Finally! External LCD Monitor Solution < $200

[Matthew Petersen]

that would be a sensible next step.

I'm only guessing now (as I don't own that camera) but it would be worth looking through the camera menu and see if that port is configurable. For instance on my canon I can send it SD or HD. On some camcorders you can set it to be AV or Headphone out.

Like I said, just guessing, but worth a look.

MP

[Bill Busby]

I'm not familiar with the FX1, but is it possible there's either a menu setting or a switch on the body for allowing composite signal out?

*edit* dang! I didn't see the last post prior to mine until I hit enter to post. Weird :-\

[Martin Catt]

Just thought I'd throw this out: Fry's Electronics has the Sony DVP820 on sale for $149.00 USD. I bought one about two hours ago and have been playing with it on my XL2. Looks good. Not a perfect match to the viewfinder's colors, but I can tweak it close. My plan for the moment is to use it for critical focus in production shots, and as a directors' monitor. That should cut down on the usual question, "well, did it look good?" It's also slated to become a jib monitor.

Next up is a tripod mount for it.

Regards;
Martin

[Matthew Petersen]

I was out shopping yesterday and happened to see a "caddy" for portable DVD players that's designed to clamp onto the headrest bars of a car's front seat (facing back).

It got me thinking that those bars wouldn't be disimilar to the top part of my Miller tripods...

I've been racking my brain trying to come up with a good mount for this unit (still havn't ruled out using the battery bracket that comes with the camera, sadly it makes the unit just slightly too long for the case I have).

If anyone has any truly elegant and simple mounting ideas, do share!

MP

[Peer Landa]

Anyone knows if this might just be a piece of poop: 7" LCD Monitor Canon XL1 XL1s XL-1s XL-1 XL2 XL-2 XLH1 - eBay (item 120314860228 end time Jan-05-09 03:08:17 PST)

I'm looking for a larger monitor for my XL2 to do focusing only, (i.e., not for color corrections). Any help & pointers appreciated.

-- peer

[Matthew Petersen]

Peer, I noticed this in the specs:

Resolution: 1400x234 pixels / 480x240 lines

Not sure what to make of that! I can only guess that it's a sub-SD panel.

Also curious to see where the battery is mounted, and how. Looks like you need to buy your own cells.

I do like their mounting solution though....

MP

[Chris Barcellos]

The LCD$Video set up has a line of kits at their webpage. I mentioned it in post 88, and have since bought it. It is SD, so you will always have a level of uncertainty to your critical focus if you rely on it.

Also, regarding the FX1, it has an SD AV out mini plug, for SD out, as well a composite out BNC port.

[Peer Landa]

Originally Posted by Matthew Petersen

Peer, I noticed this in the specs:
Resolution: 1400x234 pixels / 480x240 lines
Not sure what to make of that! I can only guess that it's a sub-SD panel.

Yea, also I thought that seemed a bit odd. So again, anyone out there who can advice me on this unit? 7" LCD Monitor Canon XL1 XL1s XL-1s XL-1 XL2 XL-2 XLH1 - eBay (item 120314860228 end time Jan-05-09 03:08:17 PST)

-- peer

[Peer Landa]

Earlier in this thread someone mentioned the monitors by Manhattan LCD

Since those Manhattan guys appear a bit incommunicado along with their incomplete technical spec (doesn't say if it can be rigged to run off bricks, etc.), I wonder if anyone knows about this monitor first hand and if it's perhaps possible to use as an on-board monitor for my XL2.

-- peer

[Graham Hickling]

1400x234 means a 466x234 pixel display. For some random reason with these small monitors specs sometimes tally up each of the R,G, and B subpixels (or whatever they are called) that make up the "normal" pixels we are used to.

So yes, it's sub-SD resolution.

[Giroud Francois]

I go the 10.9 HD Professional Monitor from Manhattan, and the picture is pretty good.
I use it on my FX1E with the component cable.
My only problem is that my FX1E seems to output bad signal, so the picture is visible a quarter of second on the screen and next goes blank.
I tested the screen with many other component HD sources, including PAL and NTSC, and the problem is definitely in my FX1. So i use a cheap component to HDMI converter and use the hdmi input on the screen , That works perfect.
the screen is very light (all made from plastic) , so even it is big, you can mount it everywhere. the power supply is 12V, so you can manage to use some kind of battery easily found on the web.
I would not glue the battery on the screen since it would make it very heavy.
for the price i think you cannot find better.

[Krystian Dobak]

Hi everyone!
This is my solution for attaching Sony's DVDPlayer to XL2.
Focusing is easier, zebra doesn't work, to check it you have to use viewfinder.
This set-up makes camcorder really back heavy compared to naked cam witch is much better than supporting front heavy brick lifting massive lens with the hand all the time.

[Gints Klimanis]

Elegant! That eliminates most of the instabilities from a mounting bracket. If you have any closeup pix of your mounting, I'm sure we'd really like to see them.

[Colin McDonald]

HD it isn't, but I just bought a Nikkai A06HU 7 inch digital TV from Maplin to use as a monitor for framing. Oddly enough it doesn't appear on the Maplin website but you can see it here Portable TVs - The Circuits Shop - Electronics in Meccano (The link to the main Maplin site doesn't work).

This unit works well as an analogue and digital tv (which is how I am justifying buying it!) and is OK for a framing monitor, being light at 0.81 Kg with internal rechargeable battery pack and a reasonable resolution for such a cheapo at 720 x 576. It takes PAL and NTSC on the AV input and comes with 12V car and 230V mains power/charger adaptors and internal rechargeable battery pack which runs for 2 -3 hours as far as I can tell.

As I say hardly the best monitor out there, but a sub-£90 solution for a 7 inch extra monitor with different power options.
I'm still working on how to mount it for various applications.

[Mark Labriola]

What are you using to mount the player?