Low budget color correction suite; Monitors? Lighting... Is this worth trying?

[mikecazzx]

If I can spend a few dollars extra and DIY time, I feel it would be worth it to try and get a decent calibration setup for my amateur video work. I do understand the end users will view it on uncalibrated televisions and the web.

I was unsure where to post this, so I hope the right people find it.

Is there anything in the $500- $600 range for a monitor that will be the absolute best bang for the buck as far as getting deep blacks or a nice DIY calibration on?

Example Questions:

For editing and color correction, is LED better than LCD dollar for dollar?

Is LED better than Plasma? Is a Plasma TV a better option dollar for dollar?

Is it worth going back to a Sony tube?

Should I get a Apple Cinema type display, even for Windows?

What contrast ratio can I trust when one says 1-1000 and the next says 1-10000?

I understand my monitor bezel should be a neutral gray and the walls behind and near the monitor should be as well, right?

Should I have a few small lights behind the monitor in a dark room? If so will daylight CF bulbs be right?

Any and all advice from anyone who has been through any of this would be great.

Thanks.

 

[ggrantly]

I went the Matrox MXO2 mini route with a 32" 1080 LED lit LCD. It calibrates ok, works native with FCP and others. Others make similar products so do some homework. Anything like this setup will bust your $600 budget, but at around $1000 for box and TV, is probably the least amount for something with some color calibration. There are many who would say this is pretty marginal compared to a true reference monitor, but it is working ok for me.

Grant

 

[mikecazzx]

I went the Matrox MXO2 mini route with a 32" 1080 LED lit LCD. It calibrates ok, works native with FCP and others. Others make similar products so do some homework. Anything like this setup will bust your $600 budget, but at around $1000 for box and TV, is probably the least amount for something with some color calibration. There are many who would say this is pretty marginal compared to a true reference monitor, but it is working ok for me.

Grant

I agree it's going to be easy for others to tell me " you have to spend $$$$$$" but maybe just maybe in the land of $45 sliders, there is some magic setup that works way better than it's cash layout.

 

[mikecazzx]

I went the Matrox MXO2 mini route with a 32" 1080 LED lit LCD. It calibrates ok, works native with FCP and others. Others make similar products so do some homework. Anything like this setup will bust your $600 budget, but at around $1000 for box and TV, is probably the least amount for something with some color calibration. There are many who would say this is pretty marginal compared to a true reference monitor, but it is working ok for me.

Grant

Ok, I was unaware of this idea your proposing. So the box brings up the quality of off the shelf displays right? So what model display did you go with?

 

[ChipThome]

I feel it would be worth it to try and get a decent calibration setup for my amateur video work. I do understand the end users will view it on uncalibrated televisions and the web.

When I was building my shop and later remodeling my home the lead carpenter told me several times a phrase that is often used in that business I think that really relates well to what you describe.

For them it was "first measure it with a micrometer, then mark it with a crayon and lastly cut it with a broad ax".

As you describe it, I see the viewing of your work is going to be the "cut it with a broad ax" portion of that scenario.

I would look into some of the calibration solutions that are out there for now, and begin there. One that is out there, the Huey, when left connected to your computer, adjusts your monitir for the available room lighting as it changes during the day. The Huey is the low end consumer based unit, there are more advanced units available.

Unless you are doing product promotion video for commercial purposes where EXACT color replication is mandatory, I would shoot for the better end of quality, but not to the point where you are starting out "measuring with the micrometer" when your work is going to be "cut with a broad ax" when viewed.