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Tech Tips:

Selecting The Right Video Monitor

By Rule Broadcast Systems

The early purpose of video monitors was to determine whether or not your camera was actually working during a shoot, or even producing all three color channels. But the requirement of the video monitor has changed considerably over the past decade. Rule Broadcast stocks a large number of video monitors in it’s rental inventory and each has its’ own application. There are CRT and LCD video monitors for use in both field and studio production and monitors for use in the edit suite. There are monitors to be used as cine-style viewfinders and monitors for viewing by large groups of producers or clients.

Some criteria to consider in choosing a video monitor for your production:

  • What aspect ratio will you be shooting in, 16:9 or 4:3?
  • What field/frame rates will need to be viewed? Is your monitor equipped to display them?
  • Is the monitor required for technical applications such as color matching or lighting?
  • Is the monitor for viewing by one crew member or a group?
  • What resolution are you capturing in, HD or SD? If HD, the largest possible monitor is indicated for checking critical focus.
  • Are you mounting it on a camera or will it be placed on a sturdy surface?
  • Is weight an issue? Are you shooting in the woods where you’ll be required to carry your equipment in? Some monitors weigh upwards of three hundred pounds!
  • Will AC be available on location or will you need a DC powered monitor?

There is much to be considered in choosing the appropriate video monitor for your particular production needs. You can choose a monitor whose screen dimensions are 4:3 or 16:9 but you need to be sure that it will properly display the format you’re shooting in. The new Panasonic BT-LH1700 has a screen dimension of 15:9. While the 16:9 image will fill the 17 inch screen, the 4:3 image will be cropped on the left and right.

The Sony HDM 14E5U displays incredibly beautiful pictures with precise color representation however, this monitor is not compatible with 24P. The Sony PVM14L5 is a great choice for viewing high definition footage, but if your source is HD-SDI, you’ll want to make sure to get the additional option board installed.

The Panasonic BT-LH900 multi-format monitor is a popular choice for it’s size, weight and input options especially for the Director, DP or AC. On the clients table, though, it would look awfully small. For the clients, you may want to go much larger with Sony’s BVM-D20F1U or the PVM-20L5.