Help selecting a monitor for editing NTSC & PAL SD footage at DVinfo.net

Ari Shomair · February 5th, 2006, 12:46 PM

I'm looking to get a fairly cheap (under $500 CDN) monitor for use while editing / colour correcting NTSC and Pal Standard-definition footage. I have a lead on a Sony PVM-1344Q for $300 USD - based on its stats, it seems like a "good enough" monitor for my purposes...is this a good price? Are there any specific monitors I should be considering?
Thanks
Ari

Glenn Chan · February 5th, 2006, 02:54 PM

Sometimes used monitors develop subtle problems that affect image quality.

With age, all CRTs will lose brightness + grayscale tracking. It's not hte age that does it, but the electrons hitting the phosphors in the CRT tube. So the longer the CRT has been on, the faster the phosphors will change.

I would test the monitor before you buy. If it looks good, that should be a pretty good deal. New monitors cost a few hundred more.

Ari Shomair · February 5th, 2006, 03:44 PM

Thanks for the reply Glenn - Should the absence of "16x9" support in the specs worry me at all? I have never had a problem displaying 16x9 on a 4x3 screen before, but noticed many professional monitors make a note of stating 16x9 support.

Glenn Chan · February 6th, 2006, 12:24 AM

The 16x9 switch will squeeze the image until the geometry is right. It looks like letterboxing, except it's squeezing instead of cropping.

2- A monitor that old may have some image defects. I think it's 1991 era?
It may be more likely to have problems than not. i.e. public libraries tend to have a lot of old CRTs. You can see what kind of problems they have.

In any case, the thing to do would be to test the monitor.

Dale Guthormsen · February 7th, 2006, 10:04 PM

If you are in Canada I recomend going to tiger direct.ca or to Staples.ca

You can get good flat screens for a good price.

If you go to staples I would buy the extended warenty, then you have in store exchange, no questions asked.

gus

Ari Shomair · February 7th, 2006, 11:17 PM

Hey Gus - I didn't think either of those stores stocked screens of high enough quality for colour correction activities?

February 5th, 2006, 12:46 PM	#1
Ari Shomair Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: LA, California, USA Posts: 224	Help selecting a monitor for editing NTSC & PAL SD footage I'm looking to get a fairly cheap (under $500 CDN) monitor for use while editing / colour correcting NTSC and Pal Standard-definition footage. I have a lead on a Sony PVM-1344Q for $300 USD - based on its stats, it seems like a "good enough" monitor for my purposes...is this a good price? Are there any specific monitors I should be considering? Thanks Ari

February 7th, 2006, 10:04 PM	#5
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	monitor If you are in Canada I recomend going to tiger direct.ca or to Staples.ca You can get good flat screens for a good price. If you go to staples I would buy the extended warenty, then you have in store exchange, no questions asked. gus

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February 5th, 2006, 02:54 PM	#2
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	Sometimes used monitors develop subtle problems that affect image quality. With age, all CRTs will lose brightness + grayscale tracking. It's not hte age that does it, but the electrons hitting the phosphors in the CRT tube. So the longer the CRT has been on, the faster the phosphors will change. I would test the monitor before you buy. If it looks good, that should be a pretty good deal. New monitors cost a few hundred more.

February 5th, 2006, 03:44 PM	#3
Ari Shomair Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: LA, California, USA Posts: 224	Thanks for the reply Glenn - Should the absence of "16x9" support in the specs worry me at all? I have never had a problem displaying 16x9 on a 4x3 screen before, but noticed many professional monitors make a note of stating 16x9 support.

February 6th, 2006, 12:24 AM	#4
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	The 16x9 switch will squeeze the image until the geometry is right. It looks like letterboxing, except it's squeezing instead of cropping. 2- A monitor that old may have some image defects. I think it's 1991 era? It may be more likely to have problems than not. i.e. public libraries tend to have a lot of old CRTs. You can see what kind of problems they have. In any case, the thing to do would be to test the monitor.

February 7th, 2006, 11:17 PM	#6
Ari Shomair Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: LA, California, USA Posts: 224	Hey Gus - I didn't think either of those stores stocked screens of high enough quality for colour correction activities?