HDLink — HD-SDI to DVI input on Sony CRT — Possible? Pros? Cons?

[Dalen Quaice]

Just my opinion but a consumer monitor isn’t suitable for color correction because it doesn’t have SMPTE Type C phosphors.

[Bob Zelin]

Chris –
the world is changing, and it does not include CRT’s. Your “crappy looking” LCD screen is what you are going to have to use to color correct with. I saw a dramatic example of this the other day. This FCP HD system had 4 monitors – an Apple 23″ Cinema, a Sony SDM-P234b (DVI with HD Link), and an Astro systems HD LCD monitor – AND a standard Sony 14L5/1. ALL THREE LCD monitors – all 3 all different manufacturers matched perfectly, but all 3 looked TOTALLY DIFFERENT than the Sony PVM-14L5/1. Now, Sony stopped making the PVM series – they stopped making all the CRT monitors, except for the most expensive HD monitors. And Panasonic stopped making all the CRT monitors as well. Chris – will there ever be ONE ad agency, one corporate board room, one client of yours that will EVER view an HD show on a HD CRT?
IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. So you better get used to color correcting on LCD monitors, because this is what the ENTIRE WORLD is going to own, and if you insist on color correcting on a hi grade HD CRT, it will not match what EVERYONE ELSE will see that owns a HD display.

Sorry – this is the way Sony and Panasonic and all the other Asian manufacturers want it to be – weather we like it or not.

Bob Zelin

[Julie Marzac]

[Bob Zelin] “Chris – will there ever be ONE ad agency, one corporate board room, one client of yours that will EVER view an HD show on a HD CRT?
IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. So you better get used to color correcting on LCD monitors, because this is what the ENTIRE WORLD is going to own”

I’m not debating the merits of using CRT over LCD or vice versa.

But based on your heavy use of infinitives (ever,never,entire) you seem absolutely certain that Chris’ clients are not buying HD CRT’s.
I see HD CRT’s (aka direct view) all the time at retail stores. Surely someone must be buying these. Maybe one of Chris’ clients?
Maybe I’m am misunderstanding your point.

[Bj Ahlen]

I agree with Bob, this is happening whether we like it or not.

The good news is that the best LCDs now are really really good, check out Sony’s Luma series for example.

Have you compared the HD CRTs at retail stores with LCD etc. monitors? They’re note even close, due to a combination of the CRT mask interfering with the picture and cheap electronics.

Even Sony’s top end consumer HD CRTs are not good enough imho.

Who really wants to schlep around a pro HD CRT monitor on location? Between the weight and the price we’re looking at a dying breed.

[Aaron Neitz]

That was a little harsh.

[Julie Marzac]

[B.J. Ahlen] “Have you compared the HD CRTs at retail stores with LCD etc. monitors?”

As I said before, I’m not debating the merits of using CRT over LCD or vice versa.

[Julie Marzac]

[B.J. Ahlen] “Have you compared the HD CRTs at retail stores with LCD etc. monitors?”

As I said before, I’m not debating the merits of using CRT over LCD or vice versa.

[Bob Zelin]

I question what you are saying about CRT HD consumer monitors. I am unaware of any CONSUMER CRT HD monitors on the market. There are hardly any PROFESSIONAL CRT HD monitors on the market. The typical example of this was the Sony PVM-20L5/1, which could scan the 1080i or 720p image, but just had 800 lines of resolution, and could never display the full HD resolution of 1920 x 1200. Please tell me WHAT CONSUMER CRT MONITORS are out there – what brand are they? And are they truly HD ?

Blackmagic and AJA promote the use of LCD CRT’s as a much lower cost alternative to the $35,000 typical Sony HD CRT QC monitor. Now please, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the Sony PVM-20L5/1 monitor, and would rather work with this than a Sony SDM-P234b LCD monitor – I think it looks GREAT, and have never heard anyone complain about this CRT monitor – but they are in the process of being discontinued – they are no longer on the Sony website, and I am just trying to face reality.

So please don’t forget – please tell me what CONSUMER HD CRT monitors are out there. And remember, a Blackmagic HD Link is in your future – weather you like it or not.

Thanks –
Bob Zelin

[Bj Ahlen]

[Bob Zelin] “Please tell me WHAT CONSUMER CRT MONITORS are out there – what brand are they? And are they truly HD ?”

There are at least 4 brands in stores right now: Philips, RCA and another brand I don’t remember, these cost about $800 currently. They all accept HD 720p and 1080i signals and display them to the best of their ability (which is not that great because of the CRT mask). There are also several Sony HD CRTs at far higher prices, these are significantly better.

It doesn’t have to be 1920x1080p to be HD. The most common definition (in the U.S.) of what is HD today is in the ATSC standard, which apecifies 17 HD formats.

A lot of people today think 1920×1080 is the only HD format. They’ll have a hard time finding any kind of display with native resolution for this, and neither the Panny Varicam or Sony HDCAM qualify.

Today we have to live with various shortcuts.

As soon as native 1920×1080 cameras and displays become widely available, you can be sure that there will immediately be people saying that anything less than 4K shouldn’t be called HD…

[Dalen Quaice]

There seem to be a lot of CRT HD consumer monitors at Best Buy:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?navLevel=5&type=category&navHistory=cat00000%2Bcat03000%2Bcat03001%2Bpcmcat31800050027&id=pcmcat31800050030