10-bit video with Apple?

Hi, folks,

I am a long-time photographer and a just-starting videographer. I am in need of upgrading my MacPro and display. As for the MacPro, I will be waiting for the long overdue new model with Thunderbolt, promised by Tim Cook to materialize in about a year from now. As for the monitor, I need it now and I will be using it primarily for photography and secondarily for video. The software I use for my photo and video projects is Adobe Lightroom, CS6 Production Premium suite and BlackMagic DaVinci Resolve Lite. My OS is Mountain Lion.

I have my eyes on the NEC MultiSync PA271W-BK-SV 27" monitor that includes SpectraView calibrating device and software. That monitor supports 10-bit video, which, amazingly, is not supported by Apple computers. Therefore, I am trying to find a workaround way to get the 10-bit video output signal to the NEC display, if it is at all possible. Would any BlackMagic hardware device do that trick? I am not clear on how it would work. Would it convert an 8-bit output signal to 10-bit (bummer)? Or, rather, would it tap into an original source signal and bypass Apple's video output altogether? I'd be very grateful if someone would be so nice to let me know whether I could use some BlackMagic device to hook it up between my new Retina MacBook Pro (and the MacPro in the future) and the NEC monitor in order to provide true 10-bit video signal to the monitor.

I am also open to suggestions on what kind of additional equipment and/or software would be helpful for my workflow (as I mentioned before: primarily for photography and secondarily for video).

Rob

I have the same dilemma. Im using the NEC monitor for Photoshop and for DaVinci's user interface.

Keep in mind that DaVinci's video monitoring works only through a BlackMagic card. For video I will have to buy a dedicated card for monitoring like a Intensity PRO, Extreme 3D or Ultra Studio 3D ... depending on the connections and use. For paid jobs a pre-calibrated "video" monitor is crucial ( preferably a Flanders Scientific LM-2461W).

Hi, Daniel,

Thanks a lot for a quick response.

I thought I would need something like Intensity Extreme or Ultra Studio Express (3D is an overkill for me). I just needed a confirmation from someone who was more knowledgeable than myself in video editing/monitoring equipment.

So, for someone whose main priority is photography and secondary priority is video editing, who wants to work with Retina MacBook Pro (with Thunderbolt), OSX Mountain Lion and NEC MultiSync PA271W-BK-SV monitor (at full 10-bit video), Adobe and DaVinci Resolve software, the Ultra Studio Express is probably the best all-in-one editing and monitoring solution? Am I correct?

Anyone from BlackMagicDesign would like to chip-in on the subject?