Best LCD size to buy for my editing desktop

[Walter Biscardi]

We use a 24″ and 20 or 22″ dual monitor configuration in our suites. Apple just dropped the prices of their monitors and they are a great deal right now.

I’d go with the 23 + 20 setup. 30″ just doesn’t work for me.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

Read my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi

[Rich Rubasch]

Our combination is the Ultrasharp Dells….we have the 17″ 4:3 on the left and the 21″ widescreen on the right. This is an ideal layout for us. Left side has bins, pallettes etc and the right side has timeline, source record etc. These monitors are very sharp, have a wide range of inputs, great color and adjustments. We can tune them so both match perfectly. It is not so wide that it makes navigation a pain. The height of the 17″ 4:3 and the 21″ widescreen is exactly the same so top and bottom of the outer bezel matches perfectly….and the price is right. I also prefer black bezels and I don’t like the lack of inputs on the Apples, along with their prices.

Take a look at the Dells.

Heck, even Bob Zelin likes ’em.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Jeff Heywood]

That sounds like an interesting setup. I never thought of mixing the 4:3 and the widescreen together. Pretty cost effective too.

So does a 24 inch just get too cluttered and end up being not very workable?

I was thinking just one big widescreen, but it seems both of you still go dual screen.

I guess you could even go two 20inch widescreens side by side.

I’m also going to have a HD monitor/TV at 24 inches in the setup.

Then it would be 20/20/24 or 17/20/24 or go to two with 24/24 with one 24 being an HDTV that is purely for playback.

[Lance Bachelder]

I’d go 30 or nothing. It’s increased my productinity dramatically. After using the Apple 30 in my home edit bay, I bought the Dell 30’s for all my editors and mixer for our new TV series. Everyone loves working with them. THe Apple 30 has just been reduced another $200 and is awesome. The Dell is still the better bargain – can’t go wrong with either of them.

We use the 2nd DVI port on our machines to kick picture out to HD LCD’s and a 50″ plasma in our mixing room. Simple DVI to HDMI cable – cheap, fast and looks awesome.

Lance Bachelder
Southern California

[Russell Lasson]

I agree that dual monitors is a lot better than just one big monitor. I do a lot of work with two 20″ Apple displays and I like to have my timeline on one display (yes, it’s a big timeline) and everything else on the other.

If i were buying new monitors I’d go with monitors that have HD resolution (1920×1080). It give you a lot of options without being too crazy. It will be really cool when “Spaces” comes out with Leopard.

-Russ

[Jason Griffith]

I have dual 20.1 widescreen Dell Ultrasharps at home, and dual 23 apples cinema’s that I work on at my office. I would have to say that I love the Dell’s crisp quality and brighter screens. The apples seem dim, but may have improved with the newer product line but are significantly more expensive. However I would recommend getting at least the 23’s. The 20’s seem a little cramped when I do video work at home. But the 23’s let me feel like I can breath and seem ideal for video work. If you want to throw away money and want to be the envy. Get the 30’s. But I don’t see the need.

Jason Griffith
Broadcast Editor
The Active Word

“An Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living” – Socrates

[Rich Rubasch]

Caution on putting two widescreens next to each other. The distance you will have to move the mouse to get across all that horizontal resolution is quite a slide. Otherwise you have to increase the mouse speed and it gets harder to control. Also there is more head swinging left to right. That’s why I went with the 17/21 combo. I used a setup with two 23″ widescreens and recently that same facility pulled one of them and put in a 17″ 4:3.

just my 2

[Walter Biscardi]

[Rich Rubasch] “Caution on putting two widescreens next to each other. The distance you will have to move the mouse to get across all that horizontal resolution is quite a slide. Otherwise you have to increase the mouse speed and it gets harder to control.”

Not much of an issue here. We run tablets in two of the rooms, but two of our editors still use the mouse primarily. We much prefer the real estate of two widescreens vs. a 4:3 and widescreen monitor combo.

Getting a tablet for your workstations completely eliminates any issues with getting material since the entire workspace is covered by a tablet.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

Read my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi

[N3wy0rk In la]

I use 3 monitors… apple23″ Cinema display, a Panasonic 26″ LCD – BT-LH2600, and also a sony F900 CRT… the panasonic is running from my kona card but will add desktop landscape if I need it. It really depends on what kind of projects you will be working on…

Hi-Def and 2K Online Finishing
Compositing, Motion Graphics
Hollywood, Ca

[Jason Griffith]

I second that. If you are new at using a mouse with widescreens, it may be a bit different. But you will quickly adapt. It is quite funny watching people that aren’t use to my mouse grab it for the first time though. :o)

Jason Griffith
Broadcast Editor
The Active Word

“An Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living” – Socrates