Yes, I don't know what is going on with their site.

I first noticed a monitor on Ebay a few months ago.

At that time their site was working and I also called Dale.

The phone number is on the website.

And yes, I purchased the prototype version of the monitor.

You could always go DIY if you have the time...
Canon HV20 / HV30 User Forum - View Single Post - DIY Samsung HD Monitor thread (http://www.hv20.com/showpost.php?p=137771&postcount=866)

Still haven't heard reports about outdoor visibility. Anybody with a manhattan or smallhd monitor got anything to say about using them outside with horribly bright sun?

thanks!
-a

Still haven't heard reports about outdoor visibility. Anybody with a manhattan or smallhd monitor got anything to say about using them outside with horribly bright sun?
-a

I haven't had a chance to experiment with the ManhattanLCD outdoors. Probably this Sunday.

The contrast ratio on both my 7.2" & 10.9" are about the same as the little flip-out on my HV20. The MLCD screens have a NICE anti reflective coating which cuts glare a lot. However, I always use and recommend that operators attach sun-shades to their monitors outdoors in all but shades scenarios. Ideally, a really deep hood that goes all around the screen is best. No pros would try to judge the screen without a hood as screen contrast will NOT help you improve an image degraded from a high degree of ambient illumination

Still haven't heard reports about outdoor visibility. Anybody with a manhattan or smallhd monitor got anything to say about using them outside with horribly bright sun?

thanks!
-a

Hi,
Just a quick addition to gint's comments on the Manhattan LCD, as mine has just arrived. I'm pretty blown away actually having just messed around indoors pulling focus on my canon XH A1. It's very easy to check critical focus especially as the A1's magnify function shows up via component on the Manhattan LCD. Even without using this function focus is no longer an issue for me; well at least until I get me that sgpro that is!
The casing is tough as they come, considering it's ABS plastic and man is it light, really light!
I will get back with more when I've used it outdoors, as I known others are curious about sunlight on the screen.
Any questions feel free to ask.
Oh just for the record delivery was prompt and well packaged. No complaints about Manhattan LCD as a company.
Cheers
Matt

I'm interested, but would like to know more before I lay down some cash. What documentation comes with the Manhattan kit??? Can it be downloaded??? I haven't been able to find on the website.

Mark

I'm interested, but would like to know more before I lay down some cash. What documentation comes with the Manhattan kit??? Can it be downloaded??? I haven't been able to find on the website.
Mark

ManhattanLCD tells me that they're working on a manual. None was provided with mine, but they told me the model number of the LCD controller board was MST KM9E19ATVL . I Googled for an on-line manual, but all I could find were Chinese language sites.

MLCD working on documentation? I'd better call them to be sure they get it right.
Thanks for the heads up.

BTW. Just listed the 10.9" in
Private Classifieds.

Hey all -

This is Dale with SmallHD.com -

Stumbled across this thread today and i thought it would be helpful if i were to shed some light on a few of the questions/concerns that i passed over while reading..

Sorry for the continually delayed release date. We originally created the 12" earlier this year, fully intending on releasing it in full for about 800-900 dollars. When we built our first prototype of the 12, we were astonished by the video quality and were able to truly understand what a benefit these products would be. So there was the first prototype, and then we redesigned and came up with a second prototype - leveraging off what we learned and a need for improvement from the first model.. After this and much more research and communication with many different suppliers and manufacturers, we really wanted to see if we would be able to make it smaller, lighter, and even better - while dropping the price from our originally intended 900 to about half that.

We are very close.

I can't give incredible detail at this moment, as the primary reason we've kept pretty quiet is we don't want to instill false hope or have to take back something we've said, but the new model's PRELIMINARY specs are as follows:

8.9" diagonal
1280x768
Very high contrast ratio
Super-wide 178 degree viewing angle
LED backlit - High brightness
Low-power consumption
HDMI, VGA, Component, S-Vid, Composite
1" Thick
Extremely lightweight - yet extremely durable/rigid anodized aluminum construction (more on this later)
Multiple 1/4 20 mounts (exact number to be determined) Input welcome
Custom quick-mount sunhood


We sincerely hope to be shipping these around the New year, with a more complete spec sheet and photos/renderings around Thanksgiving.

This monitor (name yet to be determined, suggestions?) is one of many Small HD Monitors SmallHD will be releasing - just have to walk before we run. This is a very impressive monitor that we hope to release for around 500 dollars. Our aim for this model was to get pixels into the pockets of the very under served low-budget indy film community. As we progress we will introduce more advanced and more involved models - HDSDI, etc.

Thanks all for your patience, and thanks for the good words, especially from those who have had their hands on one of our primitive prototypes.

Feel free to ask questions here, and i'll do my best to answer. Suggestions are always welcome.

Thanks Dale sounds great. I look forward to the HDSDI unit.

That sounds great Dale,
Thanks for the update. I had been to your site on a number of occasions as i'm looking at purchasing a field monitor in the very near future. These new developements you speak of sound very interesting. I will be following the progress of the new monitor with a very close eye.

Bryce

"This monitor (name yet to be determined, suggestions?)"

OK how about H DEMON (HDemon/HDeMon etc)?

Regards

Excellent news Dale, looking forward to being able to purchase your offering(s)...

Still thinking up names but how about the Pixie series of HD monitors?

Pixie to imply it's small and magical qualities... Plus Pixie and Pixel are somewhat similar words...

Cheers,

//Leo

Dale,

May I suggest in the interests of your sales and web traffic that you include some reference to the letters 5DmkII on your monitor! Just a thought.

How about SmallHDmkII-5D

Dan

Le Voyeur or Voyeur Grande would crack me up. Adding French wording to a product would increase the perceived value immensely to an American.

Gints and others,

I tried sending an email but it didn't seem to work.

I wanted to thank you for your reviews of the Manhattan LCD 10.9 HD monitor. They prompted me to ordee one, which arrived yesterday. So far so good. The screen is nice and detailed and a welcome relief from the tiny LCD on my Canon XH-A1.

My question now is how to mount the thing. It's too big to go on the camera. Is there a recommended mount for a lighting stand? Or to attach to a leg of my tripod? I know I saw a picture somewhere of an articulated arm...

Any recommendations?

Thanks again for introducing me to the Manhattan 10.9. I've never used a Marshall, but it would have to be a heckuva lot better than the Manhattan to justify the 3X cost.

Manfrotto, Noga and Zacuto all make arms, as do others. I personally use the Red Rock Micro shoulder support system and a Stickypod ball head (but any decent ball head will do)

Dan

Glad you like it. I'm helping construct the user manual for this so anyone that's already figured out the 'hidden' menus and functions, feel free to share.
I found the 10.9 a tad unwieldy for anchoring to the tripod- just cause it's rather wide and could easily get knocked over in the process of operating a camera. So I believe in light-stand mounting it. Even a superlightweight stand is fine.
Some links...
Imago Metrics:Toshiba 10.9" DIY Enclosure (http://imagometrics.com/FLReviews/Tosh10.9encl.htm)
http://imagometrics.com/images/10.9Images/GrpA.jpg
My big thing with these monitors is a quick-release between the monitor and the stand adapter or mount. Quick Release makes for safe and quick mounts and dismounts and take a lot of wear off of the 1/4-20 threads ;)
This is the cheapest...
Brandess Kalt/Aetna - Tripod Quick Release (http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=1262&DEPARTMENT_ID=410)

Gints and others,

I tried sending an email but it didn't seem to work.

I wanted to thank you for your reviews of the Manhattan LCD 10.9 HD monitor. They prompted me to order one, which arrived yesterday. So far so good. The screen is nice and detailed and a welcome relief from the tiny LCD on my Canon XH-A1.

My question now is how to mount the thing. It's too big to go on the camera. Is there a recommended mount for a lighting stand? Or to attach to a leg of my tripod? I know I saw a picture somewhere of an articulated arm...

Any recommendations?

Thanks again for introducing me to the Manhattan 10.9. I've never used a Marshall, but it would have to be a heckuva lot better than the Manhattan to justify the 3X cost.

Thanks, Paul.

I've been looking at this:

Bogen / Manfrotto | Magic Arm Kit | 143 | B&H Photo Video (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/325440-REG/Bogen_Manfrotto_143_Magic_Arm_Kit.html#reviews)

BTW, can you tell me what the right-most hole is on the face of the enclosure? The other holes are for the power light and buttons. IU'm wondering if a button or light was misaligned or just missed.

Thanks.

Magic arm is a classic and yes, it will securely anchor the 10.9" monitor to anything. I do find the classic versions quite heavy. Rightmost hole?? Usually that's the IR port for the wireless remote. Which picture are you referring to?

Thanks, Paul.

I've been looking at this:

Bogen / Manfrotto | Magic Arm Kit | 143 | B&H Photo Video (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/325440-REG/Bogen_Manfrotto_143_Magic_Arm_Kit.html#reviews)

BTW, can you tell me what the right-most hole is on the face of the enclosure? The other holes are for the power light and buttons. IU'm wondering if a button or light was misaligned or just missed.

Thanks.

That arm will work. My latest rig is here http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/photo-hd-video-d-slr-others/137850-my-d90-5dmkii-rig-ready-roll.html#post964344

Would like to try a SmallHD monitor on it as well.

Dan

I spoke with Dale today regarding the new 9" monitors and I am SUPER stoked! I can't believe I spent $650 on a glidecam L5-Pro monitor... it's kind of a worthless piece of junk. I unboxed it today, plugged it into the XH-A1, then stuck it back in the box with an RMA to B&H... I'm going to hold out for this new SmallHD monitor. If it actually ships in January/February I'll be SUPER stoked and Dale, you can count on a purchase from me! It sounds like what you guys are doing is really cutting-edge stuff, and I am looking forward to the results.

Magic arm is a classic and yes, it will securely anchor the 10.9" monitor to anything. I do find the classic versions quite heavy. Rightmost hole?? Usually that's the IR port for the wireless remote. Which picture are you referring to?

M.Paul,

Sorry I missed your post until now. Yes, the Magic arm is quite heavy, but seems nice and solid. Re: the hole, 1/2" to the right of the Input button. It looks like perhaps there should be a light there. It's bigger than the power light hole. Look at the picture here, the one showing the face of the monitor. You can see it:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/photo-hd-video-d-slr-others/137850-my-d90-5dmkii-rig-ready-roll.html#post964344

I spoke with Dale today regarding the new 9" monitors and I am SUPER stoked!

9" and light is probably the right size for mobile rigs. I have the Manhattan LCD with an EX1 on a shoulder mount. It's just a couple inches too tall and wide for that specific setup, though it's just right on a tripod. Though, I think you really need a 15+" 720P monitor to view HD. The pixels pitch is too small even when you're a foot away from the Manhattan LCD screen. If someone could package a Picture-in-Picture setup with the 2-4x zoomed image on the full screen and the framed image in 1/8 of the screen, we would be saved !

Sony, please copy the focusing Nikon D90 offers for its movie mode.

There may be other technical issues with these two particular, appealing-looking, monitors (SmallHD and Manahttan), but one matter that concerns me greatly is that they don't have blue gun capability. How is one going to calibrate the monitor without seeing "blue bars" on the screen from the camera? Is there another method that these two monitors provide that is rock-solid and can be relied upon in a multi-cam situation?
David

David I agree I need HD-SDI with proper calibration. Dale on post #61 is saying they will have a HD-SDI option I do not know if can be calibrated. Would be silly if they did not have this feature but we have to wait and see.

I am hot on the market for a monitor and waiting to see what they offer first if the time frame permits.

Here's what Dale of SmallHD emailed me in reply to my inquiry:

No blue gun, but there will be detailed color controls... you should be able to achieve calibration.


"Should be able to achieve calibration" is none too reassuring language. So these two lower cost HD LCDs may be a whole lotta "almost but not quite." I'd love to hear a more tech-savvy forum participant weight in on whether calibration is possible without blue gun in the monitor.

From my experience you can not calibrate with out Blue only off, Hue, Chroma, Brightness, and contrast. But happy to be proven wrong by more experience.

Just wanted to chime in on the color issue.

Thanks for bringing it up - it's a legitimate concern and i'll do my best here.

First - this is the first of many monitors to come from SmallHD. The purpose of this one, is to actually produce a compact unit with a much higher resolution into the hands of people who typically can't afford it. So many monitor companies run around touting HD, but 99% of the time they're no more than 800 x 480. Many claim "1440" by something, multiply the actual resolution by 3 and call it HD. We got very sick of this, and for some reason the panel manufacturers (Sharp, Toshiba, Samsung, etc) currently don't see video production as a large enough market to drive the production of small HD panels - we are forced to adapt existing technology from sister markets and make them work in this one. Because of this, there may be a few things missing from this first model. Some of the bells and whistles that the old broadcast pro is accustomed to may be missing - from this model.

The way we see it, it's far easier to fix color in post than missed focus. So getting as many pixels into a small enclosure is our primary focus for this monitor.

The reason we can't throw everything in the box at once, is because it would have to lose other features, and the fact that we would be releasing this monitor way later than January. We want to get a quality product into the market as soon as possible, so the many that don't care as much about quickly getting perfect color matching can have something, while we work on the more advanced models.

This monitor does have detailed color controls, and if you spend a couple minutes with it you should be able to get it darn close, but it currently does not have blue only.

Paul - i believe what i said is that we'll be offering an HD-SDI version in the future - this one will not have HD-SDI.

David - hope this answers your question a little more thoroughly, or at least gives you somewhat of an explanation.

Trevor - thanks for the kind words, and i'm glad you're as stoked as we are. It's going to be a fantastic product in many ways.

Thanks, and feel free to ask any other questions.

Dale
SmallHD.com

Dale,

Have you got a waiting list yet? I'd like to be in line if possible.

Dan

Dale you are correct you told me the HD-SDI would be on future models.

It is great to see another company on the forum listening to the end users. I look forward to the HD-SDI unit.

Hay Gint,
do you have any suggestions with that type of monitor?


Thanks Shawn

Hay Gint,
do you have any suggestions with that type of monitor?
Thanks Shawn

For which size? For the 8-9", the SmallHD monitor appears promising, although they are supposedly a few months away from shipping. For an 11" monitor, the Manhattan HD is just right. I have that one. For the 15-16" LCD TV, just go to Best Buy or Fry's Electronics. I noticed a Samsung model with both component inputs and HDMI. I have not compared the TVs extensively, so let me know what you find out. I would stick with a real 1280x720 "720p" device that doesn't do any scaling. Also, it's probably better to get something in the 20" range, especially if you're doing 1080i. A lot of these cheap TVs, and even a lot of expensive ones, have poor scaling hardware that yield overly soft video.

Yes. That's the IR port for the remote.Very important since you can custom calibrate the monitor for color, contrast, brightness etc. via the remote. The IR port is your friend in 10.9 land.

Sorry I missed your post until now. Yes, the Magic arm is quite heavy, but seems nice and solid. Re: the hole, 1/2" to the right of the Input button. It looks like perhaps there should be a light there. It's bigger than the power light hole. Look at the picture here, the one showing the face of the monitor. You can see it:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/photo-hd-video-d-slr-others/137850-my-d90-5dmkii-rig-ready-roll.html#post964344

Have you got a waiting list yet? I'd like to be in line if possible.I would too. Very interested to get my hands on one ASAP. I understand you guys are still finishing them up, but if there's some point at which you set a release date and have some sort of waiting list, I'd love to be able to have an in.

Thanks again Dale!

First, thanks, Dale, for a clear, comprehensive response to the question regarding color calibration on the SmallHD LCD monitor.

Second, M. Paul, what precisely do you mean by using the IR port for the remote to achieve custom calibration? How are you able to do that without "blue gun" capabilities on a monitor? Are you using the term, "custom callibration" loosely? I use it to mean such things as matching cameras and reproducing on a color critical monitor precisely what the camera is outputting using the camera's color bars. Do you know a another method?

Dale et al,
I don't mean to ignite a controversy regarding your priorities around providing a field monitor that makes focusing HD easy. There's no doubt that a crisp HD image is critical. But, I have yet to find maintaining focus using our HVX200 much of a problem. Maybe it's more of a problem with the larger chip cameras.

But evaluating other aspects of the image is much trickier: color, contrast and ratios, etc., you know, the details that set a superior image apart from an adequate one, take precise controls and feedback with true fidelity. That is why the "blue gun" is so essential, or at least some means of ensuring image calibration.

I get what you're trying to do in SmallHD's infancy, and it's laudable, but I may not be able to wait for the next gen to meet my needs.

I hope one of these HD monitor makers creates a fully-enveloped hood with a magnifier. It would be a very large HoodPro that is popular in the Sony EX1 group.

This is understandable, there are definitely people such as yourself where this is super important to them..

However in the 100s of people i've spoken with, it's an issue that rarely comes up as a concern, because most people color correct in post now, so if perfect color balanced isn't achieved in the field between cameras, its something that is easily remedied in-house.

Thank you for your kind words, though. We will be catering to these and many other needs as we progress... first things first!

Dale

Dale et al,
I don't mean to ignite a controversy regarding your priorities around providing a field monitor that makes focusing HD easy. There's no doubt that a crisp HD image is critical. But, I have yet to find maintaining focus using our HVX200 much of a problem. Maybe it's more of a problem with the larger chip cameras.

But evaluating other aspects of the image is much trickier: color, contrast and ratios, etc., you know, the details that set a superior image apart from an adequate one, take precise controls and feedback with true fidelity. That is why the "blue gun" is so essential, or at least some means of ensuring image calibration.

I get what you're trying to do in SmallHD's infancy, and it's laudable, but I may not be able to wait for the next gen to meet my needs.

Dale,
Really appreciate your informative responses. The next logical question then is, will you be able to add features to previously-purchased monitors. In my case, if I buy one of your new LCD monitors arriving in January and later you add blue-gun capability, would I have to buy an entirely new monitor to get that feature? Or, will this first gen unit be sufficiently modular to permit updates as substantial as blue-gun?
thanks,

iKan have two new version of 8" field monitor, V8000HDMI for only $ 995 and V8000HD2 which is the same monitor spec without the HDMI input for $ 795.

There may be other technical issues with these two particular, appealing-looking, monitors (SmallHD and Manahttan), but one matter that concerns me greatly is that they don't have blue gun capability. How is one going to calibrate the monitor without seeing "blue bars" on the screen from the camera? Is there another method that these two monitors provide that is rock-solid and can be relied upon in a multi-cam situation?
David

I share your concern about the lack of blue gun capability on the SmallHD and Manhattan LCD. However, following a tip I found in The Filmaker's Handbook by Ascher and Pincus, you can still adjust a monitor that doesn't have blue-gun capability by using a Lee 363 blue gel (Appendix A, p. 767). It's not ideal, but it's better than nothing. Also, Appendix A in The Filmaker's Handbook provides a nice step-by-step tutorial for adjusting a monitor. This might be especially useful to those with limited experience, like myself.

Small HD monitor

Any feedback on this monitor yet?

Is this monitor already shipping?

What's the price? I don't see a price on their website...


Thank you,
Rafael

Rafael, in respect for Dale here I am not going to go into specifics but the projected release date is close, barrelling down on us like a freight train in fact! Price is TBA soon as well. Best thing to do is get on their mailing list via their website and hang tight! It's worth the wait!

I'll keep waiting.

I have a music video coming up in a few weeks, I totally needed this monitor :)

I have the JVC HD100 and the M2 mini35mm adapter and focusing on the small LCD screen is nearly impossible... But, I guess I'll keep on waiting.

See if you can rent something. Give the miniHD about a month or so. We should hear something before then! If I talk to dale soon I'll see if he wouldn't mind sharing some info here when he gets a chance :-) These monitors will totally be worth the wait though!

This is interesting, yes I too long for a small, affordable, true HD monitor that is also true to the camera's 16x9 output. However, this problem with shots being pin sharp. I personally don't find it difficult to follow focus (I hope), but one of the loudest complaints about 1/3-chip cameras is the huge depth of field they offer! Everyone is chasing shallow depth of field. I guess it's when you are using a 35 mm adapter or JVC's 16mm Arri converter that a monitor for focus becomes vital?

Exactly. As a redrock M2 user, I find the XH-A1's screen completely unusable. Bare camera, sure, who cares? Let the thing focus itself. I prefer the 35mm adapter look though, the bokeh is just downright gorgeous! Looking forward to the new smallHD monitors, I'm going to buy one the moment they become available.