Just scored a monitor from a computer (LCD) and I wanted to use it on location as a video monitor. anyone know of an adaptor that I can use to get a simple RCA (or component would work too) to connect to the monitor?

Thanks! I could not find anything at my local computer store and the staff there are less than helpful...

A simple cable adapter won't cut it. AFAIK you're going to need an active converter box to do the job. A google on composite or s-video to vga will turn up a bunch.

You need something LIKE this Audio Authority Audio Authority 1362 Composite/SVideo to YPbPr/VGA Converter VGA Adapters at Markertek.com (http://www.markertek.com/Cables-Connectors-Adapters/Video-Adapters/VGA-Adapters/Audio-Authority/1362.xhtml) I know nothing about this company or device--it seems to do what you want.

Whether this is advisable is a different story. If you just want to see a picture, this kind of adapter will work. If you want to do critical judgement of your image, that is a much broader question that requires much more information.

Scott,

To make this simpler...

TV and Computer Monitors are VERY different things.

TV's (at least in the US) display only a very few kinds of video signals. That signal must be from a VERY short list of resolutions and refresh rates and the scanning format must also conform to a short list of standards.

The MOST common is still SD broadcast video. Which has a basic visual display raster of around 640x480 pixels and MUST have it's lines displayed as an interlaced raster with all the odd lines written, followed by all the even lines at specific timing intervals. If the signal is NOT that - it's NOT broadcast SD video period - and no SD broadcast TV will display it. Similar standards exist for the variations of HD video.

Computer monitors are different beasts. They are designed to be driven by computer monitor cards and the vast majority are designed to display PROGRESSIVE scans rather than interlaced scans, and are quite happy to sync to a whole bunch of resolutions.

In order to display TV on a computer - OR computer signals on a TV, you need an active scan line converter with the proper timing signals.

Even with this you will often LOSE resolution and sharpness going EITHER way - since you're essentially trying to fit one signal type into the raster array of another signal type.

So what you're attempting is possible - but probably won't make you particularly happy even if you can get the conversion stuff right. And in the end you'll actually spend MORE money for WORST results than if you just bought an inexpensive TV to display the TV signals and stick to using computer monitors to display computer signals.

Hope that helps.

I see what you are getting at Bill

For the price of that box I would rather shell out the extra cash to just buy a TV... I was just thinking it would be good for just looking at the shot composition...

Well, Thanks for the help then! I will just look for a TV later..