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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Driving grading monitors from FC and Color

Roberto Lequeux

Roberto Lequeux

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How would you properly drive a monitor like the the JVC from a FC work station? Is there a need for a special card or will the DVI give the best results with proper calibration and LUT? Is that how it works?

About the particular monitor, in my understanding it sounds like for a widely accepted good grading monitor, with 1920 x 1080 native solution, that would also be rough enough for on location work... the JVC DT-V24L1DU 24" might be the best value right now. So that's the one I am considering.
 
JVC puts a lot of value with extra functions and input choices than others, but when I looked at them over a year ago, their viewing angle was narrow. They might have improved it by adopting new LCD panels, so you might wanna carefully evaluate that before you purchase.

Panasonic has a new one that looks appealing and the chassises are already proven in the location work.
 
Yes, the new Panasonic is significantly more money though, somewhere around $2k more I think. A very narrow viewing angle -while not a deal breaker- would be a PITA for sharing... I will always plant myself smack center, but it sort of isn't really the polite thing to do. :)

So DVI isn't best, and HD-SDI is, but to get an HD-SDI out you need a Kona 3 card... am I following you correctly? If so that really sucks, those Kona cards are so expensive. Of course you get what you pay for, but I wonder how the DVI option would compare? It is probably impossible to quantify this without going into the technical limitations and other inner workings of the two... but if you had to "rate it"...

And regarding playback, do the Kona cards handle the grading process or does the video card still handle that?
 
Check out the new Blackmagic Decklink Studio card, I think it can do HD-SDI, won't come with LUT though, I believe. It costs around $600.

If you don't mind the viewing angle, JVC would serve you well I think.
 
You only have 8 bit output with the DVI option and I would prefer 10 bit to work with on the SDI option.


Steen Linde
Picturewise Film
 
NTSC is 8-bit right? What about Blu-Ray? Cause it could be ok to use DVI if I am working at my output level... at least it sounds like it would make perfect sense. That is if there is no other limitations or issues that escape me.

We haven't planned on a film out, but I am not going to kill myself about it. With a limited theatrical release we could look for a few digital theaters and even save more by projecting a Blu-Ray.
 
While the specs for HDMI 1.3 offer the possibility of higher bit depth (aka Deep Color), I've not heard about any Blu-ray released with more than 8 bit yet.

DCI of course is using higher bit depth.
 
Blu-ray is 8-bit 4:2:0 at this point I think.

If you are just doing 8-bit work, you can use Matrox MXO to add to your system that will give you calibration on DVI displays.
 
Yea, but wouldn't I be missing out on other stuff from using an Apple Cinema type of screen with the MXO? My current screen is as good as Apple screens, it is an older version of a Gateway 24" that they don't make anymore, the current ones have a HORRIBLE red cast on the blacks, that's my second screen.

Or are you saying that the difference for 8-bit work between a JVC 24" and an Apple screen with the MXO isn't noticeable?

Also I guess I would need a second card to drive three screens... also something to consider huh? I guess getting that ATI everyone talks about as being the fastest for grading would work cause I'd have the one they shipped the computer with and I could run them together for the third DVI out.
 
MXO will work like regular desktop display (it's called presentation mode and this will even video out REDCINE screen) AND the Mastering mode let you switch your display connected to MXO as video display from FCP, Color and Motion's video out, so you don't really need the third monitor nor extra GPU.
 
I'm looking into the MXO.

If you get a nice IPS panel monitor (like the HP LP2475w, or Apple Cinema Display) you will get very similar results to a high end IPS grading style monitor..(similar panels, only you can trick the computer LCD into being a grading monitor via the MXO)

So... I've heard a lot of good things about that combination, which makes sense.
 
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