monitor

[freeboy]

we have several old crt , big heavy and high resolutions, but some here was talking about eye strain and how a flat screen or some other was easier on the eyes..
I would like to go to at least 22'' and have at least 1920x1200 resolution.. any thoughts on my monitor needs and wants? [X(]

[ravinhood]

Get an LCD for the eye strain portion. I don't know which ones offer 1920x1200 though if any. Top of the line I've seen is 1600x something.

[Veldor]

I've always had a strong preference for ViewSonic and, as I've stated before, besides quality they have one of the best warranties (Not just the longest but the best for pixel failure replacement).

Currently $100 rebate for many models at buy.com

Here is a 24"
http://www.buy.com/prod/viewsonic-x-ser ... 83657.html

Here is a 42"
http://www.buy.com/prod/viewsonic-n4261 ... 83659.html

Obviously they are pricey compared to lower resolution monitors but I'd not pick a generic brand for anywhere near that kind of money...

[freeboy]

my current crt , very high res is a view sonic, lets see what this baby will do? ok, only 1600x1200
I wentto the site both had no info and where out of stock, I did see a nice Samsung, is that possible? at NEWEGG for aboutthe same money in a 24 amnd a 27 HD/monitor for mid 600 range. thanks

[Veldor]

ORIGINAL: freeboy

my current crt , very high res is a view sonic, lets see what this baby will do? ok, only 1600x1200
I wentto the site both had no info and where out of stock, I did see a nice Samsung, is that possible? at NEWEGG for aboutthe same money in a 24 amnd a 27 HD/monitor for mid 600 range. thanks

Samsung has a zero dead pixel policy I think across the board now. Thats always #1 of my list. If you've never owned an LCD then you dont know the nightmare of always seeing one bright green pixel in the dead center of the screen just 4 months after purchase (And NOT replaceable under traditional warranties unless 3,4, even 15 bad pixels occurred). Warranty specifics is everything with LCDs. Fortuneately SAMSUNG is one of the other good ones though I've never owned one myself

[Kuokkanen]

freeboy, something you should know about LCD displays: they cost more than equal quality CRT, they look good only with their native resolution and their refresh rates suck. You better look at some LCD and TFT screens first before buying them. 85 Hz with sufficient resolution (1600x1200) ought to be good enough. But if you want try LCD anyway, you'd better try it before you buy it: if CRT with 85 Hz gives you headache, LCD with 60 Hz might not be any better.

[Adam Parker]

ORIGINAL: Veldor

Samsung has a zero dead pixel policy I think across the board now. Thats always #1 of my list.

Me too. In fact this is what gave Samsung the edge in the purchase order of my 22" I just made today.

3 years guaranteed zero dead pixels of any type, anywhere on screen and exrpess delivery swap.

As as for response times, this 226BW model comes at 2 ms. That's awesome for gaming and video.

[BlindOldUmp]

Let me know if that thing shows up on time. We do medical imaging and the Samsungs were out of stock with no in-stock date so my boss picked us up a bunch of similar HP & LG monitors. The HP seems to be ok. forget the model number but he reordered. [:)] Of Course we use the 19 (940t) & 24" (245BW I think) versions at the moment but 22s could replace the 19s. Our biggest problem isn't contrast - big as that is but hrizontal and vertical view. Doctors like to consult so you have to get the same view over the keyboad operators shoulder as they get.

[Gem35]

LCD screens are the norm now, CRTs are outdated and clunky. Refresh rates of 60 are fine. Ones thing to keep in mind is to make sure your graphics card is up to the task of handling a widescreen LCD.
If you list your system specs i'd be glad to recommend an LCD for you.

[freeboy]

every thing in my system is fast.. oc'd e6850 on ewater, x1950 pro updating to either a gt 8800 or an hd3870, whichever I can get my hands on quicker. tones of sata hd space etc
It would be nice to reelive eye strain! and also have a better picture...

[martxyz]

I don't know how relevant this is, but having had an LCD monitor now for 2 1/2 years, and before that my screens were LCDs on laptops (which admittedly were nowhere near the standard of the one I have now) my personal experience is that they are more comfortable on the eye, but I also have a tendency to reduce the brightness and contrast to further increase the comfort. I woudn't go back to a CRT screen now, especially as, having developed epilepsy, it would be asking for trouble.  I'm sure that there are things that good CRTs can still do that LCDs can't, but personally mine has always been fine, and it's a mid-range one. It won't break the bank, and it won't break your back when you lift it. [:)]

[jchastain]

ORIGINAL: Matti Kuokkanen

freeboy, something you should know about LCD displays: they cost more than equal quality CRT, they look good only with their native resolution and their refresh rates suck. You better look at some LCD and TFT screens first before buying them. 85 Hz with sufficient resolution (1600x1200) ought to be good enough. But if you want try LCD anyway, you'd better try it before you buy it: if CRT with 85 Hz gives you headache, LCD with 60 Hz might not be any better.

I think we better dispel a few myths here.

With a CRT monitor, the cathode ray is firing photons at the screen and when they hit the phosphor screen, they make light. However, that light fades. So the monitor has to sweep back over and relight it later. That is the refresh. Refresh is critical on a CRT because the brightness of each pixel slowly fades and then gets refreshed and brightened. While the human eye cannot detect that slight increase and decrease of the monitor pixels, it does cause eye strain and headaches. At 60 Hz, the screen is refreshed 60 times a second so it only fades for 1/60th of a second before being refreshed. At 85Hz, it is 1/85th and so on. The more frequently you refresh, the less it fades between refreshes and therefore the less variability there is between full brightness and the lowest fade state and the less it bothers you.

With LCD monitors, on the other hand, once a pixel is lit, it stays lit. It never fades and therefore never needs to be refreshed. It only needs to be told when to change state. All LCD monitors have historically been set to a 60Hz refresh because.... well, because they don't need to be refreshed. So a user that gets a headache at 85Hz refresah rate on a CRT absolutely can and usually will solve that problem by moving to a 60Hz LCD.

The interesting part of all of this to me is when you include monitor response rate. If 60Hz means once every 1/60 of a second and a ms is one thousandth of a second, then 60Hz = 16.7ms. So, at a 60Hz refresh rate each pixel is being updated every 16.7 seconds. So, if the monitor will only get a signal every 16.7 ms, anyone want to guess how much benefit there is to going to a 12ms or a 6ms response rate monitor? It isn't quite that simple, but it is fair to say that there are dimishing returns to paying big money for sub-16ms response times.

[freeboy]

all good info, I did find one great price, but never heard of them and p poor waranty: SCEPTRE X24WG-1080P Black 24
with 19 x 12 and 2 ms refreash for 370.00 at NE.

[Adam Parker]

ORIGINAL: jchastain

With LCD monitors, on the other hand, once a pixel is lit, it stays lit. It never fades and therefore never needs to be refreshed. It only needs to be told when to change state. All LCD monitors have historically been set to a 60Hz refresh because.... well, because they don't need to be refreshed.

Thank you for explaining that jchastain. I got worried when I saw the post too. Feel much better now. I was honestly expecting I would have to up the stock 60hz refresh to 75 or 85hz myself.

I mentioned it in the other PC Advice thread but I changed my order from the 2ms Samsung 22" widescreen to a 5ms Samsung 20" 4"3. More familiar territory for me and a "taller" viewable area. Can't wait [:)]

[freeboy]

I just saaw a screamin price in an email 239 for a 22 Samsung, but still not convinced I would be happy with 16x10 ish resolutions, I like the 19 x 12 and probably will get  either a Samsung or some other in the price reange wit ha good warenty and refresh.

[Adam Parker]

Hi Freeboy,
 
I called Samsung before I made my decision and they gave me the viewable area specs for the 22" 20:10 226BW widescreen and the 20" 4:3 204B I bought. They are as follows (w x h):
 
226BW: 473.8mm x 296.1mm
 
204B: 432.0 x 324.0
 
For me the extra ~30mm in height far outweighed the loss of ~50mm in width by buying the 20" 4:3 screen.
 
Also another big factor was that the 22" for some reason couldn't be raised by its stand! It's height is fixed and can only be tilted and swivelled. The 20" is fully adjustable; height, swivel, tilt and portrait rotation.
 
But I have to give credit to my wife for pointing all this practicality out [;)]

[Zap]

ORIGINAL: Veldor

ORIGINAL: freeboy

my current crt , very high res is a view sonic, lets see what this baby will do? ok, only 1600x1200
I wentto the site both had no info and where out of stock, I did see a nice Samsung, is that possible? at NEWEGG for aboutthe same money in a 24 amnd a 27 HD/monitor for mid 600 range. thanks

Samsung has a zero dead pixel policy I think across the board now. Thats always #1 of my list. If you've never owned an LCD then you dont know the nightmare of always seeing one bright green pixel in the dead center of the screen just 4 months after purchase (And NOT replaceable under traditional warranties unless 3,4, even 15 bad pixels occurred). Warranty specifics is everything with LCDs. Fortuneately SAMSUNG is one of the other good ones though I've never owned one myself

I can speak for the Samsung.I've had it for two years. Crisp pcture and no pixel problems I cross my fingers as I say it.

[freeboy]

I can get a SS 22 inch on Black Fri for 200.00, but at 16 10 I am not sure I would be happy.. not the size really its the res.. does anyone know of a 22 inch lcd with 19 x12 or higher native?

[freeboy]

NOTE****
Samsung does not have a Zero bad pixel policy! I heard that about ten times including on the retail sales floor. It is Eight per Samsung support andthere printed info. FYI
Looks like the best BF deal will be a huge savings on one though, I will update to reflect the type price if I get it!

[Adam Parker]

Freeboy you are likely trying to be cross sold to by these store sales people.

The Samsung Zero Dead Pixel policy is:

15"-17" - zero dead pixels anywhere for 14 days.

19" - 32" - zero dead pixels anywhere for 3 years.

See the company's warranty page.

That's for Australia btw...