RT2000 MEGA Pack
Review by Charlie White
Senior Producer, Digital Media Net

The Matrox Web site was jammed last week. Why? Because the Montreal company had just released the latest update of its $999 (street price) real time editing system, RT2000, and thousands of users were scrambling to download its 177 MB update. Called MEGA Pack, the newest iteration of software for the low-priced video capture card, video card and software combination could also be called version 2.0. So, if you were scared to buy one of the first RT2000s because it was a 1.0 release, now it's time to take this polished product seriously. The MEGA Pack, with its over 600 new real time transitions and 3D effects, new MPEG support and faultless operation, represents nothing short of a MEGA value.

Among the over 600 new keyframeable effects included with the RT2000 MEGA Pack are particle effects that can be executed in real time. View a video demo of the new MEGA Pack.

If you want to get the update on CD or if you buy a new RT2000, you'll have to wait until the CDs are released, expected to happen around December 4th. In that package, you'll receive a new version of DVDit!, Inscriber TitleExpress, Acid sound creation software and a full version of Adobe Premiere 5.1 RT. Also new is full support for Panasonic's DVCPro, the ability to capture directly to MPEG-2, and best of all, the ability to modify all those effects using keyframes. More good news is that for all these new tricks, RT2000's price remains unchanged.

Here's an example of MEGA pack's distortion effects.

First, let's talk about the ability to modify transitions and effects. Before, the RT2000 could do lots of real time effects, but there was no way to modify anything. For example, if you wanted to place a video box over someone's shoulder by using picture-in-picture, you could only place that box in a few different places Matrox chose for you. Now, you are able to fly up that box to a spot only you choose, hold it there, move it somewhere else and then dissolve it out, all timed to your liking. If you've ever tried to do this with canned effects, you know that it's next-to-impossible to accomplish. Thank you, Matrox!

MEGA Pack also includes some wild-looking filters.

Next up are lot of new whiz-bang effects, allowing you to get from one shot to the next by distracting every eye in the house. Particles and explosions rule the day here, and those who like to see things blow up will not be disappointed. But that's not all. There are actually some useful effects in here, like some of the distortion effects that could come in handy for a nice-looking background. Looking like a hazy shower door, these are great as a backdrop for text or a graphic collage. And, if you want to slather on the effects beyond RT 2000's two-channels-and-a-key limitation, RT2000 is there with hardware-assisted rendering. But rendering will seldom be needed, because RT2000 is still able to give you two channels of real time effects, with a linear key supered over. Part of these exciting new effects are a raft of spectacular 3D transitions, which look so clean you'd think you were dealing with a box costing ten times more than this.

Another feature I like is the ability to capture analog footage directly to MPEG-2 in real time, for DVD authoring. Since the RT2000 is made to leave DV footage untouched, the only way to get footage transcoded to MPEG-2 in real time is to capture your footage via an s-video input. But Matrox has found a way to let you continue to control your DV deck using 1394 control, even when you're capturing via an analog port. Nice convenient touch.

So, what's the catch? Well, it's hard to complain at this low price point, but one issue I'd have to mention is one that Matrox promises to fix within a few weeks -- Windows 2000 support. It's too bad that this great card is presently supported only by the amateurish and flaky Windows 98 and its lame, brain-dead brother, Windows Me. Yuck. But hey, we can certainly wait a few weeks for the Windows 2000 version, can't we? Sure. I'd recommend waiting for that, rather than messing around with that dead-headed descendent of DOS. Other limitations of the RT2000 are the need to render any effects you've done if you're sending the data back to a DV recorder. The footage will play back in real time, however, if you're playing out to tape. Also, don't expect to do any real time chromakeying or luminance keying with this setup, or color correction, either. Those features are reserved for Matrox's higher-end systems like DigiSuite LX. But again, these are small prices to pay for such an amazing value, and you can still do linear keying in real time, and all other kinds of keying if you're willing to wait for rendering.

Last Word
Overall, hooray, Matrox! Nice bug fix, great new 3D effects, clever implementation of new MPEG features and great pricing. This is about the best value for the DV dollar on the market today.

• Microsoft Windows Me (Millennium Edition) or Windows 98 SE (Second Edition).
• Intel Pentium II CPU, 350 MHz or AMD Athlon.
• 128 MB physical memory (RAM)
• Computer monitor capable of displaying at a resolution of 1024×768 or higher
• Free AGP slot
• Free PCI slot
• 500 MB of free space for software installation on system drive
• Separate hard drive for A/V content, formatted using FAT32
• 16-bit sound card
• CD-ROM drive for software installation
• Video camera or VCR

Certain complex real time effects may require a more powerful system. For optimal system performance, Matrox recommends the following:

• Pentium III or AMD Athlon CPU running at 750 MHz or faster
• 256 MB or more RAM
• DV video camera (to use 1394 connections)
• NTSC or PAL video monitor.