Hello everyone,

Been a lurker here for some time now, and finaly have a question to ask of you.

I have a 17" LCD computer monitor that I would like to use as a monitor on set for framing, lighting, etc...

1) Am I correct in assuming that these monitors will show the whole image. It does not "overscan" the image.

2) A cable such as this: http://www.pccables.com/cgi-bin/orders6.cgi?action=Showitem&partno=70717&rsite=f.70717
will allow me to connect my camera to the monitor? I would think that it would work both ways, be it taking the component into the vga or the vga into the component.

Thank you in advance for any replies!

I'm not real sure what that cable is - also not sure what kind of monitor you have. If it's strictly a computer monitor then AFAIK you'd need something called a "scan converter" to use it with NTSC video. There are cheap ones, but the quality may leave a lot to be desired there. Here's some info: http://www.hut.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/vga2tv/

Your link just looks like a passive cable. It also says it's a copy of a Dell cable, so I did a search at dell.com and found the following thread on their support forum where a number of people said it didn't work! http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=latit_video&message.id=12876#M12876

As far as showing the full frame, I'm just not sure... but I wouldn't count on it.

Also, I think you're confusing "component" with either "composite" or s-video. That cable didn't seem to have anything to do with component video, and few prosumer cameras (with the exception of the new HDV models) support component video.

All things considered, the LCD may not be your best option, unless it's the kind which has NTSC video inputs built-in. I have a couple screens like this, and they aren't bad. However, like virtually all consumer TV's, they do NOT show full frame.

Yes, I thought it was too good to be true.

The screen is just a regular computer monitor and doesn't have a video input.

Guess I will have to find something else.

Thanks.

i didn't read the post wi/ a lot of attention but from a glance, might i recommend dv rack? You can use your laptop (if you have one) and i'd say its a lot better than owning a true monitor

Spike,

I agree that DV rack is really what I need, but I don't have a laptop to use, and my editing computer is too much of a hassle to carry around.

Plus I was hoping to save cash by just getting a $10 cable for the monitor which I already own.

Thanks though.