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One 30" ACD or two 23"?

I got two 23s.

I also got an Intensity Pro card that I'm using with a calibrated 32" LCD TV for a relatively inexpensive broadcast display. It's not reference quality but it's definitely of value.
 
One 23" horizontal orientation and one 23" primarily in vertical orientation for palettes and such.

2292224473_9bb1f40d57.jpg
 
How are you setting up your two monitors?

(I hope this question is not too far off topic -- I figured it would be OK as this post has been inactive for a while).

Still learning FCP for now. Basic question: Are those of you that are using two monitors usually putting the traditional four parts (Viewer, Canvas, Bowser, and Timeline) on one monitor and using the higher quality monitor (such as color corrected ACD or a broadcast monitor) as a full screen "Canvas." One option I'm not seeing here is to use a cheap small monitor for the Browser and misc stuff, and put the other three parts (Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline) on a color corrected 30" ACD. Seems like that would still get you a fairly accurate 15" diagonal view of both the Viewer and Canvas in a two up configuration. Is anyone doing this?

Thanks in advance.
 
Chris7 said:
(I hope this question is not too far off topic -- I figured it would be OK as this post has been inactive for a while).

Still learning FCP for now. Basic question: Are those of you that are using two monitors usually putting the traditional four parts (Viewer, Canvas, Bowser, and Timeline) on one monitor and using the higher quality monitor (such as color corrected ACD or a broadcast monitor) as a full screen "Canvas." One option I'm not seeing here is to use a cheap small monitor for the Browser and misc stuff, and put the other three parts (Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline) on a color corrected 30" ACD. Seems like that would still get you a fairly accurate 15" diagonal view of both the Viewer and Canvas in a two up configuration. Is anyone doing this?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Ummm.... Why would you need a color correct timeline?

and everyones workflow is different but with my current set-up (just my MBP display) I don't use the viewer for anything besides setting in and out points. When I apply a filter (or anything else), I apply it to the clip in the timeline, then set the playhead (in the timeline) to a part i want to reference and double click the clip to load it in the viewer. from here i can adjust the parameters of the clip while viewing the changes on the canvas. All without moving / removing tabs on the viewer. I don't know if this is bad practice but it works for me.
 
Chris7 said:
(I hope this question is not too far off topic -- I figured it would be OK as this post has been inactive for a while).

Still learning FCP for now. Basic question: Are those of you that are using two monitors usually putting the traditional four parts (Viewer, Canvas, Bowser, and Timeline) on one monitor and using the higher quality monitor (such as color corrected ACD or a broadcast monitor) as a full screen "Canvas." One option I'm not seeing here is to use a cheap small monitor for the Browser and misc stuff, and put the other three parts (Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline) on a color corrected 30" ACD. Seems like that would still get you a fairly accurate 15" diagonal view of both the Viewer and Canvas in a two up configuration. Is anyone doing this?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I usually keep my Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline all in one monitor and put my Browser, Tool bench, and Effects tab in the other. If I had an MXO and wanted to use my 23" ACD for color correction I'd just have FCP in my 24" Dell and direct my out put video feed into the 23" ACD via the MXO.


Lethal
 
Chris7 said:
One option I'm not seeing here is to use a cheap small monitor for the Browser and misc stuff, and put the other three parts (Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline) on a color corrected 30" ACD. Seems like that would still get you a fairly accurate 15" diagonal view of both the Viewer and Canvas in a two up configuration. Is anyone doing this?
Click to expand...

This is how I've got my windows laid out... Browser and Effects on a 17" and Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline on my 30". However, the problem is that even if you calibrate the 30" with a spyder or similar device (which I do), the Canvas will still not be accurate because FCP/Color are not made to show a color accurate image on a computer screen. There is absolutely no way to get the Canvas window in either FCP or Color to be accurate on a computer display (not counting the MXO since it sends a direct video signal and not the Canvas window).

So in addition to my 17" and 30", I have a 20" JVC HD Broadcast monitor and it does it's job very well.
 
LethalWolfe said:
I usually keep my Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline all in one monitor and put my Browser, Tool bench, and Effects tab in the other. If I had an MXO and wanted to use my 23" ACD for color correction I'd just have FCP in my 24" Dell and direct my out put video feed into the 23" ACD via the MXO.
Lethal
Click to expand...
bigbossbmb said:
This is how I've got my windows laid out... Browser and Effects on a 17" and Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline on my 30"...
So in addition to my 17" and 30", I have a 20" JVC HD Broadcast monitor and it does it's job very well.
Click to expand...

OK, thanks, this makes sense. Sounds like it's pretty standard to use the cheap small monitor for Effects and Browser windows and the nice monitor for the rest. I'm inferring that, when it's time for intense color correction, you'd unplug the cheap monitor and plug in an external Broadcast monitor or a MXO to additional nice monitor. This way you still only need one video card. Am I getting this right? (I personally will not be opening Color for a very long time, but do plan to work with the native FCP for more basic color correction). Any other suggestions or things I need to know here?
 
Chris7 said:
OK, thanks, this makes sense. Sounds like it's pretty standard to use the cheap small monitor for Effects and Browser windows and the nice monitor for the rest. I'm inferring that, when it's time for intense color correction, you'd unplug the cheap monitor and plug in an external Broadcast monitor or a MXO to additional nice monitor. This way you still only need one video card. Am I getting this right? (I personally will not be opening Color for a very long time, but do plan to work with the native FCP for more basic color correction). Any other suggestions or things I need to know here?
Click to expand...
The broadcast monitor is typically driven by a video I/O card (Kona, Blackmagic, etc.,) or if you are working w/DV you can go, Computer--FW-->Camera/deck--Analog-->Broadcast monitor (Color doesn't support monitoring via FW though). If you are using an MXO you don't need to plug/unplug anything because you can specific if you want the video signal or the desktop/computer signal to go to the monitor connected to the MXO.

Lethal
 
LethalWolfe said:
The broadcast monitor is typically driven by a video I/O card (Kona, Blackmagic, etc.,)... If you are using an MXO you don't need to plug/unplug anything because you can specific if you want the video signal or the desktop/computer signal to go to the monitor connected to the MXO.
Lethal
Click to expand...

Thanks again. To paraphrase, you're saying I need a second video card if I use a broadcast monitor, OR a devise like a Matrix MXO ($1K) to feed a good computer monitor (e.g. ACD).
 
a Video I/O card and a Graphics Card (GPU) are two different things. you would need a Video I/O card for a broadcast monitor (or DV cam like Lethal said).

an MXO would use a DVI port on your graphics card.
 
I would suggest a 23" ACD in horizontal and a 20" ACD in vertical for palattes.
 
Picture2-1.jpg


Saw this at Apple's site, and wondering if the black monitor on the right a broadcast monitor?

What is the black console in front of the black monitor anyway?

This guy is using the old Apple keyboard, but wth did he get the coloured key caps from? A lot of questions for video noob like myself it seems! :rolleyes:
 
orpheus1120 said:
Saw this at Apple's site, and wondering if the black monitor on the right a broadcast monitor?

What is the black console in front of the black monitor anyway?

This guy is using the old Apple keyboard, but wth did he get the coloured key caps from? A lot of questions for video noob like myself it seems! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yes, a colorist's control panel (for use in color correcting apps like Color), and from a place like this. :)

Lethal
 
In the User Manual, it’s saying that driving an external monitor takes up plenty of processing power, which limits RT effects (Volume 3, p.225).

My question is, are external monitors used primarily for color correction and viewing already rendered sequences only?

As a side question, my understanding is that, when someone uses the term “external monitor,” they do not generally mean a two monitor set up or a laptop with a regular external monitor attached so you have plenty of space for all the FCP windows (Browser, Viewer, Canvas, etc.); they mean a broadcast monitor (or MXO plus a monitor). Is this correct?

Thanks in advance.
 
Chris7 said:
In the User Manual, it’s saying that driving an external monitor takes up plenty of processing power, which limits RT effects (Volume 3, p.225).
Click to expand...
On my G4 I noticed a difference but on my Mac Pro I think it's pretty moot.

My question is, are external monitors used primarily for color correction and viewing already rendered sequences only?
Click to expand...
External, or b'cast monitors, can always provide an advantage because watching the Canvas window on your computer monitor is a very inaccurate way to see the video. Especially if you working w/standard definition footage. It's also good to watch your footage on something bigger than the Canvas window because it can influence the pace and style of your editing. Basically, the smaller the 'viewing screen' the faster people will typically cut because everything is so small it's hard to see details where as if you are watching something on the big screen you can sit on a wide shot longer because the audience has the ability to 'look around' the shot.

As a side question, my understanding is that, when someone uses the term “external monitor,” they do not generally mean a two monitor set up or a laptop with a regular external monitor attached so you have plenty of space for all the FCP windows (Browser, Viewer, Canvas, etc.); they mean a broadcast monitor (or MXO plus a monitor). Is this correct?
Click to expand...
Correct.

orpheus1120 said:
Mmm... I can't seem to find the control panel in the said link.

Care to provide a link to it? Thanks.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure it is a JL Cooper EclipseCX. Link
As far as control panels go it is on the low-end at around $5k.


Lethal
 
I have the 3007-HC. It's a great computer display, not even close to accurate for video. But after the spyder2, it looks pretty good working with print images.

I actually had my first one go bad (pixels showing random static)... got on the phone with dell and they overnighted a replacement. I couldn't ask for better support.
 
Upgrade time is looming for me, I will personally be going for 2 x 23" ACDs, or a similar equivalent.
New Blackmagic HD Extreme with the HDMI out card to drive the 46" client monitor, plus HD SDI to drive the reference monitor (24" TVlogic LCD, one of the cheaper ones available but really quite a nice panel.)

We will also be hanging on to the sony 14" SD monitor just in case.

This is the layout I currently have on my two 19" Viewsonic VX922's, it changes slightly depending on the job.

FCP.jpg
 
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