Amazing Magma ExpresBox Pro

[Sanjin Jukic]

Amazing Magma ExpressBox Pro

Hi,

I just have got Magma ExpressBox Pro PCI Express external enclosure box connecting

it to a laptop through an ExpressCard/34 module and cable

or with the connection to the host computer that is through a PCIe host card and cable.

One external PCI Express slot that hosts REDRocket card and can be connected with MacBook Pro 17" (I do have older MBP 2.4 GHz DualCore Intel, 4GB RAM)

and MacPro (also older 2008 model 2,1, 3.0 GHz 8x core with 32GB memory inside).

Everything works properly and you can watch your R3D files real-time at 1080p DVI monitor (in my case HP LP2480zx DreamColor on set or in studio).

AMAZING little MAGMA box!!!!

Have a look at the pictures:

Magma ExpressBox1 - PCI Express Outside the Box, HP LP2480zx DreamColor 30-bit LCD, MacBook Pro 17" 2008 model.

Magma ExpressBox1 - PCI Express Outside the Box, HP LP2480zx DreamColor 30-bit LCD, MacBook Pro 17" 2008 model.

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

Magma ExpressBox1 - PCI Express Outside the Box, HP LP2480zx DreamColor 30-bit LCD, MacBook Pro 17" 2008 model.

Magma ExpressBox1 - PCI Express Outside the Box, HP LP2480zx DreamColor 30-bit LCD, Mac Pro 2008 model 2,1, 3.0 GHz 8x core with 32GB memory inside.

 

[Adil Lahoulou]

cool but seems a bit overpriced for a port expansion device...

has anyone tried one of these: http://www.cooldrives.com/exca3topcexe.html

I wonder if there can be a pci-x to esata connection?

 

[Simon Blackledge]

Sanjin is that giving you 10bit on the DC?

Thought ya needed hdmi to get rec709 to work etc?

nice setup.

s

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

cool but seems a bit overpriced for a port expansion device...

has anyone tried one of these: http://www.cooldrives.com/exca3topcexe.html

I wonder if there can be a pci-x to esata connection?

Adil,

wouldn't say like that:

I paid for the expansion box (Magma), ExpressCard/34 module + cable, PCIe host card + cable and Fedex International Priority shipping altogether Euro 970,00 (!!!).

Sanjin is that giving you 10bit on the DC?

Thought ya needed hdmi to get rec709 to work etc?

nice setup.

s

Simon,

you need AJA HD-SDI card only to get 10 bit per color RGB = 30bit altogether if you want to have grading

using AJA Kona 3 as sort of HD-SDI out put and editing card.

For REDRocket I do not know what type of color bit deliver over DVI port, could be 8-bit or even 10-bit

and I didn't try out HD-SDI just because it is probably for 2K and 4K sort of bandwidth.

 

[Jason H]

what kind of transcode speeds r u getting with this. Say 1080P pro res? 1:1 ratio?

thanks!!!!!!!!! and let us know. I have a rocket but it's in my tower. Would love to bring this to set to do dailies.

j

 

[Tom Visser]

what is the native form factor of the RED card? the ExpressBox Pro only has a PCIe x1 data throughput capability, a limitation of the ExpressCARD architecture. Certainly not a limitation in this instance, but FYI as you couldn't use 3rd party graphics cards, for example, in x16 or x8 modes, they would throttle down to x1 speed.

The other box that was mentioned is an ExpressCARD to PCI expander chassis, not a PCIe chassis, so not the same thing, but I do agree, the price of this Magma and all Magma products is a bit high.

Another FYI, you can put a bracket in your Mac Pro that will plug into a PCIe slot and provide an ExpressCARD slot in the back of you computer, so you could use something like the Magma both on your laptop and you desktop tower, if you needed.

 

[Noah Yuan-Vogel]

cool but seems a bit overpriced for a port expansion device...

has anyone tried one of these: http://www.cooldrives.com/exca3topcexe.html

I wonder if there can be a pci-x to esata connection?

That particular device appears to have 33Mhz PCI slots. It also seems likely they are all sharing the same PCI bus. I dont expect that would be useful unless you need to hook up several relatively low-bandwidth devices since all the cards together will max out at 133MBps, probably less. PCIe is the way to go these days.

 

[Kaku Ito]

What do you think happens if we pick up the x2 slot x8 PCI lane model.
I know it won't work x8 with MBP but if it works with MBP at x1 lane, also equip internal SATA card and install a couple of drives and make RAID0, then when you use it with Mac Pro, I could have x8 lane speed.

Also, this model is appealing even for strictly Mac Pro expansion.
Install RED ROCKET and other video I/O like Matrox MXO2 or Blacmagic Multibrdige Pro.
then I have two PCI Express slots letf for fiber and RAID or eSATA.
I prefer having SAN and local high performance RAID at the same time. So this will solve the PCI-e slot short coming.

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

Kaku,

you always have a good idea.

Just go on with it!

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

what kind of transcode speeds r u getting with this. Say 1080P pro res? 1:1 ratio?

thanks!!!!!!!!! and let us know. I have a rocket but it's in my tower. Would love to bring this to set to do dailies.

j

Magma ExpressBox Pro PCI Express external enclosure box connecting

it to a laptop through an ExpressCard/34 module and cable.

It is pretty good for a fast preview of the dailies on set.

No any other computer (without RR) can do it better with R3D files than that combo.

You can "hook" it on a big plasma or even HD 1080p projector and have a real-time watching dailies/rushes.

It's real-time with 1:1 real-time speed, no stutter in a footage at all because it has 100% use of RR graphic power.

Amazing.

It is more dedicated to watch dailies or rushes on set or in a producer room, in a hotel room, a mobile presentation of R3D footage, etc,...

Also it is x1 lane slot and I would not recommend for fast encoding but it can also do it bit faster than your MBP laptop speed.

You have to swap it to a MacPro (desktop) x8 lane slot and then expect faster encoding.

 

[Nick Shaw]

What do you think happens if we pick up the x2 slot x8 PCI lane model.
I know it won't work x8 with MBP but if it works with MBP at x1 lane, also equip internal SATA card and install a couple of drives and make RAID0, then when you use it with Mac Pro, I could have x8 lane speed.

I'm also interested to know if this solution would work. However I'm waiting to know more about the expansion solutions from Peter Majtan and Maxx Digital before I commit to buying anything.

 

[Kaku Ito]

Hello Nick,

My company used to distribute Magma products, so I know pretty much where they are coming from. So somethings would work and some won't. But if 3rd parties are developing things around the PCIe specification the way supposed to, then it should work.

Peter's and Maxx ones would be x1 lane I guess? I remember one of them was 2 slot but that is probably using the x4 backplate. If that is the case then you won't get x8 speed when you connect it to Mac Pro. I don't really have to go really mobile, my goal would be using the same chassis for Mac Pro at full speed and Mac Book Pro with limited speed but good better monitoring environment without putting the cards (RR and MXO2 PCIe card) on and off.

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

I'm also interested to know if this solution would work. However I'm waiting to know more about the expansion solutions from Peter Majtan and Maxx Digital before I commit to buying anything.

Magma ExpressPro Box works (perfect) also with RED RAID Drive 320GB directly connected to FW 800 slot at MBP 17" and also AC powered.

I saw Maxx Digital box with RR at IBC Amsterdam (see the picture below) and it looks nice.

But Magma is smaller, probably cheaper, also has two types connectors ExpressCard/34 module and PCI Express host card for ExpressBox.

So you can use it with laptop or desktop and put many other diverse cards too.

It's also affordable and box + laptop host card + desktop host card + fast shipping from California to Austria by Fedex altogether is Euro 967.

Maxx Digital REDRocket mobile box shown at IBC Amsterdam 2009.

Great!!!

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

RED1 + RED-Raid 320GB + RED Rocket™™™™™™™ + Magma ExpressPro + HP DreamColor + MacBook Pro 17" + ROCKETcineX = it is a fast real time dailies preview test:

RED1 + Leica-R 60mm f/2.8 Macro + AJA Hi5-G3 HDMI converter + RED-Raid 320GB + RED Rocket™™™™™™ + Magma ExpressPro + HP DreamColor + MacBook Pro 17"

RED1 + Leica-R 60mm f/2.8 Macro + RED-Raid 320GB + RED Rocket™™™™™™ + Magma ExpressPro + HP DreamColor + MacBook Pro 17" + ROCKETcineX


ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

ROCKET FIRE

ROCKET FIRE

Continuing tests with Magma ExpressPro, RED Rocket™™™™™™™™™™™™™™™, ROCKETcineX and Panasonic TX-P46GW10 Neo PDP G12 Full HD Toughpanel LCD.

Fire footage shot on RED1 with Leica 60mm Macro f/2.8 plays in realtime 4K scaled @1080p using MBP 17",
Magma ExpressPro, RED Rocket™™™™™™™™™™™™™™™, ROCKETcineX and Panasonic TX-P46GW10 Neo PDP G12 Full HD Toughpanel LCD.

Just in the case that you have 4 x plasma or any other 1080p capable display you could play FULL 4K from directly on set (MOBILE !!!!!).

You and your customer (director, producer,...) can see a full detail 4K dailies on set/hotel room/video village,..!!!

It's just a click to watch in 4K...of course if you have 4 x display opportunity...

Here you can see 1/4th path of the full 4K is running and if you would have for example 4 x this plasma display then you will get a full "beauty" of watching in 4K.

Also I know that Michael Cioni showed here his 4K rig using 4x LCDs but this test shows another possibility of running "4K display" with a laptop on set...

using Magma(or similar from Peter M./MAXX Digital,...) box enclosure.

The footage is stored at 1TB Lacie Rugged drive and connected with a laptop using USB 2.0.

4K dreams are coming up soon!!!

Absolutely fantastic !!!!

 

[Tom.Wong]

this may also be a solution for people who have a kona card in their mac pro a esata and or raid card and can't fit a red rocket in their system. so by what your saying, you can red rocket through magma, esata connection, and get 1:1 or near 1:1 debayer/transcodes with the mac pro?

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

this may also be a solution for people who have a kona card in their mac pro a esata and or raid card and can't fit a RED Rocket™™ in their system. so by what your saying, you can RED Rocket™™ through magma, esata connection, and get 1:1 or near 1:1 debayer/transcodes with the mac pro?

Mainly because of that I've bought Magma to free one of the slots in MacPro and then (suddenly!) it opens a lot of another great possibilities using Magma box, RR,...(see more above).

 

[Tom.Wong]

great find, expansion for a desktop can double like this. now i wanna try to frankenstein it and see how well daisy chaining with esata cards is like, probably won't be too happy with the results but it would probably be fun...

 

[Gabriele Turchi]

Hi sanjin,

could you please try to render prores 1080P on the laptop using the MacBookpro and see how many fps you can get having half res debayer (from 4K)?

the fact that it's a 1x lane ,if it does playback realtime ,should not compromise the encoding...the encoding should be done by the cpu of the macbook pro...

PS:for plyaback on the MBP:what debayer you can use 2K or 4K ?(i mean because of teh 1x lane..)

thanks

g