What is an NTSC monitor?

[fberger]

I have been dealing with interlacing issues and PAL-NTSC transfers, having a large library of PAL tapes but a new life in NTSC land for a few years now. My testing method has been the try and test one, where I build a few minutes of my video and try it on a dvd-rw or cd-rw to see what it looks like on a TV. It's not fast, but useful when dealing with transition effects. They usually look ok on the computer screen, but start showing problems when played on a TV.
Most of you are using an "NTSC monitor" from what I understand. I want to connect such a screen to my system and would like your advice on what to purchase. Are those just plain TVs? If not what is the difference? I want to buy a multistandard compatible monitor so I can work with Analog+DV NTSC and Analog PAL projects. Do those things exist, if they are not TVs? My 2 TVs are multistandard already, as well as my DVD player.
Second question is then, how do I connect this TV monitor to a G550 or G450 dual head? Ideally I would like to have 2 VGA monitors and one video monitor connected, is this possible?

[wkulecz]

Surprised nobody has replied.

Basically an NTSC monitor is a TV set with some special features.
More "accurate" phosphors, RGB, Y/C and Composite inputs usually using BNC rather than consumer connectors, and usually a switch to eliminate overscan. They pretty much always lack tuners so they are not usable standalone as a TV set.

If you are editing DV a dual standard TV connected to the analog out of your NTSC/PAL camcorder should do the trick.

I think the G450 etc are commited to NTSC or PAL when they are made. I don't know enough about PAL to help, no NTSC monitor I've seen would appear to have any features to help you out.

--wally.

[fberger]

Wally,

Thank you so much! I am grateful you took the time to answer. I have an old 19 inch multistandard TV, so I'll connect that to my future Matrox card.
I use an NTSC DV camcorder and an ADVC-50 to capture PAL analog. I also plan on getting a Matrox G450/G550. I guess with those cards you use the second connector for either a second monitor or a TV, but you can't have 2 monitors and a TV at the same time. I would need a Parhelia triplehead for that probably, but it's not worth the price of the P in my opinion. If only they had a lower cost 64 Mb version I would consider it.
Thanks for the tip on using the analog out of the camcorder, I didn't think about it !

Fred