Quicktime movie to TV

[BenMetro]

Hi,
I'm trying to find a way to get the Quicktime video in Pro Tools to send signal out to a TV. Something a little more advanced than just copying (or taking over) the video signal of the monitor and sending that to the TV. I want to be able to get ONLY the quicktime movie to the TV and not my entire screen.

Has anyone done this or know how to do this?
I'm running PT TDM 6.4 on a PC (XP Pro)
I doubt the current video card I have (just some cheap $40-50 one) will be able to do it, but if you know of a way I'd appreciate any help.
Thanks.

[Eric L]

Many, many, many posts on this subject. Here are some choices you have, depending on your system.

Dual head monitor card like the ATI 8500 AGP card found on ebay. DVI, VGA or SVHS (but only two at a time). Can use two computer monitors, or a monitor and a tv.

Third party video card, (Fuse, Ignitor etc) depending on your system. Some are not supported in OS X yet.

Canopus ADVC 100 Firewire/DV converter. Also system dependent.

Virtual VTR by Gallery can play back any quicktime format, including HD, but requires a second computer, midi and smpte connections and one of the output devices already mentioned.

Another consideration is the type of quicktime file you will be using.

The canopus is DV only.

Some third party cards use MJPEGA only.

A dual monitor card will play back anything. A resolution of 320 x 240 will be expanded full screen to fit a second monitor set to 640 x 480. You can also set the output of the 8500 to 720 x 480 and see full screen DV.

Do a search for these items on the DUC and refer to yur manual about quicktime playback. Once you use DV, you may never want to see MJPEGA again.

[Ryan Young]

If you have your setup ready for 2 monitors, here's how. You don't have to mirror the 2nd monitor to the 1st. Hook up the S-Video cable to your computer. Go in your system preferences, click "displays", then click the button "detect displays". It should give you options for screen sizes on both monitors, set them how you like. Then after you import the quicktime into pro tools, move the movie window to the tv screen. When the mouse is over the screen, the cursor should change to an "X" shape. Click it once and it should put it to full screen. Then go back to the main monitor for your mixing. Hope that helps.

[Eric L]

I'm sorry, I just re-read your post. Since your are on a PC, scratch the Canopus box and Virtual VTR. Macintosh only. You can get the PC version of the ATI 8500 or another similiar card and that will work very well for you at probably the cheapest cost.

Or you can always buy a used Mac. Which, wouldn't be a bad idea at all.

[Eric L]

When the mouse is over the screen, the cursor should change to an "X" shape. Click it once and it should put it to full screen. Then go back to the main monitor for your mixing. Hope that helps.

It will only go full screen if the screen resolution matches that of the quicktime vid. Or if the screen is 640 x 480 and the quicktime is 320 x 240, the X will be a "zoom magnifier" and will expand the picture to fit.

[BenMetro]

Thanks guys.
Yeah I contacted Digi about the DV converter but was told that was only mac.
I'm already using two monitors with a dual head card and giving up one of them for the TV just ain't gonna happen. I have to have my mix and edit window next to eachother (I'm sure you know the feeling).

So do you think I could just get a second card with S-Video out on it (it'd have to be a PCI card of course)...and then run it like a third monitor? And just move the video onto to it's own monitor? Granted I'd have to extend Pro Tools over of course.

As far as format, the video guys can give me pretty much anything I ask for...and we may start using this new quicktime codec that's been released for Mac (and soon for PC) which will save a ton of space and still get good resolution.

Thanks again

[BenMetro]

also, I think I've seen this work before with an Avid Meridien boxes, am I right?

[Eric L]

I'm already using two monitors with a dual head card and giving up one of them for the TV just ain't gonna happen. I have to have my mix and edit window next to eachother (I'm sure you know the feeling)

I work in the edit window almost exclusively. Get familiar with the (command =) shortcut to switch between edit and mix windows and you won't need another card. Or is that (alt =) in pc speak?

I would adapt my work flow rather than purchase equipment any day of the week.

Of course, to each his own. The H.264 codec on a second monitor will look great. But is it frame accurate? I dunno. Anyone?

[gerax]

Your answer is a Matrox P750 or Parhelia video card: it's a Triple head card that allows you to have dual monitors for Edit and Mix windows and a third output that WILL automatically display the QT previw at full resolution to an external device (TV, Plasma, LCD, video projector...) hooked to the vidoe out adapted (included). I'm running one with my PTLE system on XP Pro with 6.4 and works OK, several guys have it working on TDM; there's some issues and settings you have to take care of but once done it's great and the sync is dead on.

There's a serie of posts on this subject so just do a search for the words Matrox or Parhelia or P750 and a very long thread should come up with all the story I and severeal other guys embarked on to make it work, including the workaround tricks and specific settings for the Powerdesk and Quick Time version.

Hope this helps

L.G.

[BenMetro]

Your answer is a Matrox P750 or Parhelia video card: it's a Triple head card that allows you to have dual monitors for Edit and Mix windows and a third output that WILL automatically display the QT previw at full resolution to an external device (TV, Plasma, LCD, video projector...) hooked to the vidoe out adapted (included). I'm running one with my PTLE system on XP Pro with 6.4 and works OK, several guys have it working on TDM; there's some issues and settings you have to take care of but once done it's great and the sync is dead on.

There's a serie of posts on this subject so just do a search for the words Matrox or Parhelia or P750 and a very long thread should come up with all the story I and severeal other guys embarked on to make it work, including the workaround tricks and specific settings for the Powerdesk and Quick Time version.

Hope this helps

L.G.

thanks!!
i'll definitely check that out. I did a search around here looking for info on this, but couldn't find the right words to query.
The Matrox P750 is 64MB right? Do you think that's enough for Pro Tools running dual screens and a quicktime movie at the same time? Or do you think I should opt for the Parhelia card?
I appreciate the help guys.
Peace

by the way, i'm running a 888|20 system with 6.4...that shouldn't change anything should it?