CompuServe Thread

I have the same monitor John E. mentioned (he suggested it to me, and after checking the options I bought it). CAV is component output/input. It is Y, Y-R, Y-B, or encoded R,G,B. This is the signal you would use for Betacam SP. The PAR either comes with it, or has it as an option (I don't have one, so I'm not sure which). Y-C is a lower end component signal, same thing as S-video. It seprates crominance from luminance, but there's still some disadvantages of carrying all the color information on the same channel, so it's not as tight as CAV or RGB. Y-C is what you would use for S-VHS, Hi-8, and also many 3/4" decks have it. Composite is the lowest end, as it carries all information on the same channel which means there's a lot of bleed, chroma crawl, and general instability of the signal. This is used for VHS, and 3/4", typically. The Panasonic BT-H1350Y can take all of these inputs, and can has buttons on the front that let you have three different input channels to select from without messing with cables in the back. I have button A set for Y-C, button B set for composite, and the third button defaults at RGB or Y, Y-R, Y-B. John Tissavary (LUNA cie)

Good questions! It does get confusing which is which and what is what. <g> In the recent past your basic choices where RGB, SVHS and Composite. There are two types or RGB which confuses things further. In the computer world RGB usually means SVGA _not to be confused with SVHS 🙁 In the video world RGB is a 15Khz output signal which outputs Red Green and Blue. You need a low frequency monitor as opposed to SVGA which typically requires a 60Khz and up monitor. So aside from your SVGA monitor you need another Video monitor. Ok. so you've got an SVGA display card already and then the question is what kind of video output framebuffer are you going to be using. As you know the PAR outputs Component or CAV, SVHS or Y/C and Composite. Of the three Component is the best, followed by SVHS and finally composite. In your situation with a standard T.V. you will (per Allen's recommendation) be using SVHS. Which is not bad but doesn't have near the resolution of the Panasonic. (400 lines as opposed to 700 with the Panasonic) Beta SP is Component output or CAV and has the highest resolution potential. Less than a year ago most people had framebuffers that output RGB, SVHS and composite. Composite is a standard NTSC signal and is the dirtest output of the bunch. This is because all the signals like Hue, Luminance and Saturation are all mixed together. SVHS and Component seperate the signals. As does RGB which also has a fourth signal Sync. Examples of Framebuffers that output RGB,SVHS and Composite where boards like the Targa 32/64. The original AT-Vista had RGB and Alpha only. Recently there has been a shift to Component or CAV as opposed to RGB. RGB and Component are easier on the eyes with a long persistence monitor, than Composite or SVHS. Typically Broadcast monitors are not long persistence but Component output doesn't flicker like Composite. All this is moot if you plan to do painting in Windows which is really why you'd have a dedicated frame-buffer or for outputing to tape, which you won't need to do if you have the PAR. There are advantages to having a dedicated framebuffer but I think for the time being you don't need to concern yourself with this as getting a good video monitor along with a good SVGA monitor for Windows along with a good 24 bit display card for painting is what you'll need. You may already have these I don't know. I don't know of any good books to recommend, but there are many multi-media magazine out now which explain these inter-related topics concerning video and computers. "New Media", and "PC Graphics and Video" are two I'd recommend. -JE

>>I just searched the file, and found that Don Landis talked about a CAV option for the PAR board available soon. The PAR comes with a breakout cable to output the CAV signals. The PAR has output jacks the allow simultaneous composit, Y/C, and CAV cabling. The TBC IV, which is required for inputing live video for rotoscoping with the PAR only has the y/c signal and composite but I understand that a CAV input option card is soon to be available. Check with Dave White, DPS here on the forum for status. Currently I input with beta SP to the y/c input for best par/TBC IV quality. I then output CAV from the PAR to beta SP, Y/C to SVHS, and composite to all other media.

I checked out the Sonys and they were excellent, too. I would have, normally, gone with Sony, but they did not offer the 750 line of res like the Panasonic, and I did notice the difference. If Sony had an equivalent monitor, even for a bit more $$$, I probably would have bought it (sad, but true <g>). John Tissavary (LUNA cie)

>> PVM-1354Q and the PVM-1351Q << Thanks Kevin, if pricing is comparable, I like the Sony PVM series very much, and would also seriously consider them as an option. As an aesthetic thing, the Panasonic goes well with my component Technics Pro Series audio gear. (A personal consideration all else being equal.) -JE