Multi-monitor support with DaVinci Resolve

My PC has a 8GB GPU with 4 Display ports and 1 HDMI ports. I have a 4K Monitor connected to 1 of the DP. I'm only using the PC with DaVinci Resolve 12. I want to add another PC monitor for DR scopes and another LED TV Monitor for playback. Can I connect the PC monitor to one of the Display Ports and the LED TV Monitor to the HDMI on my current GPU, or do I have to buy another GPU or some BMD card to be able to do what I said above? Recommendation appreciated.

get the mini monitor, either the USB3 or the pci card.

150$

Thanks. So I need another BMD card. Why is that a better? I am just trying to understand it.

Recommendation appreciated.

Your single GPU, even with 8GB of VRAM is going to be sorely tested if you are anticipating a 4K workflow, on top of employing it as User Interface. Resolve is far happier if it has a reserved processing space to do its grade calculations... and that means a beefy second GPU, with nothing hanging off its outputs. If you don't want to exactly match the current GPU -- which is also advised if you opt to try to use the UI Graphics processor for shared GPU processing -- then either go smaller for a UI card, or way bigger for a picture processor.

For a fair and honest, non-OS-biased, rendition of your color adjustments, the judgement monitor, whichever it is that you designate, should be outside of the User Interface. That is why some type of Video I/O solution (and Resolve only supports Black magic devices, whether they are PCIe Decklink cards or other device such as the suggested Mini monitor) is really the way to go. Yes, you *might* be able to use the UI preview display if you spent some serious effort with a calibration strategy. Its just an opinion, but frankly doing that just eliminates the client confusion that sometimes distracts from the "real" monitor display. If you calculated the investment in time and equipment to try to get a "cheap" solution to work, it might still be as much as you would pay for a configuration that is clearly purpose-built, even if the purchase price is a bit higher.

jPo

Thanks JPO for the explanation. So I will go with a BMD Mini Monitor to connect the "Judgement" monitor. My guts tells me that the PCI-e is preferable over the USB3. What are your opinion on which one will be a better unit?

They don't make a USB 3 Mini monitor, it's PCI-e or Thunderbolt

They don't make a USB 3 Mini monitor, it's PCI-e or Thunderbolt

I actually saw someone post a link to a USB 3 device.

I have both the thunderboltand the pci, on the pci the pci works like a charm

BM make USB 3 I/O devices, but as I said the Mini monitor is PCI-e or Thunderbolt only

yes, of course.

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/intensity

But as I said that's not a Mini monitor which is what they were talking about

I said of course is NOT a mini monitor. .....

I think it got lost in translation. ...

ad was mentioned before, the mini monitor seems to be the minimum reasonable card to use.

just my 2 cents:

I'd like to see more support for MORE monitors...
and better support for rearranging parts (functional sections) of windows

I'm not a fan of the single screen take over style of UI

in an ideal world for me I'd like to have three screens + mini monitor to a calibrated output
4 total - thanx

and with so many multi screens let me have some desktop space...
I don't like to have to hide resolve
just so I can see a finder window... or a PDF - or shooting notes
or some other program..

as for the mini monitor - I'm fine with it and it works well
BUT BMD should be more upfront about having to have some BMD box to monitor...
and also they are not so clear the cheap mini Monitor does not do 60p or 59.954p (only 59.94i)

(e.g. where is the cheap mini monitor 4k box?)

thanks gang!

I'd have to disagree about them not being clear that the Mini monitor doesn't do 1080p60, it's quite clearly stated on the tech specs page for the device what resolutions and frame-rates are supported.

For me friends, this post suddenly got a bit confusing. So let me ask differently - If I have 2 PC Monitors (1 monitor for Edit/CC and 1 monitor for showing scopes/playback) and 1 LED TV Monitor (for judging), can I connect the 2 PC monitors to the GUI Card DP ports and the TV monitor to a BMD Mini-Monitor PCI-e card? I'm just doing HD and 2.5K for now, but may want to do some short 4K stuff down the road.

For me friends, this post suddenly got a bit confusing. So let me ask differently - If I have 2 PC Monitors (1 monitor for Edit/CC and 1 monitor for showing scopes/playback) and 1 LED TV Monitor (for judging), can I connect the 2 PC monitors to the GUI Card DP ports and the TV monitor to a BMD Mini-Monitor PCI-e card? I'm just doing HD and 2.5K for now, but may want to do some short 4K stuff down the road.

Yes.

I have at home two pc monitors and a LCD TV on the mini monitor

Thanks Walter. Can the mini-monitor support any [standard] 1080p LED TV or does it have to support 10-bit? Can a 4K (UHD) LED TV be connected to the mini-monitor?

yes, I have a normal Sony LCD at home plugged into the HDMI from the mini monitor.

you can have the resolve GUI on monitor 1, and put the floating scopes on monitor 2, but that is it.

I already have a iMac at home a side of the resolve pc, i bought the thunderboltickets mini monitor (150$) and the scopebox (100$) and it works like a charm.

I think a good 27 inch gui monitor will do just fine and you can use the second one for window stuff

Thanks again Walter for the advice. I'm going to do just that. I am ordering the mini-monitor PCI-e today.

You can connect a UHD screen, but you won't get a UHD output as the Mini monitor only goes up to 1080p30 or 1080i60

You can connect a UHD screen, but you won't get a UHD output as the Mini monitor only goes up to 1080p30 or 1080i60

So Adam, if I have a 2.5K or 4K deliverable, do I set the edit timeline in Resolve to HD for playback at 1080p30 or 1080i60, then render in 2.5K or 4K respectively? Is that how the workflow will be? Any recommendation for the DR setup so it will work considering the mini-monitor only goes up to 1080?

it depend.

I usually setup the timeline at render resolution, and the viewing at hd with the appropriate scaling. that if the machine you have can handle 4k.

keep in mind that a monitor without a proper calibration is bad.

I rather have a hd color grade monitor than a 4k/uhd uncalibrated.

One important note for the o.p.: be sure to read the section in the manual on page 588, "Limitations When Grading With the Viewer on a Computer Display." This is critical information, and I wish it had been provided about 500 pages earlier. You cannot get accurate results from any color correction program unless you have a color-managed output (outside the operating system), using a calibrated monitor. A regular computer display is not going to work reliably.

Unfortunately, real grading monitors cost money and are in a completely different world from computer displays.

I agree 100% with Walter above that if you color-correct entirely in HD and then render everything in 4K, the end result will look the same assuming the material winds up on a calibrated 4K monitor.

One important note for the o.p.: be sure to read the section in the manual on page 588, "Limitations When Grading With the Viewer on a Computer Display." This is critical information, and I wish it had been provided about 500 pages earlier. You cannot get accurate results from any color correction program unless you have a color-managed output (outside the operating system), using a calibrated monitor. A regular computer display is not going to work reliably.

Unfortunately, real grading monitors cost money and are in a completely different world from computer displays.

I agree 100% with Walter above that if you color-correct entirely in HD and then render everything in 4K, the end result will look the same assuming the material winds up on a calibrated 4K monitor.

Note that the manual does not say that you CAN'T get color accurate representation in the GUI either...

It's just that it's easy to screw it up Using a blackmagic output card eliminates these issues. It's also just plain inconvenient to grade using the GUI playback window too.

"Mini-monitor" refers to another BMD product -- it comes as a PCI-e display card or an external device with a thunderbolt connector, which outputs an SDI or HDMI signal for full screen monitoring of the source material. It works not only with Resolve, but many other NLEs.

The Resolve interface will display the program material, but it's not designed for actual accurate monitoring of the program, and it won't simultaneously display a full screen program and the color grading or editing controls within the program itself. If you only want to view the program within windows of the Resolve GUI, or full screen on the main monitor (but without simultaneous access to the timeline or color grading page), you don't need the mini-monitor.

Resolve will not allow you to use the HDMI out on the video card to monitor the program on an external monitor. You either have to monitor the program material inside Resolve's GUI -- which is not designed for color correction -- or buy the mini-monitor (which you linked to) or other BMD decklink device.

You can display a full screen image of the program from the Color page on your main Resolve monitor, but it's a) not color-accurate, and b) won't give you simultaneous access to either the timeline or color grading controls.

the only function of the mini monitor is to put the immage full screen on a external calibrated display. and it is the reccomandation.

in the gui, you cannot have the video at full and keep working, one hide the other.

I think (hope) that at nab BM will show some improvement in the gui handling, keep in mind that Resolve was for 20 years only a colour corrector, this NLE interface is basically 1.0

The mini monitor is a dedicated output device, it does not work as a graphics card but gives a dedicated video output from the timeline which is properly calibrated. The HDMI from your graphics card isn't guaranteed to be give an exact representation of the timeline so when it comes to colour correction the HDMI from your graphics card may not be correct

to answer your first question, I think that if you look in the menu for "cinema mode" you should be able to see in one monitor the full screen

Ok, thanks for your patience and explanation.

I hope BMD updates it to provide video on additional display via HDMI, even if it would not be perfect it is handy and works like that on FCP X.

The mini monitor is a dedicated output device, it does not work as a graphics card but gives a dedicated video output from the timeline which is properly calibrated. The HDMI from your graphics card isn't guaranteed to be give an exact representation of the timeline so when it comes to colour correction the HDMI from your graphics card may not be correct

unlikely, they are already giving the software for free, 150$ ain't a big expenses. ..

Ok, thanks for your patience and explanation.

I hope BMD updates it to provide video on additional display via HDMI, even if it would not be perfect it is handy and works like that on FCP X.

The Mini Monitor isn't just a TB to HDMI adapter, like the adapters your can buy for $7 off Amazon.

It converts a computer data signal to a TV signal. Fundamentally different types of signals. This is why you can't just plug a TV directly into your HDMI port in your computer. It would show up as second computer monitor, extending your desktop, displaying a computer signal.

TV video signals can be progressive, interlaced, different frame rates, and adhere to standard formats like ATSC, PAL, etc., encoded in Y'CbCr. Computer video signals are different beasts entirely, and computer monitors that are color-accurate and 10-bit for graphics work still are not equipped to handle interlaced signals or the various frame rates you find in TV signals.

The Mini Monitor's purpose is to allow you to view a true TV signal.

Thus BMD would never need to build in a second-screen full screen video playback like Premiere or FCP into Resolve, at least for color correction, because that could never be a true TV signal. It might, however, be useful in Resolve's growing capacity as an NLE apart from color correction, to be used purely as a non-accurate preview for editorial purposes (which is what Premiere and FCP and other NLEs are doing).

One important note for the o.p.: be sure to read the section in the manual on page 588, "Limitations When Grading With the Viewer on a Computer Display." This is critical information, and I wish it had been provided about 500 pages earlier. You cannot get accurate results from any color correction program unless you have a color-managed output (outside the operating system), using a calibrated monitor. A regular computer display is not going to work reliably.

Unfortunately, real grading monitors cost money and are in a completely different world from computer displays.

I agree 100% with Walter above that if you color-correct entirely in HD and then render everything in 4K, the end result will look the same assuming the material winds up on a calibrated 4K monitor.

Thanks Marc. I am using a 1080p LED TV with the BMD mini monitor and for editing and scope, I'm using Dell's 4K monitors. I got me a color calibration tool as well which will arrive tomorrow and will use it to calibrate the monitors and the TV. Hopefully that will be close enough. I understand they are not the expensive color grading monitor but for the projects (Indie films) I do and for home, I'm contented with the results.

I is just, all the hardware is already there, even the connection, OS X says it is 30 bit, all necessary frequencies available, And it could even be calibrated... But I guess Mini Monitor eases BMD task especially if there is not good standards for this stuff , that they would need to handle each HW/drivers separately, so yes, maybe Mini Monitor is an easier solution, at least for them.

I would rather not have additional boxes on the system and the problem is also to find one, but at this point it looks pretty clear I need to get one if I want to have the video on separate display

It's not a issue of Resolve having to support different types of displays. What other NLEs do is simply run another maximized window on the second display with the video preview, as all it is is another display with an extended desktop. The monitor isn't displaying the TV signal you are manipulating, it's displaying the signal of the composited picture of the computer desktop with programs running on it (in this case, an NLE with a full-screen window with a video preview). This is all perfectly fine if you need it just for editorial or graphics work.


The issue here is the type of signal. As the broadcast online editor and/or colorist, you are responsible for shaping and delivering the actual deliverable end product: an electrical signal. Not a picture, not an image, not a video. These are higher-order constructs that exist in our minds. The actual thing that we are delivering, wether by file or by tape, is a representation of an electrical signal. A very particular type of signal. You need to monitor the kind of signal you are going to deliver. So you have to monitor your images as a TV signal.

A computer display with an application window full-screened is a computer signal with information about all sorts of stuff. It is not a TV signal.

You need to be able to "see" your signal. This means to view the pictures encoded by that signal, and at the same time measure various other properties of that signal via a set of external scopes. You do this to ensure that your signal is in technical compliance with laws that govern TV signals in your region, and to help make color correction decisions.

You use a Mini Monitor to get a TV signal out of your grading app, then monitor that signal on a calibrated TV and a set of external scopes. Your signal is managed by the Mini Monitor, containing only your TV signal.

Plugging your monitor into the computer, you are seeing a signal generated by the graphics card containing other information managed by the OS. We don't want to "see" or monitor that. That's not what we are delivering.

Think of it this way: the Mini Monitor turns yours computer into a "TV station" of sorts. You use your calibrated TV to "watch" the TV signal "broadcast" by your computer-turned-TV station.

Same metaphor extends to grading movies. In this case, your UltraStudio or other monitoring device feeds a projector. Your computer then becomes a movie theater projector, and you watch it in a grading theater on a silver screen.

It's all about the signal.

Thanks for reading my ramblings! Glad it was of help.

The Video Assist appears to be a device to add video monitoring and capturing from a camera. That's not what you need.

What you need is a BMD UltraStudio Mini Monitor. If you are on a Mac, get the Thunderbolt version. It's only $137. Don't forget a Thunderbolt cable, and an HDMI or 3G SDI cable to go to your calibrated TV monitor. A professional grading monitor will take SDI, consumer displays will take HDMI.

At some point you will also want the Mini Recorder to go into a Mac mini with a cheap/old monitor or another computer running ScopeBox. This will give you flexible external scopes for a reasonable cost.

The Mini Monitor works with Avid and Premiere just fine, so I assume it would work with with FCP, too.

At some point you will also want the Mini Recorder to go into a Mac mini with a cheap/old monitor or another computer running ScopeBox. This will give you flexible external scopes for a reasonable cost.

Tyson, thank you for taking the time to explain in detail. It was very insightful... so won't consider it a rumbling.

Can you expand on the Mini Recorder and ScopeBox? How does it complement the Mini Monitor and how best to utilize it? I'm on a PC with a Mini Monitor PCI-e connected via HDMI to a prosumer LED TV. If I don't have enough slot for another PCI-e, is there an external Mini Monitor/Recorder for the PC that you can recommend?

At some point you will also want the Mini Recorder to go into a Mac mini with a cheap/old monitor or another computer running ScopeBox. This will give you flexible external scopes for a reasonable cost.

Tyson, thank you for taking the time to explain in detail. It was very insightful... so won't consider it a rumbling.

Can you expand on the Mini Recorder and ScopeBox? How does it complement the Mini Monitor and how best to utilize it? I'm on a PC with a Mini Monitor PCI-e connected via HDMI to a prosumer LED TV. If I don't have enough slot for another PCI-e, is there an external Mini Monitor/Recorder for the PC that you can recommend?

if you have another computer free, you can use it as external scopes:
1) get the mini recorder 140$ (i have the thunderbolt)
2) get the scopebox software 99$ or so
3) connect the second output from the mini monitor to the recorder

done. the scopebox is excellent and has the added advantage that measure exactly what is going to your display, not the internal signal you are spitting out.

Thanks Walter. That sound pretty straight forward. I will give that a try. Have a nice week.

I will look now where to get the mini monitor, and who knows, maybe it works even with FCP X ?

Kim, Here's a YouTube video of how to use the mini monitor (and mini recorder) with FCP X. Hope this helps you.

The Mini Monitor isn't just a TB to HDMI adapter, like the adapters your can buy for $7 off Amazon.

It converts a computer data signal to a TV signal. Fundamentally different types of signals. This is why you can't just plug a TV directly into your HDMI port in your computer. It would show up as second computer monitor, extending your desktop, displaying a computer signal.

TV video signals can be progressive, interlaced, different frame rates, and adhere to standard formats like ATSC, PAL, etc., encoded in Y'CbCr. Computer video signals are different beasts entirely, and computer monitors that are color-accurate and 10-bit for graphics work still are not equipped to handle interlaced signals or the various frame rates you find in TV signals.

The Mini Monitor's purpose is to allow you to view a true TV signal.

So good. Required reading.

So I just bought the Mini Monitor PCIe card. Then I saw this.

http://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Design ... olve+color

Since it does capture and playback, is this the same as a Mini Monitor + Mini Recorder in one and with 4K support? What is the difference? If it does the same thing, this looks like a better buy.

The Mini Monitor comes either as a PCI-e card or as an external TB device, so it depends on what you have available to connect with. If you don't need SDI and you have a modern system with a PCI-e 4x slot then yes it's better to go for the IP4K. If you only have TB or you need SDI then it probably makes more sense to go with the Mini Monitor.

So I just bought the Mini Monitor PCIe card. Then I saw this.

http://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Design ... olve+color

Since it does capture and playback, is this the same as a Mini Monitor + Mini Recorder in one and with 4K support? What is the difference? If it does the same thing, this looks like a better buy.

I guess you didn't read the amazon reviews of the card...

One important note for the o.p.: be sure to read the section in the manual on page 588, "Limitations When Grading With the Viewer on a Computer Display." This is critical information, and I wish it had been provided about 500 pages earlier. You cannot get accurate results from any color correction program unless you have a color-managed output (outside the operating system), using a calibrated monitor. A regular computer display is not going to work reliably.

Unfortunately, real grading monitors cost money and are in a completely different world from computer displays.

If it's true that a calibrated monitors are required for reliable color work, then it's a really poor state of affairs. I would have thought software would have advanced enough to obselete the requirements for these types of specialist systems. Photographic workflows no longer have these types of requirements.

So I just bought the Mini Monitor PCIe card. Then I saw this.

http://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Design ... olve+color

Since it does capture and playback, is this the same as a Mini Monitor + Mini Recorder in one and with 4K support? What is the difference? If it does the same thing, this looks like a better buy.

I guess you didn't read the amazon reviews of the card...

Most of those Amazon reviews are from when the card first came out and it had a noisy fan and didn't capture RGB for those trying to capture from games machines. The fan noise was fixed a long time ago and the RGB issues have also since been resolved, the only real issues I'm seeing with the IP4K are that it has issues capturing UHD through HDMI from some cameras (GH4 for one) and that when capturing through component the blacks are crushed, but not through HDMI, Composite or S-Video

I've heard there have been problems with playback from that card as well, but do you have one and is it working fine with Resolve?

For some reason you can't search "Intensity" on this forum...

Not had any issues with playback

The Mini Monitor comes either as a PCI-e card or as an external TB device, so it depends on what you have available to connect with. If you don't need SDI and you have a modern system with a PCI-e 4x slot then yes it's better to go for the IP4K. If you only have TB or you need SDI then it probably makes more sense to go with the Mini Monitor.

So the IP4K, Mini Monitor, and Mini Recorder pretty much does the same thing, Yes? I don't need SDI because my LED TV is HDMI and I'm on a PC with X99 motherboard and PCIe slot. Just need to confirm.

So the IP4K, Mini Monitor, and Mini Recorder pretty much does the same thing, Yes? I don't need SDI because my LED TV is HDMI and I'm on a PC with X99 motherboard and PCIe slot. Just need to confirm.

Eventually you will want SDI. At some point you will want a a professional grading monitor, which takes SDI. And even sooner you're going to want a set of external scopes (either dedicated hardware units or a combo of something like a Mac mini + Mini Recorder + Scopebox), and it's best to use SDI for that.

So you will want SDI.