Why we should use a NTSC or PAL Monitor?

By viewing the material on the final output display device, you prevent nasty surprises.

Video is interlaced, computers are progressive.
Video has a different gamma than computers (and macs are different than PCs).
NLE programs show you a proxy image, not the full resolution one.

If you work in HD (and HDV is a low end flavor of HD), you have much more expensive monitoring issues as you can't feed your NTSC/PAL monitor via firewire like you can with DV. You need a 3rd party card like the Kona LH or an external box like the Matrox MXO to convert the computer image to a HDTV image.

Viewing the work in progress on the appropriate monitor gives you on going quality control and the greatest confidence in your output. Other than that, no reason to use an external monitor.

x

Message was edited by: Studio X

Another thing is using stills in a Movie. If these are drawn from an interlaced source they need to be de-interlaced or they jitter on screen. A computer monitor will not show this. Only an interlaced display will.
As X said, only viewing on an intended destination display will avoid those little unexpected surprises.

Al

I have been using a cheap color television I purchased from Target for viewing video output.

I have been getting more work and I would like to have something more professional for clients to view the edits on.

Can anyone suggest a monitor? B&H has 2 categories: Production Monitors and Presentation Monitors. I probably want the former because it will be used to view my edits while they are in progress.