How do I connect a production monitor?

Chris Messineo

Chris Messineo

Veteran
I have the following Ikegami Production Monitor:

http://www.ikegami.com/br/products/sdtv/tm91.html

I would like to hook it up to my FCP setup to use when editing.

My apple computer is a Power Mac G5 with a GeForce FX 5200 video card and 23 inch apple cinema display.

My question is, what do I need to be able to connect this production monitor? Is it a type of cable, a different/additional video card, or some kind of mixer?

Thanks,

Chris
 
You would need one of the following to hook up your system with that monitor:

1. black magic card - link
2. aja card - link
3. A video deck with a firewire port and SDI out

There are other previewing options available, but it would not utilize that monitor you already have, such as the matrox mxo
for one.
 
Thanks for the info and the links.

However, I'm afraid I'm a little technically challenged.

Can you tell me which card I would need from those sites (there are many and the prices vary greatly)?

Essentially, I'm just looking for the cheapest solution.
 
I sent emails to Black Magic and Aja asking for advice.

Black Magic is trying to sell me a $600 solution and Aja is trying to sell me a $1,200 solution.

Does anyone have any other thoughts on a reasonable way (hopefully under $300) that will let me use my production monitor in my FCP workflow?

Chris
 
Use a canopus, or if you have a spare MiniDV camera around use that as a monitor. You connect it via firewire to your computer, then hook the camera to the monitor. Being a production monitor it probably has BNC connectors on the back, so you'll have to get a BNC to RCA adapter, which you can get at radio shack.
 
I looked at the Canopus link you provided, but I am very confused. They all talk about converting, capturing, and exporting video.

I just want to connect my production monitor.

I feel very dumb.
 
Chris Messineo said:
I looked at the Canopus link you provided, but I am very confused. They all talk about converting, capturing, and exporting video.

I just want to connect my production monitor.

I feel very dumb.
Click to expand...

A DV converter will connect to your Fire Wire port and then you connect the AV cables from the converter to your monitor. They work great but you can also loop through your camera. The converters can offer more I/O options but you can always get adapters.
 
First, everyone, thanks for all of the help.

Let me see if I understand you all.

I have my Apple G5 with the regular monitor.

I attach the Canopus product (of which there are about a dozen) to the G5 through the firewire.

I then attach the production monitor to the Canopus product.

Is that it?

If it is, then looking at this chart (http://www.canopus.com/products/videoconversion.php), I would think I could get away with the Canopus ADVC 110 since it appears to do s-video and composite output? Does that make sense?

Chris
 
Looks like it should work, but again, if you already have a minidv camera it can do the same exact job.
 
I'm not sure the specs on Macs, since I use a PC, but I hook my laptop up to my Panasonic monitor through a standard S-Video cable. Cost? About 10 bucks.
 
Something like the Canopus device would be unquestionably better quality, but I mainly use my monitor just to make sure that the colors are accurate, really.
 
Tom Marshall said:
Something like the Canopus device would be unquestionably better quality, but I mainly use my monitor just to make sure that the colors are accurate, really.
Click to expand...

The S-Video of the laptop would not be 100% accurate. The reason is because you are getting the video cards overlay image. What goes out the DV OHCI port may note be the same as your video cards overlay.
 
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