2015Monitors forum
Daylight-viewable HD monitors suitable for mounting on a Flyer LE steadicam rig
DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.
What the thread found
- Marshall Electronics 7-inch transflective monitors can be mounted on a Flyer LE and provide adequate daylight visibility at reasonable cost.
- SmallHD high-brightness models are popular for outdoor viewing and can serve dual purposes as both rig monitors and client-facing displays.
- High-brightness monitors with matte screen protectors improve outdoor visibility compared to glossy surfaces while maintaining focus visibility.
- Power-related failures have been reported with both Marshall and SmallHD monitors, including board failures and battery overload shutdowns.
- Voltage switching on rigs between 12V and 24V power can damage monitor boards, requiring careful power management regardless of brand.
- Marshall 6.5-inch models feature HD-SDI connectivity but use 4x3 aspect ratio rather than widescreen.
- Transflective display technology provides better outdoor readability than standard LCD or OLED screens in high ambient light.
- SmallHD OLED monitors offer superior picture quality indoors but have reduced outdoor visibility compared to high-brightness LCD models.
Depends on
- Discussion limited to 7-inch and smaller monitors suitable for a specific steadicam model.
- Reliability comparisons based on individual user experiences rather than systematic testing.
- Picture quality versus daylight visibility involves trade-offs without definitive resolution reached.
- No testing performed on all recommended monitors on the actual Flyer LE platform.
- Some recommendations reference discontinued or older monitor models.