Multiple Monitors, Multimedia and "Convergence"

This is all so cool....thank you.

So the future may or may not include a Mac, but clearly, we all need a

1) dedicated 2 channel system
2) a dedicted home theatre system and
3) a high end, nearfield desktop audio and video system

from another thread, you guys might also find

www.niveusmedia.com interesting

www.9xmedia.com for multi monitor displays and

www.go-l.com for high end PC computers and multi monitors

the go-l company seems to have gone in and out of business but sure has some slick photos of prototypes (?) if you can find the website

What I am trying to do is to build a system like this myself without paying super huge prices or resorting to generic off the shelf equipment,

and also to incorporate the highest possible performance for both audio and video

wwww.sweetwater.com

also has some interesting pro audio stuff for PC environments

Ckorody

Thanks for advice and I agree that the Macs are nicely made and also handle all the media stuff no problem. My issue is that I work in a PC based environment, so I stubbornly resist Apple a bit, just in terms of software, familiarity and live IT support for the boring day to day stuff.

And not to sound really ridiculous, but another tricky piece of the puzzle is that I would actually benefit from having not just one TV screen but as many as 6, in more of a news room configuration, presumably to the left side of my desk.

Rather than picture in picture, I would prefer six small monitors, and then the ability to expand any particular image and also monitor the sound for breaking news events which effect my business.

So the puzzle is a bit complicated, even before I throw in all the fun stuff for when I am stuck in the office late at night.

Brad Re multi monitors and "impossible to go back" yes, I am sure that it true as I continue to limp along with only one or two. When I first started researching this, I found a paper written by Microsoft (?) examining productivity as it relates to multi monitors. I believe in the end, one of the recommeded configurations was an inverted T which you should also see on the 9x media site.

Thanks for these ideas and hopefully more.

ckorody

I have no loyalty to the PC industry here. In fact, I have done some ebay searches for exactly the field monitors you describe, but found them to be a bit pricey, at least in color. But perhaps that is just because I have not learned enough about that gear yet, or where to buy it cost effectively.

I actually think the field monitor solution is MORE cool than PC/digital, in the same way that a lot of vintage audio gear is more tactile more substantial and more beautifully built than new audio gear, certainly anything that is PC based.

So I would welcome you advice and please do share. Happy to also buy vintagey equipment, provided it would be reliable and meet my relatively simple (by broadcast standards) needs.

RE my job - my partners and I invest money on behalf of some of the worlds richest and smartest tycoons, so we need to really be on our toes, and up to the minute on any breaking news.

Our strategy is a global macroeconomic strategy, so although there is no exact science to "6 channels" I was picking a number that would cover CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, BBC, CSpan and hmmmmmmmm..... well that is already 5.

So if you throw in the fact that I might like to also monitor some fun stuff on a slow day, that could easily be six or more.

If I could have a multi screen windows environment running alongside a field monitoring style setup, I would be thrilled.

Thanks for the suggestion.

With the new year ahead, it seems timely to revive this thread re extravagently high end office systems....

I have made some progress on the LCD monitors, but not yet the televisions screens. But the monitors I have chosen - Sony MFM-HT95 and Sony MFM-HT205 work great with video and TV, too.

Bummer they have been discontinued, but you can get some deals on them if you shop around.

For speakers, does anyone have true nearfield, recording studio type experience?

Has anyone found "audiophile" happiness with powered monitors?

I have a pair of Genelec 1029's kicking around the house which I recently hooked up to iTunes using my USB port. Wow - what a difference. I will never try a "PC" speaker again. To my ears, they are just a bit hot and punchy, however.

At first, I thought it might be nice to have a true, audiophile system in my office. But in addition to the sideways glances this might get from my partners, the acoustics arent great, and I have multiple monitors and things immediately in front of me which would seem to create reflections and diffractions.

So an in my face, recording studio type set up seems to be the way to go --

ATC?
Genelec?
Genelec with subs?
Mini monitors with single end triode?

Given office environment, mid range, low fatigue and low level resolution more important than volume and slam.