Flat screen monitor

[Kestrel_909]

Hi Guys,

Time to call upon your expertise again. I'm looking for a flat screen monitor for use with GeForce 6800GT PCI-Express card, ideally 19" or larger and suitable for watching movies and some gaming.

Any suggestions as to what brands to avoid, things to take into consideration other than response time? I do a lot of photography and editing too.

My original plan was to pick up a 15" one as a second monitor but thought it better to buy a 19" as a primary, and use this steam driven CRT as a secondary monitor.

I have been browsing around places online but spoilt for choice and have no idea what to go for really, and there is such a difference in price between different retailers for the same one.

Cheers

[FunkyMunky]

I recently bought two Dell 2005FPW 20" widescreen TFTs and love them :) The wide aspect is perfect for watching movies and the response time for games is in the region of 12-16ms. The LCD panel itself is the same as you would find in an Apple Cinema Display (but at half the price).
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/3710/workstation8bw.th.jpg(Please ignore the daft wallpaper ;)) (http://img376.imageshack.us/my.php?image=workstation8bw.jpg)

Dell have now updated these with the 2007FPW. The techincal specs appear to the the same, however they have updated the stand and the casing to match the design of dells newer monitors.

The only problem is that Dell seem to underestimate the specifications - the monitors are waaaay brighter than claimed and have to be turned down if you want to avoid burning your eyes off :ok:

If you can, don't buy direct from Dell...the prices are over-inflated. I managed to get mine at almost half the price from Scan. Aria also carry these ranges. Aria also offer a seemingly worthwhile dead-pixel check for around £15 per monitor. I couldn't use this facility but my screens arrived without a single dead/stuck pixel anyways.

When looking for an LCD monitor, look for a high contrast ratio (600:1 or greater), high brightness (250cd/m^2 or greater) and a low response time (12ms is about the norm now and should be adquate, but I've seen smaller non-widescreens with response times of 4ms - these come at a price though).


I do a lot of photography and editing too.

In this case, I would definitely keep the CRT as a second screen provided that it is calibrated correctly. Colour definition on LCDs is improving all the time, and I use my LCDs for a lot of photography work as well, but there is always a noticable difference when for example sending a file between this PC and the laptops (again with difference LCD panels) or the other desktop with a CRT. The colours are never the same between all three machines :ugh:

[DBTL]

There's supposedly a difference in colour reproduction between a 3*6-bit display panel (indicated as "16.2 megapixels"), and a 3*8-bit display panel ("16.8 megapixels").

[Conan the Librarian]

I use a Samsung 19 inch LCD as the primary monitor nowadays, but the catch for photographers with all monitors, is colour calibration. I use the Spyder2 Pro which sits upon the screen whilst the software fires known values of colour at it and the Spyder itself, picks up the colours, measures the difference between what it sees and what it should be seeing - and then applies a correction curve to the video card, giving consistent and accurate colour on screen. This can be used with CRT and LCD monitors and is a must if you need accurate colour.

Most 19 inch LCDs native resolution is still only 1280X1024 (Ordinary, not widescreen format) and so you won't get as good a resolution as from most CRTs. But they are dropping in price and picking up in performance every month. I would avoid anything with a slow response time, but there aren't that many slow LCDs out there these days.

Conan

[amanoffewwords]

I'm very very happy with my Samsung SynMaster 913n - good price v. specs.

Hight is not adjustable alas so is currently sitting on three books (2 Windows 2000 MCSE and 1 Turbo Pascal Guide if you need to know...).

[Kestrel_909]

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for the replies, I now have a better idea about them,

I've been browsing around again, came across this http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/83914/rb/19542943569

Also found some similarly priced Hyundai ones at 4ms, on overclockers.co.uk

The CRT will be staying for definite.

[amanoffewwords]

Kestrel - that's where I bought my Samsung. I paid for a timed delivery (pre-10AM) to ensure I would be in and hence avoid the courier playing pass the parcel with it.(*)
amofw
(*) but my wife thinks it was because I'm a geek + couldn't wait to get it := ;)

[Conan the Librarian]

Another thought with regard to your multi media activities :-) Quite a few monitors these days are great, in that the convergance of High Def, Films etc. etc. need a DVI link to the monitor rather than the older analog VGA style inputs. A lot now have this and so do check that you will not be lumbered with just a 15 pin VGA input.

I paid a bit more for the Samsung last year, but it has a forest of inputs and includes a TV and radio tuner, which I never use. My own is just hooked up to a spare Sky box, (though I will never work out why I bothered with that cr*p) so ultimately, I paid WELL over the odds :-)

Those DVI cables aren't that cheap and there are two sorts - so make sure you get the right one.

Conan

[bjkeates]

I've got an Acer AL1916W 19" Widescreen TFT - 1440x900 resolution. I can't speak highly enough of it. Not too expensive either - £170ish off Amazon, IIRC.

[Kestrel_909]

Decision making continues.

After the DVI suggestion, I have found these two I like :D
http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1&sku=53812

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=42WN

Ok the Dabs one is £100 cheaper but wary of buying it, Dell is must more stylish too :D lol

Any more guidance, oh yee of experience?

[scroggs]

Samsung 930BF (http://www.techspot.com/reviews/hardware/samsung_930bf-lcd/). Bought it after a cracking review in PC Advisor, and I'm extremely pleased with it.

[Blacksheep]

I bought a BENQ 21" flat screen TV/Monitor. It works as a TV straight off an antenna, a Video monitor from a satellite de-coder or VCR - either R/W/Y plugs or S-Video and finally, it also has a PC monitor plug and functions as a PC monitor. I have an antenna, satellite de-coder, DVD player and PC all plugged into it at the same time and use it for watching the local news, the Beeb/CNN/Sports Channels, DVD movies or when using the PC. The colours are great for watching movies and the speed is OK for shooting down A6Ms in aerial combat.

Fortunately I only do one thing at a time.
I'd be stuck if I wanted to watch TV and have an on-line Pacific Fighters session at the same time. ;)

Hmm. On-line gaming. Am I too old for it? :O

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

I have been using a Viewsonic VP201b for the last 18 months and I still think it is the muts nuts. Proper 1600 * 1200 resolution and epic build quality.

http://www.simplymonitors.co.uk/p.php?p=1899

Not cheap though at £438. Now called the Viewsonic VP2030b.


Cheers

WWW

[Kestrel_909]

I have decided (after going around in many a circle) on the Viewsonic VP930.

Some researching kept pointing me towards the Dell 1905FP, 8ms version and not the 20ms version, with a PMVA? type panel, that offers better viewing angles and blacks.

The new 1907FP uses a TN panel that offers more restricted viewing angles, poorer blackes, noisy movie playback and other things I cannot remember :D

I searched high and low in the Uk for 1905FP 8ms sales, but the few that were returned were all second hand and I'm a bit cautious. However I have found out the Viewsonic VP930 uses the same panel as the 1905FP did, as well as having the tilt/height/swivel functionality of the Dell, which I also wanted. I'm just not so fond of the colour :}

It ranges in price from £270 up to £350 (£350 being on dabs!) I'm tempted to buy one of those moving wall mounts so I can swing it around the place and pretend to be in Star Trek :(