HDTV or Display

[chriscorbin]

so my paycheck is coming and i am tired of editing photos and video on my 15'' macbook pro screen and i have two choices

get a 24in screen non-apple but still good
or
get a 32in HDTV and use it as another screen for my laptop

the prices with rebate and discounts are about the same

I do a lot of heavy editing with photoshop and final cut so i need to know if i will loose tons of quality with one or the other.

opinions please

and before anyone asks i do not have the cash to go for a apple display, i love apple's design, but come on the prices people!

 

[LethalWolfe]

It might help to know what specific brands and models you are considering.

Also, if you makes you feel any better, in terms of video editing Final Cut only shows you a proxy image so worrying about image accuracy on a monitor being used as a computer display is a bit of a moot point.


Lethal

 

[filman408]

Final Cut only shows you a proxy image

Final Cut only shows proxy (small compressed duplicates, like film editing) if you are editing offline files.
If you are editing online files - what most users do - you see the actual video file.

If the 32-inch HDTV is 1080p, the resolution will be pretty darn close to a 24-inch comp display. Its 1920x1080, versus 1920x1200.
If the 32-inch HDTV is only 720p, just get the 24-inch comp display - hands down.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Final Cut only shows proxy (small compressed duplicates, like film editing) if you are editing offline files.
If you are editing online files - what most users do - you see the actual video file.

What you see in the Canvas window and when using Digital Cinema Desktop is not a b'cast accurate signal. Link (scroll about half way down until you see "Monitoring option #1: Canvas Window"). Matrox makes a nifty product called MXO which can actually take the signal coming out of the video card and make it b'cast accurate. Of course even if the FCP did generate a b'cast accurate signal in the Canvas window or w/DCD the OP can't afford a b'cast accurate monitor to watch it on. Which brings me back to my original point that the OP shouldn't fret about which monitor will be better for video editing because, assuming the monitors he's looking at are of equal quality overall, they'll most likely all be equally inaccurate in terms of video editing.


Lethal

 

[bimmzy]

Leathal is quite right. You're not going to get a truly accurate rendition from the output of the canvas window.

I did some rough colourizing using the canvas window at home, and when I finally got to see what I had cut on a grade one broadcast monitor at work, I was shocked…… everything had a green cast all be it slight!

I then resolved to get myself a DVI to video/svideo connector and attached said connector to my CRT TV.

What looked green on the broadcast monitor also looked green on my TV. So my point is that you can get a good approximation, but if you are doing for real, you need some serious kit to do it with!

 

[twoodcc]

Final Cut only shows proxy (small compressed duplicates, like film editing) if you are editing offline files.
If you are editing online files - what most users do - you see the actual video file.

If the 32-inch HDTV is 1080p, the resolution will be pretty darn close to a 24-inch comp display. Its 1920x1080, versus 1920x1200.
If the 32-inch HDTV is only 720p, just get the 24-inch comp display - hands down.

i agree. if they HDTV isn't 1080P, then don't get it

 

[danny vegas]

Hdtv From Canvas

I know this is an old thread but i stumbled upon a topic which im trying to resolve. Im basically contemplating purchasing a 1080p hdtv to use as a source for acurate colour grading in fcp6 but im trying to figure out how to connect it so that i am seeing broadcast levels and not the proxy canvas output.

Bimmzy mentioned he got a DVI to video/svideo connector, now im trying to figure out exactly what he means. Is that a cable that plugs into the dvi port of your graphic card and then breaks into a svideo lead which you plug into your tv? if so doesnt that mean you'l still be seeing the canvas' proxy rendition of the timeline seeing as its acting as a second pc monitor? or am i missing something?

I've been searching and asking for a long time but i have never recieved a clear answer, but i would really love to know how can i use a 1080p hdtv to acurately colour grade my 1080p footage within fcp in real time.

If its any help, at the moment i am using a small SD jvc broadcast monitor to colour grade thats connected via fire wire going through a vtr deck (which is 1080i not 1080p) but i would really like to grade using a pixel for pixel solution that i can feel confident when its being watched back on its dvd final output.

Thanks in advance people

 

[bigbossbmb]

Did you even go to the Matrox MXO page that Lethal linked to?

A very popular HDTV used for low-budget color grading is the Panasonic Pro line of plasma displays. In terms of getting an accurate signal to the display, you need something like the Blackmagic HDLink (if you have a capture card with HD SDI out) or the Matrox MXO. These are boxes that will feed the HDTV an accurate signal and create the ability to calibrate the display properly.

The cheapest solution (for something in the ballpark of being accurate for CC) right now is an MXO+23" ACD which will total about $2k.

 

[danny vegas]

Thanks for the reply. I was under the impression that the mxo would only feed a signal to a 24" monitor not a hdtv? Would something like the black magic intensity not let me monitor acurately on a hdtv? or is there some funny conversion happening that im unaware of? Thanks

 

[bigbossbmb]

Would something like the black magic intensity not let me monitor acurately on a hdtv?

The intensity would send the proper signal, but there'd be no way of calibrating the HDTV. That is the advantage of the MXO and HDLink. They have the ability to send a blue-gun only signal to the display so that you can accurately calibrate it.

Getting the proper signal to the HDTV is only half the battle. And it's actually kind of moot if it still doesn't display properly.