[konakazi]

Hey all,

I produce a public access show that I shoot, edit, and composite graphics for. Right now I have no easy way to preview how the graphic inserts will look when actually broadcast, which is a concern when using broadcast safe colors etc.

I'd like to set up a small monitor by my computer to check out lower third graphics, title cards, intro sequences and the like.

Are they any advantages to using more of a professional production monitor vs. a cheap TV?

The broadcast monitors seem to have a much smaller profile for one, which is attractive to me because I have very limited amount of space in my home office.

Any input would be useful. Thanks!

[dlefebvre]

Originally Posted by konakazi

Are they any advantages to using more of a professional production monitor vs. a cheap TV?

You answered your own question. You're doing graphics for broadcast, get a broadcast monitor. There's no comparison with a cheap TV. Color reproduction is much better as is the quality of the tube. Usually the tube is also flater than the tube of a cheap tv. The only advantage of a cheap Tv is that you can see how it's going to look like on a viewer's cheap tv.

[konakazi]

Ha, alright alright!

After posting, I actually found an informative article describing the different attributes of a production monitor and what the differences are in terms of image (resolution lines, color fidelity, etc).

If anyone else is interested in reading it, you can find that page here.

A related question: do people generally use some kind of PCI card to send the signal directly to the monitor or feed it through their camera?

The card option would be great, but not really sure what to be looking for in that department.

[dlefebvre]

After Effects allows you to do video preview through Firewire, but I could never get 30 fr/sec on my old G4. It keeps moving between 17 and 22 fr/sec.
As far as PCI card, I strongly recomend a Kona card. We have a few Kona 2 at work and I'm pleased with them. They're a little expensive but they can do SD and HD. For about 995$ you can get a Kona LS. it's a broadcast quality SD card with serial digitial (SDI), component and composite input, analogue and digital audio imput, machine control, support for FCP, AE, Combustion, Motion, etc. View it as an investment.

[grovberg]

Originally Posted by dlefebvre

. The only advantage of a cheap Tv is that you can see how it's going to look like on a viewer's cheap tv.

I'm not posting to be anti-broadcast monitor, but there are some advantages to seeing how it's going to look to most people. I've spent hours touching up things that turned out to be a moot point for 3/4 of the viewers.

Also, if you're using Motion I've had great results with preview to monitor through FW, which should work just as well through a camera. Anything that will play in motion on screen will go out to the monitor.

[konakazi]

I'm fine with watching on my camera LCD but that thing is tiny so most detail on any graphics I'm doing are really lost. I can use to get a feel for color temperature but beyond that it's not that handy.

If had enough space and budget I'd have a monitor and a tv in there but I figure the monitor is the better investment considering that I'll only be doing more video over the years.

I hear you on the pointless touch ups but I feel so much better delivering something I'm confident looks right at the source, instead of worrying about someone with a crappy TV not seeing it the way it was meant to be, or holding my breath and hoping it looks fine since I don't have time to record and run over to my TV to check things repetitively.

[dlefebvre]

Originally Posted by konakazi

I'm fine with watching on my camera LCD but that thing is tiny so most detail on any graphics I'm doing are really lost. I can use to get a feel for color temperature but beyond that it's not that handy.

The problem with LCD and especially a camera viewfinder is how it renders blacks. The adjusments are not that precise and you might end up with something too dark or too light. It can play dirty tricks on keying and you might end up with what you tought was a clean key. Or DVE edges that you could not see on a dark LCD. Invest on a broadcast monitor and you want to do a final check on a cheap TV, output to tape an check on any TV you want.

[grovberg]

I should clarify that when I was talking about using the camera for the monitor, I meant using as a handy A/D converter so that you could route video straight from firewire to a monitor, which is what I thought the original poster was talking about.