Digital Video - October 2008 - (Page 16)

IN REVIEW PANASONIC BT-LH1760 MONITOR CRITICAL IMAGE THE BT-LH1760 MAKES FOR A GREAT STUDIO/LOCATION, MULTIPURPOSE MONITOR. BY JAY HOLBEN L ast year, I had the opportunity to review two models of Panasonic’s BT-LH line of LCD monitors and was quite impressed. For some time, like many of my colleagues in the professional imaging community, I have been lamenting the demise of CRT monitors. Liquid crystal monitors simply had significant technological limitations that could not match the image reproduction capabilities of a cathode ray tube. Technology has improved, howAWARD OF ever, and innovations in LCD science have brought them into a option more than make up for the close-enough range for most EXCELLENCE S-sacrifice. applications. Also new in the 1760 is the The Panasonic BT-LH line of monitors is, ability to set the monitor to a 120Hz refresh hands down, one of the most impressive, for U.S. or 100Hz for U.K. The monitor also reasonably priced selections of LCD moniincorporates a new 10-bit image processor tors I’ve seen to date. The newest in this and 3D LUT (look up table) for even more family is the BT-LH1760, an upgrade from accurate color reproduction. Although I did the BT-LH1700 17" LCD that steps right not have a chance to compare it, the moninto line with its bigger brother, the BTitor is purported to feature a better powerLH2600W, with a few new surprises. saving technique to require only 50% the Just like its larger sibling, the BT-LH1760 power draw of the BT-LH1700 monitor. It has extraordinary color reproduction, great also has a fanless motor, which is fantastic blacks and an extremely impressive, truly for use on location or in a mastering studio. wide viewing angle, even for precision All in all, this is an extraordinary tool at work. The monitor is well constructed to a reasonable price — great in the studio or travel, if necessary, and the perfect size to out in the field. DV use on location. In addition to all the features found on the BT-LH2600W, including the invaluable built-in waveform monitor, the 1760 surprised me with an integrated PANASONIC BT-LH1760 vectorscope. Having both tools built into PROS: Excellent color reproduction, smaller one affordable monitor is incredible. size still acceptable for location work, wide viewThe 1760 has all the same connections ing angle, built-in waveform and vectorscope, and inputs as its brother, with the exception 120Hz refresh, lower power consumption, silent of S-video, which has been nixed in favor of fanless operation. CONS: Shared a DVI-D input and a headphone jack. backlight/contrast button, lack of S-video input. Although I’ve found the S-video to be quite BOTTOM LINE: An extraordinary tool at a useful in a number of production situations, reasonable price. MSRP: $4,500 CONTACT: having a DVI connection and a headphone www.panasonic.com/broadcast DV SCORE 16 dv october 2008 www.dv.com http://www.azdencorp.com http://www.panasonic.com/broadcast http://www.azdencorp.com http://www.dv.com

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Digital Video - October 2008 Contents First Look: Creative Suite 4 D800 Raid Edirol F-1 Video Field Recorder Universal Dolly BT-LH1760 Monitor Bench Test: XDCAM EX PMW-EX1 Camcorder The Dead Can Dance Cutting Crew Unrest In Peace DV101 Production Diary

Digital Video - October 2008

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