right on the box
8-DVD authoring tool (Minerva)is alright but can be a pain to setup. (many complaints about it on DV500 forums)
9-DV500 uses the same C-Cube chip as on the RT2000 so quality output should be close.
I'm pretty sure there's more but I cannot remember.

Good Luck on your purchase.
Elie



[This message has been edited by Elie (edited 22 September 2000).]

[Elie]

The DV500 cannot render 3D transitions in real-time!
Pinnacle maybe releasing an add-on card to the DV500 (daughter card) that can render 3D in real-time so they say, and the cost is over $200 US, now thats the latest rumor.

Originally posted by Michel Carleer:
The DV500 is a real time card, no add-on needed. If I am not mistaken, there is another difference:
DV500: works under W2K
RT2000: does not yet
Michka

[This message has been edited by Elie (edited 22 September 2000).]

[This_Idiot]

It's a matter of perspective. Some will find that the DV500 will fill all their needs adequately. Others will be prepared to go the extra mile for RT2000 and will probably not be disappointed.

Sillyname, it's presumptious to state that unbiased opinion is not available here, I've spent 2 years trying to build this place into a family home for users of ALL hardware to exchange views frankly. It's true that the majority of users are still using matrox equipment, but you'll see many who are dissatisfied as well as the die-hards.

For an unbiased (I hope, being the author) view of both DV500 and RT2000, please check out the site's Review pages [url]It's a matter of perspective. Some will find that the DV500 will fill all their needs adequately. Others will be prepared to go the extra mile for RT2000 and will probably not be disappointed.

Sillyname, it's presumptious to state that unbiased opinion is not available here, I've spent 2 years trying to build this place into a family home for users of ALL hardware to exchange views frankly. It's true that the majority of users are still using matrox equipment, but you'll see many who are dissatisfied as well as the die-hards.

For an unbiased (I hope, being the author) view of both DV500 and RT2000, please check out the site's Review pages http://idiots-guide.matroxusers.com/DTVW_reviews.htm for my impressions of each card around the time that they were released. Matrox won't let me have a board for formal review (despite the fact that they've scattered them like confetti around review sites that have no knowledge of video capture), and I had to turn down the offer of a DV500 from Pinnacle due to the limitations of my own system at that time.

Chris
(This Idiot)

[Michel Carleer]

Sorry Elie, but it so happens that I have a DV500 installed in my PC (under W2K). No add-on whatsoever, and I do real time rendering.
Check your info, mate.
Michka

[Dr Mordrid]

According to Pinnacles website the DV500's realtime transitions are limited to 2D effects ONLY.

My RT-2000 does both 2D and 3D, including 3D Page Curls. In fact there are so many 3D effects and in such variety it's hard keeping track of 'em.

Dr. Mordrid

[Elie]

Hi Michka

You maybe able to render 2D transitions in real-time, but 3D effects you cannot, not in real-time anyways I happened to see an exclusive demo of the DV500 and it cannot render 3D effects in RT.

You maybe able to use it under Win2K but that's comming very soon from Matrox as well.

Cheers
Elie

[This message has been edited by Elie (edited 23 September 2000).]

[Michel Carleer]

OK Elie, you may be right for 3D rendering, but that was not what you said in your first post. Just a slight misunderstanding, that's all. What do you call 3D effects anyway? Adding 3D titles, logos and pictures? Or puuting the picture on a spinning cube?

Michka

[Elie]

Hi Michka,

Yes maybe a slight misunderstanding

To give you and others an example of what the RT2000 can do in terms of effects and transitions both 2D and 3D I'll try to produce a short 1 minute mpeg-1 clip, that I hope to show it's capabilities.

Please stand by

Regards,
Elie