Existing users, 
 Matrox RTMac - 1.2firmware for the video rendering device |
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Feedback Summary:
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| Overall Rating: | Not rated (0.0) | Features: | Not rated (0.0) | Support: | Not rated (0.0) |
| Ease of Use: | Not rated (0.0) | Quality / Stability: | Not rated (0.0) | Price: | Not rated (0.0) |
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Featured Reviews
Matrox Installer Workarounds - Version: 1.2, 8/13/2003 03:07PM PST
dpgrizzle
Save yourself some grief and get a copy of Interarchy 6.2 for OS X before attempting download of any software from Matrox. As detailed in previous post, Matrox website will not download software for Macintosh Internet Explorer or Safari. I tried with Interarchy 5.x, which was also not satisfactory. Upgrading to Interarchy 6.2 solved all my download problems... 6.2 seems to be fully OS X aware, and Matrox files downloaded in expected location (desktop) and with permissions to launch and run.
I also needed to upgrade my RTMac firmware from version 1.1 to 1.2, which Matrox claims to cure a persistent problem with my Mac placing icons half off my startup monitor (as if expecting the NTSC monitor to be an extension of the computer desktop). Unfortunately, the 1.2 installer is Classic only, causing me to reboot, now in progress, so no report yet on ultimate success.
Hopefully this Matrox stuff will work. I'm sure having to work hard at the process, and incurring cost for dedicated FTP software.
I'm performing all downloads from the Matrox website under OS X. I tried to use Internet Explorer and Safari, but no success. This post refers to the OS X beta version 4.0b2 of Matrox RTMac. Versiontracker is behind the times on this -- no listing for Matrox under OS X software.
I also needed to upgrade my RTMac firmware from version 1.1 to 1.2, which Matrox claims to cure a persistent problem with my Mac placing icons half off my startup monitor (as if expecting the NTSC monitor to be an extension of the computer desktop). Unfortunately, the 1.2 installer is Classic only, causing me to reboot, now in progress, so no report yet on ultimate success.
Hopefully this Matrox stuff will work. I'm sure having to work hard at the process, and incurring cost for dedicated FTP software.
I'm performing all downloads from the Matrox website under OS X. I tried to use Internet Explorer and Safari, but no success. This post refers to the OS X beta version 4.0b2 of Matrox RTMac. Versiontracker is behind the times on this -- no listing for Matrox under OS X software.
A Terribly Supported Product! - Version: 1.2, 8/13/2003 02:08PM PST
dpgrizzle
Nevermind that OS X drivers -- only now in beta -- are over a year late. Matrox RTMac 4.0 is also a huge waste of time to download and install. For one thing, the Matrox website apparently supports PC users only. The software download area (which requires your Matrox user name and arbitrary assigned password) will not work with either Internet Explorer or Safari. The download is some kind of trick FTP redirect and just stalls -- no error message or anything. After wasting hours, I was only able to download the .dmg file using Interarchy, a dedicated Mac FTP client. Now, the RTMac disk image refuses to mount, "due to error -39. (No such file or directory)"
I paid over a thousand dollars for the RTMac hardware, and have never gotten 10 minutes use out of it. Matrox's dreadful Mac support and onerous software download procedures make me almost want to pay another thousand dollars to be rid of them.
I still hope to someday get some use out of this device, but Matrox needs to shape up and learn something about customer satisfaction and support, or else the market needs to put them out of business.
BTW - I have a friend with a Matrox board in his PC, and his experience is not much different than mine.
I paid over a thousand dollars for the RTMac hardware, and have never gotten 10 minutes use out of it. Matrox's dreadful Mac support and onerous software download procedures make me almost want to pay another thousand dollars to be rid of them.
I still hope to someday get some use out of this device, but Matrox needs to shape up and learn something about customer satisfaction and support, or else the market needs to put them out of business.
BTW - I have a friend with a Matrox board in his PC, and his experience is not much different than mine.
Update: Matrox RTMac firmware upgrade to version 1.2 went smoothly after rebooting under OS 9.2 (OS 9.2 or later required.) This corrected the problem I have always experienced with my video workstation booted under OS X, with desktop icons appearing half off screen. Now, after installing 1.2 firmware, icons remain where I previous left them after a reboot.
After installing RTMac 1.2 firmware under OS 9.2, I rebooted under OS X 10.2.6 to continue installation of RTMac 4.0pr2 (beta). This requires overwriting Final Cut Pro preferences. There is a warning on the installer with a workaround detailed. RTMac 4.0pr2 also resets your display control panel to default, leading me to recalibrate the monitor (Cinema Display in my case.) This was all accomplished without much problem.
Overall, I am a lot less hot now since things worked out in the end with Matrox RTMac 4.0pr2. My complaints at this point are more against the Matrox website and non-support of Mac-based browser FTP, requiring users to resort to a specialty FTP client. Interarchy filled the bill, and I don't mind owning the latest version, though I kind of resent spending money on an FTP client just to utilize the Matrox website.
Maybe my experience will help other RTMac users to cut to the chase and upgrade painlessly for OS X compatibility (finally).
I have not had an opportunity to work with RTMac 4.0 pr2 yet. The installer says it supports Final Cut Pro versions 3 & 4. I haven't upgraded to 4 yet -- not doing much Final Cut work lately -- but I hope to finally get some benefit out of this RTMac hardware I paid so much for.