Viewsonic Display

Hello All --

Have decided to purchase a MacPro tower, 4GB RAM, and 512MB graphics card.

Viewsonics makes some 20-inch LCD displays with the same resolution as the 20-inch Apple display for about U.S. $200.00 on amazon.com.

Does anyone have any pros or cons about Viewsonic LCD displays?

Thanks All --

Jack Lindauer

I haven't used that particular display, but I'd be hard pressed to consider running Final Cut on a display smaller than 1920x1200.

Jeff --

All of my work will be in 720p.

Jack Lindauer

It doesn't matter to me, personally, if I'm working in standard def. A display smaller than 1920x1200 just doesn't work very well.

There are lots of places to economize when you're building your system. The thing you stare at for upwards of eight hours a day isn't one of them.

Get two of them for dual screens..



www.strypesinpost.com

You should at least consider a 24 inch display. The point is that to see the full resolution of HD you got to have a 24inch at least, maybe you wont benefit the 24 inch now but if you got to work in the futur in full resolution your gonna have it already.

Hmm... Is he talking about "display" as in "broadcast monitor to monitor my work" display or "I'll use it for the timeline and bins" display?



www.strypesinpost.com

Fair question, but I just naturally assumed we were talking about a graphics monitor here and not a picture monitor. Using a computer monitor to view NTSC is insane.

Well Jeff,
Here in one of my editing room i got a SAMSUNG SyncMaster 245B 24 inch to MONITOR whats outputted from FCP. HD SDI output from the KONA 3 card in a Black Magic HD LINK, from DVI out to the Monitor. It work pretty fine, im working in NTSC. With that display (1920 x 1200 native) i can watch a 1080p content with no problem. Since you need 1:1 pixel mapping to see the best quality of 1080P and the syncmaster doesnt have it, i got an option with the HD link that give that 1:1 pixel mapping.

All very interesting stuff.

But, getting back to my original question;

Does anyone have any pros or cons about Viewsonic LCD displays?

Thanks --

Jack Lindauer

i had a Viewsonic LCD display for a desktop some years ago .. it was cheap crap, but that doesn't mean they didn't get better. I wouldn't use a computer display for a reference monitor unless it was of proven quality under known conditions eg a Dell / ACD with Matrox MXO or similar

i have a viewsonic 22inch. the only con i have found is that at times you get a green pixel dust. To remove it you have to change the resolution to anything else then back to your prefer res.

i have a soyo 22 that i am starting to think is better res.

""" What you do with what you have, is more important than what you could do, with what you don't have."

> > > Knowledge + Action = Wisdom - J. Corbett 1992 """"

Hiya Jack,

No Viewsonics. They are the worst IMHO to use as a workstation display or even WORSE as an output monitor.

Jeff thinks the same way as I do...the thing you stare at all day should be a QUALITY INSTRUMENT. If you get cheap here, you will regret it. It's Apple / Dell / Sony monitors...period, for me (even the Sony looks weak next to my crisp Dell 24".

Cutting corners on professional equipment is not wise. You get what you pay for in the end.

...my 2 cents.

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

I'll go for 2 LGs over 1 Apple desktop cinema display anyday, but always have a reliable calibrated broadcast monitor too. Your clients will love you for that. For me, I just need the dual screens. I love Apple monitors, but if you can only get one of them and a broadcast monitor, I'd rather use 2 cheaper monitors (since it isn't for judging quality on the video as much as it is for editing). My 2 cents.



www.strypesinpost.com

I have to agree with Jeff and Joey, (how's the weather in Florida Joey?)

When I look at the display, I need to know if a scene has been shot too dark or too light.

Some non-Apple displays alter the brightness if the display is tilted up or down. (Have never looked at a Dell display).

I went to the Apple Store and looked at ALL their displays (MacBook, iMac, Cinema) and NONE of them exhibit this problem as their displays are backlit LCD displays.

So I am now thinking about getting a 20-inch Apple Cinema Display, but will take a look at a Dell also. Not worth trying to save $400 bucks and getting a display that changes brightness as you tilt it.

Jack Lindauer

Quote

I have to agree with Jeff and Joey, (how's the weather in Florida Joey?)

Sh!tty...but better than it will be in Louisiana tomorrow morning. This is what they're looking at:



When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Quote
Jack
" When I look at the display, I need to know if a scene has been shot too dark or too light.

you can only tell if your shoot is too light or dark is on a broadcast monitor or if you are use to the color/luma scopes of fcp and color.

Stypes is correct to say this in his post. No matter what the display, if you are going to dvd, broadcast, or reel the display you have is not gonna make a difference if you do not have a NTSC MONITOR.

If you are going to the web however, then get a good display and get use to that displays habits they all have habits.

i will say this tho. Unless you have a burly video card, anything over 24 is gonna give you some visual head aches.

""" What you do with what you have, is more important than what you could do, with what you don't have."

> > > Knowledge + Action = Wisdom - J. Corbett 1992 """"

I'd get out of the way of that! Managed to get some snapshots, Joey? Kiddin'. Stay safe.



www.strypesinpost.com

>you can only tell if your shoot is too light or dark is on a broadcast monitor or if you are
>use to the color/luma scopes of fcp and color.

He does have a point. Displays that alter the brightness if you tilt it are generally useless. Which is why I love 'em Apple monitors, but for the sake of having only one, getting two slightly cheaper models (which can still allow you to roughly gauge brightness levels) is more efficient for me than having just one. The broadcast monitor is essential, though. At least if you're going to be the last link in the post production chain.



www.strypesinpost.com

Quote

Have decided to purchase a MacPro tower, 4GB RAM, and 512MB graphics card.

Jack,

A 24" Dell:
[accessories.us.dell.com]

or a 23" Apple:
[store.apple.com]

...will rock your world and there's absolutely no need to worry about video card size as you have already stated in your original post that you are going for the higher end card (512 MB VRAM). All the new cards handle the bigger screens just fine anyway (even the Macbook Pro DVI port runs a second Apple 30".

The difference between a 20" and a 24" visually is impressive. Monetarily, it's negligible. The 1920x1200 full HD resolution, especially working in full 720p, allows for more screen real estate. I have been using a Dell 2405FPW for years and I have never had to calibrate it right out of the box. It gives me a very close match to my Kona LHe output on my NTSC monitor.

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

1. How do you hook up a broadcast NTSC monitor to a Mac Pro?

2. Would it display 1920x1080 or 1280x720 as letterbox?

Jack Lindauer

1. How do you hook up a broadcast NTSC monitor to a Mac Pro?


Via a video output card or box or DVI to NTSC converter such as the ones from Blackmagic, AJA, Matrox et al.

Have a look at their offerings on their websites:

[www.blackmagic-design.com] [www.aja.com] [www.matrox.com]



2. Would it display 1920x1080 or 1280x720 as letterbox?

Depends on the card/software and the monitor might have a letterbox option - almost all the 4:3 SONY Broadcast CRTs I have used in the last 8 years have had this option either built in or by way of a control box.

Certainly on the Blackmagic Cards I have in my Macs I can set the Realtime Output from HD to SD in either FHA or Letterbox.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

My Kona LHe - realtime HD monitor output or SD Letterbox as well.

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Just a note regarding the ACD as a broadcast reference display.

I was at Siggraph last month and HP was showing several of their new Dreamcolor 24" monitors.
They are not cheap at around $3200 street, but are supposed to be reference grade.

They had one sitting next to an ACD and there was a huge difference between the two. Blacks on the ACD were milky compared to the HP.

The only problem at the HP booth was that they were setup to show film originated or high end digital progressive material but no interlaced broadcast material ala 1080i. So I am still not sure what interlace looks like on the monitor.

But the differences between the ACD and the Dreamcolor with regards to color and contrast were so startling that I really don't know what to believe now.