Monitors - Dual Small or Single Large??

[Kevin King]

I'm currently editing with two 15" LCD monitors side by side (Samsung SyncMaster 152n's). Both are set at 1024x768 resolution, which is the max res these monitors will display. This yields a total screen space of 2048x768.

I am considering however, switching to a single, large monitor. Probably the 21" ViewSonic or similar. This monitor's "optimum" res is 1600x1200. This is about 25% less horizontal space, but about 50% more vertical space. This is actually an increase of almost 500,000 pixels of realestate.

I can get the new monitor for about $450 shipped, and I figure I could fetch near $300 each on ebay for my current 15's, so I wouldn't loose money in the deal.

My questions:

What do most video editors use? I do find the divide between the screen kind of annoying, and I do often wish I had more virtical room and less horizontal. A timeline extended end to end is almost too long.

What about sharpness? The ViewSonic has a .21 dpitch, and I've seen the monitor - it's razor sharp. What about flicker and other things that strain your eyes?

What about color correctness? On my LCD's, it seems that contrast is a bit low, and brightness is a bit high. Colors always look far more saturated on my video monitor (Sony WEGA TV Set) than on my computer monitors. Is color more correct and predictable on a CRT vs. LCD monitor?

I'm considering the egronomics of changing screen layout, and also the "usabillity" of LCD vs. CRT.

Lots of questions, but I welcome any feedback. Fire away. ;-)

[Glenn Chan]

Flicker will be fine as long as your are using a high refresh rate. 72Hz and above is good. Above 90Hz you won't notice a difference.

Be sure that your monitor and graphics card can support it.

2- I would probably stick with the samsung LCDs.

3- Use a TV. The computer monitor is not a very good indicator of what your footage looks like. For convenience's sake you might be able to set a CRT to look close through your video card's controls, but even then you still need to check on a NTSC monitor.

[Julian Quinto]

I'd stick with the LCDs. I've always worked dual-monitor and love the real estate. However, I really don't like LCDs now (I'd wait til the technology comes closer to perfection).

I'm working right now on two 19" Viewsonics flats (aperture grill), and it almost matches my Trinitron video assist/monitor. I just have a workspace profile within my NLE that has the timeline and controls on one screen and the preview monitors on the other one as well as most of the non-essential tools.

Higher refresh rates may quickly extinguish the life of your CRT. Good video cards offer almost no flicker even at the lowest refresh rates available (I'm comfortable with 60Hz, and I don't like things getting blurred).

I also agree with Glenn as even monitor profiles can be inaccurate. A simple TV with the basic controls, when calibrated correctly, offers better and accurate color reproduction of your video. Have you ever tried color grading on a pc monitor? Watch your work on a TV after, it may disgust you. lol.

[Rob Lohman]

I don't extend my timeline accross the two screens. The timeline
and main windows is on my primary screen. I only take extra
windows over to the other monitor like:

- waveform monitor
- histograms
- effects settings
- preview window sometimes

etc. This is in my mind the best of both worlds. So if you buy
a larger monitor use that for the main information. Then move
secondary screens that you don't need constantly over to the
other screen.

In your case I would make it a tripple display system. Set the
LCD screens to either side of the primary monitor. I would use
the third monitor for information display. I like to keep a shotlog
open with my thoughts on shots and which shots where how
long and of what quality and problems there where with shots.

Then have the other windows open on the second monitor and
the timeline on the main screen.

If possible add a studio monitor for preview above your main
screen.... ahhh... heaven!