Tim wrote:
Tim:
Wouldn't you be better off to find what's being demonstrated in stores
near you, and pick which looks best?
Mike Chambers:
Probably, but was just checking anyway. I work part-time at walmart and
they have Proview and HP ones, but due to budget and what not, the
Proview will probably be it. Just rather find one for under 200 if
possible, like 19/20" wide screen would prolly work.
Whilst it's probably good to ask about things to be avoided, and thing
to try and find, I really think you need to see things like monitors in
action. Specs are all very well and good, but if the thing's dim,
flimsy, needs viewing at precisely the right angle, doesn't have the
connectors you want, relies on windows to control brightness/contrast,
etc., you're going to be really annoyed.
If you do any graphic work, LCDs are crap. The colours/shading/etc
change radically depending on your angle of view. If you absolutely
must get an LCD and you do that sort of work, then you really need to
find one with a wide angle of view, both horizontally, and vertically,
but especially vertically. You'll mostly sit in front of a monitor,
rather that side on, but how close you sit, and the tilt angle, changes
very easily with just a slight change in body position.
The LCD on my laptop is really annoying. You have to sit way back,
further than you can with a laptop, before you get to the point that the
whole screen has the same shading. At normal distance, the top of the
screen is different than the bottom. It's about as bad as those old
rear-projection Kodak Carousel slide units with the fresnel screens.
You said everything I was, but missed that contrast is another issue
with LCD over CRT. The specifications for contrast are misleading.
There are two contrast ratings. One for static and one for dynamic. If
you are doing graphics work, you need a good static contrast or you can
miss details.
Another thing is if the monitor is going to be used for gaming, then you
will have to look at the refresh rates. If they are to slow, the
monitor will look like a blur with any games. Also you have to know if
the video card can work at the native resolution of the monitor.
I got rid of my LCD for a CRT monitor at work and home. I am waiting
for OLED or SED monitors.
--
Robin Laing
