Building grading system: What the pros say, low budget realities & true accuracy you can get.

[Kevin Cannon]

Hi Gabriel,

I think you’ll be able to experiment and learn the software with just about any display. You might be looking at an inaccurate image, but learning the layout and tools it won’t make a huge difference.

Discovering what you think is pleasing/seamless/expressive does require an accurate and consistent display, and I don’t think anybody has figured out a solution in your price range. My recommendation however, would be to look for a used HP dream color (HP LP2480zx). I like as an entry-level monitor for these reasons:

– While not the most stable, you can get a fairly inexpensive calibration probe and HP’s software that will allow you to easily put it into Rec. 709 in a very short time.
– It doesn’t suffer from the power management of consumer plasmas.
– It’s a 10-bit display and Rec. 709 gamut so it represents HD material very well.

It has a high black level like most LCDs, but comparable to a FSI 2461-w. It also is picky in that it only takes RGB true-progressive signals, and so you might need an AJA HDP2 converter to work with certain output signals. You can find a lot more info on that elsewhere on COW.

I’ve tested it in a dark room along with a DCI projector and FSI 2461w, and the image holds its own.

However, I’ve also returned 5 in a row where the panel died or didn’t meet my expectations. HP basically never supported it, and they’re no longer selling it. But if you find a used one at that price, it might be the closest to solving your dilemma.

KC

Prehistoric Digital

[Robert Houllahan]

I would second the Dream-Color and a HD-Link Display port as a bare bones least expensive “real” calibrated display. You can use the HP software an probe to get it close in 709 and then think about the new Light-Space for calibration only or Cal-Man “DI” or “Post” and a newer X-Rite probe as a next step.

-Rob-

Robert Houllahan
Director / Colorist
Cinelab Inc.
http://www.cinelab.com

MAHC-PRO 6-Core 3X GTX285 20Tb SAS Wave Panel Panny 11UK SDI Plasma. Light-Space CMS + Hubble

[Paul Provost]

Practicing on a non broadcast monitor is almost pointless as you really can’t see what you are doing and how adjustments react. Even an old CRT you can get for cheap is better. I have a Sony Pvm 20L5/1 you can have cheap. Component hd

[Timo Teravainen]

For display, my advice is to get a Panasonic Plasma, VT 30 series (or i guess VT 50 are the new ones), 42″ is big enough. Even GT or G-series will do for training if you cant afford VT 30/50. Then get Calman DIY software and X-rite probe and learn to use them. For monitor output card, Ultrastudio SDI is cheap and great if you have USB 3 on you mobo. Not sure if it works on hackintosh. Why do you want to build hackintosh? PC resolve is less hassle, and lots of fun when you put in a GTX 580!

[Gabriel Bergeron]

Hi guys, thanks for your answers.

I had been looking at the dreamcolor but the fact that it’s no longer manufactured and the monitor has known inconsistencies, it seemed like too much of a risk.

re: Panny plasmas. Why would the VT and GT series do but not the ST? Because of the limited color management options of the model?

Also wouldn’t I get pretty close with a Panny plasma (any models) calibrated with a scope and good software + BM HDlink for 3D LUT generation to compensate for the remaining differences?

[Chad Cooper]

How about the Panny 42pf20 or 30 with an ultra studio sdi and hdlink, and eventually upgrading to a bt300?

[Timo Teravainen]

[Gabriel Bergeron] “Why would the VT and GT series do but not the ST? Because of the limited color management options of the model?”

Yes, the VT has best color management options. With GT not so good, and i don’t know about the ST. G-series is just GT without 3D.

[Gabriel Bergeron] “Also wouldn’t I get pretty close with a Panny plasma (any models) calibrated with a scope and good software + BM HDlink for 3D LUT generation to compensate for the remaining differences?”

I suggest you get a probe. Xrite i1 is not so expensive. Also Calman software is good, you can propably get a bundle with a probe and software from Spectracal. I don’t see much use for the HDlink. If you just want to practice, dial on the THX mode of the Panny and get on with it!

When you want accuracy and REC709, the next step would be LUT-generation with software like Lightspace CMS, and a probe, and to use that LUT inside Resolve.

[Gabriel Bergeron]

Hi Timo,
Yes when I said a scope I meant probe/colorimeter, sorry for the confusion.
The HDlink would have served as a cheap LUT-generator like you mentioned at the end of your post. But I now see I wouldn’t need an HDlink at all since you can run the LUT within Resolve as a display LUT.

Why would I need Lightspace to create that LUT though? Couldn’t I do that with Calman or other software?
Perhaps you mentioned Lightspace because it will be the more accurate solution?

re: chad. yes I’m exploring all these options. thanks.

[Timo Teravainen]

[Gabriel Bergeron] “Why would I need Lightspace to create that LUT though? Couldn’t I do that with Calman or other software?
Perhaps you mentioned Lightspace because it will be the more accurate solution?”

You won’t be able to create a LUT with Calman software. You run test images from Blueray player/DVD/Image generator, use the probe to meter the display with the test images, do adjustments to the display itself, meter again.. until you are close enough. That’s why it’s good to have a display with advanced colour management.

Software like Cinespace runs DPX sequences of color frames and, using a probe, builds a LUT that can be used inside Resolve. I haven’t done that myself, so I can’t really go into details..

[Alex Ander]

Hi to all! Someone using Panasonic TH-42PF30 as grading monitor? How it’s fit for grading?

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