Using an external monitor

J

Jango

New member
I am new to Vegas (4.) and have had to teach the program to myself which has basically worked out okay. However, I am getting conflicting advice on using an external monitor to check aspect ratio and color. I would have to use a converter to hook the monitor (JVC) to the PC and am wondering if this defeats the color management purpose or if itis really necessary to check the aspect ratio. I am editing a mix of video and stills.

I have been using Vegas with the safe area on and also in DVD arch.

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
 
Re: Using an external monitor

That's the only way you can do it -- firewire out through the converter (which could be a converter, a deck, or a cam), then to the TV/monitor.
 
Re: Using an external monitor

To get an accurate representation of your image as it should appear on TVs (i.e. not computer-bound media) you need to output via firewire to a calibrated NTSC or PAL monitor.

Gary
 
Re: Using an external monitor

Thank-you....but

I am still a little confused though. The PC does not have firewire and the monitor is a striaght production monitor not TV. I was looking at using a converter from radio shack that accepts composite, S-video YCbCr and RGB. I'm just not sure what I would be acheiving by using this monitor. Would I be risking a problem to just stick with the PC and Vegas safe area to edit by. The DVD's are going to be watched on TV's and computers.

Thanks...
 
Re: Using an external monitor

Well, you DO need a firewire port to go out with the video – but how do you capture?

A computer screen is capable of displaying millions more colors than a TV and at much higher resolutions – not to mention that it is progressive-scan and square pixel. What looks good on a computer screen, particularly color-wise, might not just look bad on a TV, it might not even be able to be DISPLAYED on a TV. You might get some terrible colors, some really noisy whites, or fonts too small to be seen. You really need to be doing your color correction on a TV or monitor.
 
Re: Using an external monitor

I captured the video from the camera using a USB connection to the PC and RCA jacks to the camera. (This is a Dell PC system and Dell connector.) Maybe that same connector would work for the monitor he bought-I forgot he had it.
 
Re: Using an external monitor

Firewire cards are pretty inexpensive now days.. Just make sure it is compatible with your Dell. You can pick one up pretty cheap at local computer stores . A PCI version is all you need. The wire on the other hand would cost more but online auctions is the way to go for those. As for output from cam to monitor all you need is a rca out to rca in from camera to monitor since most production monitors don't use sound. If on the other hand you production monitor doesn't use rca then a bnc or s-video is the way to go. But remember it is better to go with this from best to worst.

Component
S-video
Composite (RCA)
 
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