[OT] computer monitor recommendations

[Fred]

Hi,

I have a CRT monitor and it's perfectly ok but I was thinking about getting an LCD monitor to free up some space on my desk. I don't know anything about these, so can anyone give me some advice about what to get or what to avoid? Or is there a good uk.rec.computer group to ask at?

I see the cheapest make is "edge 10". I have never heard of them. Are they good or bad?

I have heard the name "iiyama"; are they considered good?

I've done some googling but it is finding retailers rather than reviews.

TIA Fred

[The Natural Philosopher]

I've had several. All good. Mainly samsung - cheaper than Iiyama.

e.g.

two things you need to check - that your graphics card/driver will drive the exact spec of pixels that LCD has, (1920x1080) and that if you only have a VGA, the monitor has that input option..

If in doubt get cheap new VGA card as well and correct cable.

[Michael Chare]

>> Only two things you need to check - that your graphics card/driver will

Many monitors are 1920x1080 which is really a TV picture size. For a PC I prefer a 4:3 screen e.g. 1600x12000

PC World is one place where you can see a range of monitors.

My NEC screen has been fine.

[geoff]

In message , Fred writes

I had two edge 10 24" monitors, they both had about 6 dead pixels and died in less than two years

but, they were cheap

[Adrian C]

uk.comp.homebuilt

[Fred]

There's a thought. I have a Samsung tv and I think it is very good; perhaps I should try their monitors too.

Thanks, Fred

[Fred]

Or 1200 ;)

I think I would prefer a 4:3 screen too. Perhaps just because that's what I am used to. I will watch films on my tv, so do not need a widescreen monitor for that. I suppose a wide screen is good if you work with big spreadsheets but this is purely for home use, so not needed by me.

Thanks, Fred

[Fred]

Thanks. I will have a lurk there.

[js.b1]

PSU quality... Edge < LG / Dell < Iiyama < Samsung < NEC SONY < Eizo.

You CAN get good Dell monitors quite reasonably with 3yr warranty, do a Google or Ebay, also check places like

and similar.

Check what panel comes with the monitor if you plan on graphics work because IPS > PVA > TN. A TN panel is 6-bit and uses various tricks to simulate 8-bit colour (255 shades each of red, green & blue); PVA & IPS are 8-bit panels and can deliver the true spectrum of colours. IPS is used on the best LCD TV and gets close to Plasma (unless the Plasma is one of the now sadly gone Pioneer specials), PVA is more poster- paint colour in vibrancy sort of like Sony Trinitron compared to better Panasonic Tau. TN is simply bargain bucket and can vary considerably based on who made the actual panel. PVA tends to be more power hungry than IPS or TN, ie, it requires a more powerful and deeper backlight design. LED backlights are power power efficient and can be brighter (more useful for laptops). Like a CRT the backlight brightness of CCFL diminishes with time - I think the figure is a halving of brightness after 30,000hrs, can not recall.

LG (Lucky Goldstar renamed) tend to have weak power supplies, but warranty used to be 3yr. Samsung have better panels and better PSU, but are still a "low brand" compared to the "real" monitor makers of old. Eizo are very good, but avoid unless you have critical graphics work because you are paying a high premium for the "better backlight design & better psu".

A monitor is the sum of the parts, they are not quite "all the same" - some bad displays look like a load of spot-lights shining every few inches with the screen black. Likewise graphics card & even drivers can affect the end video quality - some are better than others.

There is a german review website on monitors. If you have poor eyesight or intend to use the monitor a lot of hours then buy a higher quality monitor, IPS panel.

Your graphics card must match the panel, if you right-click on the windows desktop and go through graphics settings to see the available resolutions like 1280x1024 1600x1200 etc.

[charles]

witha widescreen, you can put two A4 pages side by side. Useful if you do any Desktop Publishing.

[Jules Richardson]

Every LCD I've used has given me a headache within a short amount of time

- I much prefer a (good) CRT.

[Steve Walker]

Or for cutting and pasting between two documents. Two screens are even better!

SteveW

[Fred]

Thanks. Something else I should have asked: what size is best? I have a 17" at the moment. Do I really need a 19"?

TIA Fred

[Steve Walker]

Could that be the refresh rate? I've used a couple of work machines that have defaulted to 45Hz with LCD monitors, but both graphic card and monitor were capable of 60, 70 or 85Hz.

SteveW

[charles]

again it depends on what you are trying to do. Mine is a 26" widescreen

[polygonum]

At least three... :-)

Currently a 23" widescreen and something like two 19" or so 4:3.

The third one is driven by one of those USB to DVI devices - and very convenient that is too.

[<me9]

I thought I preferred a 4:3 screen, but after replacing mine with an identical height widescreen model I find the extra width very useful in giving room for placing windows with less overlap making C&P between windows much easier, and being able to see the window that would disappear on the 4:3 under the current window just as you wanted to see what was in it.

I'm now sold on widescreen but would like multiple monitors as well.

[geoff]

In message , polygonum writes

Pikey ...

my video card supports 4 monitors

Here's a useful little program (for win users anyway) that allows you to use one mouse and keyboard over up to 4 computers with monitors as long as they are on the same network. I have two computers with two monitors each at work, I can whizz across all four with just one device

[geoff]

In message , Fred writes

Ask any woman

I use 24" widescreen almost exclusively now. What are you gong to save by going smaller, a couple of tens of pounds?

Its a bit like saving a tenner buying a 500GB hard drive rather than a

2 TB one (well, until recently, that is)

[polygonum]

Definitely pikey! Esp. as the video card only supports two monitors by having one on DVI and the other on VGA. (Thank you Dell.) But in large organisations it can be easier to put up with a bodge than do the job properly. But those USB:DVI things are potentially very useful for multiple monitors, e.g. on laptops.

Will be trying that link on Monday, or before if remote access works. I really like the idea of dragging and dropping between machines like that.