Dell Monitor Users

[Paul Escandon]

I’ve used Dell UltraSharp’s for years and have always thought they were solid monitors. I’m using 2 20″ Dell Ultrasharp’s and a 23″ Cinema Display for monitoring with a Matrox MXO at home and think they are all great monitors. My Cinema Display does get much brighter than both my 2005FPW and 2007WFP though… not sure why.

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Paul Escandon – Lead Editor @ Outdoor Channel
Producer | Director – Oremus Productions
http://www.oremusproductions.com
Apple Certified Trainer – Final Cut Pro
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John Paul the Great Catholic University

[Lu Nelson]

I have a Dell 2407 and a 2007. For me the important difference is the 2007 is an IPS panel, which among other differences from the SPVA type in the 2407 is a bit *faster*: i.e. the screen keeps up with your input (your mouse, for example) more instantaneously. The SPVA has more consistent and neutral color I find though.

Perhaps Dell has improved this with the 2408. Usually it’s an issue you’ll only see talked about on gaming forums because they play so fast; but it bothered me. Otherwise I’m sure the 2408 is excellent.

Lu Nelson
Berlin, Germany

[Shane Ross]

[Nate Stephens] “Have the Dell monitors lived up to expectations. Is it worth considering for my upgrade?? I quess my question is would it make a good double duty monitor for HD and desktop..?”

FANTASTIC computer monitors. But as for HD montoring…sure, you can use them with Digital Cinema Desktop. But I wouldn’t use them for color critical monitoring. But I have the 2405s and love them.

Shane

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[Walter Biscardi]

[Nate Stephens] “I have read where some FCp’s use the DEll monitors. The new Dell reads like it is pretty good, $700 with 5 year warranty.”

Yep, we use them in two of our edit suites instead of the Apple Cinema Displays. They are fantastic.

[Nate Stephens] “I quess my question is would it make a good double duty monitor for HD and desktop..?”

I would never use mine for HD display, though I know some folks do. We have broadcast monitors for SD and HD display. We only use the Dells for computer displays.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

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[Nate Stephens]

Shane,

Do the monitors have enough guts to use on the road. I am looking for something larger than my 15MBP screen to carry on location. And this monitor has VGA, HDMI, and component inputs. composite inputs. But for road duty they need some ‘butt’ to them.

With all the inputs, is there a better 24′ in this price range….

[Tony Young]

Hey there, brand new to this forum-great place you have here. I’m an FCP user (9 years experience) from Canada looking at getting a new monitor for a new MacPro rig.

Wondering if anyone had any input on the Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP-HC model? The 2407 seems to be one of the favourites around here, but I’ve only ever used 2*19s and I’m not sure whether 24 would be enough screen space for FCP.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

[Bill Snyder]

Hello,

I was reading a thread you input on using a 2005 dell.

I just got my matrox mxo, tried the hook-up and install like I just did on a set-up in my office with two 20″ cinema displays which worked fine and I get no display at all on the 2005. In apple display settings there’s just the laptop display, not one for the 2005 at all. It doesn’t sense anything out the DVI port.

I’m wondering if you have any tips on set-up that I should be aware of. I tried Matrox themselves and was running into walls.

Thanks so much for any help you can give!

Bill Snyder
808-756-4608

[Shane Ross]

Not sure if this will work on the 2005…Dell 20″ monitor. The MXO was designed for the Apple 23″ Cinema Display…the LUT (look up tables) information embedded in the box so that it can convert that signal properly into a broadcast signal. The Dells 2405 thru 2408 is close, so they work. PLUS, they are 1920×1200…a pixel for pixel representation of the footage. With the 20″, the best you can get is 720p, and I have no idea if it will work with that model.

Shane

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[Bill Snyder]

You may be right.

But, I had a 20″ cinema display work fine with it, and I’m told the panel is the same as the dell which displays 1680×1050.

Any other experience from folks would be most appreciated.

Thanks, Bill

[Lu Nelson]

Hi Bill,

for clarity:

-1. The Dell *should* work, because the MXO is capable of supporting 1680×1050@60Hz. Try setting your monitor control panel to this setting. If the Dell cannot see or show this, then either the monitor or the MXO’s DVI output are bad.
-2. In any case, I use a Dell 2007fpw revision A04, which is quite a bit later model so it may not compare.
-3. The question of panel types is touchy. With Dell 200x series, all the way up to the revision I have, there was a bit of a scandal about the fact that they were reviewed and quoted in the press as having S-IPS panels, but many users ended up with TN panels (much less good). You can find info on this by Googling “Dell Panel Lottery” although Dell erased all this stuff from their own user forums. My own model is an S-IPS panel and is quite nice; but I also have an Apple 23″ and I can say although the Dell is good, it is still less good than the Apple. It is less bright and contrasty, for example.
-4. As a final note, the 2408 (and probably 2008) may actually now be better than the Apple, because they supposedly have a wider color gamut (specifically, the 2408 has a so called “HC” model which is supposed to cover over 100% of the NTSC color gamut). You might also look at the 2708 which is the same resolution but a bigger panel. However, Shane’s point about the LUT (Look Up Tables) is correct I think. Theoretically the MXO is at its most accurate with an Apple Display.

Lu Nelson
Berlin, Germany