$260 7" Lcd

[Ben Winter]

Nice find Dennis! It would be the perfect screen if it had S-video input.

[Bill Porter]

Good job, Ben. Keep it up!

Originally Posted by Ben Winter

*12V 1.8A Rechargable battery (ebay, $20) OPTIONAL: This is a really cheap and easy way to get power to your monitor but I don't know how long 1800mAh will last you. But hey, it's cheap, I bought two :)

1800mAh will last you about 2.5 hours if the monitor draws 8 watts. How many watts is the monitor rated at?

Originally Posted by Ben Winter

you can buy the $20 1.8Ah battery pack off ebay (mentioned above in the parts list) It's quick, easy and looks clean, but it might not last you long. You can just buy more then :)

The price per mAh is about the same for larger-capacity batteries, like the ones up in the 5400mAh range. So by buying 1800mAh ones, you have to carry more of them (bad), swap them (even worse), and spend more time operating with the battery at the low end of its capacity (the worst). So, $60 on a battery three times the capacity, is better than three $20 1800mAh batteries.

Originally Posted by Ben Winter

The third option is buying those huge 12v battery packs found in hobby stores with a 'smart charger'. Just to try it out, I ordered one with a charger and it came out to $100. I'm still waiting for it to arrive, but I have a feeling it'll be one of my best options for power.

The downside to the big battery pack is the weight. Did you look at the amp-hour rating of the battery? That will tell you how long it will operate the monitor.

Originally Posted by Ben Winter

I don't think the drain (if any) of a powered-off LCD screen is enough to affect the battery life, or to the point where it matters for me anyway.

Both my monitors did affect battery life when off.

Originally Posted by Jelle Poupaert

Ben, the screen you bought looks A LOT like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT

If it is the same, you have a 2400x480 pixel resolution.

Jelle, that's actually the "triple the pixel count" rating. So it's really 2400/3, which is 800. By 480.

[Dennis Wood]

Ben, an alternative is to just use an svideo to composite adapter...like this one: http://www.showmecables.com/productD...idproduct=2360

My cam has both, so I use the composite for my external display. Not ideal, but it works OK.

[Ben Winter]

Actually Dennis I have one right here in my desk drawer. The quality blows chunks though.

Bill, the screen is in fact rated at 8 watts. With the JVC batteries I have, the $20 cheapos and the big fat one on the way I'm no longer worried about battery power, but for others looking into this, it's good to know. :)

I wish I could tell you the amp-hour rating of the battery but it isn't here yet and I lost the link. I'm sure its >5400mAh though.

[Giroud Francois]

the liliput i got (under 300$ as well) is 800x600, so probably better for PAL.
The only thing i dislike for mine is the poor connector (all in one tiny flat connector). I prefer simple BNC or cinch.
It connects too on a PC, so can be usefull for teleprompter uses.
For the batteries, i use some li-ion pack (huge ratio energy/volume/weigth)
they are cheap and can power my 7" LCD (noname brand) for at least 2 hours.
(the 4000mA version, the LCD takes about 1500mA/hours) .
You can purchase the pack+charger for very cheap (about 80$) at www.batteryspace.com
They got 6000mA packs too (4 hours).
the only drawback is to find a voltage stabilizer to reduce the 14.4 (sometime labelled 18V) to 12V.
The solution is to purchase a 10$ kit (poststamp sized print with a low drop regulator). I use them a lot.
the main component is a low drop voltage regulator like the LT 1085-12CT 12V 3A.

If you got 2 left hand or are too lazy you can use this
http://www.batteryspace.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=919, looks better and ready for use.

[Dennis Wood]

Ben, how would you characterize the difference in composite vs s-video on your 7" LCD? I've been looking for one of these for awhile in the 800x480 flavour, however I hadn't considered how noticeable the connect type would be on a 7" screen. Perhaps I should be considering s-video...

It's a stinker that portable dvd players in this size don't use the better screen. My screen isn't that great, but I sure like having the onboard lithium battery.

[John L Scott]

Just wondering! Would just about any 12v LCD Monitor work? Like the ones in vans and other suv's??? If so, you could go to just about any wrecking yard and pick one up and with a little engineering you could put one together for pretty cheep...

[Ben Winter]

John, I'm guessing that would work, but I really don't think the resolution is very good on those things either. I mean, c'mon, that's stooping pretty low in the name of saving money...lol. I doubt the car uses s-video too. That'd be a pain to wire.

Saw your question about s-video vs. composite quality. The composite signal is much blurrier and less detailed, which is exactly what we don't want if we're trying to focus something.

[Graham Bernard]

Ben, XM2 owner here in PAL-land:

Q1: How/which socket are you getting the video to the monitor? On a 4:3 monitor I use the BNC out from the MA300 adaptor. I couldn't see the "lead" connections in your photos.

Q2: How do you achieve the 16:9? Is that just the setup in the XM2 menu and that just zaps to the 16:9 monitor?

Q3: How is all that weight on that single foot? Would scare the pants of me!

TIA

Grazie

[Graham Bernard]

Edit - double post . . .

[Marcus Marchesseault]

Two things I want to mention:

I am concerned about that much weight on a hotshoe, so I am building a monitor support into my rod support system.

Batteries are often rated on a slow-draw test. They can not put out their full rating for a whole hour. The total quantity of energy available is the same as their rating for one hour, but if they are drained that fast the capacity goes down. For example, a 1 AmpHour (1000mAH) 12V battery (actually more like 13V) would put out 13W for less than an hour if drained that fast. It WILL put out 1 watt for 13 hours. An 8W monitor will run more than four time as long on a 4AH battery than a 1AH battery. Don't forget that Amps = Volts x Watts, so a 7.2V 5400mAH battery has less juice than a 12V 5400mAH model.

What this all means is that you will get better battery life and longevity if you get a bigger battery. I got a couple of 12V 7AH batteries cheaply so that is what I am going to use. They should each last all day with my <10W monitor. Unfortunately, they are a bit heavy, so a 5AH battery would probably be best unless you get a battery belt.

[Graham Bernard]

Originally Posted by Marcus Marchesseault

I am concerned about that much weight on a hotshoe, so I am building a monitor support into my rod support system.

Yes. I'd like to see the Rod support holding a battery. I have a DvRigPro which I clamp stuff all over it. My monitor is clamped to this. I have lighting battery at rear. Presently I have a "weighty" lead:acid 12 volt slung over one shoulder - it works.

Originally Posted by Marcus Marchesseault

Batteries are often rated on a slow-draw test. They can not put out their full rating for a whole hour.

This is where my lead:acid is so strong. It fades over an extremely long period. A lot to be said for these batteries. No memory, no burn out, long life and very cheap too. But it aint no light weight.

Grazie

[Ben Winter]

Originally Posted by Graham Bernard

How/which socket are you getting the video to the monitor? On a 4:3 monitor I use the BNC out from the MA300 adaptor. I couldn't see the "lead" connections in your photos.

I use the S-video out, if that's what you mean, on the back of the GL2.

Originally Posted by Graham Bernard

How do you achieve the 16:9? Is that just the setup in the XM2 menu and that just zaps to the 16:9 monitor?

I shoot in native 16:9, and since the screen is 16:9 and automatically stretches the image, it's correctly proportioned.

Oh, by the way, I received an email back from the guys who sold me the screen:

Originally Posted by Email from LettuceTrade support:

Hello,

Thank you for your email. Have you tried adjusting the horizontal and vertical position of the picture? Please press menu, color, then the vol - or vol+ to enter the picture menu. There you will find the H and V position settings. Feel free to email us if you need further assistance. Thank you.

Regards,


LettuceTrade Support
support@lettucetrade.com

It seems to suggest that I would have to manually punch in the horizontal and vertical settings to squeeze it onto a 4:3 ratio--ridiculous. Not to mention that moving the 16:9 image around the screen does absolutely nothing to make it 4:3, as anyone with half a brain would assume anyway. I'm going to email them back.

Originally Posted by Graham Bernard

How is all that weight on that single foot? Would scare the pants of me!

If you only knew...it's really not that much weight at all. Very light, especially with the 1800mAh battery. It just looks like a lot. Besides, I can always put the battery somewhere else, perhaps on the rod system. Don't forget that both the hotshoe and the upper portion of the GL2 are constructed entirely of metal.

They can not put out their full rating for a whole hour.

You forget that this monitor can handle voltages as low as 7.2, possibly lower. Who cares if the voltage drops? It has a lot of leeway. I'd rather have a light battery than a big heavy one just to satisfy my need for a more consistent voltage.

[Graham Bernard]

Thanks Ben.

I didn't know about the metal construction under the hat of the XM2 - thanks.

Concerning the " . as low as 7.2" what would it do to the battery? Loading a battery at that low output? I was under the impression that it isn't a good thing to load a depleted battery?

(Ben: Sorry, maybe you missed my question on the Letus . . But what is that dreamy ZOOM lens in your movie of your Letus support?)

Grazie

[Ben Winter]

Graham, I'm not sure I understand about loading a depleted battery, I'm just saying that any 12v battery that loses voltage as it is used isn't a problem since the LCD screen seems to function on a voltage range from 7 to 12, which is a pretty big range. So voltage loss because of battery drain shouldn't be considered a problem.

Graham I'm sorry I forgot to answer your previous question. I'm deciding to keep it a secret :). Haha. Just kidding. I'm at school now, so I'll have to look it up for you when I get home.