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We have reviewed CineMon before and already found it quite capable, even if it knew nothing about sound and didn’t preserve any video for the next small fraction of eternity. Version 2 adds all that, and it’s reason enough to take another look.
Recording video
For now, CineMon runs only on Apple silicon, either a Mac or an iPad. So it’s only logical that it offers all the codecs Apple supports in hardware. That applies to the clips you may want to open for inspection, too. The only RAW format it supports for input is ProRes RAW, not BRAW or anything else. This limitation applies to its main competitor, Nobe OmniScope, as well. Recording in ProRes RAW from a FaceTime camera or the one in the back of an iPad wouldn’t make much sense anyway, so that’s not on the list.
We had no technical problems recording ProRes up to 4444 XQ on sufficiently fast storage, only financial ones given current storage prices. Of course, CineMon will show dropped-frame warnings if your media can’t keep up. HEVC supports up to 4:4:4 10-bit, with maximum data rates for UHD over 280 Mbps. With slightly more humble settings, like 4:2:2 at 10-bit and the data rate set to High, you’ll save space and still get pretty good quality for mild grading or HDR output.
Being able to analyse and correct a signal while recording at such speeds and not even challenging the computing cores and memory of a humble Mac is already quite a feat. But the author, Ike Arias, claims that it’ll even work with an iPad mini with the A17 CPU. Based on our former tests, we have no reason to question that, even if we tried the app only on Macs this time. This included testing under MacOS 27.0, aka Golden Gate, fresh out of the oven.
Hardware
Even if such a decent tablet would suffice, MacBooks or iPads with a screen supporting reference modes are better suited to our jobs, being reasonably close to a calibrated screen. If a new iPad mini with an OLED is coming in October, as rumour has it, that one might have reference modes too. But in a pinch, you can still adapt other screens by adding a correction LUT in the app. Cheap adapters may also require some correction of the incoming signal, as shown here.
Unfortunately, while interfaces by BlackMagic (BM for short) work fine with a Mac and a professional camera, you’d still need an UVC or UAC adapter with any tablet. These are either quite cheap but lack precision in colours and full support for all frame rates, or they cost more than the whole CineMon app. You’ll also need a hub to keep the power flowing and add storage for less than Apple’s internal offers. Not to have too many dongles, such a box by Acasis would help, but until now there’s nothing like it with an HDMI input. Hybrid cameras streaming their signal via UVC or audio equipment delivering sound via UAC, like a Røde ME, are also supported by the app.
Limitations
Unfortunately, UVC streams and even HDMI output from hybrid cameras, like the popular Sony A7IV, don’t always follow the frame rate set for recording. This can result in unstable frame rates and duplicated frames recorded. This is not a fault of the software, but you need to check your set-up carefully, or you may lose sync and get problems when editing. Of course, there are devices that handle it better; among the more expensive models by Elgato is the CamLink 4K, which even handles 24 fps. The far cheaper VC-003 did handle 50p in CFR, but not in 60.
You may often see VFR indicated by MediaInfo, but that’s not always such a bad thing. It can just be that a few frames came early or late; it’s not necessarily as bad as some smartphones or game recording (like the notorious ShadowPlay). Just check what you really get by single-stepping some recordings for missing or duplicated frames. For example, our Sony always delivers 25 fps as 50 fps with frame-doubling. This can be handled by keeping the exposure time at 1/50th, dropping the clips into a 25 fps timeline and setting retiming to Nearest. Fast and easy!
Another cause of confusion may be resolution. While CineMon handles UHD impressively, it doesn’t scale down. If you need lighter proxies, feed it the resolution you want to record straight from your camera if the interface can’t scale it. The UVC protocol doesn’t support timecode, even if embedded in the HDMI signal. Currently, you won’t get embedded TC from BM’s devices, but the author is working on that and hopes to offer full support in the next minor upgrade. You should then also be able to switch the input from within the app, but right now you’ll need BM’s Desktop Video set-up software to change between HDMI and SDI, for example. No big thing – who needs to do that all the time?
Audio and timecode
Audio can come in from all such devices, or from a file, and CineMon supports up to 16 channels. While we normally wouldn’t suggest lower quality sources than 48 kHz at 24-bit for creative work, the software can handle a whole ‘zoo’ of sample rates and bit depths. Even if every audio pro would turn up their nose at compressed audio, CineMon can handle MP3, AC3, or AAC (probably even more). Recording can be done in AAC or PCM, with up to 96 kHz and a precision up to 32-bit float. CineMon 2 includes a mixer, and of course all the important instruments to evaluate your audio signal.
On that side, it offers more than OmniScope, with a Band Spectrum, FFT Spectrum, and even an Oscilloscope. Who would need such a historical instrument? Well, for example, it helped us to identify a feedback loop outside the audible range immediately. And if you ask yourself what a Goniometer is: for those used to video only, you may imagine it like a Vectorscope for stereo sound. It tells you the spatial relationships in your signal.
While we have explained that you can’t use an embedded TC in video signals (yet), LTC can be used for recording. You have to choose which channel it’s coming from. This works fine for input from a professional camera, but also from a wireless device like a Røde ME, which can split its channels. If there is no incoming TC, you’ll get a warning. You can always define a starting value and set the software to generate either free run or record run TC for the recorded clips.
Video
The biggest change, next to recording capabilities as mentioned above, is having two inputs. These can be any combination, including the same input as an unaltered incoming signal and treated with all the options in the software, plus the instruments. You can have those side-by-side or above each other, but also as an overlay with precise adjustments for the wipe. Great for alignment of the current camera signal with a reference still or clip. And since there are two video channels now, the author didn’t forget to add 3D stereo viewing, or immersive capabilities, as many call it these days.
Incoming log signals can be corrected for viewing, with Z-Cam’s Z-Log2 and Apple Log 2 added to the list, or you may supply your own technical LUTs. These input settings can be set independently for each input signal. In the Apple ecosystem,e you get iCloud sync for the configuration library, like presets, slates, LUTs, and gradients (including those you defined). So, settings now follow you across all devices registered with the same Apple account. Since there’s such a heap of instruments now, you can rearrange and reduce them according to your own needs.
Only one of the displayed signals can be recorded until now, either from the source or after adjustments (see title image). Recordings can be shared directly from the Media Libraries, played by QuickLook, and organised into smart collections, based on the slate metadata. Imported material in all supported formats, including audio only, can be played or organised here. Apart from what was added with the slates, you can edit comments and keywords.
Most of the metadata is coming across to DaVinci Resolve, like the letter for the camera, reel number, scene, take, and even day/night or interior/exterior. Production, director, comments, and keywords arrive just fine. MOS or Sync will be in the description, but not in the related field. Star rating is lost, and the name of the DoP is also missing, but by clicking the little heart symbol of a clip in the Media Library, it will be tagged as a good take for the edit. And ugly ones? You may delete them from within the app. Don’t worry, even if there’s a warning, they are only moved to the bin.
Conclusion
This new version of CineMon is not only a serious contender to Nobe OmniScope (on the Mac). OmniScope has a few more tools for image analysis, but CineMon leads in audio instruments and in recording and audio mixing. It can either save you by recording in parallel in very high quality or generate proxies while monitoring, if LTC is available.
On the iPad, it has conquered a unique position. But the tablet may not be the perfect device for video recording because of UVC interface shortcomings. If only Blackmagic would develop drivers for those iPads with Thunderbolt! Even for audio we suggest to test it carefully, since UAC devices can have varying latency. The pricing for CineMon is very flexible, you can subscribe for a shorter or longer period, buy the whole pack, or get only what you need.
PRO Video Monitoring Pack Advanced video tools, scopes, Reference Mode, snapshots, and
color management: $149.99
PRO Audio Monitoring Pack Audio Mixer, Loudness, and advanced audio scopes: $49.99
PRO Recording Pack Recording, Slates, and Libraries: $99.99
PRO Video + Audio + Recording Bundle, all three Packs: $279.99
Audio + Recording Upgrade Audio and Recording Packs for existing Video Pack owners: $129.99
CineMon PRO Pass All PRO features, including future additions while subscribed: $15.99/month or $149.99/year
As always, check your local pricing in the App Store. These are introductory prices, and those with an active monthly subscription of the former version can try 2.0 PRO Pass free for three days or those with a yearly subscription for one week.
