External HDV monitoring
 

Can anyone tell me a set up to monitor HDV output from FCP on an external monitor.
I have a Canon XH-A1 and no problems with capture in HDV to FCP and cutting. But how can I view the sequence timeline on an external monitor. Is there a box that I can connect firewire out to (that FCP will recognize) and then connect the external monitor to the box. I tried to loop through the camera but no dice with HDV, only DV. In the A/V settings of FCP there is a setting for HDV 1080/60i out but it is always grayed out for me.
Thanks,
Ryan

Unfortunately FCP doesn't support HDV monitoring over firewire, no matter which camera or deck you're using. What kind of Mac are you using? There are capture cards which allow an HD monitor to be connected to them if you have one of the tower machines.

Otherwise there are only two options which I know of. First would be Digital Cinema Desktop which allows you to use a second computer monitor connected to your graphics card. Powerbooks, MacBook Pro's and (I think?) MacBooks and iMacs now support a second screen via a DVI interface. See volume 1, part III, chapter 16 of the FCP manuals for more information. If you choose Digital Cinema Desktop full screen then the software will scale the image to fit whatever monitor you're using. It works pretty well, but you will notice some scaling artifacts - not the same thing as using a calibrated broadcast monitor certainly but a good low cost solution.

Matrox recently introduced an interesting product called the MXO which they claim will give you broadcast quality output by connecting a box to your DVI and USB ports - just read a good review of it in DV Magazine. Cost is about $1,000: http://www.matrox.com/video/products/mxo/home.cfm