LHi & DreamColor

[Gary Adcock]

[Jim Curtis] “Both of these have HDMI 1.3 for Deep Color display. The DreamColor monitor only works with it’s color profiles when FCP is sending it a progressive RGB signal.”

It seems that some of the these displays are only allowed access to the REC709 color space when the signal is as 60p and forcibly reverts to RGB when it thinks it is receiving a signal from a computer.

You can change the rendering intent of the HDMI in the Kona Control Panel, have you tried that?

gary adcock
Studio37
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[Jim Curtis]

“You can change the rendering intent of the HDMI in the Kona Control Panel, have you tried that?”

I think so. I have my windows arranged so I can keep an eye on the LHi Control Panel.

No matter what I set the Primary or Frame Buffer to in the Control Panel, as soon as I switch to FCP, the LHi Control Panel changes to my Sequence Settings in FCP.

I also tried setting my Sequence to Field Dominance: None, hoping to fool the LHi, but I guess it’s smarter than I am.

MacPro (Harpertown – Early 2008) 2×4 3GHz; 32G RAM all the same brand; 10.5.6; QT 7.5.5; FCS2 / FCP 6.0.5; Kona LHi in PCI slot 3; HP LP2480zx DreamColor display

[Gary Adcock]

[Jim Curtis] “I think so. I have my windows arranged so I can keep an eye on the LHi Control Panel. No matter what I set the Primary or Frame Buffer to in the Control Panel, as soon as I switch to FCP, the LHi Control Panel changes to my Sequence Settings in FCP. “

Ummm No.

There should be a TAB called “HDMI” that allows access to the HDMI settings I am referring to , I am not talking about the signal type.

this is from the IoHD, I am not near a machine with an LHI, but the basic control panel is the same for all AJA products.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

Check out
https://www.aja.com/kiprotour/

Inside look at the IoHD
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/adcock_gary/AJAIOHD.php

[Jeremy Garchow]

You can change the output in the ‘View’ menu and make sure to have a look at the ‘HDMI’ tab of the Koan Control panel. You can change the Kona control panel while in FCP by holding the option button and making adjustments to the control panel. Hope that makes sense.

Jeremy

[Bob Zelin]

At NAB 2009, HP demonstrated the Dreamcolor with an AVID Nitris DX, but using the Gefen Box. In threads I have seen on AVID lists, everyone says that you have to use the Gefen converter. Add this to the 2 grand for the Dreamcolor, and it’s no “deal”. But for an HP Z800 doing graphics, I guess it’s a teriffic monitor.

bob Zelin

[Jim Curtis]

OK, I’m getting somewhere now. I monkeyed with the LHi Control Panel, and changed the HDMI Output to RGB 10bit; Output Video Range to SMPTE Range.

My CP looks slightly different from the one you posted, Gary. Thanks for that. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words.

I changed FCP View to 1080p59.94 a 10 bit (1920 x 1080), and lo and behold, my monitor switched to the mode that allows me to set the color space, and looks like a proper video image. This is progress.

The only issue now is that the playback is a bit jerky, and I’m seeing fields. But, maybe if I try some other settings, I’ll get the playback to smooth out.

I didn’t know about the option key function, Jeremy. Thanks for the tip. I’ll look into it.

Thanks for the replies.

MacPro (Harpertown – Early 2008) 2×4 3GHz; 32G RAM all the same brand; 10.5.6; QT 7.5.5; FCS2 / FCP 6.0.5; Kona LHi in PCI slot 3; HP LP2480zx DreamColor display

[Jeff Bernstein]

In fact, you MUST send the Dreamcolor an RGB signal, as everyone has said so far. In addition, you also MUST send it a Progressive signal. It doesn’t even like a PsF signal. In fact, it is spelled out in this document… https://tinyurl.com/dreamcolorVID

After you get through all the misleading BS in the top of the document, they sprinkle in all the things you can’t do and how you shouldn’t do x, y, and z.

As Bob has pointed out, you really need the Gefen box as its converter box. Otherwise, check out FSI monitors.

Granted, on paper, the Dreamcolor looks like a great monitor. BUT, it was designed to be connected to a RGB graphics card for 3D application. Yes, the allure of a LED-backlit monitor is very sexy until you have to deal with a video/YUV workflow with multiple resolutions and formats.

Jeff Bernstein

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[Bob Zelin]

As Jeff said, (and as Walter will probably chime in) –

“Otherwise, check out FSI monitors”

Bob Zelin

[Walter Biscardi]

[Bob Zelin] “As Jeff said, (and as Walter will probably chime in) –

“Otherwise, check out FSI monitors” “

Yep. DreamColor from everything I can see and read is more about graphics and animation work, not true video production, especially if it can’t accept an interlaced signal. I’ve never tested one out, nor do I have a desire to. We need a fully functional broadcast monitor that accepts all formats right out of the box, not just specific formats the particular monitor was designed to work with.

FSI’s definitely fit the bill of functional, fully accurate broadcast and film color grade monitor without breaking the bank.

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[Jim Curtis]

All the problems I reported here seem to have been fixed at this point. I’m getting smooth playback from my 1080i material, and viewing in 709. So, no need for the Gefen box with this footage. I’m not planning on using the DreamColor for NTSC, so I wouldn’t need the box for that.

I did find the Gefen on-line for as low as $1109, so even if you add that to the equation, this monitor costs around $2K less than the Grade-1 FSI. Only about 5% of my work is color-grading; I mostly do editing, motion graphics, sound design/mixing, and DVD authoring in my home office.

I’d like to see it up against the FSI. My previous HD monitoring rig was the MXO and 23″ Apple Cinema Display, and the LHi with the DreamColor is more responsive to edit with, the picture looks much nicer, and my system freaks out less when switching applications. The only negative at this point is that the LHi card seems to be causing FCP to crash fairly often (say once an hour). I save often.

MacPro (Harpertown – Early 2008) 2×4 3GHz; 32G RAM all the same brand; 10.5.6; QT 7.5.5; FCS2 / FCP 6.0.5; Kona LHi in PCI slot 3; Primary display: 30″ ACD; Secondary: HP LP2480zx DreamColor via HDMI to LHi and DVI to MacPro.