Cheap S-video monitor approach
CooperComm
Folks,
I was searching around for a preview monitor to use when taping training
programs with my VX-1000. I'd been looking at LCD's for $400 and NTSC's for up
through four figures. I posted a query here and got a message back from "TWang"
with a great el-cheapo idea. The pros will probably sneer, but I can't believe
what a good idea this is so I thought I'd pass it on.
All I really wanted was a monitor to see what I was shooting and to let others
in the production take a look after each scene. I know it pays to calibrate
correctly, but that's why I'm not a production pro.
Try this: Get an old Commodore 1702, 1802 or 1902 monitor used. Lots of folks
have them sitting in a closet ... plus they are plentiful at used stores for
$35 to $100. Great unknown fact ... they display S-video at over 400 lines per
inch!
Get a cable made from Redmond Cable (423-478-5760) which connects S-video to a
Luma/Chroma pair for the C-1x02. A 6 foot cable was about $20.
Make sure the monitor edges aren't too burned in from the standard C-64/128
screen which leaves a border box bright all the time. I took my VX-1000 and
cable into the used store and tried out monitors until I found ones I liked.
You get a terrific S-video preview monitor which can be adjusted using the
Produce Color Bars pretty darn closely for taping and editing. I just got two
and I can't believe how good they look -- and the whole setup for well under
$200.
Ken
albert wong
CooperComm wrote in message
<19980226025...@ladder03.news.aol.com>...
>
>You get a terrific S-video preview monitor which can be adjusted using the
>Produce Color Bars pretty darn closely for taping and editing. I just got
two
>and I can't believe how good they look -- and the whole setup for well
under
>$200.
Hmm, should it be the opposite? You know your clients are going to be
viewing the finished work on some cheap VHS tape machine connected to some
20 year TV... so you need a really crappy TV to make sure all your cool
effects come though ;)