Re: monitor setup for planned online

For a long while, the Sony BVM CRTs were generally considered the gold standard for monitoring (especially since LCDs weren't that good in comparison). You may have difficulty buying one now. The BVMs don't quite deliver full 1920x1080 resolution (though performance goes up with size) and the tube should be replaced if it's been used too much. If the scene is very bright, the tube will flare and this raises the black level and therefore de-saturates colors slightly.

For LCDs, Sony's BVM-Ls are designed to replace the BVMs. They are sharper. Color looks the same unless you are standing very close (Sony has 2 CRTs and their LCD lined up in a color matching demo at NAB... I think many people thought the monitors look the same; IMO they do unless you are standing close to the monitor). On dark scenes, the CRT doesn't flare and has noticeably better black level.

eCinemasys is also offering its DPX monitors. It's in the same price range (ballpark $25k) and it's probably a better monitor (better black level).

2- In a lower price bracket, you might look at Ikegami HD CRTs (not sure if you can still get them though).

3- In practice, a huge factor is how good the suite looks to the client.

In terms of passing QC, you won't get dinged on color accuracy issues. A- it's hard to notice (we generally don't notice them). and B- it's subjective, and QC reports don't go there. You will get dinged if your levels are off, so you should have a legalizer and ideally scopes (hardware WFM + vectorscope; software scopes tend to be poorly implemented + buggy).

4- Some (most) editing facilities have poor monitoring practices (grading in the dark, using tungsten lighting, non-neutral surround, monitors not calibrated often, light not flagged off the monitor) so it goes to show you that no one really notices subtle monitoring inaccuracies. Because we generally don't.

5- For computer monitors, it doesn't matter too much what you get. You can/should look at your broadcast monitor for accuracy. (Though Apple Color may be an exception.)

You do want the white points on your computer monitors to match room/surround lighting and your broadcast monitor.