2nd monitor help

[puckhead193]

I need help deciding on a second display for my nMP that scheduled to ship in "February" (l don't see how that's possible )
Anyway, I want this display to serve as 3 functions. One being a second monitor so that I could put iTunes/safari, FCP media tab (whatever technical term they call it now, library sticks out). The second is to use my HDMI out on my Matrox MXO2 mini so that if I want I could monitor what i'm editing. The third is I wanted to split my cable HDMI feed from my cable box in the room so I if want I could watch the Ranger game and not having to turn around to see who scored (which is not likely )

Is it better to have a computer monitor or a regular HDTV?

I went to Best Buy so I could take around and found these that interest me.

Samsung - 21.5" LED HD Monitor

Samsung - 23.6" LED HD Monitor

LG - 21.5" IPS LED HD Monitor

LG - 23" IPS LED HD Monitor

This is a standard HDTV:
Samsung - 22" Class (21-1/2" Diag.) - LED - 1080p - 60Hz - HDTV

I'm open to other suggestions. Thanks in advance.

 

[AcesHigh87]

I think your plan could work but it might be more viable to go a different route. The second monitor sounds like a fine plan, no problem there, but the Matrox makes the rest of it complicated. You're talking a lot of switching going on for one monitor. At best it would slow down a workflow and at worst It won't work.

What I would suggest is picking up whatever second monitor you think is best (anything LED will work, ideally try and get as similar to your main monitor as possible) and then pick up a TV separate. This will allow you to use your second monitor as it's designed and have your TV running the whole time to see edits properly. Plus you can just hook your cable box to a different HDMI input and ditch any complicated switching or splitting to the likely single HDMI of the monitor.

I don't know what your budget is but that's what I would do. At least with my workflow having to constantly switch what my second monitor is doing would be terrible. Maybe you're different.

P.S if you do want it to display text DO NOT use a TV as a second monitor. The quality for text is terrible.

 

[satcomer]

If you decide to go the TV route look at the OS X hardware/software for the EyeTV Hybrid.

 

[puckhead193]

I think your plan could work but it might be more viable to go a different route. The second monitor sounds like a fine plan, no problem there, but the Matrox makes the rest of it complicated. You're talking a lot of switching going on for one monitor. At best it would slow down a workflow and at worst It won't work.

What I would suggest is picking up whatever second monitor you think is best (anything LED will work, ideally try and get as similar to your main monitor as possible) and then pick up a TV separate. This will allow you to use your second monitor as it's designed and have your TV running the whole time to see edits properly. Plus you can just hook your cable box to a different HDMI input and ditch any complicated switching or splitting to the likely single HDMI of the monitor.

I don't know what your budget is but that's what I would do. At least with my workflow having to constantly switch what my second monitor is doing would be terrible. Maybe you're different.

P.S if you do want it to display text DO NOT use a TV as a second monitor. The quality for text is terrible.

I don't mind the cost of 3 monitors it's more about space on my desk.

I don't mind switching as I'll be using an HDMI switcher so I won't need to swap cables. I will prob. just pick what I want with the second screen and stick to it for my edit sessions. If I want to watch the game, then the TV, if not I'll prob just use it as second monitor to leave safari/mail/MS Word etc open in the background.
Matrox hasn't even updated the drivers yet for Mavericks. So for now that is off the table.

Will the HDTV I posted above be suitable for my needs?
Anyone try those USB 3.0 portable monitors? I know they lag a bit, but for something static (like an open document/mail etc. how bad is it?

 

[AcesHigh87]

I'll comment on your other stuff when I'm not so tired but Matrox not having updated drivers sounds odd. One of our edit suites at work is using a Matrox box on Mavericks and it runs fine. Unless it's a different box with different drivers. 99% sure it's Mavericks at the least.