Budget field monitoring

[Shawn Nelson]

I'm now considering what to get for field monitoring for my Red. Now I don't mean for the DP to frame off of, that will be either the EVF or LCD on camera. What I am talking about is a monitor onsite for the actors to watch themselves, for the director, makeup artist, clients, etc.

My budget for this item is $700-$1000'ish. I want it to be in the range of 23"-32", big enough to see a lot and yet small enough I can make a platform and put it on top of a beefy stand.

So, which route seems more reasonable to people of these three?

Option 1) Dell 24" 1920x1200 max res, 1000:1 contrast res, $798
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=hied&cs=RC956904&sku=2407W5Y

Option 2) Sony 26" Bravia, 1366 x 768 max res, 1300:1 contrast, $1039
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7683349&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat95100050006&id=1134703573392

Option 3) HP 32", 1366 x 768 max res, 1200:1 contrast, $899
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7730217&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat95100050006&id=1140392384567

[donatello b]

i have a samsung 26" that compares well to the Bravia ..
bought it from onecall ( they did a price match = 999 including shipping) about 2 months ago ...

http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=31167
HD-grade 1366(H) x 768(V) pixel resolution, 4000:1 dynamic contrast,178 degrees wide-viewing angle.

[Alex Boothby]

What I am talking about is a monitor onsite for the actors to watch themselves...

Oh no, don't do that!


for the director, makeup artist, clients, etc.

Oh, alright then. This good news is this stuff will get cheaper and cheaper as time goes by. My 2 year old nephew has a clam-shell for his baby-einstein DVDs. A CLAM-SHELL, fer christ's sake! :eek:

[_BK]

If you go with the Dell 24... just make sure you dont buy model# 2407WFP. I have 3 of the slightly older 2405FPW that are great, but for whatever reason the new 2407WFP is an absolutely awful monitor. I ordered 2 of them and ended up sending them both back. I guess Dell is now making a new model to replace the crappy 2407WFP.

[Ruairi Robinson]

If you go with the Dell 24... just make sure you dont buy model# 2407WFP. I have 3 of the slightly older 2405FPW that are great, but for whatever reason the new 2407WFP is an absolutely awful monitor. I ordered 2 of them and ended up sending them both back. I guess Dell is now making a new model to replace the crappy 2407WFP.

I've vaguely heard this - what exactly is wrong with them, as a matter of interest? (I have the older model, which is great, except the angle of view is painfully narrow, so it might not be the best for field monitoring if people are gonna be gathered around it at all angles)

R.

[Brook Willard]

You may consider waiting until the camera ships... I have no doubt that there will be larger/cheaper/better options by then.

[_BK]

I've vaguely heard this - what exactly is wrong with them, as a matter of interest? (I have the older model, which is great, except the angle of view is painfully narrow, so it might not be the best for field monitoring if people are gonna be gathered around it at all angles)

R.

I think they went with a different backlight on that model. The monitors were very washed out and extremely spotty.

[Rob Lohman]

I would also wait until you have the camera (better prices, more options, can test stuff and so on).

[Tom Lowe]

I have the Dell 24" and I love it. I used it as field monitor for my HVX200 and it worked great.

[Thom Steinhoff]

How about an "ultra cheap", lower res, but still fun alternative?

After reading this article by Robert X Cringley: http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2006/pulpit_20061116_001214.html on using a Sony PSP as a wifi Video player for his kids in the car, it got me thinking...

Wouldn't it be cool if you could broadcast over wifi something people could watch on a PSP? Sure you go from 2540p to 320p so there is zero help for focus pullers and you wouldn't want it for the director, but for people watching framing (grips, producers, etc) you have a lightweight, battery operated, wireless option that is cheap.

Not something for the RED crew to develop, but I think a wifi box that could broadcast a VIDEO signal to PSPs that you could hook to any camera may be something a third party may be able to sell quite a few of. If Cringly got a wireless video server going in his minivan in a one off for less than $200, I would think someone developing it as a product (with no need for hard drive, etc) it could be done for way cheap.

Just an idea...

Thom