Broadcast Color Correction within Final Cut on a NEC PA271W

[Alec Mathewson]

I am in need of a pro grade monitor for HD editing. One which I can use to monitor HD footage as well as color grade.

I have been asking around. The pro post house says you need a broadcast monitor or a breakout box with a good LCD or plasma that accepts, HDMI, Compononent, or preferably HD-SDI.

A good friend who works as a lead on many major Holywood blockbuster FX based films said that the HP DreamColor LP2480zx or NEC PA217W monitors do the job for monitoring an color accurate grading be it video, film, or graphics. What you need is a monitor that can display 100% the rec709 colourspace. Rec709 is the colourspace that HD tv content is displayed at. He thinks that for the most part, gone are the days of breakout boxes and expensive ‘broadcast monitors’ those technologies have trickled down to the pro user. Just need to understand what to get.

I am sure a $6000 panasonic broadcast monitor is still worth its weight in gold but if the above is true than… hook me up!

Thoughts?

[Shane Ross]

The HP Dreamcolor is used in many places for this. 54″ Panasonic Plasmas are also used for this. In huge respected post houses that color grade for feature film.

But you said you were on a budget. SO you want high end professional solutions, on a budget. HP Dreamcolor will be one of the cheapest ways to go.

[Alec Mathewson] “He thinks that for the most part, gone are the days of breakout boxes and expensive ‘broadcast monitors’ those technologies have trickled down to the pro user.”

HA! Well, he is wrong. Dead wrong. YOu cannot connect the Dreamcolor via DVI and get a broadcast quality VIDEO image. What you get is a COMPUTER signal…and that isn’t REC 709. Nope, the capture card…er…breakout device…is still needed to feed a proper video signal to your color grading monitors.

YOu need:

AJA Kona LHi or Kona 3 (might be out of your budget)
or…
Decklink Studio, Decklink Extreme 3D…or in your budget, Decklink Intensity Pro.
or…
Matrox MXO2 LE or MXO2 Mini.

Then either a Dreamcolor (and adapter to get SDI to DVI, or HDMI to DVI, as that monitor doesn’t have HDMI in, as far as I know), or Panasonic Plasma (42″ is around $1000), Or whatever good brand HDTV fits your budget.

Now…we have given you the options. We aren’t going to buy things for you. You now research and go buy what you want. If you don’t know what to do…then hire a colorist or FCP tech to make the purchase decisions for you. Give them the budget and let them buy what it best. If you have no clue, even after we have given you all these options, then you need to hire a professional to make the decision.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Alec Mathewson]

I appreciate your opinion it will help me and others on this thread make a decision. I did not start this thread but obviously felt it relevant to what I am dealing with as well. As for my buddy’s comment that was presented as “Dead wrong!” I must clarify that it was likely me who mistook what he told me. In any event, he wouldn’t be where he is in his career if he were wrong. But I really do appreciate the clarification and it is helpful.

As for your last comment:
[Shane Ross] “Now…we have given you the options. We aren’t going to buy things for you. You now research and go buy what you want. If you don’t know what to do…then hire a colorist or FCP tech to make the purchase decisions for you. Give them the budget and let them buy what it best. If you have no clue, even after we have given you all these options, then you need to hire a professional to make the decision.”

With all do respect Shane, dropping thousands of dollars on peripherals is an extremely important decision most professionals face at some point. Look at the ads around you! Investing thousands on the wrong solution is quite easy. A good editor can still have simple questions based on his research. Any help one can give is appreciated. You provided us with constructive info… specifically regarding what can be done with the kind of monitor this thread is based on.

However the last comment was not necessary and a bit presumptuous. Maybe I am wrong but I see this way too often. You make good points about the product (or line of products) in question and then suggest that if I or others can’t figure it out based on the simple information you just laid out than we should go hire a professional. I guess I will hire myself then. Those reading do not need to be reminded that those helping with advice are way more experienced and are not here to walk us through our decisions. I would never expect that nor do I need it. While that may be prevalent on this forum, if you feel you are making our purchasing decisions and do not want to do so, the most professional position to take is to not respond.