View Full Version : Affordable HD monitoring solutions for your NLE


Peter Richardson
July 13th, 2005, 02:16 PM
This topic has been touched on tangentially in some other threads, but I thought it deserved its own. I am curious to know what sort of reference monitor people will be setting up in their NLE's once they start using the HVX (I'm not talking LCD computer monitor, but reference program monitor). I'm guessing not many of us can afford a 30k professional HD reference monitor, so what other solutions are there out there? I was thinking I'd use my current SD Sony PVM "14 monitor for color correction, and buy something like the Sony KD-34XBR960 (a really high-end consumer HD CRT monitor), see CNET review here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/Sony_KD_34XBR960/4505-6481_7-30787600.html?tag=topprods

for basic monitoring. I'm guessing you could also buy one of those color monitors that you stick onto the face of the tube to try and set up some reference colors with a set like this. Anyway, what are you all planning to do?

Peter

Bogdan Apetri
July 14th, 2005, 08:05 AM
Hi!

I'm also very interested in potential ways to accurately color correct footage shot with the HVX. I own the JVC TM-H1750C monitor with the component card, upgradable with a SDI card... Good only in the SD world.

Check out Barry's reply in the thread "total cost of upgrading" for some of the answers!

Zach Mull
July 14th, 2005, 10:55 AM
Graeme Nattress wrote this article about using an Apple Cinema Display to monitor HD from Final Cut: http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/review_decklink_nattress.html.

You'll have to have a way to convert your signal to DVI, but it would cost much less than 30k. I don't know how reliable calibration is with the Apple display compared to a consumer CRT.

Bogdan Apetri
July 14th, 2005, 11:14 AM
I am just getting interested in HD, so I'm no expert...

However as far as SD is concerned, everybody shouts: "do not trust LCD monitors, do not color correct on the computer screen, ALWAYS use a CRT monitor! No exeptions if you want quality work!". Well, they are right!

Now, with HD, the problem is more complicated. I actually see more people these days arguing that we should rely more on the LCD HD monitors. Like Barry pointed out, CRT in the HD world is indeed tricky. Nevertheless, should we rely more on HD computer screens ONLY because of the prohibitive costs (if we wanna go to the next level) OR because HD LCDs are actually better/more accurate than regular ones?

I also read here that CRT is not a good technology when used in the HD medium. What about downconverting on the fly to SD only for monitoring/correcting purposes? Is this an option (or possible at all)?