Xtreme Video Editing in Windows XP -- Matrox Leads the Way
Written: Mar 11 '05 (Updated Mar 14 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Faster, Smoother, More Responsive Video Editing in Premiere Pro. Excellent Support, New drivers, Powerful Effects.
Cons: Exacting computer hardware requirements for compatibility.
The Bottom Line: For demanding professionals on deadline, this video editing solution delivers the goods. This bundle gives you a capture card, acceleration and effects for the cost of the software alone.
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| silverstreak9's Full Review: Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro Suite (RTX100XP/NS) Vide... |
The revolution is here and it's being televised. In 2005, computer users have unprecedented power at their fingertips to produce broadcast-quality, low-cost video on the desktop. The Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro multiplies that by the 'Power of X' to leave "software only" video editing solutions on the cutting room floor.
The RT.X100 Xtreme Pro is hardware. A PCI card with active cooling, it works alongside users throughout the video production process.
It can capture DV (Digital) or Analog video. It can eliminate the time it takes to render even complex video transitions, effects and color correction. The RT.X100 hardware also enables users to export their finished product to tape, DVD or the web faster and more efficiently. Throughout, it gives users a means to monitor how the finished product will look…in Real Time.
The Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro Suite comes bundled with what is arguably the most powerful software available today for video editing on the Windows platform: Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 The RT.X100 hardware is tightly integrated into the Premiere Pro software.
Even before we get to the details, we want to tell you that if you're considering using the Windows platform and Adobe Premiere Pro as your editing solution you should investigate the bundled software packages that ship with the Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro.
At a price less than $1,000, we consider this bundle one of the best bargains in the video-editing marketplace today. Clearly, the RT.X100 costs little more than the software alone and certainly costs less than the software plus a quality capture card. As you'll see, you're getting a lot more than that…a whole lot more.
Due to the complex and technical nature of both the hardware and software in this bundle, we're going to 'divide and conquer' the task. This review will focus on the RT.X100 hardware and supporting Matrox X-Tools.
This review is part of a series on video editing on the desktop. The series will include building a Small Form Factor PC specifically designed for the task and bringing together the hardware and software needed to make it work.
We tested the Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro for months. Matrox engineers supplied an advance copy of their new drivers (March 2005) that are now available for free download on their website. With these drivers, editing in Premiere Pro 1.5 feels smoother and more responsive. It is important to note that Matrox's continued support and improvement of this product were a major consideration in our review.
WHO NEEDS IT?
The RT.X100 Xtreme Pro Suite has more than enough power to produce documentaries, news reports, business seminars, training videos and Weddings or other events. As Matrox likes to say, this is a ‘No Compromise’ video editing solution.
Matrox is very clear that this product is aimed at Professionals. It should also be a serious consideration for Prosumers and Web developers involved in multi-media content distribution.
Certainly, the product is being used in the production of television news. We’ve seen the RT.X100 in custom laptop configurations…though we think the RT.X100 Xtreme Pro is really a desktop solution.
An increasing number of independent filmmakers will be interested in what the RT.X100 Xtreme Pro can do for them as they make videos for government, business, and schools specifically intended for distribution on DVD disc or on the Internet.
For this latter group, often on a tight budget, the RT.X100 features some key advantages.
Matrox's One-Pass batch capturing saves wear on DV Camera heads. It senses the first frame of a camera roll and automatically separates video into clips just as it was recorded in the camera. The result? Capturing 60 minutes of DV video takes...60 minutes.
A WORD ABOUT MATROX…
Matrox is a Canadian company that has a long history of producing video editing hardware. It is also one of the world's foremost producers of multi-monitor display adaptors.
The RT.X100 Video Acceleration and Capture Card is a solid product with several years of duty within the industry. It has more than 35 industry awards to its credit. That stability is well served by regular updates to its drivers that maintain compatibility with new computer hardware, refine existing digital video effects and add new ones.
WHAT IS RENDERING?
If you’re new to video editing, a definition of terms is in order. Rendering is the process of transforming images on the computer.
Think of watching a slide show. Each picture comes up in sequence. Once you begin changing those pictures faster than 6 photos per second, the viewer begins an interactive process, focusing on the changes of a single image rather than 6 specific images.
Video is transmitted at 25 to 30 frames per second (fps) depending on the standard being used. This is more than adequate for drawing in the viewer to the interactive experience and making them focus on the transformation process, rather than single images. (It's the movies!)
In order to make one scene dissolve into another in 1 second, 30 frames (single images) must be gradually changed. Frame 1 will be the first image only. Frame 15 will be an equal mix of the first image and the second image. Frame 30 will be the second image only.
It takes a lot of computer processing power to do that. When dozens of dissolves (or other transitions and effects) are used by the editor, the computer takes time to render the final project. Frame by frame, the computer makes changes to each image. This heats up the CPU, strains the hard drives and pushes the system to its limits.
We recently met a video editor in Switzerland who fondly recalled leaving a 30-minute project to render overnight. Computers have become more powerful since then, but the process is the same. Without hardware acceleration specifically designed to handle the process, video editors will have to allow extra time to render before they can see their final product. It might be only 5 minutes, but it could be 20 minutes or more depending on the number of effects used and the length of the project.
WHAT COMES WITH THE RT.X100 XTREME PRO SUITE
A lot. And it comes very well packaged with everything you'll need.
Hardware
- RT.X100 3/4 size PCI card for Video Capture and Acceleration (mounted cooling fan)
1-Firewire Connector for DV
1-Breakout Cable Connector
- Heavy-Duty Breakout Cable (Separate In/Out RCA and S-Video Connectors)
- Firewire Cable for connecting RT.X100 to Digital Video Cameras, Players/Recorders
Software
- Matrox X-Tools Software on CD-ROM - Contains
- Matrox Media Tools (for automated import from DV source tapes)
- Matrox Media Export Manager
- Matrox WYSIWYG DirectShow Control Panel (Windows Media Preview)
- Matrox Plug-ins for Audition, Photoshop, etc.
- Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 (video editing software)
- Adobe Audition 1.5 (for advanced audio)
- Adobe Encore DVD 1.5 (for producing DVD discs with Menus etc.)
Documentation
- Adobe Manuals for all of its software packages
- Matrox Manual for RT.X100 Xtreme hardware installation and use of X Tools
- Matrox User Guide Supplement and Release Notes
- Adobe Premier Pro Video Editing Demonstration on DVD
The 2-hour Video Workshop DVD supplied by Adobe is a good tool for introducing Premiere Pro to users.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Video editing is demanding of your PC. The Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro boosts the power of your system to do the task but has some very specific requirements.
Windows XP with Service Pack 1 is a must. (SP2 works fine!)
You will need audio on your motherboard or a soundcard.
You'll want the fastest processor you can get (2.4GHz minimum), a Gigabyte of RAM (512MB minimum) and 3 fast (7200rpm) Hard Disk drives. AMD systems are also supported.
Matrox keeps testing new systems and releasing free updates. Their website provides a thorough list of approved systems and configurations and is required reading for anyone installing the RT.X100 Xtreme Pro.
http://www.matrox.com/video/products/rtx100xtremepro/home.cfm
Take a look at our test system used in this review. Those components highlighted as links can be used to visit our reviews of the products.
Intel D865GLC Motherboard (Micro-ATX) with onboard audio
Intel P4 3.2GHz CPU (Northwood)
1 GB Crucial DDR RAM (PC3200)
1 Matrox P650 Dual Monitor Video Graphics Card (8X/AGP)
1 Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro Video Capture and Acceleration Card
1 Western Digital 120GB EIDE "Special Edition" HDD for the OS and Software
1 Western Digital 250GB SATA HDD for storing and editing Video Projects
1 Western Digital 160GB SATA HDD for exporting video and extra video storage (external)
1 Highpoint RocketMate 1110 External SATA Drive Case
1 Plextor 16X DVD burner
2 LCD monitors (Analog)
1 Antec Aria Small Form Factor (SFF) Case with 300W PSU
INSTALLATION
You've heard it before: Read the Manual. The Matrox Installation Guide is the comprehensive approach to getting everything up and running the first time.
The Matrox RT.X100 requires the software and drivers be installed BEFORE the card is inserted into the PC.
Connecting your cables is a snap. Premiere Pro and the RT.X100 will allow you to remotely control a wide array of cameras and playback decks via the Firewire. We have recorded DV video from Sony PD-150 and Panasonic PV-DV953 cameras and Sony DSR-30 and GV-D900 Playback/Record decks.
S-Video connections are recommended for analog capture, though we have gotten excellent results from the RCA video cable alone (with 2 RCA audio connections, of course) on Betacam, Digital Betacam and Beta-SX decks.
Similarly, all of those devices can be used to record the finished product. The RT.X100 impressed us mightily with its ability to handle "anything in and anything out!"
FEATURES, FORMATS AND STANDARDS
The RT.X100 Xtreme Pro can render 2 video tracks and 4 layers of graphics in Real Time. This is the RT in its name – the key function of its acceleration capabilities over “software only” solutions.
The RT.X100 will capture in NTSC, PAL and SECAM. It will export in NTSC and PAL. (SECAM projects are exported as PAL.)
You can capture and export video in Normal (4:3) or Widescreen/Letterbox (16:9)
But defining how the RT.X100 is set up for importing and editing is to define how it will later export the finished product. It will not convert NTSC to PAL. It will not transform Letterbox video to Normal video. (Although some digital effects, like Pan and Scan and Cropping, can be applied to make Letterbox appear as Normal video or vice-versa.)
The RT.X100 is NOT a High-Definition (HD) card. Matrox has another product that addresses HDTV.
THE MATROX PROJECT VS. A STANDARD PREMIERE PRO PROJECT
Premiere Pro as a standalone program can render some digital video effects and transitions in real time for preview. But almost all will require "rendering" before the finished project can be exported to tape or disc.
In order to take advantage of the Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro card, you have to designate your project as a Matrox Project when you create it. This is the first step. If you define the project as anything else, you won't be taking advantage of the acceleration capability of the card to render video effects in real time.
THE 'POWER OF X' IN REALTIME EDITING
Let's look at a simple, real-world example.
For years, videotape editors liked to joke with the cameramen that they needed to pull out the "tape stretcher" to complete an edit. It wasn't a laughing matter. A video clip that was too short to cover a line of commentary (track) presented real problems.
Non-linear (computer) video editing changed all that. If a shot isn't long enough, you can extend it using the "rate stretch tool."
But having applied that on the timeline in Adobe Premiere Pro (without the RT.X100,) the timeline shows a red bar all along the length of the video clip because that clip must be "rendered" before it can be exported or even previewed in some cases.
Remember, the computer CPU must decompress the digital video, determine what effects you are applying, analyze the pixels and create a "before" and "after" snapshot of the video, and recompress it back to digital video on the timeline...30 times a second!
This is a good example of how the Matrox RT.X100 accelerates the edit process.
Applying the same "rate stretch" tool within a Matrox project, there is no red line because the RT.X100 will render in "real time." You can instantly preview that slow-motion shot or export it, completely skipping the rendering process.
Now, MULTIPLY that times a series of color corrections, digital video effects and transitions and you begin to see that a 5 minute project could take 10 minutes to render before you're able to export your project or even get an exact idea of how it's going to look.
Want to change something? No problem. Premiere Pro will let you undo dozens of changes you made. But each time you do that, you'll have to render all over again.
With the RT.X100 helping carry the load, video editing sessions take much less time. Without the RT.X100, it wasn't uncommon for us to spend more time rendering than actually exporting the video. The more complex the video filters, effects and transitions, the more time you save with the RT.X100
WHAT EFFECTS CAN I USE IN REALTIME?
So, you don't want to spend ANY time rendering? Good choice! The Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro Suite has a lot to offer.
32 Real Time Video Effects Classes
3D Tiles, Advanced Digital Video Effects, Basic DVE's, Blurs, Chroma Keys, Color Corrections, Color Match, Color Pass, Color Replace, Colorization, Corner Pin, Cubes, Distortions, Emboss, Lens Flares, Lens Warp, Luma Keys, Make DVE's, Mesh Warps, Mosaics, Move and Scale, Matrox Old Movie, Page Curls, Pan and Scan, Particles, Ripple, Soft Focus, Spheres, Time Code, Twirls, Mask Blur, Bulge
Within each one of those "Classes" there are real-time controls to adjust the effects. In all cases, you have the power to be creative in the way the effects are applied.
10 + 60 Real Time Video Transitions
Matrox has 10 of its own Real Time Transitions including 3D Tiles, Advanced Digital Video Effects, Cubes, Mask DVE's, Organic Wipes, Page Curls, Particles, Ripples, Spheres and Twirls.
In addition, it supports Real Time rendering of 60 native Adobe Premiere transitions that include Additive Dissolve, Center Split, Cross Zoom, Flip Over, Iris Diamond, Iris Star, Random Blocks, Slide, Spiral Boxes, Swap, Texturize, Wipe, Band Slide, Checker Wipe, Cube Spin, Fold Up, Iris Points, Multi-Spin, Random Invert, Sliding Bands, Split, Swing In, Three-D, Zig-Zag Blocks, Band Wipe, Checkerboard, Curtain, Funnel, Iris Round, Pinwheel, Random Wipe, Sliding Boxes, Stretch, Swing Out, Tumble Away, Zoom, Barn Doors, Clock Wipe, Direct, Inset, Iris Shapes, Push, Roll Away, Spin, Stretch In, Swirl, Venetian Blinds, Zoom Boxes, Center Merge, Cross Stretch, Doors, Iris Cross, Iris Square, Radial Wipe, Slash Slide, Spin Away, Stretch Over, Take, Wedge Wipe and Zoom Trails.
Again, Effects Controls within Premiere Pro and Matrox X-Tools give you the capability to apply these in an almost unlimited number of ways.
You can save and recall your custom effects and transitions so each project, or series of projects, displays a cohesive set of special effects and transitions that will give the finished product a unique "feel" for the viewer.
A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT COLOR CORRECTION
Color me impressed. What Matrox engineers have done for Color Correction is nothing less than stunning.
Like all other effects, Color Correction can be applied to any clip on your timeline by simply dragging the small icon next to it from ‘Effects’ bin. When the Matrox Effect Setup screen is brought up, the user gets a simple choice of powerful effects. Even working within Premiere Pro, the Effects Setup screen is clearly a Matrox X-Tools function not native to Premiere.
There are 7 pre-sets that can be applied to quickly transform a clip to Black and White, Sepia Tone, Negative etc. Some of these pre-sets saturate the clip with Blue, Gold or Burgundy. Another gives the clip a Washed-Out 60’s Film look.
In addition, there is a _Dud effect that enables you to apply your own color modifications and, of course, you can save them for use later in this project or at any point in the future.
But all of the above is really only a glimpse at the power of the Color Correction Effect. The ‘Custom Color Corrections’ tab uncovers the true power here.
Auto White Balance
Click the ‘Auto Balance’ button and the mouse cursor becomes an eye dropper. Click on one tiny part of the frame in the viewer that is ‘real white’ and you instantly White Balance the entire video clip (when the ‘Simple Edit’ checkbox is enabled.)
There's much more, including the option to analyze your video using a Vectorscope and NTSC or PAL Color bars to adjust the video levels. Hues, Luma levels and Color can all be manually adjusted.
Throughout, users can click on Help to get context-sensitive advice.
Kudos to Matrox for a comprehensive guide to adjusting video color that is built right where you need it…within the Special Effects Setup dialogue.
KEEPING IT REAL TIME
Applying these Effects and Transitions must follow a fundamental pattern so that all of them will be rendered together in real time.
Color Corrections to your video must be applied on the timeline before all others. Second, Chroma or Luma Key Effects should be added. Then, all Matrox hardware-accelerated effects (Page Curls, Advanced DVE's etc.) or supported Premiere Pro Real Time transitions can be added.
EXPORTING THE FINAL PRODUCT
Just as the RT.X100 will import DV or Analog video, it can also record your finished product to either DV or Analog. Digital Tape Export formats include DV, DVCAM and DVCPro-25. You can connect and export analog video to virtually any machine with analog inputs.
The RT.X100 also meets the growing demand for multi-media content on the Internet.
The RT.X100's ability to produce multiple format (Windows, Real, Ligos) video files simultaneously in any number of bit rates for network, broadband or dialup is impressive. A single video project can be used to create a half-dozen or more different files in different formats and bit rates. All in the time it would take to create just one.
Both Matrox and Adobe Premiere Pro offer export options that should satisfy even the most demanding users.
Not only can you export files as .AVI or Quicktime, Windows or Real, you can apply a huge range of compression techniques.
The tight integration between the RT.X100 and Adobe’s Encore DVD 1.5 included in this suite mean you’ll easily shift from editing video to producing menu-driven, chapter-enabled DVD’s.
The unique capability of the RT.X100 to capture DV or Analog video in DVD format can save many hours for those who need to convert videotape to DVD discs. It becomes as simple as capture to hard disk and burn to DVD.
PROBLEMS FOUND IN OUR TESTS
The main problem we encountered that is specific to the Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro is its inability to record a track (voiceover) on the timeline within its own Matrox project.
Voiceovers or tracks are a mainstay of news reporting, documentaries and other uses for this card and, frankly, it seemed unbelievable that the RT.X100 couldn't handle it.
Curious, we contacted Matrox engineers and got an explanation. The RT.X100 Xtreme Pro uses 'Direct Sound' drivers and Adobe uses a different set of drivers, Asio. In order to record on the timeline within a Matrox project, there would have to be a complete re-write of X-Tools. While we can say this is an inconvenience, we didn’t find it much of a problem getting our work done.
We quickly developed a "workaround." Simply create a new non-Matrox project to record a track and then import those audio files into the existing Matrox project. Our project "Audio Tracks" is now a permanent fixture in our collection.
Other users record audio tracks with the included Adobe Audition 1.5 software. This also works well, leaving your existing video project open while recording the track.
ISSUES COMMON TO ALL VIDEO EDITING
Clearly, users need to be aware of a limitation common to all video editing programs: You can't have anti-Virus software scanning every opened file or background programs checking for their updates via the internet during the edit process and, especially, during Capture or Export. You'll get dropped frames. The same goes for your e-mail programs that automatically check the server.
Because of the CPU-intensive nature of video editing, it is highly recommended to disable everything possible to ensure smooth operation. You can use XP's own MSCONFIG to prevent these programs from automatically loading at every startup.
We have experienced freezes of the program that are hard to trace. Blame is usually placed on Premiere Pro's software, the Matrox hardware, Windows XP or all of them.
As we became more experienced with both the hardware and software, the number of freezes dropped precipitously.
Still, as with any video editing package, it is highly advisable to save your work early and often…even with auto-save enabled. It doesn't matter whether it's an incoming e-mail or an error in the operating system, the result is the same: Lost time and effort.
SUPPORT
You get 6 months of free telephone support after registering your product. It is NOT a toll free number and those calls to Canada can cost dearly. After 6 months, each "incident" will cost $29.95 U.S. but the call is toll-free.
Frankly, we like the Matrox Forums on the Internet as a way of troubleshooting. They’re free, of course. The Matrox RT.X100 experts who moderate the forums are very quick to respond.
Although you'll see many hardware-related problems (why else would you be posting?) it's worth noting that there are about 50,000 of these cards in service today. That 50 people have had troubles should come as no surprise.
The latest hotfixes, drivers and new effects are posted on the Matrox Support website for free download.
http://www.matrox.com/video/support/
In addition, there's a collection of users' own custom effects that can be downloaded. Or maybe you would like to share own of your own?
http://www.fxzone.matrox.com
As a bonus, Matrox gives its registered users disk space to post their projects, either publicly or privately, so other users can see their work. This can be of great use to editors who want to preview a project to the home office on the West Coast.
http://www.matrox.tv
CONCLUSION
The Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro is an excellent solution for video editing. It transformed our video editing experience by enabling us to skip the render process for our most commonly used transitions. The ‘Real Time’ preview capabilities allowed us to ‘tweak’ the timing of wipes, dissolves and effects without multiple renders.
Time is just one measure of the ‘Power of X’ in the video editing process. What continually impressed us with the Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro was the different ‘feel’ it gave the program. At every turn, effect and transition, Premiere Pro 1.5 felt smoother and more responsive.
This is especially true with the release of the latest free upgrade of drivers and tools.
As soon as the Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro was installed, we captured a mixture of 16 hours of analog and digital video from a Beta-SX deck (analog) and Sony PD-150 and Panasonic PV-DV953 cameras (DV.) 16 hours and not a single dropped frame!
Matrox has delivered a top-notch video capture card.
But the RT.X100 is so much more than that. Combined with the X-Tools software from Matrox, it enhances and accelerates the editing process.
In our experience, it also promotes creativity.
We found ourselves experimenting and using Enhanced Digital Video effects, like Picture in Picture against a moving graphic background that we would have never considered before.
In some ways, it’s a spoiler. Those who regularly edit without hardware acceleration will argue that today’s faster computers almost eliminate render times. Perhaps they enjoy the break. At the end of their project they can look forward to starting a render, going upstairs to the refrigerator and making themselves a sandwich and opening a beer. By the time they get back to the computer, they can sit and watch the last few minutes of the render process before viewing their finished product.
After you use the Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme Pro and get used to just exporting a five minute project to tape in five minutes, we think you’ll have a hard time accepting their logic that render time “isn’t a big deal.”
Professionals who edit on deadline every day will truly appreciate the power of the RT.X100
When you're editing a school play to distribute to family and friends at your leisure, rendering is perfectly acceptable.
When you're 7 minutes away from trying to feed your project to a different continent within a 10 minute window on a satellite costing $750, you have an entirely different perspective.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
silverstreak9
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Location: Atlanta, GA
Reviews written: 38
Trusted by: 10 members
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