Good Computer Monitors for Video Editing

[BenHuckle]

Hey All,

 

I'm looking for some decent monitors for video editing around 24" mark.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions? I've been looking at IPS screens as they seem to have a very good viewing angle which is good for me as a few people at a time might be around it, but are they good for video?

 

Graphic work would be the 2nd use for them.

 

Thanks

Ben

[Robin D]

Provided you can follow what you are doing on the screen, editing suites don't really challenge the monitor too much. The important things are processor grunt, bags of memory (and then some if the the OS supports it), fast disks with separate disks for capturing video (I also have separate data and OS disks), and as good a graphics card as you can get. Keep the machine as clean as a whistle and if you get it right the editing will fly. I only have my video monitor window in 'preview' when editing leaving as many resources as possible for allowing you to move things around, add transitions etc. I've just upgraded to Windoze 7 64bit and I reckon its much more responsive with bigger projects.

 

I use two bog standard LG c£100 19" monitors using extended desktop. One has the main editing platform with the second carrying the preview window and 'media selectors.

 

EDIT: SPAG

[cho_drummer]

It really depends what you mean by 'editing' if its just straight cutting and a little grading then maybe a standard monitor would be fine, if you're looking for high quality pro results you'll want a propper grading monitor which can set you back £4k at the basic end of the spectrum. I'd suggest though if you were really into colour correction/grading/timing and seconday cc etc you'd already know this and probably be working on an avid symphony system which in itself is not cheap.

 

A further option you have is using a couple of standard monitors and then hooking an LCD/LED/Plasma TV up to the output via a matrox mx02 or something similar to give you HD monitoring.

[lightsource]

Currently running a Sony Bravia, 16:9 at 1280x768 which has a VGA socket built in.

 

Using it for 3ds Max, Maya, Toxic (all 2010), Premiere Photoshop and Aftereffects. (all CS4)

 

Only problem, is that I opted for a 32" screen, which gives stunning rendered results, but can cause eye strain if too close to the screen, so as you have suggested, 22-24" would probably be better.

 

As others have suggested, running one monitor for the main software, and another (larger monitor) for the rendered output may be better suited to your circumstances, but be careful on your Video card choice if you need an upgrade, as some features in certain software packages can be a nightmare.

 

It would greatly help if you identified the software you are using,

 

Especially the bit where you say:

 

Graphic work would be the 2nd use for them.

[paulears]

I'd agree with the 20-22" size - I find these comfy enough to work on. I've got a proper CRT broadcast monitor connected to the main edit suite and although I don't use it all the time, any really critical decisions get made on that one. It's 5 years old now, but still very useful. The important thing with the day to day monitors is that you adjust them all to be the same. Brightness and contrast are the really important ones. Colour is a bit subjective. One monitor I really like for fine detail because the resolution is clearly better has a colour shift I cannot control. Did a project this week and we were tweaking an image of a lake for the CD cover. As I had the client with me (which isn't normal for me) and it was a music project - I did this adjustment in the audio studio we were working in - the one with the problem monitor. When I looked at the image in the video room, sorting out the photoshop file for the printer, I'd got purple water, not blue! Took ages to get the exact colour right again.

 

The one annoying thing I find with running multiple DIFFERENT monitors is that the actual visible screen area is always slightly different, so when you go off the edge of one onto the other, the cursor (and windows) never quite match up. I live with it, but it jangles a bit, seeing a small band of the the background visible at the bottom!

[Jivemaster]

When I worked in graphics and AV the big name screen was Lacie usually there would be a set of calibrated screens to ensure that jobs looked right when done in parts on different machines.