DPBuzz Tip: Quick and Dirty HD/HDV monitoring for $19!

I know ALL of you are reading your Digital Production Buzz newsletter, but in case you missed the last one here's a great tip. If you have a graphics card with a second DVI port that's not in use and an SD monitor (or TV set) you can buy a DVI to Analog video cable from Apple --only $19 -- and use it to make that SD monitor display video from FCP. Plug everything in and FCP will recognize it as a 2nd monitor and allow you to Preview on it. It's really down and dirty and you won't see accurate colors or resolution at all; but if you just want an external reference monitor for HDV or DVCProHD footage and you can't afford an AJA, Blackmagic or Matrox solution then this is the way to go. Nice solution for a Powerbook too if you're on the road and would love to use that big TV in your hotel room as your Canvas.

Thanks Digital Production Buzz!!

_______________________________________
SCQT! Self-contained QuickTime ? pass it on!

Thanks John, this is indeed a cool trick. I have been using my dodgy old broken firewire deck to get the my monitor, this must use less system resources?

but a question - when i plug the monitor in, I get the option in FCP -> Audio/Video settings to set video playback to Digital Cinema Desktop Preview - but these don't seem to do anything in regular edit mode?

Is there a way to make the 2nd monitor function as a full screen preview monitor? I would assume this option should do it? Maybe I should try a reboot with everything plugged in before I post next time eh?

" get the option in FCP -> Audio/Video settings to set video playback to Digital Cinema Desktop Preview - but these don't seem to do anything in regular edit mode? "

the next step is to tell FCP that you want to route the image to the external monitor, whatever that may be.

that's under the View Menu > External Video > All Frames
or Apple F12.


nick

Thanks Nick. should have looked myself!

tell me, is there any advantage/disadvantage to this compared to output thru Firewire/DV? Looks as good if not a touch better to me.

SD obviously.

Jude/Nick,

Can/should this go in the 'how do I hook up an external monitor'?

[www.lafcpug.org]

Jus.

It should be pointed out that this approach isn't actually displaying a production video signal. It's emulating a VGA computer monitor and sending that signal out to an NTSC monitor. Displaying a production video signal on that computer screen that happens to be displayed on an NTSC monitor... doesn't change that.

There's nothing wrong with doing it, it's kind of cool. But for monitoring purposes it's just another place to "put stuff" where you can see it. It has no relationship to what a FireWire converter or Aja or Black Magic, or Matrox... do.

Remember early Amigas? Ahhhhh....

braker's right.

the signal should be no better than the canvas.

so no interlacing,
& kinda low-res
and inaccurate cut-offs

the no-interlacing is good for an instant "film look" though.

i was cutting a shot on DV documentary a while back, and for our screeners, we'd play out the S-Video out of my laptop onto VHS or DVCAM tape which went to a dub house for DVDs to be struck from it.
as we were eventually going to go for a de-interlaced look, this was great for us.


nick

I think it would cause trouble with people thinking they're actually getting an "external reference monitor" this way (see my post above).

And see your own words, Jus: "t's really down and dirty and you won't see accurate colors or resolution at all; but if you just want an external reference monitor for HDV or DVCProHD footage and you can't afford an AJA, Blackmagic or Matrox solution then this is the way to go."

It's an "external reference monitor" in roughly the sense that my 32-year-old pocket dictionary is an "external reference librarian."

It's a great tip but it will cause us all trouble if it's presented as one of those all-important CRT monitoring paths we all harp on. It just doesn't do that.

Thanks Breaker, but they 'ain't my words'. Heh. Sorry, Friday afternoon flu-ridden. Anyone wanna do my 3 gigs over the weekend?

I still wonder if this could be a handy addition to the FAQ - noting of course that it isn't a external reference solution.

How many low-ender's have TVs sitting around and could do with extra screen real estate? For US$19? (AU$35 for those here).

That's it - shutting down. Enjoy the weekend all.

Wow, a fella leaves the office early and comes back to find his two-day old post has suddenly blossomed. Yowza.

Well I probably should not have said "reference", simply another external monitor. It's true that the signal is nothing like running through a DV converter; I have my deck routed to input 'B' on the same monitor and the signals look nothing like each other. Best I can do is use the System prefs to adjust it so it looks closer. But I wouldn't want to use it for color correction or checking interlacing, no sir.

I agree with jusrus, it's just nice to have the extra screen real estate. It's nice to be able to actually WATCH my HD footage on another screen instead of just seeing it huddled in the corner of my main display...

JK

_______________________________________
SCQT! Self-contained QuickTime ? pass it on!