Component/Composite monitoring off the A1 at DVinfo.net

Ross Jones · January 22nd, 2007, 12:17 PM

Not sure if this should be over in SD/HD monitors area... however.....:
For the A1 my understanding is that we have 2 options for live monitoring - Composite (BNC) or Component (canon adapter).. For field monitoring I'm looking at a 7" Marshall or a Swit to take the component signal; is this the best one could expect in terms of reasonable cost vs mobility vs 'accurate' image?
To date I've shot only SD, and monitored via an Ikegami 9" CRT with 300 lines resolution (S-video input). For my purposes, the Ikegami's image has been excellent.
Is it possible to use the same monitor with the A1 (composite), or is the Marshall/Swit the way to go? (tons more cost, I know...)...
Many thanks.
Ross.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bill Pryor · January 22nd, 2007, 01:42 PM

I don't know why you couldn't monitor with the Ikegami, via the composite BNC.

Ross Jones · January 22nd, 2007, 02:49 PM

Bill,
Right - I'm sure I could, but with only 300 lines on the CRT I guess I'd lose detail - or would I..? What's the line res of the SD Composite out of the A1..?
Rgds, Ross.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bill Pryor · January 22nd, 2007, 03:47 PM

Sure you lose detail, but that shouldn't matter. My location monitor is a lot lower resolution than my editing monitors. That just makes it look a lot better when you start editing.

Ross Jones · January 22nd, 2007, 04:10 PM

OK, so that begs the next question.. a 'sensible' editing monitor..?
Assuming that the Field monitor gets me accurate focus and close enogh colour, could I use, say, a JVC 15" SD CRT Production Monitor (with 750 lines & can be calibrated)? Is that going to get me a more accurate image - especially from a colour point of view?
Whilst I'll shoot HDV on the A1, I'll downconvert to SD for DVD. So, in this case, as my final product is not going for film-out or HD, would it be safe/sensible to use the JVC SD Production Monitor for editing..?
Thanks.
Rgds, Ross.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bill Pryor · January 22nd, 2007, 04:28 PM

What allows you to get good color is a professional monitor that can be properly calibrated. Whether it's a low or high resolution shouldn't make all that much difference, except that the better the resolution the better it will look.

The problem with editing HD without an HD monitor is that you can't play your timeline and see it on anything but your computer monitors.

What I'm doing at the moment is adjusting both editing monitors as good as they can be adjusted and not using the NTSC monitor. Generally I shoot in camera with colors I want (I prefer to use filters and lighting when I shoot rather than in post), so unless there's a shot that is problematic, I can live with this for the moment. Periodically, I'll convert a short clip to SD and check it out. Before going to DVD, I'll probably just burn a DVD with the DVD burner to make a quick check for color on the NTSC monitor, and then go back and do any changes.

Granted, this is awkward and not something you'd do in a production situation with clients. My use of HD at this point is for personal documentary work. Our client stuff is still SD, so it's going to be awhile before the company buys an HD monitor.

I have seen software that allows you to properly calibrate a computer monitor, but I don't recall what it is. There's also a new one out that works with FCP, I hear.

Ross Jones · January 22nd, 2007, 06:10 PM

Yes, I agree; my work is all SD at the moment too. However, I need to get a camera which will give me native/best 16:9 for projects coming soon, so I'm seriously considering the XH-A1 as it fits my budgetary constraints. The monitoring issue is a real pain tho', so one option I'm considering is to get a second 23" Apple Cinema display and endeavour to calibrate that - falling back, like you, on my NTSC CRTs for SD checking..
Anyone using Apple displays for this purpose..?
Rgds, Ross.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 22nd, 2007, 12:17 PM	#1
Ross Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Harvard, MA Posts: 155	Component/Composite monitoring off the A1 Not sure if this should be over in SD/HD monitors area... however.....: For the A1 my understanding is that we have 2 options for live monitoring - Composite (BNC) or Component (canon adapter).. For field monitoring I'm looking at a 7" Marshall or a Swit to take the component signal; is this the best one could expect in terms of reasonable cost vs mobility vs 'accurate' image? To date I've shot only SD, and monitored via an Ikegami 9" CRT with 300 lines resolution (S-video input). For my purposes, the Ikegami's image has been excellent. Is it possible to use the same monitor with the A1 (composite), or is the Marshall/Swit the way to go? (tons more cost, I know...)... Many thanks. Ross. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 22nd, 2007, 02:49 PM	#3
Ross Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Harvard, MA Posts: 155	Composite res..? Bill, Right - I'm sure I could, but with only 300 lines on the CRT I guess I'd lose detail - or would I..? What's the line res of the SD Composite out of the A1..? Rgds, Ross. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 22nd, 2007, 04:10 PM	#5
Ross Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Harvard, MA Posts: 155	Editing monitor.. OK, so that begs the next question.. a 'sensible' editing monitor..? Assuming that the Field monitor gets me accurate focus and close enogh colour, could I use, say, a JVC 15" SD CRT Production Monitor (with 750 lines & can be calibrated)? Is that going to get me a more accurate image - especially from a colour point of view? Whilst I'll shoot HDV on the A1, I'll downconvert to SD for DVD. So, in this case, as my final product is not going for film-out or HD, would it be safe/sensible to use the JVC SD Production Monitor for editing..? Thanks. Rgds, Ross. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 22nd, 2007, 06:10 PM	#7
Ross Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Harvard, MA Posts: 155	Computer monitors Yes, I agree; my work is all SD at the moment too. However, I need to get a camera which will give me native/best 16:9 for projects coming soon, so I'm seriously considering the XH-A1 as it fits my budgetary constraints. The monitoring issue is a real pain tho', so one option I'm considering is to get a second 23" Apple Cinema display and endeavour to calibrate that - falling back, like you, on my NTSC CRTs for SD checking.. Anyone using Apple displays for this purpose..? Rgds, Ross. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 22nd, 2007, 01:42 PM	#2
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I don't know why you couldn't monitor with the Ikegami, via the composite BNC.

January 22nd, 2007, 03:47 PM	#4
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Sure you lose detail, but that shouldn't matter. My location monitor is a lot lower resolution than my editing monitors. That just makes it look a lot better when you start editing.

January 22nd, 2007, 04:28 PM	#6
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	What allows you to get good color is a professional monitor that can be properly calibrated. Whether it's a low or high resolution shouldn't make all that much difference, except that the better the resolution the better it will look. The problem with editing HD without an HD monitor is that you can't play your timeline and see it on anything but your computer monitors. What I'm doing at the moment is adjusting both editing monitors as good as they can be adjusted and not using the NTSC monitor. Generally I shoot in camera with colors I want (I prefer to use filters and lighting when I shoot rather than in post), so unless there's a shot that is problematic, I can live with this for the moment. Periodically, I'll convert a short clip to SD and check it out. Before going to DVD, I'll probably just burn a DVD with the DVD burner to make a quick check for color on the NTSC monitor, and then go back and do any changes. Granted, this is awkward and not something you'd do in a production situation with clients. My use of HD at this point is for personal documentary work. Our client stuff is still SD, so it's going to be awhile before the company buys an HD monitor. I have seen software that allows you to properly calibrate a computer monitor, but I don't recall what it is. There's also a new one out that works with FCP, I hear.