Low Cost 13inch HD 12v Monitor

M

MagicCat

Well-known member
I recently purchased a NAXA model NX-550 portable HD LCD TV. If you are looking for a small, 12 volt powered HD utility monitor, this is very very nice. I could not find it on NAXA's site, but, I contacted the company because the box and manual did not mention if it was even HD or not. (I found it at a Pilot Store Truck Stop)

After several days, I got a return call, the salesperson was extremely pleaseant. He assured me it would produce 1080i and 720p images. It is small, about the size of a hi-end panasonic broadcast LCD field monitor. Weighs 6lbs, has a carrying handle and also has an On Board DVD player. NAXA says they are targeting the Trucker market with this model. It is mid sized and easy to put inside a Semi Sleeper cab.

It was 279 dollars and has the following

13.5 inch viewscreen
16x10 aspect (yes, it will stretch the screen a pinch)
ATSC and NTSC tuner
AC/DC powered
Built in DVD Player
HDMI input
PC input
Component Input
Composite input
SVHS Input
RCA Audio In
1/8th inch mini jack Audio In

NAXA does not list this on their site. The specs in the manual says it only does 1280x760 and says NOTHING about HD. The manual is not correct, in fact it offers a lot more than this!! Read On

The monitor definetly does do both 720 and 1080i, no problem.
I plugged my PC into it and it started displaying 1680x1050 Video!!!! That is waaayy beyond what they say it will do and alot more than my Consumer 32 inch HD LCD TV will do VIA the PC input.

It does NOT do 1080p very well, it seems a little jerky. Maybe it is trying to de-interlace it??

The picture is sharp, clear, fairly bright and seems to offer fairly true color reproduction. I have not put my letus on it yet to see if I can use it for focusing a 35mm adapter. But, using it to focus the lens on an HVX200 is a snap!! Im willing to bet I can use it for focusing a 35mm adapter.

I dont know what display panel this thing has in it, but the manufacturer is WAAYY off. It does alot more than what they state it will.

The built in DVD player is also a pretty nice little feature for trade shows or client proof sessions.

I am going out to buy 2 more. This thing is very very nice for the money. If you want a 13 inch display for utility use, or to use for the rigors of every day run and gun shooting. This might be something to look into. I would compare it to my ToteVision HD monitor in quality. Maybe a little less.

Type in NAXA on Ebay to find one. Again it is model number NX-550. I found this one at a Pilot Truck Stop. They are on sale at the time of this post. I have not found any other monitor in the 13 inch size, that is under 3 grand, all of THOSE are of broadcast/Reference grade. I would not go as far as to say this is Broadcast Grade, but, whatever they put in this thing, certainly is allot more than what it specs out at in the manual.

PM me if you want more info.

David Walker

mail@mediamagicproductions.com
 
that is so awesome, thank you very much for sharing with us, but is there any way to mount it lets say on a dvrigpro HD?


EDIT:Nevermind
SH102742_560.JPG
 
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Dillon Novak said:
that is so awesome, thank you very much for sharing with us, but is there any way to mount it lets say on a dvrigpro HD?
Click to expand...

In the spirit of a DIY person, where there is available surface, there is a way to screw/Glue/Bolt or attach something to anything. Out of the box?, No, I dont know how you would mount it up. It DOES have the standard VESA wall mount screw configuration on the back though.

I don't want to think for you here because I have seen some pretty crazy setups on the forum before, but, IMHO, It is probably just a little too large to put on a shoulder rig. Here is a link to one I found on Ebay. There are some pics of it there.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Naxa-13-3-AC-DC-Digital-1080i-HDTV-LCD-DVD-Combo-NX-550_W0QQitemZ290270207215QQcmdZViewItemQQptZTelevisions?hash=item290270207215&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1234|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318
 
MagicCat said:
IMHO, It is probably just a little too large to put on a shoulder rig.
Click to expand...

Then again, for those of you who were around in the Three Tube/ 3/4 Umatic Days. Getting a news shot out in the field required 3 people, The reporter, a cameraman, and the Tech/Audio engineer to carry the 20lb portable VTR. All in one Camcorders with VCR's did not exsist. The tapes alone were almost as big as this freaking TV!! Crews were all tethered together like convicts on a chain, VIA mic and video Cables. Manuevering through crowds was humorus at best. If the three stooges happened a little later in time, they could have done episodes of them doing news coverage with this entanglement.

For what it is worth, That memory was only as little as 20 years ago for some of america's low budget, shoe-string operated affiliates.... I still have my 3/4 decks and a couple Trinicon cameras....Just in case Lawrence Welk comes back from the dead and wants to shoot one more show...
 
Thanks for the info David.
So, 1080 24P seems a bit jerky.
Does the 1080P image look good, or is it mainly a motion issue?
 
Stevet said:
Thanks for the info David.
So, 1080 24P seems a bit jerky.
Does the 1080P image look good, or is it mainly a motion issue?
Click to expand...

I have not tried anything 24p. I guess I need to hit the test bench again so I have been complete in my attempt to review this.

However, 1080p footage is what I saw that looked Jerky, or, as if it were skipping every couple frames. As far as image quality of 1080p, it was fine.

A friend of mine on the other side of town just bought one. He was thrilled with it, especially because he can plug his Canon (HV30?) directly into the HDMI port.

Some things I dont like about it:

It seems as if the internal Luma Gain is cranked a bit high. I noticed this on the display model. My friend mentioned that about his too. Maybe a good tech could get inside, tweak some pots, and bring out a little more from what this monitor already has to offer??.

It is a tiny bit slow in response causing a slight blur in fast motion. For lack of a better description, lets say for instance my ToteVision was 5ms response time, then I would have to rate this at 7ms. (hope that helps, I dont know what the Tote actually is)

There does not seem to be a HUE adjustment, it is not enabled in the Adjustment menus. Huwever, the color seems fairly true. (It does have individual RGB Gain adjustments, that is something I have never seen before)

The volume on this thing is insane! At a setting of just 3, it would cut through a football game. It seems to respond VERY well in the Human Voice frequency spectrum, Say, 200hz through 1.2khz. That is a great thing if you use it for a trade show.



In all, I think the mere fact that I we are picking out this kind of detailed stuff, post it here, debate it, ETC, speaks volumes about a 270 dollar LCD display in the first place. If you consider all the bennies of this display, I think it will far out-shadow any of its shortcomings. It is totally usable, that is the bottom line. If you are looking for a true Confidence monitor, multiply the price by 10. If you just need a new "Ol' Standby" Utility monitor like a ToteVision or Ikan, this may come in very close to the quality of those for, like, less than half the price. Not to mention it is twice the size.

Keep in mind here folks, I am not a True tech that can have debates with Einstein. Im just giving my best whack at an honest approach to reviewing a budget monitor based on my what I see only with my eyes. A proper review should be done by someone with a tech bench and schematics in front of them. I DO think this would be worthy of that approach. I suggest if this gets your heart pumping, go to your local Pilot Truck stop and take a look at one first hand. Everyone has different expectations.

I should mention that the return policies of Pilot pretty much suck when it comes to electronics. You can Exchange it, or get a 300 gas coupon. But I DONT think you should plan on returning it for cash back.

In my younger years, (im only 44) I spent more than this thing costs in a night out at a bar on payday. Like my buddies always said the morning after...Whattaya want for 300 bucks, did you think you would find a wife in that place??!!

Please dont hesitate to ask any other questions. When I get a chance to put this thing through the paces, I will update my thread here. I will try 24p and also, stick my Letus on my HVX. That alone, I think will be the gold-painted plastic challice here.... Can you focus with it?

David Walker
 
Dick Campbell said:
how is it for focusing HD? say compared to the focus assist?
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That question is hard to address. Focus assist magnifies the image at hand, a monitor will not, you are dependant on having enough clarity in detail from what the monitor has to offer AS IS, so you can make an accurate focus decision. It is my opinion that this has enough detail to do that with.

If you were buying a true Confidence monitor for lets say, 10 times the price, it would no longer be my opinion, but a guarantee from the manufacturer.

Kind of like choosing between buying a Cadillac with heater, verses a 1970 VW bug with a Heat Exchanger. They will both get you to where you need to go in the winter, but Will the bug keep you warm enough? Well, from experience I can say you definetly wont FREEZE to death in the bug, but dont expect to get a leather cushioned sauna on wheels....
 
puredrifting said:
Unless you have superhuman sized biceps and can wrangle that beast around ;-)

Dan
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Like I said, I have seen some pretty crazy rigs here on the forum. I remember seeing something with a 15inch TV 10 inches in front of the operator on something that looked heavy as hell. The DP in the pic did not seem to be too stressed out by it.

I think it is all what you are willing to deal with. I personally think it would be awkward as hell, but, Im not built like Arnold either.

He did not ask for opinions, just matter of fact.
 
You can actually get some 15" HDTVs with component in for under $150.00 if you shop.

They require AC power, however. The ones we tried simply didn't have much color fidelity at all.
 
David S. said:
You can actually get some 15" HDTVs with component in for under $150.00 if you shop.

They require AC power, however. The ones we tried simply didn't have much color fidelity at all.
Click to expand...


This is precisely why I setup this posting. Lots of 15's out there with big speakers hanging off the sides, and most all use AC Power. (actually, if you look at the actual spec's on the wall warts, many really ARE running on 12volts DC!!!, but you have to make up an adapter. Not to mention they suck up a lot of juice, this one is no exception, the wall wart provides a whopping 5 amps to the monitor, that is like the equal to a 50 or 60 watt Frezzi mini-fill burning)

Most of the 15's out there arent worth a darn for focusing until you get into the same price range, or above, this one. IMHO, with all the bells and whistles of this, I still really think it is the best bang for the buck. Im sure in another year, or maybe Even this next holiday season, you will start seeing portable BluRay players, and a whole smattering of Portable HD stuff hit the consumer market that may fit our long over-due needs. In the mean time, this isnt a bad deal. IMHO.

If anyone knows of a good Tech, that can calibrate LCD's. Im all ears. I have several I would like to have setup. My Tote is kind of Green and there isnt much I can do from the front panel to make it any better.

David Walker/MagicCat
mail@mediamagicprodutions.com
www.mediamagicproductions.com
 
I meant no offence in that statement what so ever. Take it at face value. If someone asks a question, I believe it is respectful to give them an answer that is as straight forward as their question. Anything less is just self serving. Lord knows our world has enough of that going on.

Sincerely,
MagicCat
 
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