The Matrox RT.X2 has the same great features as the Matrox RT.X2 LE plus full-resolution HD monitoring via DVI output. If you have a full-size workstation with the room for this extra large PCIe hardware card than the Matrox RT.X2 will give you the all the features as the smaller RT.X2 LE plus DVI output. That means you can use an inexpensive flat-panel display to preview full-resolution HD video! Now with new MX.Tools 4.0 drivers will turn your Adobe CS4 video editing system into a video production powerhouse capable of editing HD & SD footage in realtime – that's the HARDWARE ADVANTAGE!

If you're a professional video editor concerned about getting maximum productivity from Adobe Premiere Pro CS3/CS4 and Adobe CS3/CS4 Production Premium, have a look at the Matrox RT.X2 – the ideal solutions for corporate communicators, event videographers, project studios, educational facilities and digital filmmakers. If you need to edit HDV, XDCAM EX, or P2 MXF 720p and output HD, and you want to use a DVI display for full resolution HD previews, you'll need RT.X2.

The Matrox RT.X2 goes far beyond the capabilities of software-only editing and systems that combine Adobe Premiere Pro CS4/CS3 and a simple I/O card.

The additional benefits you get with Matrox RT.X2 include:

• Full-resolution HD monitoring on an inexpensive flat panel display via independent DVI output with Matrox RT.X2
• Many more realtime layers of video and graphics
• More effects in real time including color correction, chroma/luma keying, speed changes, blur/glow/soft focus, 3D DVE and much more
• Extensive camera support with Matrox RT.X2 including many new models from Canon, JVC, Panasonic, and Sony
• Realtime native editing of Sony XDCAM EX .mp4 clips with RT.X2
• Realtime native editing of Panasonic P2 MXF 720p and SD files with Matrox RT.X2
• Realtime capture from analog sources to compressed MPEG-2 4:2:2 I-frame
• Realtime playback of 32-bit MPEG-2 I-frame AVI files with alpha
• Realtime mixed-format multi-cam
• Realtime MPEG-2 IBP capture from analog and DV sources for DVD authoring
• Accelerated export to Blu-ray, DVD, all multimedia formats including Flash Video, and Adobe Clip Notes
• Composite, Y/C, and analog component input and output
• WYSIWYG video output for motion graphics, animation, and compositing applications
• Audio VU meters on capture

With the Matrox RT.X2, you'll save time on every project so you can concentrate on creating your best work and building your business. There are four products to choose from. Matrox RT.X2 is available as a value-priced bundle with Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 or as hardware-only for use with your copy of the Adobe software.

Top Reasons to buy Matrox RT.X2

1. Get more out of Adobe Premiere Pro CS4/CS3

• Multi-layer realtime editing in HD and SD
• Realtime Adobe transitions
• Realtime Adobe effects – Dissolve, Dip to Black, Crop, etc.
• Realtime mixed-format multi-cam editing
• Realtime Scene Detect in HD and SD
• Accelerated Media Encoder for export to a wide variety of multimedia formats including Flash Video
• Accelerated Clip Notes encoding for quick client approval
• Accelerated export to DVD – even faster than real time!

2. DVI output for HD and SD monitoring on an inexpensive
flat panel

3. Fast, flexible, responsive editing for every project

• Edit native HDV as easily as you’re used to editing DV
• Ultra high performance DV editing
• Realtime HD and SD mixing on the same timeline
• Edit in HD – output in HD or SD
• Realtime hardware downscaling – the fast way to make DVDs from HD timelines or deliver dailies and client proofs
• Project compatibility with Matrox Axio

4. Easy-to-install, stable, reliable, scalable

• Built on the award-winning Matrox Axio architecture
• Wide range of compatible systems – from inexpensive desktops to powerful workstations

5. Professional realtime effects

• Fully keyframeable effects with familiar After Effects-style UI, optimized for performance and quality
• Primary and secondary color correction – proc amp, color match, color balance, I/O level control, and RGB curves control
• Smooth speed changes
• 2D and 3D DVE with soft edges and color borders
• Blur/glow/soft focus, and many more!

6. Extensive camera support and professional inputs and outputs

• Full range of I/Os – analog component HD and SD, 1394, Y/C and composite
• Analog component input ensures top quality capture in HD and SD
• 1394 loopthrough on breakout box for easy access
• Audio VU meters on capture
• Stereo audio monitoring
• HDV 1080i, HDV 1080p, HDV 720p, P2 MXF 720p, and standard definition

7. WYSIWYG for digital content creation applications

• Preview your DCC work at full frame size and frame rate. See what your clients will see!
• Dynamic Alt+Tab switching between applications
• Support Adobe After Effects and Photoshop, Autodesk Combustion and 3ds Max, eyeon Fusion, and NewTek LightWave 3D

8. Superior Matrox codecs

• Native digital codecs: HDV, DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO, P2 MXF 720p
• Matrox MPEG-2 I-frame 4:2:2 HD and SD codec for top-quality analog captures

9. Tight integration with Adobe CS3/CS4 Production Premium

• Unmatched, fluid workflow with Adobe Dynamic Link
• Efficient asset management with Adobe Bridge

Extensive camera support
Matrox RT.X2 supports a wide range of analog, DV, HDV, and P2 cameras from the world's leading manufacturers including most of the resolutions of these new models:

• JVC HD110, HD200, HD250
• Sony HVR-A1, HVR-Z1, HVR-V1, PDW-F330
• Panasonic HVX200, HDX900, HDC27H, HPX2000
• Canon XH A1, XH G1, XL H1

Highest quality realtime effects
The Matrox RT.X2 platforms are designed to overcome the limitations of software-only editing by providing performance- and quality-optimized effects processing. Built on Matrox Power of X and Flex technologies, the Matrox RT.X2 platforms leverage CPU and GPU power to provide a tightly integrated, high performance editing environment for Adobe Premiere Pro. Matrox RT.X2 platforms’ broadcast quality effects are fully keyframeable and feature a high level of control for detailed work. Each effect has a series of parameters that can be fine tuned to get just the look you want. To save time you can use the preconfigured effects presets or create and save your own presets.

Most realtime video/graphics layers
Many editing systems compromise quality or effects refinement and complexity to increase the number of layers, whereas the Matrox RT.X2 platforms always deliver maximum realtime quality. Timelines with more layers and/or effects than can be processed in realtime can still benefit from hardware-accelerated previews. The Matrox RT.X2 platforms always play back the timeline at the best possible quality and if necessary, gracefully reduce the frame rate. You always get in-context feedback as you work.

The number of layers that can be processed in real time depends on your system CPU and GPU as well as the characteristics of your workflow – the video resolution you are working with, the frame rate, the codec, and the number and complexity of effects. System selection guidelines and lists of computers, motherboards, and GPUs validated for use with the RT.X2 cards are posted in the support section of the Matrox website.

Realtime native HDV editing workflow
Matrox RT.X2 provides the flexibility you need to get the most from your HDV editing experience.

Capture
You can transfer native HDV footage over 1394 to your RT.X2 system. Other HD footage with the same resolution and frame rate can be captured from analog HD sources using RT.X2’s high-quality MPEG-2 4:2:2 I-frame codec.

Edit
On a reasonably performing system, you can expect to edit at least two HD video layers with color correction plus multiple graphics layers in real time.

Native HDV material can be mixed in real time on your HD timeline with MPEG-2 I-frame clips. You can also place SD clips on your HD timeline and RT.X2 will upscale them in real time so you can mix NTSC material into a 1080i at 29.97 fps timeline or PAL material into a 1080i at 25 fps timeline. You can also mix 576p or 486p material into a 1080p timeline.

Monitor
Matrox RT.X2 provides full-resolution HD monitoring on an inexpensive flat panel display via its independent DVI output. You won't need to buy expensive HD monitoring equipment or the video-to-DVI converter required for monitoring with some I/O cards. In fact, RT.X2 provides better HD video definition, with pixel-to-pixel mapping on a flat panel (1920 x 1200), than you will get on a more expensive professional HD monitor which is typically limited to approximately 800 lines of resolution.

Deliver
When your edits are complete, you can record your project directly to tape using RT.X2's analog component HD output or export to HDV for playout over 1394.

Realtime native editing of Panasonic P2 MXF 720p and SD files
RT.X2 provides native editing of Panasonic P2 MXF 720p files at 23.98, 25, 29.97, 50, and 60 fps and SD files at 23.98p, 25i and 25p, 29.97i and 29.97p fps in Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects. You can use MXF files created by your Panasonic P2 camera directly in these applications without having to convert the files to the traditional AVI file format. In addition, the unique Matrox EZ-MXF utility is included with Matrox RT.X2 lets you use your native MXF files in animation, compositing, and motion graphics applications that support Video for Windows AVI files.

Matrox RT.X2 also supports the use of the popular Focus Enhancements FireStore drives allowing you to simply transfer P2 and HDV files to your RT.X2 system and edit them in real time.

RT.X2 supports Panasonic VariCam 24p and 25p workflows with the Panasonic VX200 camera via MXF file transfers. The camera actually saves 60 or 50 frames in the P2 MXF file and tags the ones that should be used to playback at 23.98 or 25 fps. RT.X2 lets you play those MXF files in a 23.98 or 25 timeline without any additional processing. RT.X2 will detect and remove the repeated frames on the fly. The camera also features a “pN” native mode in which it will only save the required 23.98 or 25 frames on the P2 card. RT.X2 also supports realtime playback of those “pN” files.

Matrox RT.X2 extends Windows Explorer functionality to simplify AVI and MXF file management. Important details such as User Clip Name, Start Timecode, End Timecode, Duration, etc. are available in the Windows Explorer Details View. A clip icon can also be displayed in the Thumbnails View to let you more easily identify your clips.

Minimum System Requirements

The Matrox RT.X2 editing system requires the following minimum system configuration:

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional (32-bit version only)
• Chassis with adequate cooling
• PCI Express (PCIe) slot available
• System power supply of 500 watts
• 2 GB of physical memory (RAM)
• Two processing cores - either two physical single-core processors, or one physical dual-core processor
• Display card (see list of validated cards for higher performance)
• Separate NTFS formatted hard drive for A/V content

Designing your Matrox RT.X2 system
Your particular workflow requirements and budget will determine the specific components you should choose when designing your Matrox RT.X2 editing system. To get the absolute maximum number of realtime layers and effects, in all cases, you can combine a top-of-the-line computer system, the fastest GPU, and the largest, most robust storage subsystem. If your budget is more modest, there are many tradeoffs you can make to design an editing system that will give you maximum performance to do exactly what you need to do on a daily basis.

Matrox RT.X2 relies on the power of your CPU to perform some effects and to decode and encode video streams. It relies on the power of the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) in your system to process Matrox hardware-accelerated effects (Flex GPU effects). Note that what we refer to here as a GPU has various other names that may be more familiar to you, such as display card, graphics card, or VGA adapter. The type and size of storage you require depends largely on the video formats you are using and the number of hours of video you need to maintain online. Understanding your various options in each category will help you design the most economical system for your needs.

Matrox has validated a number of computers, display cards, and storage subsystems and provided guidelines to enable you to make an informed choice as you choose the components for your own Matrox RT.X2 editing system.

Click here for more info on validated configuration for RT.X2
http://www.matrox.com/video/support/rtx2/rec/home.cfm

Videoguys' FAQ: Matrox RT.X2

Our Videoguys HD editing experts have been getting a lot of questions about the Matrox RT.X2 and the new Matrox RT.X2 LE and we'd like to share some of the most common answers with you to help you decide to get the Hardware Advantage today! read more...