Highend video cards: Canopus DVStorm2 / Matrox RT X100 worth it?

Hi gang!

1) Can anyone with the Canopus DVStorm2 OR Matrox RT X100 video cards
comment on them, please?

2) What other cards compete in this area?

3) What are the high points of the benefits you get?

4) Would you buy it OR a different one, if you had it to do over?

Thanks,
Doug
Oakland, CA

 

Doug,

I am a user of DV Storm2 and before that I used a DV Rex M1 for about five
years. I am use it with Premiere Pro and Canopus Edius 2 editors.
Occasionally also with StormEdit which comes with the Storm.

My experience is that the hardware has been working flawlessly and the
Canopus software is very stable under Windows Xp Pro.
My main almost daily editor is Edius 2. I like its interface and its RT
capability. Edius2 now accepts OHCI ports as well but there is a significant
reduction of RT functionality compared to what you get with the Storm.

I know too little about competing cards to compare them. However, check on
the Canopus and Matrox home sites. I think among things you should look for
are the number of RT tracks and if there is DV-out while playing from
timeline.

Peter
Sweden

 

I agree with Peter the benefits with Storm over RT X100 -including that you
have to use Premiere with RTX100 - i hate Premiere so no contest.

However their maybe other issues you wish to consider about the differences
between the two.

This link take you to a pdf review of them and others - by matrox so the
winner is not an objective outcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.matrox.com/video/press/editorial/pdf/Shootout_2003.pdf

this one is from canopus so again a biased view!!!!!!
http://www.canopus-uk.com/US/pdf/DVStorm_vs_RTX100.pdf

it's all up to the individual - if you want choice of editing software
choose storm. Got to a dealer and try the systems out that is the only way
you can get a real idea of which you prefer.

 

i bought a canopus storm2 after finding that my 3 x rt2000 systems
were no longer to be supported by matrox and at the time the dealer
would not guarantee the rtx100 's stability.

i find canopus support better than that from matrox and the stability
of the system way better.

having said that i saw a demo of rtx100 extreme at videoforum in
wembley last month and it looked good.

however i don't like premiere as an editing product , i prefer using
edius2 so that would require either a canopus card or a bog-standatrd
ieee1394 card since i would gain no benefit from the hardware on a
rtx100


if i had the choice over again , i'd still buy a storm2 with stormbay.

 

Just a short remark about Edius 2 and OHCI 1394. It works very well but the
buffer setting is presently limited to 32 frames. If you have a Storm2 the
buffer can be as large as 192 with the correct setting in StormEdit. This
greatly enhances the RT performance.
Peter

 

Sorta off topic; How would you guys compare the Canopus MVR &
MVR 1000 with those higher end products? For the tasks that both the
MVR and those others can do, that is.

Luck;
Ken

 

In response, after owning 2 Canopus cards, DV rex, DV storm as well as seeing
the output from Matrox products I have decided to spend my money and energy
on a DECKLINK card from Blackmagic Design. Not knocking these cards but they
are 8 bit and both over 6 years old in concept and design. I was not really
impressed with the video quality of either of the products you mention. They
have reasonable quality for comercial results but still have noise and other
problems which should render them not useful for high end. The decklink series
is 8 and 10 bit, now runs under Premiere Pro as well as Final cut pro. This
card was given awards from TV Technology for quality and performance. As
for price the standard Decklink SP has been lowered to 595.00 US . This is
just with the drivers but a great following of profesionals use these.
Hope this helps. Just my 2 cents....

 

Thanks, I'll have to check it out. Hope Google can find
it.

Luck;
Ken

 

Could you tell me more about this card?

How does it compare to Matrox etc?