FCP HD ideal monitor setup?

[Shane Ross]

Two 23″ get you more real estate…then the reference monitor. But I’d skip the Apple Monitors and go with two Dell 2407s. Cheaper and in fact, BETTER monitors. They present better blacks. AND they have Composite, Component, S-Video inputs along with the DVI and VGA connections. And sport extra USB ports, and built in card readers. For under $600.

I have two of these and LOVE them.

Shane

Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net

[Motionfx]

Thanks Shane,

They actually use those at the last two compositing jobs I was at for Shake and Fusion.

Does this require a special card? I am about to buy a new G-5.

Thanks,
Brian

[Shane Ross]

The monitors? No, they connect to the graphics card like any other computer monitor.

Reference monitor for color correction? Yes. You’ll need a capture card like an AJA or Decklink, and then an SD monitor if you are working in SD, or an HD monitor if you are working in HD.

Shane

Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net

[Motionfx]

oh sorry Shane, I meant the connection to the main monitors. In the past I had to have either two video cards or a dual monitor video card for my mac. I have not run PC monitors on a mac before so I am wondering about the connections.

It looks like the base video card in the G-5 is a dual DVI card which is the same input for the Dell.

For the reference monitor I will probably run an AJA card.

Thanks again,
Brian

[Ken Hon]

Aloha Brian,

Take a look at the new Dell 27″ monitor, which is a single link DVI 1920 by 1080 like the 24″. We originally had a 23 inch Cinema Display and one of the early 24″ dells. Our 24″ Dell didn’t have much latitude in display setup so it was hard to match colors with our HD CRT. The new 27″ has a lot more setup latitude and we got a much better setup. And wow is it big compared to a 24″ monitor. Be prepared with any of the Dells to crank the brightness down to about 50%, the way the come set up will blow you out of your chair it’s so bright. Anyway, you could use either the Dell 24 or Apple Cinema 23 for your Mac Monitor and the 27″ for monitoring video and as a second Mac Monitor. It costs about $1200 if I remember right.

Aloha,

Ken

[13]

[motionfx] “I am about to buy a new G-5.”

They don’t make new G5’s do you mean a now Mac Pro?

[Motionfx]

Right you are but I didnt know that till I showed up at the apple store tonight. LOL.

It is 2:40 am and I am struggling , tryin to install Final cut studio 2. It’s a crashfest. What a nightmare!
Thanks guys,
Brian