hvx monitor: Dell 2405FPW $780
- Thread starter boo
- Start date
Barry_Green
Moderator
Thanks -- been waiting for that coupon! Order just placed...
adam, i have two of these as a dual monitor setup for fcp. looking to get a 3rd for monitoring hvx footage or will split the two i currently have, one for fcp and the other for hvx viewing. damn i love these monitors and will take 'em any day over them cinema displays for the price!
Jaime Valles
Veteran
So, it this the next best thing to using a $30,000 HD CRT production monitor? How do the colors look on this, or any, LCD?
When doing color correction, is it still better to use an NTSC SD production monitor, even if you don't get full resolution? Or do these monitors also work for color correction?
When doing color correction, is it still better to use an NTSC SD production monitor, even if you don't get full resolution? Or do these monitors also work for color correction?
Barry_Green
Moderator
Well, the thing is, HD is a different beast than SD.
SD has traditionally been an inherently analog, CRT-based system. And those CRTs have varied widely in color accuracy, color fidelity, etc. So SMPTE and EBU came up with standards of accuracy that could be reasonably relied on, between specifying the phosphors to be used in the monitors to defining the specifications for the video signal (color bars) to be used to calibrate the image. At that point you would know what your image is "supposed" to look like; but of course what it actually looked like varied from house to house depending on the quality of the televisions they were using.
HD is different. HD was designed from the ground up to be a digital signal. It doesn't suffer from the vagueries of NTSC transmission -- it is always supposedly "legal" and "correct". So theoretically (and, whoa boy is that the right choice of words!) theoretically, HD is supposed to look pretty much the same, across the board.
Of course, in reality it doesn't. And people are divided over which display technology actually looks better. I happen to think a quality CRT still gives by far the most pleasing picture. But CRTs are huge, expensive, and very very very heavy (to get any sort of decent-size screen). So many people are adopting LCD and other styles. Sony and Panasonic have both introduced HD-spec LCD monitors recently.
I find the Dell most interesting because it is a 1920x1080-native-capable display, and it's fairly dirt-cheap. I plan on it mainly being used as a huge desktop display, not so much as an HDTV. I figure for color correction etc. it'll be nice to have at least two different display technologies close by (HD CRT and also the LCD).
SD has traditionally been an inherently analog, CRT-based system. And those CRTs have varied widely in color accuracy, color fidelity, etc. So SMPTE and EBU came up with standards of accuracy that could be reasonably relied on, between specifying the phosphors to be used in the monitors to defining the specifications for the video signal (color bars) to be used to calibrate the image. At that point you would know what your image is "supposed" to look like; but of course what it actually looked like varied from house to house depending on the quality of the televisions they were using.
HD is different. HD was designed from the ground up to be a digital signal. It doesn't suffer from the vagueries of NTSC transmission -- it is always supposedly "legal" and "correct". So theoretically (and, whoa boy is that the right choice of words!) theoretically, HD is supposed to look pretty much the same, across the board.
Of course, in reality it doesn't. And people are divided over which display technology actually looks better. I happen to think a quality CRT still gives by far the most pleasing picture. But CRTs are huge, expensive, and very very very heavy (to get any sort of decent-size screen). So many people are adopting LCD and other styles. Sony and Panasonic have both introduced HD-spec LCD monitors recently.
I find the Dell most interesting because it is a 1920x1080-native-capable display, and it's fairly dirt-cheap. I plan on it mainly being used as a huge desktop display, not so much as an HDTV. I figure for color correction etc. it'll be nice to have at least two different display technologies close by (HD CRT and also the LCD).
Jim Arthurs
Well-known member
Barry_Green said:
Last summer I bought the HP 2335 and paid well over twice what the Dell goes for on sale... and the Dell is the better monitor, what with proper 16:9 display on it's 16:10 array, more/better inputs, etc. I'm getting one as well for a second desktop display and HD monitoring with the Decklink HDLink.
Jim Arthurs
Barry_Green
Moderator
I'm pretty sure it does have component inputs...
Same here ... would this be an ideal monitor to use with the HDLink/Decklink HD Card combo? I have my HVX preordered and am starting to look at other things needed such as a monitor for viewing and color correction. Help me! Should I order this thing now, cause the price certainly looks right ....
rgdfilms
Wet poodle
damnit ! i wonder if there will be more coupons after the new year, i would buy one right now but Im saving my pennies for that god damned HVX hoopla HD camera machine !!!!
mwhahaha
im sure the price will drop further if they're offering this deal now
can anyone out there compare this to the Apple Cinema 23 inch display ? We use one at work and its badazz but I would never pay that $1500 premium on it
mwhahaha
im sure the price will drop further if they're offering this deal now
can anyone out there compare this to the Apple Cinema 23 inch display ? We use one at work and its badazz but I would never pay that $1500 premium on it
Don't worry it'll go on sale again. I've been using the 2405FPW for a few months and it's a pretty nice monitor--and outstanding for the price. I also have a 20" Apple Cinema Display and I'd say both are very nice monitors with very good color fidelity and response time (for LCD panels). It's not a production monitor by any means, but I think it would look good being fed via a Decklink card. The composite input looks like crap and the scaling electronics are sub-par, but the component input isn't bad. As a computer display, it really rocks.
Steve Strickland
Well-known member
Man, I was just about to order one of these at $950. I'm so glad I caught this post. Thanks a million, boo. 
Stevet
Veteran
I found this article on the net. I'm interested in this too.
http://www.barefeats.com/lcd.html
I still have a Sampo 34" direct view widescreen kicking around.
http://www.mindlogic.com/HDTV_SMPO_sme-34whd5_DTL.shtml
Has anyone seen this set? It has one dang nice picture.
I thought about having a ISF tech come out and fine tune it.
Unfortunately, it weighs a freaking ton... Man, it weighs 200LBS !
By the way, how does good old SD DVD look plugged into the component inputs on the Dell? Also, how does the scaling to 720 look?
Steve
http://www.barefeats.com/lcd.html
I still have a Sampo 34" direct view widescreen kicking around.
http://www.mindlogic.com/HDTV_SMPO_sme-34whd5_DTL.shtml
Has anyone seen this set? It has one dang nice picture.
I thought about having a ISF tech come out and fine tune it.
Unfortunately, it weighs a freaking ton... Man, it weighs 200LBS !
By the way, how does good old SD DVD look plugged into the component inputs on the Dell? Also, how does the scaling to 720 look?
Steve
Jim Arthurs
Well-known member
mgalvan said:
Yes.
As Barry mentioned, it does have component inputs as well for direct viewing from the HVX. Unlike my HP 2335's component inputs, the Dell doesn't scale the the 16:9 to 16:10, but keeps it the proper aspect ratio.
The HDLink is only useful if you need to monitor from an HD-SDI output, such as the Decklink card you mentioned. It maps the signal pixel by pixel into the monitor's DVI for perfect full raster 1920 by 1080 presentation.
Jim Arthurs
I have both the 23" Cinema display and the Dell 2405. I like the Cinema display better. It has a wider field of view and looks consistent from almost any angle. The Dell is excellent for the money and has the advantage of multiple inputs. The composite input seems pretty ugly but the component is pretty good. I've been using it to play component out of the HD100. You really can't go wrong for the price.