new monitor

D

David Evans

Well-known member
Hi,

I'm trying to find a decent HD monitor to edit my footage. I currently have a very basic 4:3 LCD, and I wanted to get a full HD 16:9 around 24/26". I wanted to spend around $500/600, no more than that. Can anyone recommend a good monitor? Is it worth it to go for LED? And can I use it together with my old monitor or do both of them have to be 16:9? Probably yes...

Thanks!

David
 
Since nobody said anything, I thought I'd share what I'm planning on buying. There's a Samsung LED monitor that I've set my eyes on: Samsung XL2370. It seems to be an excellent monitor, though it's a TN panel. Most people say that the best monitors for photo/video editing are those with IPS based technology, like the Dell Ultrasharp line. But I have to buy this monitor from a store (I've got some points to allow me to get the monitor there) and that store only works with Samsung, LG, Asus, HP and Toshiba. Anyone knows if I'd be fine with that Samsung, or should I look in those brands for a IPS model?

Thanks
 
Well, there are a few questions to answer. What type of outputs do you have on your system? Are you just using the stock/upgraded video card with VGA or DVI, or do you ave a video card that gives you HDMI or Component out? Some of the larger Hannspree monitors give you component inputs. A lot of the larger monitors give you HDMI.

Are you considering HDTVs and LCD monitors?

I am assuming that based on your price, you are just looking to get a computer monitor, not a production monitor. That can be helpful, as long as you aren't going to do any critical grading. Just keep in mind that the main thing you will be getting is a larger size image, not necessarily a better one.
 
Jim Brennan said:
Well, there are a few questions to answer. What type of outputs do you have on your system? Are you just using the stock/upgraded video card with VGA or DVI, or do you ave a video card that gives you HDMI or Component out? Some of the larger Hannspree monitors give you component inputs. A lot of the larger monitors give you HDMI.

Are you considering HDTVs and LCD monitors?

I am assuming that based on your price, you are just looking to get a computer monitor, not a production monitor. That can be helpful, as long as you aren't going to do any critical grading. Just keep in mind that the main thing you will be getting is a larger size image, not necessarily a better one.
Click to expand...

Hi! Yes, I'm looking for a PC monitor to edit my footage at home. I'm leaning towards the Samsung that I mentioned above, though it doesn't have a IPS panel. If someone tried (and liked) an IPS monitor of the brands I mentioned in my previous post, please let me know. :)

Thanks!
 
Is this monitor to be used for your NLE's user interface or will you be requiring it to perform colour critical tasks?
 
David Evans said:
It'll be to edit my footage on Adobe Premiere. Wich color grading tests are usually done?
Click to expand...

Hi David, can you please clarify "Which color grading tests are usually done?", in what respect.

What I was referring to is, if youre cutting in premiere and using your monitor for the premiere interface then many monitors will serve you well. If you are talking about critical colour correction where you want to see accurately what the end result is, then youre talking a whole new ballgame.

For reference I know many people who do their grading on non calibrated consumer monitors. Is that OK? Well seems many think so and would argue thats just fine. I guess it equates to many of the "Is it good enough?" scenarios in this industry and for many others its a "I cant afford that, so I will get by with this" situation. Personally Im a little prepared to push it with camera choice where budget is restricted and less inclined in grading choice. For me at the very least Im providing a product that I know looks exactly as it should when Im viewing it on my monitors. At the back end I dont have to guess what it looks like. Many people have many views on these subjects, this is just mine.
 
I'd agree with that. We all have to work within a budget. It has taken me years to gather the production and post gear that I have, and the list of stuff I still want to get to feel "prepared" is still pretty long.

But, instead of spending 500 bucks on a computer monitor, why not save another grand and get an HD production monitor? If you are editing with a single screen, I wold get a second monitor just so you can have a decent sized workspace. But i would get something like a 20" Acer or Sceptre for a hundred or two, and put the rest aside to save for a quality production monitor and I/O card. If not that, get a Matrox.

But as Noel said, we all have different priorities, and we have to work within immediate budget constraints.
 
Jim Brennan said:
I'd agree with that. We all have to work within a budget. It has taken me years to gather the production and post gear that I have, and the list of stuff I still want to get to feel "prepared" is still pretty long.

But, instead of spending 500 bucks on a computer monitor, why not save another grand and get an HD production monitor? If you are editing with a single screen, I wold get a second monitor just so you can have a decent sized workspace. But i would get something like a 20" Acer or Sceptre for a hundred or two, and put the rest aside to save for a quality production monitor and I/O card. If not that, get a Matrox.

But as Noel said, we all have different priorities, and we have to work within immediate budget constraints.
Click to expand...

The reason I'm trying to buy a HD monitor is, of course, because I need one, and also because I have a 500$ credit on the Fnac stores. They work with Samsung, HP, LG, Toshiba and Asus. I'm sure one of these brands have a very decent monitor to edit my footage and also do some serious color grading. Even if I have to put some money over my budget. Any ideas? :)

Thanks
 
Last edited:
Not really. Computer monitors are not designed for the color accuracy required for "serious color grading" for video. I'm not saying you can't use one. People do it all of the time. I use a dual monitor set-up, and get by fine for straight editing. I color correct my SD footage through a calibrated SD production monitor. I don't do any serious color grading in HD though, because I don't have an HD monitor that I can properly calibrate.

Computer monitors are good for cutting, but odds are they will let you down when it comes to correcting your image. The other challenge comes from how you are outputting the video. If you are going VGA or DVI out through your regular PC video card, that also affects the accuracy of the image.

As for which brand to choose of the ones you mentioned, I don't really know. You would probably get varied opinions, and I'm not sure that it matters all that much.

I wish i had better news, but that's been my experience. Definitely use your credits to get a new monitor if you are feeling constrained by the one you have. But it's not going to be able to do something it wasn't designed for. The good news is that people edit video without all the "professional" tools that are recommended to them. Do the best you can with what you have, and you'll be fine.

Good luck :thumbsup:
 
I am surprised no one has mentioned the Matrox MXO2. I have been researching this and the claim is that you can get good color out of TVs or computer monitors. There are other benefits as well including hardware accelerated encoding etc. and SDI-HD recording in real time.

Grant
 
ggrantly said:
I am surprised no one has mentioned the Matrox MXO2. I have been researching this and the claim is that you can get good color out of TVs or computer monitors. There are other benefits as well including hardware accelerated encoding etc. and SDI-HD recording in real time.

Grant
Click to expand...

Pretty sure I did on the last page. :-)
 
I've done some research and it seems like a great product, but I think it does much more than I need, or am I wrong? It does improve color accuracy, but it also has hardware encoding (just with Avid or with Premiere as well?) and it has all these video inputs to capture video. Is it worth to use analog inputs to capture video? I capture videos from my XH A1 using a Firewire cable, is it worse than using a video card such as that?

Thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top