Can I just add a little rider to this. Monitoring via SDI, component or one of those very expensive Sony monitors with a 1394 card in them is the best way to see your video, you get to see just how good it really looks and it's sure a great inspiration.
But sadly that's not how Joe Average is most likely going to see it. So you also need to feed your monitor via composite. Don't be put off too much by the rather dramatic loss of resolution etc but it's a good way to check for any nasties where you've stepped outside broadcast legal.
I haven't checked out the specs on this specific monitor but it does do 16:9, right?
Bob.

Since last year I get my SDI and other video cables from Blue Jeans Cable. Always 100% professional product and backed by real expertise that is available in great articles on his web site in a dry "just the facts" style backed up with references. Even if you don't buy their cables, you can learn a lot from the web site. Real info about both cables and connectors.

A 6 foot SDI cable with Canare BNC connectors is $14, and they charge only the most cost-effective shipping, usually Priority Mail.

I have also ordered some unusual custom video cables, they were built and shipped the next day, with a better design than I came up with myself (one cable with 3 component miniature coaxes going all the way to the pins in a DVI connector, try that on your own... :O).

Thank you all, it clears up alot for me. The idea of a 1394 may make alot of sense, as the SDI cards have not received your endorsment by any means.

Thanks as always to a great bunch of people,
Marty

I should have mentioned that Vegas currently does not support external monitoring through anything other than firewire in 4:1:1 DV25 format.

This means you can't use a $295 Decklink card to feed the monitor directly from Vegas (although you can play back avi and qt files using Decklink's deck control software).

The Convergent SD Connect is your only choice if you want to use the SDI input on the TM-H150CGU monitor. You should educate yourself on what it does first though, it is $1500 after all.

If you don't need SDI for some other reason, you could get a component input card for the monitor instead, and use this with an ADVC300 firewire to component box ($450-$500).

Coursedesign as always that you very much. So from the VEGAS based PC would run 1394 to the back of the ADVC300 card IN THE JVC monitor?
Also must I use any special cables since it is 1394?
Also please, my V-Card has digital output. May I not use this signal in some way?

Here the about box system info
Operating System
Platform: Windows XP
Version: 5.01.2600 (Service Pack 2)
Language: English
System locale: English
User locale: English

Processor
Class: Pentium 4
Identifier: GenuineIntel
Number of processors: 2
MMX available: Yes
SSE available: Yes
SSE2 available: Yes

Display
Primary: 1600x1200x32

Memory
Physical memory: 523.6 MB
Paging memory available: 1,280.0 MB
Virtual memory possible: 2,097.0 MB


Thank you so very much,
Marty

The ADVC300 is a separate (small) box that has a firewire jack and component/S-video/composite connectors. It wouldn't fit inside the JVC monitor.

You do need to use 1394 cables, and be sure to get the right connectors: 4-pin or 6-pin at one end as needed for your computer firewire port, and 4 or 6-pin (either one is fine) for the ADVC300. (6-pin firewire adds power for some devices, you don't need this here.)

Vegas currently can't use digital outputs on video cards, only firewire out.

It is anybody's guess when Vegas 6 comes out, but I would venture that they would like to get it out in time for NAB next month.

I wouldn't be surprised if they added other forms of external monitor support in the V6 release, if for no other reason than to make it possible to preview HDV in high definition rather than NTSC.

Great information as always, I called my local JVC guy and he is having his factory rep. call me in the next few days.
Here is one thing I am going to ask, I have extracted these from your messages.
Is there a new model comming out to superceed the TMH150CGU ?
When Mike Mitchell [mmitchell@vmivideo.com] wrote me this morning from our distributor he quoted a price of $590.00 delivered. This tells me they are clearing their stock.
Perhaps I am wrong (often the case) but I didn't ask for a discount.
Please let me know what other issues might help in understanding my first true vid monitor please?

Thanks as always,
Marty

Hi Bob
Thank you so very much for the insight. Well I think I may wait until we came back from the show, at least I will have the time to have a bit of hands on experience.
Thanks
Marty

SDI input for only $590.00?? Wow, that's IMPRESSIVE. Just the SDI card for the Sony PVM/BVM monitor alone is 1500.00. That'a a slammin' deal. If that's a new monitor with an SDI card in it, jump on that price. I thought that monitor only had an OPTION for the SDI or Component card, not included...from what I know. But I could be wrong. Maybe it does come with the card included. That's a steal if it does.
We're using the Convergent Design box feeding an SDI input via Firewire, it looks stupendous. Even though it's DV25 on the output, it still looks great, and you can see fine detail very well.
There isn't much to know about getting a broadcast monitor, other than learning how to calibrate it, and being sure it's calibrated from the start. Let it warm up for 30 mins or so and then calibrate it. Vegas gives you what you need to calibrate. So does the Convergent Design.