Dual Monitor Decision for HDV
 

I have decided to go with Dell LCD Monitors (unless someone can convince me otherwise). The question is should I get two 20.1 widescreen or one 24 widescreen Monitor.

Work flow with two 20.1 Monitors
Monitor one
Use edit app
Monitor two
Use edit app / client preview when necessary

Work flow with one 24 Dell
Step one start saving money for a second Dell 24 inch or 20.1 inch monitor (which would you choose)
Use only as a computer Monitor and have to preview any HDV with in the editing app

What's your app?
 

Matthew,

First of all I own both of these monitors and use them in tandem ... all I can say is that I love 'em both. I'm a Final Cut user and I find that the 20" works just fine for me as a place to view my bins, etc. I realized that I really didn't need 2 24" monitors. I use the 24" for Source/Record and timeline and I love the extra space! It also works great when I kick it in to Cinema Desktop preview mode for a quick peak.

I'm babbling ... my point for you is that the 20" monitors are nice and, personally I'm so used to working in a dual monitor setup that it would be REALLY hard (maybe just annoying?) for me not to edit in that way.

So, my question for you is what's your workflow? Can you work with only one monitor? Or, like me, is the extra workspace essential to your "process?" And, what's your app? In Final Cut you can switch into preview mode on the fly (command-f12) even with only one monitor. This would allow you to use a 24" for preview even if it was your only monitor.

I think it comes down to your workflow if the budget isn't there. Dell's got a nice low price on the 24" right now ($880). One thing is for sure ... the Dell's are great monitors. I'm a diehard APPLE freak and the Dell's performance won me over ... okay, so did the price. :o)

Good luck and happy editing.

Dual Monitor reponds
 

Hans
I use Premiere Pro 1.5.1. I have yet to get HDV Camera so I am not editing HDV yet, but I will in the near future I have a trip to Alaska coming up and I would love to HDV for that. Wow this babbling thing is contagious. Just to be clear you use a 20.1 and a 24 side by side for the editing app and a quick preview of your timeline when it is necessary on the 24. Is it weird to have two different sized monitors when you are working in the Editing App? The systems that I have worked on in the past had two monitors of the same size and that seemed logical to me so that is what I would like to do. What do you think of two 20.1 monitors or should I go with the 20.1 and 24 set up like you have. If I can figure out if Premiere can preview the same way that would be cool. I usually have a SD Monitor hooked up to my Mini DV deck to preview but that is not going to work with HDV from what I understand because it does not playback to thru the Firewire.

A few more question is what Rez do you have the monitors set at 1920 X 1080 or something else and are the both set-up the same. Right now I use one 19 inch CRT which is workable in the editing app (sort of) but not at all in AE 6.5. You can also put the monitors in letter format verses landscape have you done that with your bin and effects tabs in FCP that would just be an interesting set-up if you had a lot of bins to deal with in a project.

Would your ultimate recommendation be two 24’s? I have thought that a 20.1 and a 24 would be a cool set up but the two different sizes makes me hesitate and two 24’s would have to be bought at different times. Do you think the 20.1 would be a just as good as a preview monitor as I would like the 24 as the primary Monitor. Sorry for the randomness of the message it is still early in the morning for me

How do they do with sd footage