Preview device

[Jeff Harper]

What type of device is best used for previewing when one can't afford a production monitor. CRT monitor or television?

[Bill Ravens]

Any LCD second monitor will work, if your video card will support it. You're best off using a monitor with an SPVA style LCD panel. Avoid 'tn' panels, as they don't have the same range of colors as a production monitor.

[John Miller]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

What type of device is best used for previewing when one can't afford a production monitor. CRT monitor or television?

Hmm. If you mean a computer CRT monitor then the answer is complicated.

PC monitors (though not Mac AFAIK) have a different gamma response to a TV or studio monitor, making video seem dark and lacking "vibrance". On the other hand, they (and for Mac) are precise with lots of adjustments to make the image look correct. This is true for studio monitors, too, but definitely not for consumer TVs. They are almost deliberately imprecise so as to accommodate a wide range of poor signals.

Another consideration is the output signals from whatever it is you want to preview. To use a TV or studio monitor, the odds are you will already have the right signal format (S-video, composite). For a computer monitor, you'll need either DVI or VGA. Of course, if your preview is actually a second display from your computer's graphics card then that opens up a myriad of options.

Many computer LCD displays permit traditional video signals, too. However, LCD displays don't provide the dynamic range that CRTs do - especially for true black.

Sorry to complicate things - it does depend somewhat on what you already have and the trade-off you will have to choose between the various options.

[Glenn Chan]

1- Most consumer computer monitors and TVs aren't color accurate. A computer CRT (not TV) should have reasonable color... though it still may not be accurate (gamma might be wonky, there might be graphics overlays at work, the primaries aren't the right color, the monitor might be tweaking the color).

1b- Looking at a computer monitor can be misleading since the video preview:
--Doesn't show overscan by default. You can turn the overlays on... remember that the edges of the picture get cropped.
--No interlace flicker.
--pixel aspect ratio might be wrong. If you turn on simulate pixel aspect ratio, you see aliasing artifacts that aren't there and performance is lower.

2- In Vegas 8, you need to be sure that you are monitoring the right levels.

http://glennchan.info/articles/vegas...or/v8color.htm

This depends on what preview method you're using, what codec you are using (less complicated if you use the defaults), and whether the project is 8-bit or 32-bit. If you don't pay attention to that, then your preview might be wrong!!


Knowing the above you can kind of figure things out. Having a broadcast monitor makes life easier.

[Jeff Harper]

Thanks guys. I dislike LCD's, though that is what I run, and have used a second for monitoring. Didn't care for it. I have tried a 21" CRT, but you are right, way too much tweaking needed and still you can't be sure how it will appear later on TV.

Based on what I've read, I think I'm going to opt for a television. I'm reasoning that since the vast majority of my videos are played on DVD players it will be most representative of what it should be to preview on a television.

Thank you for your detailed responses John and Glenn, and for the SPVA tip, Bill ...like your articles Glenn!

[Simon Denny]

I use a CRT and LCD and then a TV to do all my color correction on and also to view whats on my time line.
Cheers
Simon

[Ian Stark]

Jeff, you might find some low cost used production monitors on eBay.

I have bought two this way over the last couple of years and they've served me well. Neither of them looked very spectacular but there was no burn in on the screens. Both are 4:3 but Vegas can letterbox to simulate 16:9. A friend came and calibrated/focused the last one 'professionally'. The difference between the production monitor's display and the 'sweetened' display of the TV is remarkable.

Might be worth a glance?

[Jeff Harper]

Great suggestion, Ian! Tell me, what IS the difference, and why are the monitors better? Is it the accuracy?

[Jeff Harper]

I am finding tons of used monitors on EBay, Ian...

[Sean Seah]

how much would a typical broadcast montior cost? Something that would work well with Vegas? Prob need something like a black magic intensity as well right?

[Jeff Harper]

Sean, the least expensive monitors at b&h were around $800 as I recall, for the cheapos. (This is dead wrong, as Bill Ravens points out below)

[Bill Ravens]

Sorry, I misunderstood your question, Jeff. Thought you had rulled out CRT and TV. JVC makes a real nice 13 inch studio, color monitor. It even has a blue gun. Cost <$1000.

[Jeff Harper]

Thanks, Bill. Tell me if you will, what do you look at when considering monitors, eg., how many lines, etc. I am looking a many used ones on e-bay that appear to be in great condition, but I don't know what to look for!

[Bill Ravens]

Jeff...

Specs are all over the map, depending, of course, on what you want to spend. You want, most of all, the most horiz. resolution you can get. If you're wanting HDv rez, you won't find it in an inexpensive studio monitor.

Here's the JVC monitor I was referring to. This one has a lot to offer for the price, including the option to upgrade at a later date if you want component or SDI input:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...roduction.html

Take a look at its specs, then use them to do a little bit of comparison shopping.

[Jeff Harper]

Thanks much Bill. Wow, under $500! Looks great!