monitor hd on a WEAK bdget

[Eric Grush]

Don’t think anyone is still interested in this thread, but wanted to throw my experiences into the mix. After researching on Creative Cow several months ago I purchased a Panasonic 42″ 9-UK( you know the series we’ve been discussing), a Sony PHM-14M8U a copy of Spyder Pro and AVIA. Total cost was about $2000. I calibrated my Apple Cinema Displays with Spyder and ran AVIA component to my Sony CRT and Panny display. I checked my various charts and scopes in FCP against what my Sony CRT is giving me and that’s my color-correction monitor. A few tweaks to the plasma and it’s extremely close (a little greener and a little brighter…very little)to the CRT. I find that the Cinema Displays match both the CRT and Plasma 90% of the time, but always one of the others.

I am not doing broadcast or promoting myself as a high end coloring service. However, for the money I have put together a system that is working for the level of my clients and their needs. When they need something more, I tell them what it will cost and send them to colleagues at bigger facilites. We are all commited to our client’s needs and budgets. I think the point is that we are honest with ourselves about what services we can really provide. I work primarily in Indie film and documentary. I can edit, color-correct and even now on-line uncompressed HD; but I would never try to tackle something beyond my abilities when a client’s project could suffer for it. That said, you know your clients and what they need. I was able to pull together and solid lower-end color and HD monitoring system for a good price using research forums on the Cow, and it’s working great.

Best of luck,

Eric Grush
halo arts media entertainment