specific monitoring/grading setup

Hi guys,

I usually work with HDV, XDVAM HD, DVCPRO HD, 7D and RED (in UK, so PAL), and after extensive research on this and the cow forum, I have decided to purchase the following set up for colour grading:

Matrox MXO2 LE
(as I understand, in terms of output only it is as good as the Kona LHi; plus no one has reported any big technical issues re playback and monitoring the formats I use)

Panasonic TH-42PF11EK
[www.panasonic.net]
(this is the European version, but I believe it is the equivalent to what people recommend as a Pro Plasma in the US, right??)
Connected to Matrox via HDMI

Possible addition:
Flanders LM-1760W
Connected to Matrox via HD-SDI


Here are my questions re this setup:

1) is it a decent setup for grading in FCP and Colour?

2) some people suggest to have an HDTV and a grade 1 monitor to check ?real? colours and colours that consumers will see on their screens (my work is usually for DVD, maybe Blu-ray soon; broadcast and online video/broadcast); so, is this dual setup good/necessary, or can I just stick to one monitor (Panny or Flanders)

3) I am a bit confused about full HD raster: the Panny obviously has it, but the Flanders has only 1366 x 768 pixels with 1:1 scan. If I chose the Flanders, would this ?1:1 scan? mean I can still see full HD? An is the size and contrast ratio of the Panny not an advantage over the Flanders?

Thanks.

Catalin Brylla
Filmmaker - Editor - Lecturer
www.catalinbrylla.com
Mobile: 07789004745
Skype: cbrylla

A client recently installed the 24" version of the Flanders monitor. It is a very nice monitor. Unlike the 17" version you are looking at, the 24 they bought is 1920x1200. The 1:1 button maps each image pixel to a monitor pixel. In my clients setup that means if you are working on a 720p or 525 project you see a smaller image, but one that is free from any scaling artifacts that might be introduced by the monitors electronics.

My guess is that in the 17" version if you engaged 1:1 on a 1080 image you would only see a portion of the images.

Like your setup, this room has a large 40" plasma as well. I don't remember off the top of my head the model number.

The room was designed for general editorial work. That covers the gamut from editorial, motion graphics design, color grading, and sound mixing. I would be perfectly content grading most anything with their setup, except perhaps a feature film.

-Vance

Thanks for the reply Vance.

As I use mostly 1080i/p (in UK 720 is less common) the 1:1 scan on the 17" Flanders is a bit of a drawback. Would you then rather recommend the Panny (which shows full 1080) or both?

Why would you not grade a feature film on their setup, unless, of course, you refer to 2k onwards.

I am pretty sure that you can turn the 1:1 mode off, and the monitor will scale your 1080 image to fit the display. From what I could see of the scaling engine they are using you will probably wind up with a fine picture to work to. You will be scaling the image down rather then up, so I would guess the artifacts would be minimal.

I can't speak to the Panasonic monitor, as I have not used that model. Be careful of things like dynamic range. You often see specs on consumer displays that give a contrast ratio of tens of thousands to one. What happens native contrast of the display is dynamically adjusted based on picture content. Not really what you want to have happen if you are trying to grade an image.

As for not correcting a feature. I would not be comfortable grading for projection using back lit displays. That and I have zero experience in how projection changes the image. So others here will have far better input on that sort of work.

The Flanders broadcast monitor is more important than the Panny and calibrated, that's the one you always trust. The other monitor is a B monitor, which gives you the worst case scenario, or a typical viewing setting.



www.strypesinpost.com

Ok, the Flanders monitor is not an option any more as import duty and VAT would bring the price up to £2400.

I am looking at the following options for a broadcast monitor:

TV Logic LVM-172WE ? 17?
Res: 1366 x 768
HD-SDI, component, DVI-I
1:1 mode with HD
Contrast: 900:1
£1935
[www.dsvideo.tv]

or

JVC DT-V20L3D ? 20?
Res: 1680x1050
HD-SDI, component, DVI-I
1:1 mode with HD (1920 x 1080 pixel array)
Contrast: 700:1
£2100
[www.jvcpro.co.uk]


Has anyone had experience with the two to compare? People criticise the viewing angle of the JVC, but the size is a plus point in my opinion.

I have not heard of or seen the TV Logic product so can't comment.

On the system that currently has the Flanders monitor I mentioned earlier we tried the JVC monitor first, like you for budget reasons. We found it to be sub par, however. The first unit we tried had an approximately 1 stop difference in luminance from left to right. When we feed it a flat gray field the reproduced image looked like a horizontal graduation. Further it had other luminance imperfections. These presented as subtle soft vertical strips. Thinking that we had a damaged unit we returned it. The second unit had the same issues.

-V