External Monitor / Notebook connections

Hi,

This might be an easy one for some field monitor users.

I live somewhat out in the Prairie and before I get all excited and drive to a store to get a cable that wont make things better I thought I drop the question here:

When using my laptop as an external monitor I find firewire is not really an option. The latency (some 15 fps) is awful for monitoring a pan or anything really other than framing a static shot.
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The DVX has a composite/ s video out and so does my laptop. Would hooking them up via composite make a difference, i.e. provide a faster image?

Thanks for any hints,
Fr. Johannes
 
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Thanks bigbossbmb,
Hmmm, that seems to make sense. So there is no way, other than firewire to connect a laptop (Lifebook P7120 in my case) to the cam for monitoring? Any fancy cable connectors...? Looking at the Data sheet for my notebook, I guess not. There's a lot coming OUT but not much going IN. But if anyone has any suggestions, please share
 
Simply put, laptops are not designed to be used as IN hosts for much multimedia. Eventually Apple et alia will figure out that it's time to design a 'portable' for Multimedia Content production. Till then, products like the Matrox MX02 are quite viable as intermediate I/O.
The one option is to use a DIY or off the shelf field monitor that uses recycled laptop screens.
Here's one company that offers those.
ManhattanLCD.com
 
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