Quad HD trough DVI on a Mac?

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

My boss asked me if there were solutions for a Mac Pro (with OSX) to project an ultra-widescreen background with 3 or 4 times 1920x1080 output? Like a Matrox M9148 card, which doesn't have drivers for the Mac...
Does anyone have some ideas?

Advice greatly appreciated.

 

[Alexander Ibrahim]

BlackMagic Designs has a 4K video input/output card.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/decklink4k/

I've never used it, but it uses the same drivers as the DeckLink Extreme 3D+, which I do own.

These drivers support an "extended desktop" mode, that allows you to use the connected displays as an additional (in my case third) display. That would indicate that you could not only output 4K video, but a 4K desktop for standard Mac applications.

I do know that under OS X 10.6.8 the extended desktop shows some image tearing with Quicktime when connected over HDMI, but overall its fairly reliable. This does not happen when the HDTV is connected directly to the computer via HDMI. Basically, the Decklink Extreme 3D+ doesn't have great performance when used as a graphics processing card as opposed to a video i/o card.

(BMD probably ought to integrate an Nvidia GPU on their card for Resolve and to assist in the extended desktop application.)

AJA has a 4K playback capable card, but its really a 2K card for all other purposes. I know that AJA cards also support extended desktop modes, but I've not used them enough in that capacity to comment, nor do I know if the AJA cards will support 4K in extended desktop.

 

[jake blackstone]

These drivers support an "extended desktop" mode, that allows you to use the connected displays as an additional (in my case third) display. That would indicate that you could not only output 4K video, but a 4K desktop for standard Mac applications.

I do know that under OS X 10.6.8 the extended desktop shows some image tearing with Quicktime when connected over HDMI, but overall its fairly reliable. This does not happen when the HDTV is connected directly to the computer via HDMI. Basically, the Decklink Extreme 3D+ doesn't have great performance when used as a graphics processing card as opposed to a video i/o card.

I thought, that BM took the extended desktop output feature a while ago. If it's still there, how do you use it?

 

[Alexander Ibrahim]

I thought, that BM took the extended desktop output feature a while ago. If it's still there, how do you use it?

They did take it out.

They put it back in as of BMD Desktop Video 8.2

How do you use it?

In the Black Magic preferences pane there is a drop down for "When not playing video, send:" There you can find an option for "Extended Desktop." That works more or less as expected 0n 10.6.8, have not tested it on Lion yet.

Hope that helps.

 

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Thanks for the replies, will check!

 

[Luis Otero]

They did take it out.

They put it back in as of BMD Desktop Video 8.2

How do you use it?

In the Black Magic preferences pane there is a drop down for "When not playing video, send:" There you can find an option for "Extended Desktop." That works more or less as expected 0n 10.6.8, have not tested it on Lion yet.

Hope that helps.

I have such drivers, but still have only the two options; the one you mentioned is not available for me...

 

[Alexander Ibrahim]

I have such drivers, but still have only the two options; the one you mentioned is not available for me...

Are you sure you are running version 8.2?

I had a little situation where for some reason after I installed 8.2 it reverted to 7.9.5, so that's worth doublechecking.

It's there though, at least on OS X 10.6.8. Here is a screenshot from my system:

(That image link will only be valid for a week or so at most.)

 

[Luis Otero]

Yes, just re-installed them, and now finally can use it. THANKS...!!!