| Flanders Scientific LCD Panels - First Look |
Today we had the opportunity to look at the new product line from Flanders Scientific (FSI) which is based here in the Atlanta area. They have four LCD panels that are targeted at the bulk of the professional editorial market that needs high quality, but low-cost displays to replace our aging CRT�s. Or maybe you�re starting a new business and need to have a high quality broadcast monitor. Today we were shown the LM-2450W, LM-2430W, LM-2130W and LM-1760W.
Right off the bat I have to say I was impressed with the honesty of the demonstration. FSI knows exactly what they have and they�re up front about it. These are NOT monitors that will give you the exact same critical color display as a $30,000 monitor. But I have to say after seeing them in person today, they WILL give you very accurate color and two of the models can certainly be used in a suite for final color enhancement.
First off, they�re all solid. No plastic on these, die-cast Aluminum bodies that are solid with a standard tilt stand. Two SDI inputs (auto HD/SD switch), Component, Composite and DVI (A/D) inputs. Now I asked about HDMI and that just requires either an HDMI to DVI cable or HDMI to DVI Adapter and you�re set. Both inexpensive add-ons you can pick up at a local electronics store if needed.
Second, and really really nice, Auto-Calibration that actually works AND you don�t need a computer to run it. You use a probe (which you can rent from FSI), plug it into the back of the monitor, and hit Auto-Calibrate. This procedure takes about 30 minutes or so and according to the reps, you should only need to do this once a year.
The 2430W and 2130W are considered Grade 2 monitors. What I noticed is that the color reproduction is incredibly accurate. Dead on to my CRT monitor. In fact one of the folks in the room looking at the monitors with me said �that looks like a plasma.� The blacks were rich, the whites very white and the colors very solid. The one weakness with these monitors are solid black. When I put up a scene that was predominately black, there was some light spill evident in the corners of the each of these monitors. Obviously the panels are lower cost so something has to give.
I have to say, we did run the monitors for about 20 minutes and we did not even notice anything off about the blacks with regular video running on there. If you�re on a tight budget and trying to save every dime, or you just need an editing monitor that won�t be used for critical color work, either of these monitors would work for you. But keep in mind, there is a tight viewing angle, you need to be straight on for best color, so if you work with a lot of folks in the room, this could be a problem.
Now the 2450W and 1760W are color accurate monitors that you can definitely put into color critical situations. These are higher quality panels and it really shows when you put a black scene up there. Good solid black and zero light spill. Now will it stand up next to a $30,000 LCD panel designed for telecine work? Probably not and the FSI reps are the first to explain this. These are not one size fits all monitors. These monitors will work for a lot of situations where you need a high quality, low-budget color accurate monitor. At $4,995 for the 2450W and $2,495 for the 1760W, these are the lowest cost accurate monitors I have ever seen. I would have no reservations recommending either of these monitors to any editor or colorist for broadcast work.
In fact, I like them so much I�m replacing my current CRT�s with 2 of the 2450W�s and 2 of the 1760W�s in our shop. Great monitors, good folks and you can�t beat the price! I�ll update the blog after we get them installed and really start using them.
Oh, and I forgot to mention. FSI offers a 30 day money back guarantee. You don�t like them, you send them back. Really nothing to lose.
Full specs are here. http://www.flandersscientific.com/ |
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