Ques for Professionals.

[SamChan]

Hi to all Pros out there,

I wanted to get a D.I.Y PC for processing my photos but don't know what hardware config is the best for viewing(getting the accurate color).

I understand that to get accurate color from the computer, the best is to buy Mac PC/Laptop but is too expensive. So i intend to get a D.I.Y PC as i know how to build one myself but with no knowledge on what hardware to use for accurate color output.

Pls advise! Thank You!

Sam

[MrChevy]

No, you don't want to buy a notebook, moving the screen a little bit one way or the other totally changes the display brightness. The most inexpensive way to get good color is to calibrate your monitor hooked to your desktop (or notebook) computer. For a few hundred dollars you can get a decent CRT in the 19" size. LaCie * makes a good monitor for working in Photoshop. Calibrating a monitor requires you to create a profile and load that profile at start up. My MonacoOPTIX setup was $400 but works like a champ.

Here is a site to read about calibrating.

http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/monitor_calibration.htm

and LaCie's site:

http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10037

[CyberDyneSystems]

The key components are going to be the display.

You want a Matrox graphics card and an aperture grill CRT of 19" or larger. ( I like Sony)

Sony makes the "Artisan" which has color calibration built in,.. LaCie makes one too.. but as MrChevy says.. you can just get the decent monitor and go for a calibrating "puck" later.

Expect to install 1GB of ram for editing.. and if possible.. have more than one hard drive installed both for speed and data redundantcy.

[SamChan]

Hi Mrchevy and cyberdynesystem,

Thank you so much for all the info given.

But still i have some ques regarding the calibration thingy.

Is the calibration tool just a software to be loaded into my PC and does all the work? and what is the best calibration tools to use?

And what is the Hardware that you will advise me to use for my D.I.Y PC? eg: what is the video card that you think is good? Which monitor to choose?

I live in Singapore and will not be able to locate the brand that you mention because it does not supplies here. The only well known brand in Singapore is Sony, NEC, Philip, Samsung, Acer...

I am totally new to all this. Pls advise.

[MrChevy]

If you were to read everything in that first link, it is talking about several different HARDWARE systems. A HARDWARE system IS required to calibrate a monitor correctly Sam. If you had went to Monaco's www and clicked on the About Us button you would have seen they were owned by X-Rite and that X-Rite has an office sales outlet at:

Asia Pacific

X-Rite Asia Pacific PTE Ltd. — Sales
Unit #02-04
14 Science Park Drive
Singapore Science Park
Singapore 118226
Phone: 65-6778-8773
Fax: 65-6778-8645
Hours: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm

Oh, right there in Singapore.

LaCie has an outlet in Japan. If you can make it up to Bangkok then go to Pantip Plaza, http://www.pantipprice.com/, they have over 5 floors of computer stuff. I was over there a while back and bought a computer system there. Can find about anything there.

The main thing is to READ, READ, READ. Read all the info people give you Sam. Follow the links. Talk to people in Singapore. You aren't the only one in Singapore that takes pictures and wants to work with them on the computer! Search for camera clubs there, talk to people there.

Before you know it, you will have your DoItYourself PC up and running. :)