Article: Blackmagic Design’s SmartView HD Monitor & Pocket Ultrascope

	Blackmagic Design Blackmagic Design’s SmartView HD Monitor & Pocket Ultrascope With new shows coming in the door for Pink Sneakers Productions, Bob Zelin looked to Blackmagic Design's new SmartView HD Monitor and Pocket UltraScope to make the configuration upgrades while maintaining a sense of budget. Review   01/25/2012 Author: Bob Zelin

as a side note, today, I just set up the edit rooms for the Nascar Rolex 400 in Daytona, FL. All monitors were the Panasonic BT-LH series, as used by Pink Sneakers featured in this article. While the Blackmagic SmartView is no competition to the new Sony OLED monitors, I think that Panasonic, JVC, Marshall and the others are in for a big surprise once Blackmagic does a full release of this product. And if a "gen 2" SmartView comes out, with A/B inputs, blue only, safety, and cross pulse - well, it's game over for most of these companies.

Bob Zelin

Look Shaun,
this is not a CineTal. This is not a TV Logic. This is not a Sony
OLED monitor. And I have not seen this side by side with the wonderful FSI.

But MOST PEOPLE want to spend the LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY to do their job - and if you compare the SmartView to a Sony Luma, a JVC Vetere,
or a Panasonic BT-LH series, the image is as good or better than these monitors which are significantly more expensive.

This is not a miracle - it's just a real good deal - a real good value.

Same applies to the Ultracope. Compared to most of the pieces of crap that people try to pickup on ebay, the Ultrascope blows these products away. Is the Ultrascope an OmniTek, or a $12,000 Tektronix scope - OF COURSE NOT.

I am sorry for being cranky, but when I discuss products I discuss them for the masses. I am the worlds biggest fan of the Blackmagic Videohubs, but you can't compare the Videohub to a 1200 crosspoint NVision router.

Bob Zelin

Additionally, please allow me to point out that my retailer has had the money allocated for mine since mid October and your reviews and input are the SOLE information I have right now on a purchase I have been waiting over 3 months for..

Big Dog - Technical Director - Switcher
Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC Canada
roaddogmedia@gmail.com

Hi Bob, my boss been upgrading our post house MC room reference monitor with a lots of the TVLogic 24LVM series..replacing Sony CRTs. I love the TVLogic series really good monitors for a good price compare to all the other more expensive brand.I been looking into getting one for my studio at home for Resolve work. But after I read about this monitor (smartview) when BMD announce it, love it on the price and stuff..except the 6 bit color dept. Now after seeing this review I might pick one up. I will be working in Rec709 mostly..but have to wait till after NAB going there to see new toys :). I come from a video background also...an Editor/DIT now I start out as a Tape Loader around 96.....1" was still being use, but in the transition to Beta was the post industry back then..Avid AVB75 and Quantel PaintBox anyone? haha

I use the SmartView Duo all the time. It is a wonderful 8" monitor for rack systems, field production systems, etc. No matter what my answer is - how would ANYONE "color grade" on an 8" monitor ? Do you have special glasses ?

The answer to your question is no. But I know the real reason you are asking - you want a great monitor for $660. Well, for $660, this is a great monitor.

Bob Zelin

the SmartView Duo is PERFECT in a small TV control room, or in a remote truck. There is nothing close to this pricepoint that can do the same job.

bob Zelin

Hey Bob,

Love reading your reviews and comments. Was wondering what your thoughts are on using a SmartView HD vs. 27" Apple Cinema Display for an ATEM multiview? I believe I read elsewhere that your opinion on the matter was to just throw the cheapest television available at it and call it good.

We did that for one event (we do live sports) and the resolution of our 32" tv just didn't cut it for us. Our switcher couldn't really make judgements on exposure from his monitor. For a portable system that gives us good image sharpness with multiview would you recommend the 27" Cinemas Display or the SmartView HD or something else entirely? We're probably not looking to go over $1000 for this monitor.

Thanks a lot!

Kevin

the Apple Cinema is a DVI monitor, not an HD-SDI monitor.
The Blackmagic SmartView is a SPECTACULAR monitor, and it is in your budget - under $1000, and you don't need a HD-SDI to DVI converter to get this to work.

There is no question that the SmartView is a better choice for your application.

Bob Zelin

Dear Bob,
I have just created an account here in purpose of thanking you for this article. I was very sceptical about the Smartview HD's capabilities when I saw it on their site (because of the amazingly low cost, of course). But now, after reading your insights, I have no doubt which monitor I am going buy for color grading. Thank you so much!

Shlomo Hazan
Director and editor

Hi Bob,

Just wondering if you've had any recent experience with the current gen Sony Vaio's as the model you link to in the story above, VPCL236FX/W, is no longer an active model. Have you installed the pocket ultrascope on a one of their current models like the SVL2411AFYB or SVL24116FXB? Like the idea of running the video router and scopes from the all in one, but was trying to not be super brave and purchase one of the latest models on the hopes that it will still work.

Thanks!

Doug

Hi Bob,
first let me thank you for this review. I'm in a process of ordering SmartView HD and DaVinci but I just wont to ask you few things to be sure.

I used to work in Apple Color on configuration you can see in my signature. As you can see I'm using old SD monitor but, since most of my work ends up on TV (which in my country is still mostly SD) he was quite accurate and I'm satisfied with him.

Soon I'll be color grading short movie and a few TV commercials.
So I decided to buy this configuration I've been working on from production facility (completely with SD monitor) and to upgrade it and switch to DaVinci.
Since I have AJA and ATI they told me I need to get:

BMD HD Extreme 3
nVIDIA Quadro
DaVinci Resolve
+ HD broadcast monitor.

Since I'm on my own right now and I don't have a lot of money, SmartView HD for that price is a life savior. In a year, if I'm still working on TV commercials I'll be more than happy to spend more money on equipment if needed.


So here's my questions:

1. how correct is color and contrast on SV? Can it be calibrated (since everything is software based) and if so, how can I calibrate it?
I'm asking this cause I have a really bad expirience with HD monitoring. On my old job they used to have Panasonic HD monitor (not sure which one) and JVC SD monitor connected. The problem was that picture on HD monitor looked really bad! Black was gray and all colors were pale. And I couldn't fix that with calibration.
I'm always using waveform monitor and vectorscope so I see correct image. But when I tried to make 'looks' for commercial it was huge problem. Especially when clients came to see, they were just confused. So, at the end I unplugged HD monitor and show them everything on SD.

2. I'm not sure about Ultrascope. Do I need to buy it or can I use DaVinci scopes?

Thank you very much

Regards

Seth

Mac 2x2,4 GHz Quad-Core / OS 10.6.8. / FCP 7.03
10 GB 1066 MHz DD3
ATI Radeon HD 5770
AJA Kona LHi
Broadcast monitor: JVC TM-H1950CGE