Some advice (required) on achieving preview on TV

PeterMilliken · Post by **PeterMilliken** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:04 pm

Preview on a PC monitor doesn't show the true colours as you would see on a TV. Ideally a video card with TV Out is required.

I have recently gone through the eternal cycles of "adjust on my PC -> burn a RW disc -> observe the results of the video filter(s) -> try again to get it looking right" and would like a more productive approach - unfortunately my prefered work platform is a 2 year old Toshiba notebook (it is fast enough to perform editing and I don't care if it takes twice as long to create the final output - I generally do it overnight) which does not have TV Out. But it does have a monitor output plug.

So does anybody have any experience/advice on using a "Computer to TV video adapter/converter" such as the GPV-2000? This model is the first one that popped up on my google search, so I will continue to research the available models (and prices

) but I would appreciate it if anybody has any comments on this approach to make before I (possibly) throw my money to the wind

Thanks
Peter

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:39 pm

WARNING - I have no experience with VGA-to-TV adapters, or composite video outputs... But, I'm always willing to speculate...

It's hard to tell if that adaptor is going to help. You will be using the same VGA digital-to-analog converters, and then running that through additional circuitry. Connecting a regular VGA-CRT monitor might work just as well.

If you don't already have one, this is going to cost about the same as the converter.

I've read that VGA colors are constructed/coded differently than NTSC/PAL colors. I understand that the pros use calibrated NTSC/PAL video cards & monitors.

Without a calibrated set-up, you will end-up optimizing for your TV, or your monitor. This may be OK... it might be better than nothing.

Maybe you can "calibrate" your monitor... Make two copies of a DVD. Play them back simultaneously on the computer and TV. Adjust your monitor's brightness, contrast, red, blue, and green... whatever adjustments you have, to match the TV. This will probably work better with an external CRT monitor.

Some laptops have a composite video output... but I doubt that you can add one. My desktop PC's video card has a composite video-out, but I haven't used it.

PeterMilliken · Post by **PeterMilliken** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:25 pm

Thanks for the input

I wasn't aware of the "calibrated" aspect of the setup - although it makes perfect sense. I have been browsing a book on Colour Management in my Borders bookstore and that is one of the topics they discuss (mainly wrt getting all the various IO devices i.e. scanners, video output etc calibrated to provide consistent colour representation).

Perhaps I need to investigate just what goes on in the hardware of systems that offer a "TV Out" on their video card i.e. I assume this is what the "pros" use when cross viewing on a TV screen.

As an engineer I would speculate that what you get with an "external" VGA-to-TV converter is quite probably exactly what is present on the video cards that offer a TV Out signal i.e. the card manufacturers basically have to get the input for the TV Out from somewhere - and the video card itself has all the video information running around on it as VGA

I guess it is possible that they have some D/A circuitry that runs in "parallel" with the VGA stuff...

I might try my local electronics store and see if they have a VGA-to-TV converter - they offer a 7-day money back guarantee so if it doesn't work then I can just get a refund. I will also look around for a VGA-CRT as well and see what is available there.

Thanks for the thoughts, I appreciate the input.
Peter

P.S. I have no colour calibration controls on my notebook - so your suggestion of calibrating against a TV isn't possible