need monitor, TV or computer display

[Brian Luce]

I need a monitor for my HD100.

Here are some things I know:
1) I want it for checking framing and lighting, NOT focusing.
2) I've used 9" sony crt monitors and they're too small for me.
3) I cannot afford the Marshall and it's too small anyway.
4) I'd like an LCD because of their slim profile.

So with that in mind, should I be looking at HD TV displays like this?
http://tinyurl.com/34fow2

Or should I be looking at computer monitors? Which will give better color rendition? Is there a difference?

The above link is a TV that doubles as a monitor...

Any advice?

[Keith Gruchala]

I have a magnavox 17" that I've been quite happy with- I'v'e even adapted it with an anton bauer plate so I can run it DC because the monitor itself is DC really with it's supplied ac adapter having an in-line dc convertor. This might be of interest to you. The limitations are that when you try to set up color bars and really calibrate, it does not have all the controls that a profesional HD monitor has so you will never get perfect exposure information. Some computer monitors have better built in callibration, but not all of them -because many of them rely on software driven drivers to do the better calibration and that won't help you hooking it up to a camera. The bottom line is that while you can get a damn close image, the color and exposure will not be exact, and the edge of the frame may or may not be pixel for pixel, depending on the scaling feature built-in to the monitor or HDTV. I have a small HD LCD that thankfully has pixel for pixel scaling so it's even more accurate that the viewfinder on most hdv cameras. My Magnavox clips very slightly around the edges and is about what my viewfinder sees at least on the JVC HD100 the HVX200 and the canon XLH1.

[Brian Luce]

Originally Posted by Keith Gruchala

I have a magnavox 17" that I've been quite happy with- I'v'e even adapted it with an anton bauer plate so I can run it DC because the monitor itself is DC really with it's supplied ac adapter having an in-line dc convertor. This might be of interest to you. The limitations are that when you try to set up color bars and really calibrate, it does not have all the controls that a profesional HD monitor has so you will never get perfect exposure information. Some computer monitors have better built in callibration, but not all of them -because many of them rely on software driven drivers to do the better calibration and that won't help you hooking it up to a camera. The bottom line is that while you can get a damn close image, the color and exposure will not be exact, and the edge of the frame may or may not be pixel for pixel, depending on the scaling feature built-in to the monitor or HDTV. I have a small HD LCD that thankfully has pixel for pixel scaling so it's even more accurate that the viewfinder on most hdv cameras. My Magnavox clips very slightly around the edges and is about what my viewfinder sees at least on the JVC HD100 the HVX200 and the canon XLH1.

hey that sounds like a good solution. But is it a TV or a computer monitor? Do you happen to know the model number?

[David W. Jones]

Do you have a laptop?

[Brian Luce]

Originally Posted by David W. Jones

Do you have a laptop?

Maybe that 's the best solution. I was just concerned about a lap's color accuracy as there's always a difference with the image my NLE produces versus what a monitor shows.

Regarding a Laptop-as-monitor solution, what attributes would be important? I assume you'd feed the signal via firewire. What else? would a dedicated video card be required? 1280x720 rez?

[David W. Jones]

There are several software solutions out there for this purpose.
They allow you to setup the laptop screen for proper representation of the video.
As well as come with waveform monitor and vector scope functions for proper video specs.