if it was composite I might say it was because it was unterminated....but here I have no clue. How are you monitoring via firewire would be my next question. I thought you couldnt monitor HDV over a firewire connection......

Michael, how would you describe lighter? do you mean not as saturated, the screen is dimmer, the colors are blown out etc.

Tim thanks for the reply. I was hoping that you would chime in.

In Reply To

man you know how to make a guy feel good!

It sounds to me like maybe the adapter combo is to blame here. Is there not a composite out on the intensity pro card?
S-Video looks better than composite, but I am pretty sure you are losing all advantages of it by converting it anyway....
If you need an adapter from BNC to RCA you can find them at radio shack for 6 bucks or so, or over at my favorite bulk supply store online at http://markertek.com the only thing you need to know is whether you need male BNC to Female RCA or Female BNC to Male RCA......It will depend on your cable type. If you need to switch multiple composite sources on your production monitor, you might look again at radio shack for a 4 way device selector like this http://www.radioshack.com/...mp;parentPage=search

Is this normal for the color space to be that different from S-Video footage and Firewire.

ok... not to give the spend the money answer, but honestly I think your cabling setup is to blame on this one, frankly I am surprised that the svid conversion thing even works. I cant see a reason to buy an SD monitor for anything, because you will be having to respend in 2-3 years for an HD anyway, and definitely not another 250 for a component card. Instead try this:

look at a simple SVHS deck to do the conversion from Svid to composite, then running the output to the monitor, should cost you 130-150 bucks, plus you get a nice VCR to do video vonversions with.

The other option is to purchase something like the JVC 20" monitor with SDI (You think component looks good....SDI blows component away!) that monitor can be found at B&H for ~2600. I have the Panasonic BTLH1700W. I love it and there isnt an input type it does not have. I think the picture was a bit sharper on it as well, plus it had the built in waveform monitor, making one less thing to buy as well. I think I paid ~2800 for it and it now has a $250 rebate.

I does sound like your monitor is the weak link. Yes, if you downgrade the component signal by sending it through a single BNC cable then you are not really accomplishing anything as far as accurate color goes.

You have to make sure that the signal is pure by the time it reaches the monitor and the only way to do that is to keep it component or digital all the way through. However, you should also recognize that the monitor will have it's own characteristics that will influence the look. Even the $30k color correction monitors aren't perfect but they are really close.

-gl

Michael,

I was looking at doing a similar setup with an SD monitor for correction and an HD consumer display for HD Preview. I ultimately decided against it going with an HD color correction monitor and I LOVE IT! I spent about 1500 bucks more on that setup than I would doing an SD monitor and a small HD monitor, but it cleans up the desk clutter, the signal path is fully digital, and the picture is better on that monitor than any HDTV I could view it on. Definitely take a look at the LCD HD monitors from JVC and Panasonic before you jump.

SDI....wow....where was SDI 10 years ago when I was helping my dad terminate the component cables for our TV booth at the church....not only is SDI higher quality than componenet, it is also just 1 cable, and easy to run.