Getting new monitor and video card... suggestions?

[Conrad H]

I am somewhat of a newbie in this area. However, I've been editing DV and HDV on Final Cut Pro for a few years without an external monitor. However, I plan to get a Red camera of some kind, and would like to start getting ready for the future.

I would like to get a "decent" video card and monitor. What is in my budget range is a Kona 3 with breakout box and a JVC DTV24L1DU. The plan is not to break the bank too much with the monitor, but have something that will hold up for a few years in a Red workflow.

Any suggestions? What are people using now in the under $4,000 monitor range?

Thanks for any info.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

"a Red camera of some kind" -- So you don't have one on order now?

You might want to hold off on hardware purchases until you're closer to getting your camera. Do you have need for a solution like the AJA card now? A lot can and will change over the next several months.

What sort of Mac are you looking to install this card into? What do you want this card to do?

I'm looking into monitoring solutions myself and one of my top choices is the 1080p 50" Pro series plasma from Panasonic with the SDI interface option. The black levels on the new panels are great and will supposedly improve quite a bit with the upcoming models this summer.

[Conrad H]

Jeff, I will put the card into a 4 or 8 processor Mac.

I am "thinking" about the Red One, even at it's revolutionary price tag, the extra costs are still holding me back on pulling the trigger. I will buy a Scarlet, no doubt about that, but could switch to a Red One depending on how the Scarlet's specs come out.

I plan to do a lot of green screen keying and effects work as well, so this is why Red fits in, and all the horsepower.

As for the monitor, I'd like it to fit on my desk, beside my other Apple monitors.

[ThomtheEditor]

we're using kona3's and panasonic BT-LH1700W's that we're very happy with, plus when we go out and shoot the panasonics make very nice field monitors as well! we also have Blackmagic breakout card on one system and an old blackmagic hdpro in a g5 somewhere around here as well, but guess which one is on my computer lol

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=94264&catGroupId=14625&surfModel=BT-LH1700W

plus if you're doing a lot of green screening (i'm guessing ae w/ keylight or shake/nuke with frontlight) kona supports video out for those programs as well as motion i believe (sorry don't use motion)