External Monitor Setup

[Shane Ross]

[Luke Sheldon] “I’m probably going to get the BenQ SW320 4K “

That is a computer display…not really good for VIDEO signals that’s meant for television. You’d be better off with an HDTV that you can calibrate. Sorry, I don’t have a model to give you, I don’t use one for that purpose. I should get one as a client TV though.

As for BMD device, you’ll need to look at the Thunderbolt options that have two HDMIs out. The UltraStudio 4K is the lowest end one that has that. Unless you forgo needing two TVs, then you can just get the UltraStudio Mini Monitor.

Shane
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[Luke Sheldon]

Thanks for replying Shane!

That’s interesting. So are you saying that if I want to output the image in Resolve to a dedicated screen, it should just be an HDTV and not a computer monitor because of the signal?

So if we get a really color accurate TV (rec.709 at 100%), it will do the job as both a color ref for me and a client monitor?

[Joseph Owens]

[Luke Sheldon] “if I want to output the image in Resolve to a dedicated screen, it should just be an HDTV and not a computer monitor because of the signal?

So if we get a really color accurate TV (rec.709 at 100%), it will do the job as both a color ref for me and a client monitor?”

Question 1. Not 100% correct, because many graphics displays claim gamut compatibility that is just an input specification. What it does with the image after that is a manufacturer fudge. DVI/HDMI and so on are just interfaces, and whether the display is valid or not depends on:

Question 2. If it is calibrated. This does not mean “covers [Colorspace ie. 709 or sRGB, or…]” but is doing so, as you say, accurately, which will take some deliberate color management on your part. You will be required to purchase a Black Magic device as an interface between Resolve and your judgement display. The User Interface is not a default color reference. It can be done… but it actually requires quite a bit more effort and technology to make it work than simply deploying a valid reference monitor, the way the application is intended to function.

jPo, CSI

“I always pass on free advice — its never of any use to me” Oscar Wilde.

[Luke Sheldon]

Thanks Joseph.

I’ll do some research on calibration.

[Marc Wielage]

Read pp. 660-661 of the Resolve 14 manual: “Limitations When Grading With the Viewer on a Computer Display.”

Get a monitor that can be calibrated, get it calibrated, then attach it to your computer with a Blackmagic display adapter (like a Mini Monitor or 4K Ultra). Problem solved.

[Paul Draper]

I know exactly what you mean!

Went through all that myself, many detailed reviews and tests out there: subsequently I went with a BenQ SW2700PT, driven by a BM Decklink Mini Monitor 4k PCIe card. Very happy with this arrangement & works beautifully with Resolve Studio, Premier, Nuendo, Pro Tools.

e.g., see https://www.color-management-guide.com/benq-sw2700pt-monitor-review.html
https://www.4kshooters.net/2017/06/29/benq-sw2700pt-is-an-affordable-video-editing-and-color-grading-monitor-that-wont-break-your-bank/
Tom Antos review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idmyPGcAzLI

I think the key point with the rabble is do not use a compute GPU for display, rather use the BM Desktop video drivers and dedicated I/O. You could also go a BM Thunderbolt interface if that suits better for a later Mac. Lovely screen, Rec 709 and other internal presets, calibrates well.

Dell T7910 workstation, Win10x64 Pro; 64GB Ram; Samsung SSDs. CPUs: 2×12 core 3.0GHz Xeons; GPUs: 2x Titan X; VDUs: LG 34UM95, BenQ SW2700PT, BM DeckLink Mini Monitor 4k. Audio: UA Apollo & UAD-2 PCIe, RME ADI-8. Monitoring: Munro Eggs, Genelec 8020Bs, Logitech Z550 5.1. NLEs: DaVinci Resolve Studio, Adobe Premier. DAWs: Nuendo, ProTools, DP9, Live. Plugs: UAD, Steinberg, FabFilter, SoundToys, Sonnox. VIs: NI, MusicTech, Output, MOTU, Steinberg Absolute 3.

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[Brian Schuck]

so i have a predator 17 “laptop” and a benq sw2700pt for me to use this with Resolve and to make sure what i see on my benq is what is being saved i have to get a ultrastudio mini monitor? is this a plug n play or is there alot of set up to be done? thanks

[Keith Sanborn]

Has anyone successfully used this set up with Davinci Resolve:

Macbook Pro 11,5
BenQ SW271 27″ 16:9 4K IPS Monitor
OWC / Other World Computing Mercury Helios Single-Slot PCIe Thunderbolt 2 Expansion Chassis
Blackmagic Design DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K

I want to use the Black Magic card by going from display port (aka Thunderbolt 2) into the chassis then out the hdmi port of the BMD Decklink card (in the chassis) into the monitor. It comes in about $500 cheaper than the UltraStudio 4k and has rec 2020 color space to boot which the UltraStudio 4k does not. I don’t need sdi. I’m hoping to use this set-up for color correcting 2k and 4k projects via Resolve.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Keith Sanborn

[Brian Schuck]

i just got off the phone with B&H photo, they are saying you can not use the ultrastudio mini monitor with the SW2700pt? how are you using it with Resolve? thanks

[Paul Draper]

What a bizarre thing to say by B&H, best to ask them exactly what they mean eh?

In my system, the BM card is seen at the system level & sends video to the BenQ via HDMI [also works via a StarTech HDMI to Display Port adapter]. I switch between the BenQ as a second, extended desktop monitor [via Display Port & Nvidia GPU] to BM video preview on HMDI [the BenQ remote is very handy for this, and for calibration profiles etc].

The BM card is seen and used by DaVinci Resolve, Premier, Nuendo, Pro Tools – all in exactly the same way: as a preview monitor for video in use by that application. I default the BM card control panel to 1080p.

Dell T7910 workstation, Win10x64 Pro; 64GB Ram; dual 12 core 3.0GHz Xeons; Nvidia 1080Ti; LG 34UM95 & BenQ SW2700PT, BM DeckLink Mini Monitor 4k. Audio: RME Fireface UFX+, RME ADI-8, UAD-2 quad core PCIe, Monitoring: Munro Eggs, Genelec 8020Bs, Logitech Z550 5.1. NLEs: DaVinci Resolve Studio, Adobe Premier. DAWs: Nuendo, ProTools HD, DP9, Live.