Using a Macbook as a Field Monitor Substitute

C

cornell584

New member
Hello everyone.

I've spent the last few weeks combing the site for information on suitable field production monitors (to achieve accurate focus with) and still have a question. Since we recently purchased our HVX 200, we are still waiting on the rebate offer -- P2 card and book. In the short term, we planned on capturing footage (without the P2 card) directly via firewire into a Macbook laptop we recently purchased from Apple. Since the laptop will be with us in the field, will the screen on the laptop (Apple Specs = 1280 x 800) be enough to display an accurate HD-focused image (we are shooting in 720, not 1080) without any surprises in post? Will we need to buy a supplemental field monitor (at all) if we plan on always bringing the laptop with us on site? Is there anything I would be sacrificing, from an accurate representation of the final image to anything else a separate monitor would offer?

Thanks in advance.

- Filip
 
You could use Scopebox (Mac native) or DV Rack 2.0 HD (under Bootcamp) to monitor and capture. There is also DV Monitor, but for now it doesn't support HD.

The color accuracy of a laptop LCD isn't going to be as good as that of a broadcast monitor, but you can calibrate them using the aforementioned software to provide very good results. Focusing itself can be done accurately because these programs can display 1:1 or even larger representations of the image. Best of all, you get all sorts of features that a broadcast monitor by itself can't provide.
 
Thanks.

Would I still need either of those software programs if I install FCP5? I recently purchased it and planned on installing it on the laptop. Can I capture and view the clips right from FCP5?
 
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