Can I continue to use my PVM and BVM monitors with Resolve?

[Eric Hansen]

Hey Michael

You can use these monitors. I have a 14L5 that I use to check for interlacing issues that i won’t see on LCDs or plasmas.

BUT

it’s incredibly difficult keeping these monitors calibrated. i would not suggest them for grading. back when CRT was the go-to for grading, many shops would calibrate them weekly or even daily. they drift very quickly. modern broadcast LCDs can go 6 months or a year before they need to be re-calibrated.

i wouldn’t suggest using them.

e

Eric Hansen
Production Workflow Designer / Consultant / Colorist / DIT
https://www.erichansen.tv

[Michaelmaier]

Thanks. At the moment I don’t have the resources to go for a professional LCD. It’s either use the CRTs or go for something like a DreamColor, LG W2420R or Eizo. But as far as I know the first two are discontinued and the last one I have only seen mentioned briefly but am not sure how good they actually are. With a Plasma, I hear it’s the same thing as the CRT. Needs to be calibrated frequently and have other problems of their own. What do you think?

[Juan Salvo]

While LCDs are remarkably stable there are very few I’d consider grading quality. Literally a handful of models. I’d much rather use a CRT than most LCDs. Particularly a BVM. It’s true that they require recalibration, particularly as the tube and phosphors age, but I don’t think it’s a daily task at all.

If it’s as a practice screen, I say go for it. As far as CRT replacements, FSi, Sony OLED or Dolby Reference are pretty good choices.

Colorist | Online Editor | Post Super | VFX Artist | BD Author

https://JuanSalvo.com

[Michaelmaier]

Thanks. How often you would say the require calibration? And what type of calibration are we talking about here to use them with HD?

[Juan Salvo]

I have no idea what kind of shape your monitors are in, and I’m not familiar with them. I was just making a general statement about CRTs. Like I said, if it’s a practice monitor and you can get a signal on it. Go to town. You said you weren’t doing professional gigs on it. If you know someone with the appropriate probe, I understand the BVMs generally are able to do a self calibration mode. I’d track down the manual for your model for more info.

Colorist | Online Editor | Post Super | VFX Artist | BD Author

https://JuanSalvo.com

[Michaelmaier]

Sorry, I didn’t mean I would not be doing professional work. I am.
I’m just not offering my services as a Colorist. I shoot and edit all my stuff, which is paid work. I also color correct it to make it look the best it can. I don’t charge any extra for color correction. Because I’m not talking about feature film type of color correction with multiple power windows, tracking etc. I’m talking about basic correction. It could probably be done inside a NLE, and this is where I have been color correcting all my stuff. But I want to start using Resolve so I can learn it. But it’s definitely paid work. So it’s not only practicing. I hope I was more clear now.

Thanks.

[Michaelmaier]

I know that the best would be to buy a professional LCD such as a FSI or a Sony PVM OLED. But at the moment I can’t justify the expense. I could afford some of the Sony lower end non PVM and non OLED ones on BH’s page. But at that point it seems I may as well buy any LCD TV or computer monitor.

So I guess what I’m asking here are 2 questions.

Can I use my CRTs with HD-SDI material in 23.976p?

Or would I be better off with a Plasma or Computer LCD like many do for budget grading suites?

I would have thought that the CRTs would be better. They used to be the standard for a reason. I know we have moved on and have heard the argument that grading on a CRT may be pointless because most people will watch the final product on a LCD or Plasma. But the point of the CRT was to guarantee a standard to which everybody could adjust their equipment to. If LCD consumers don’t want to adjust their screens then be it. It was the same with CRT TVs. They were also not calibrated at home. But we still graded for a standard.

But if one of those 10 bit computer LCDs or a Plasma TV would be better than a professional Sony CRT I could try and get one. The question is which one since all 10 bit LCD panels I know such as Dreamcolor and LG W2420R are discontinued.
But I can’t go for a full professional LCD at the moment.

Thanks and sorry for the trouble.

[Paul Provost]

I would use your CRT as you already own them and they are worthless to sell.
I had a pvm 20 L5/1 and it worked great with an HD analog component signal in 1080 23.98 or 30i.
otherwise you need the hdsdi card which is as rare as a unicorn.
but you will be working in a proper 709 color space with good contrast if your tube isnt shot.
my pvm had an auto calibrate function that you could activate while feeding bars and tone – worked pretty well.
you could also get a tech to set white balance if you know someone locally. sony in LA would do it for $100! it wont drift enough to make it unusable btw…

http://www.4Kfinish.com | owner-colorist | Hollywood, CA
http://www.facebook.com/4kFinish

[Juan Salvo]

I don’t think the g20 he describes is HD. Also the “auto calibrate with color bars” function, just sets and adjust the input signal… not the display.

Colorist | Online Editor | Post Super | VFX Artist | BD Author

https://JuanSalvo.com

[Michaelmaier]

Message to whoever is monitoring posts. Why does it take so long to add posts to threads once they are sent? It kind of kills the momentum of the thread.