OT: Recommendation PC Monitors for Editing

JohnnyRoy wrote on 11/9/2007, 8:56 PM

I’m looking to replace my dual 17” Samsung PC monitors with two widescreen’s. I’m thinking 20” is as big as I should go for two (they gotta fit on my desk). Anyone who’s using dual widescreen LCD’s, what size did you get and what size 4:3 did you have before that?

My bigger question is what brand or what specs to look for. I followed the thread about the Spyder3 and HueyPro calibrators and I’m thinking that I want to get one, but that inexpensive monitors probably can’t be calibrated properly. Or am I wrong?

What brand do you folks recommend? Nec? Viewsonic? Samsung? I’m thinking $400 or less each so Sony is out ‘cuz they start at $1,000+. :(

Should I be looking at contrast ratios? Brightness levels? If so, what are the minimum specs to use with these calibrators and get accurate results?

I know most of these LCD’s max out at 1680 x 1050 so I won’t be able to view full resolution HD. Should I be getting a 3rd for HD viewing? I’m planning on upgrading my video card to an nVidia 8600GTS which has dual DVI and HDMI (although I’m not sure you can use all three at once). I’ve read here about a Dell 24” 1920x1200 display that everyone raves about. Is that what I should go for? If so what is the model number? I don't think I can afford a broadcast HD monitor.

For those of you with three monitors (two PC and one HD) how are you hooking them all up? What cards? etc. Thanks,

~jr

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Comments

Bill Ravens wrote on 11/12/2007, 3:50 PM

"Six billion people could give a crap less."

LOL...guess that just about says it all.

JJK....I so agree with you.

JJKizak wrote on 11/12/2007, 4:28 PM

Sorry for the rant.
JJK

teaktart wrote on 11/13/2007, 10:16 AM

Bill:
"Quite honestly, this is moot if you're using an NTSC monitor to preview on. This whole discussion is oriented around those who want to use an LCD for a preview monitor."

I have two NVidia 7600 video cards and currently have 3 - 19" Samsung monitors working and was considering changing my configuration to have 1 - 19" and 1 - 24" 1080p monitor instead. When I move up to a larger HDTV in my living room I planned to hook up my current 32" HDTV to my editing station to use as my "external" monitor (I'm in the US so NTSC)

Would this get me around the issues you have mentioned in terms of color accuracy? more or less?

Thanks,
Eileen

Bill Ravens wrote on 11/13/2007, 1:00 PM

Eileen...

Assuming you plan to use your HDTV as a monitor, you' re not going to have to worry about the color depth of the LCD screen you're using. So, in a word, yes. You're still needing to face the issue of calibrating the HDTV monitor, however. I know how to calibrate an NTSC monitor, but, I'm afraid I can't tell you whether this method will work on an HDTV monitor. The color bars used for HDTV are slightly different for HDv than for DV. Perhaps there are others, here, who can tell you.

teaktart wrote on 11/13/2007, 10:10 PM

Thanks Bill,
All it takes is "mo' money" !!!
And the smarts to know how to spend it well....

Thought I'd go for the computer monitor first as its a hell of a lot cheaper than a 46" HDTV which I plan on getting sometime later and then bringing the 32" HDTV to the editing station....
Unforetunately, my editing computer ate over $2000 worth of repairs and upgrades last month that I wasn't expecting so most other "improvements" will have to wait a bit.
Thanks for all your helpful and informative comments....
Eileen

JJKizak wrote on 11/14/2007, 5:58 AM

All you can do is "try it" and if you like it, that's great. If not, "Mo Money".
JJK