Hey folks, I have read a lot (if not all) of the "Vegas" threads pertaining to monitors. End result is, I remain a bit confused. I am upgrading to Vegas+DVD next month. I have a well spec'ed machine, with dual monitor & firewire support. I have to make some decisions about how I will set up my monitor(s). My options are fairly unlimited as to cost (in realistic ranges), meaning I can get 2 flatscreen monitors, or 1 flat & 1 CRT, or a small NTSC monitor, or whatever would be the most ideal configuration for a (1 computer) editing studio. I also have a deck that supports firewire connection. Is the "only" purpose of 2 PC monitors the advantage of increased work area and/or full screen preview (which I do want to have)? As I understand it the PC displays are crap for color adjustments, so that can only be properly done on a NTSC monitor/tv, yes? What about a small LCD tv and a flatscreen monitor, would that serve both purposes? Bottom line, what is the "ideal" monitor set-up for editing with Vegas, if you could have whatever you want. I'll scale that info down to what is possible for me. I do not want to daisy a monitor via my cam or deck unless there is no other way, and I would like to only deal with 2 displays if possible, not 3. I appreciate any guidance on this.

I personally like the external monitor available. Yeah, more screen realestate would be nice but, if choosing between the two, I prefer the external monitor. I use it for two reasons:

1) To adjust things for the safe area
2) To see the proper colors when color correcting.

Ideally, you would have two monitors for the display AND an external monitor.

Edward
I’m also setting up my monitors.. As to ntsc if I come out of one of the firewire ports into a Sony DV converter and use the S out into an S monitor will this give good quality control results…and will I see the capture video on this monitor?

Thanks Vince

ps should get my Vegas/DVD next week

Yes. That should work fine.

thanks Edward

vince

If your not planning on doing any graphic work and/or gaming I'd definitly opt for a nice widescreen LCD over CRT anyday. Problem is with me I...Edit, Game, and do graphic design on my machine. I used to have a dual LCD setup with a 13" TV as a make-shift editing monitor.

I have since found that the LCDs aren't very good for color correcting images, and my 13" TV isn't accurate for color correcting video. I sold one of my two LCDs for a LaCie Electron Blue IV w/ hardware calibrator (for graphic editing), and replaced my cheap-O Sylvania 13" TV with a much more advanced 14" Toshiba flatscreen. Great little set- has component video input as well as S-video (great for using cam as a deck....S is the best your going to get out of your cam to TV).
See the problem with the original Sylvania 13" is that it didn't have any adjustments. Subsequently I've been editing my projects using it as a reference for color and didn't know it was displaying the image much darker than it should. Because of that I ended up lightening my footage well beyond where I should have giving lots of my past weddings a slightly washed out look on normal TVs. With the new 14" I can adjust color, tint, contrast, brightness, etc. I can, to my best ability, calibrate it to NTSC color bars in Vegas and get a more accurate reference for color. Still no replacement for a real-deal NTSC editing monitor but not bad for only $150.

thanks for the info I do have a nice JVC 13" 16/9 or 4/3 monitor and have the same tosh. 14" as you it sounds like...when I capture will I see the video no the ntsc as I injest ? via sony dv converter

Thanks

Vince

note I capture with a sony dsr 11.. the sony converter is for the monitor

Vince

The DSR-11 should BE your convertor. Hook up the external monitor the the DSR-11. You should be able to see the video while capturing AND use it for external preview.

Ed, are you saying that the monitor connected to the deck can also be configured to show the preview windom from Vegas, just as a second PC monitor is used for? I don't want to waste the clams on a second computer monitor if the NTSC monitor can be used for that. If what I am thinking is correct, it seems that the ideal set-up would be a large flat panel monitor to have the Vegas app control panel/timeline on, and next to that a decent NTSC monitor showing the real time preview as you edit. Am I on the right track?

I hope so

Vince

Most definitly. Well if you don't do any serious graphic editing that is. LCDs are great but still fall short on color interpretation for graphics. However for video editing they are great- beings your not using your computer screen as a color reference anyway.

Vegas supplies a realtime timeline preview via IEEE, so if you connect your IEEE to your deck then your deck to the NTSC monitor that is perfect. You wouldn't want to buy an additional computer monitor for monitoring your colors- the only reason for a second "computer" monitor is for added screen real-estate. Thus the reason I feel a wide-screen LCD would be most effective for a timeline based app like Vegas or Soundforge.


*edit: You weren't talking about using the built in LCD on your deck to monitor colors were you?!*

The deck should let you use the External Monitor function in Vegas to show your preview on either a TV or some other monitor connected to your deck. It will NOT extend the standard computer screen real-estate.

thanks Glen and Edward

Vince

Gotcha. That sounds like what I will do then! Dell is offering a 17 inch widescreen LCD monitor/TV at a decent price, so I am looking at something like that for the main PC monitor, then I will run the Vegas real time preview to a NTSC monitor via IEEE. This will allow for proper color display and make me aware if adjustments are needed, as well as size and placement of text graphics and such. To this point I have been using ScreenBlast, and the tiny real time preview window has been a common source of frustration, and has led to more "do-over" touch-ups because of color and graphic size/placement looking so much different once I watched them on a standard TV. Thanks a lot fellas.

James whats the deal on the Dell ..Link ?


Vince

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/lcd?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn

This LCD was highly reviewed, there are additional links there. There was an additional 10-20% off the cost (if you were buying a machine too) but that ends today.

Here is a variant, looking for opinions on this...
Understanding that a NTSC monitor is the way to go for image/color QC, and also understanding that you can "never have enough real estate" on your desktop which of these options would be best?
(assume a NTSC monitor is in place)

1. Dual 15 (or possibly 17 inch) flat panel monitors
or
2. A single 23 inch widescreen format LCD/HDTV monitor.

I like the simplicity of the single monitor, and in the widescreen format 23 inches is huge compared to what I am used to. It is also obvious that the dual set-up has more inches, and may offer more versatility. I have never used anything larger than a single 19inch CRT, so I am making a lot of assumptions. The dual set up is more expensive with the 17's, close to the same with 15's.

James you don't want to use an LCD Television for a computer monitor. Television LCDs or Televisions in general are not created to handle the resolution of a computer. For example my native resolution on my 17" NEC LCD1765 is practically double that of HDTV.

I do, however have an NEC LCD1765 I'm looking to sell if your interested. Drop me an email for info.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/LazerBlueP5/my%20setup.jpg

http://www.msprotege.com/members/LazerBlueP5/my%20setup2.jpg

thanks for the link James am looking for a computer monitor but the Dell TV looks nice

Vince

I was under the impression that a HDTV like the Dell LCD sets were very compatible as PC monitors. The PC Magazine review of the 17inch model spoke very highly of it, specificaly as a monitor. It was a "Editors Choice" product in December '03. However, after more time looking around I see I could easily get two large flatscreens for less than the cost of the 23 inch, that looks better to me now. Oh well, that is the intent - shop around and look at everything before you make a decision. Thanks for the offer Glen, I'll look at the NEC you are selling and let you know. Why are you getting rid of it?

<<<-- Originally posted by James Sudik : I was under the impression that a HDTV like the Dell LCD sets were very compatible as PC monitors. I'm sure they could be "compatable" as a computer monitor but a sub par one at best. Gateway used to make a presentation "monitor" that was 27", it was a TV/Computer monitor- however it's just marketing- it's basically a TV with a VGA connector. Looked terrible

The PC Magazine review of the 17inch model spoke very highly of it, specificaly as a monitor. It was a "Editors Choice" product in December '03.Unless it's the other way around- a computer LCD with a built in TV tuner it's not worth your time. Besides- why ARE you so intent on an LCD/TV combo?

However, after more time looking around I see I could easily get two large flatscreens for less than the cost of the 23 inch, that looks better to me now.Most definitly- you pay a premium for large screen real-estate. Two 17" will offer more screen and MUCH less cost than a single 23" widescreen LCD. As long as you have a more current Nvidia or Radeon graphics card- they ALL come OEM with two connections for monitors. Usually one VGA and the other DVI. If you have two monitors that use VGA simply use a VGA to DVI adapter on the one connection- and like-wise the other way around. Oh well, that is the intent - shop around and look at everything before you make a decision. Thanks for the offer Glen, I'll look at the NEC you are selling and let you know. Why are you getting rid of it? -->>> Getting rid of them beings I had difficulty doing accurate color graphics in photoshop- LCDs aren't known for their color accuracy and reproduction. I opted for a 22" LaCie Electron Blue IV CRT w/ hardware calibrator. I sold the one LCD already, just need to sell the other. They have only been used roughly 2 months- perfect condition- still have all original reciepts and packaging. Just get back to me whenever if your interested. Thanks.

Not all OEM cards have dual outputs. your best bet is to look at the pictures over at newegg.com and see what outputs they come with(and adapters if any). If you want dual DVI, then look at:
matrox cards
asus ti4200 and gainward fx5600 (there are a handful of gaming/3d cards with dual DVI)
workstation cards (if you need good openGL performance... i.e. not games, AE, boris Red, etc.)

What I said was all modern Radeon and Nvidia cards have dual monitor inputs. Plus the unified drivers for each both have settings to configure your dual monitor setup. Nvidia has "Nview" and Radeon has "Hydravision".

Moving along on this project (with my -just ordered- Vegas +DVD 5!!) I have looked at the available dual DVI video cards, and it has been a dissapointing search. Why in the world these are not more available, and with higher end GPU's is a mystery to me. I am a lifelong gamer, so that is important to me when deciding. It also rules out many of the "workstation" oriented cards, which are very expensive anyway. What if I got a cheap card with one DVI out, and used it for monitor 2, and my beefy card's DVI out for monitor 1? That seems so simple....I bet it won't work. Would I lose a lot of functionality that way? There must be a downside.

james, check out the ultramon website. It seems to be very useful for what you're looking at. If you dislike DVI (for your main montior) + VGA (for your second, which can't be used while gaming) then you probably want 2 video cards.

http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/
http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/db.asp