TFT Screens

[Adrian Douglas]

I'm looking for a PAL TFT screen for my XL1. VariZoom make a good package but it isn't available outside the US. I'm tired of carting my Sony monitor all over the place, does any one know of a suitable alternative

[Alexander Ibrahim]

The long answer is that while I know that you can get TFT monitors for PAL use, I don't know who makes them.

I had thought I saw them on the Varizoom site, but maybe you should check Glidecam's site out.

http://www.glidecam.com/l4.html

It is in the small print, but there is a version that accepts PAL inputs.

[Chris Hurd]

Indeed you can get PAL LCD monitors from VariZoom. Excellent bang for the buck.

[Adrian Douglas]

Yeah, you can get them from Varizoom, but I'm in Japan and they say that the monitor is not available outside the US. Pretty poor if you ask me.

[John Locke]

Hey afterburnerDV,

I couldn't get my hands on a Varizoom monitor here in Korea either. So, I ordered one direct from Varizoom and had it sent here no problem.

Of course, you'll have to pay shipping and you'll get hit with customs tax once it arrives, but everything is so overpriced in this part of the world that it'll probably still be cheaper than buying anything local.

[Adrian Douglas]

Thanks John, I'll get on to them about it. Maybe they should change their website, they are losing business with it the way it is. Maybe Chris could give them the drum on that one.

[Alexander Ibrahim]

Hey if you are in Japan...Panasonic makes LCD monitors for mounting on cameras...and I believe that Matsushita actually builds them in Japan.

Also, I saw some LCD monitors that fit this bill at the Sony booth here last year...but I don't know who built them.

Anyway, most LCD manufacturers are actually in Japan, so keep looking locally before you buy internationally.

It would KILL me if you ended up buying an LCD that was made local to you shipped here, then shipped back. If that turns out cheaper with tariffs each way...wow that would be INSANE.

[John Locke]

Not as insane as you might think. I searched the local market in Korea high and low. Price and quality were definitely a problem. Plus, most weren't set up as a "kit" that already included a mount, hood, battery, and cable. In fact, most weren't set up to be run off a battery at all. They were mostly intended for car installation.

It's not as easy over here to pop into a mega photo dealer or electronics shop like it is in the States and find what you want. Seoul has it's Yongsan Market and Tokyo has Akihabara--both of which are huge electronics market places. You might be surprised how limited the variety can be (100 different brands of practically identical items, none of which fits your needs exactly), and dealers aren't willing to order something they're unfamiliar with.

The Varizoom TFT Monitor that I ordered from Austin had all the "extras" so that it was ready to plug and play. And when you added up all the costs involved, including shipping and customs tax, it came out about the same price as a mid-range local monitor, minus accessories, and without the comfort of a recognizable brand name. Plus, by ordering the Varizoom, I didn't have to search all over Seoul for a mount, and battery, etc. Add up your time and subway or taxi charges (it costs about USD6.60 just to sit down in a taxi in Tokyo. A trip across town can break you! Running around Seoul all day can drain your wallet, too!)

Sometimes it's better to go with a proven winner rather than go with whatever's within reach, or to take the time and expense to rig something together.

[Alexander Ibrahim]

See subject for appropiate level of dismay.

[Adrian Douglas]

Ah, the joys of being a foreigner in an Asian country. John is dead right about Japan and buying gear. Japan is great at making electronic gear but selling it to non-consumers they are somewhat lacking. My big problem is that my gear is PAL (from Australia) and Japan like the US uses NTSC. It's difficult to explain to many of the sales staff that PAL exisits and that you want English instructions. Usually I have to go to Akabihara to buy Export Model stuff and the range is fairly limited. A good analigy would be "Like a kid in a candy store with no hands". That's what it's like here sometimes. Believe me, if i could buy locally easily I would.