Author Topic: Monitor purchase advice please. (Read 1154 times)

RTGorkle · « **on:** March 18, 2007, 06:46:50 AM »

Greetings workers. Need some advice please.

I'm currently running an old Mac 19' CRT monitor. Colours are getting out of whack. My sister offered to buy me a screen for my birthday this month but I don't know what her budget is. She's talking about buying me an LCD screen but needs me to research and choose what I want.

Have you guys got any tips for me on what to go for? This baby looks pretty schweeeeeet.

http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=10&l2=89&l3=0&model=1382&modelmenu=1

Does anybody have an opinion on LCD vs CRT? Suitable LCD specs?

All I know is that the cheap LCDs we buy for our users at work would make AH look like ****.

Thanks guys.

WhiteHawk · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2007, 07:20:42 AM »

I can give you a budget minded alternative, if youre living frugally. The tyris monitors are good and cheap. I gotta 19" flat screen LCD for 200 bucks. It is a year old now and I have no problems whatsoever. ITs max res is 1280x1024. I have 0 bad pixels.

Dadano · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2007, 03:20:41 PM »

I just hooked Xargos, up with the Samsung 204bw 20" LCD. He seems to really like it.

Response Time (Typical) - 6 ms

Native Resolution - 1680 x 1050

Brightness (Typical) - 300 cd/m2

Contrast Ratio (Typical) - 700:1

Hajo · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2007, 03:38:30 PM »

Personaly I still like the CRT. Don't have to worry about response times and angles of view. The only convienience I can see is weight and size.

Performance and reliability imho still go with a good CRT Monitor.

RTGorkle · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2007, 06:23:03 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by DoubleDano
I just hooked Xargos, up with the Samsung 204bw 20" LCD. He seems to really like it.
Response Time (Typical) - 6 ms
Native Resolution - 1680 x 1050
Brightness (Typical) - 300 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio (Typical) - 700:1

That's kinda what I got my eye on, except 22" and 2ms. Thanks, DoubleDano.

Quote

Originally posted by WhiteHawk
I can give you a budget minded alternative, if youre living frugally. The tyris monitors are good and cheap. I gotta 19" flat screen LCD for 200 bucks.

Normally I'm budget minded, but this time I got somebody buying it for me. If I was buying, I wouldn't be, I'd be keeping my CRT until it died. Thanks for the tip.

Quote

Originally posted by The Haje
Personaly I still like the CRT. Don't have to worry about response times and angles of view. The only convienience I can see is weight and size.
Performance and reliability imho still go with a good CRT Monitor.

Basically agree with you Haje. Never thought I'd go LCD - dead pixels scare me - that high Jug could be hiding behind it! But kinda looking forward to getting my monstrous CRT out of my face.

Thanks guys.

Tigger29 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2007, 06:17:34 PM »

Well there's a lot more than just size and weight..

there's distortion (rather lack thereof)... the picture on the LCD is crystal clear.. no blurriness, nice and bright.

Also there's the headache factor... my eyes are MUCH MUCH more comfortable and relaxed after looking at the LCD for hours, compared to just about any CRT I've used in the past, even though it's much brighter.

Mine has a 8ms response time... plenty fast enough.. only time i see any blur is when zoomed in all the way in a turret, and swinging it around full speed, and even that is barely noticeable. I'd imagine a 6ms or less would completely cure this problem.

I have one single dead pixel, about 2/3 down in the middle of the screen, and you really have to strain to notice it... it's maybe 1/10th the size of the smallest enemy dot off in the horizon, and not even completely black (it tends to blend in). They do have special movies you can position over the dead pixels and maybe bring them back to life, but i haven't tried it yet... it's that inconspicuous.

I'll just say this... I'll never go CRT again if I can avoid it. And mine was an el-cheapo... 19" 8ms 1280X1024.. paid $175 with shipping.

Good luck

RTGorkle · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2007, 06:23:06 PM »

Thanks Tigger. That all makes sense and thanks for sharing your opinions and experience.

I bought that 22" Asus I looked at (see link above). Am looking forward to setting it up once I give it to my sister, she wraps it up, then gives it back to me next week for my birthday.

Bruv119 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 21, 2007, 02:33:09 AM »

GORK!

that puppy you put a link to is the very same one I was boasting about on your channel!!

It is beautiful and sexy and I love it.

Just the back panel is a little fiddly to get on and off but thats just a minor issue.

Bruv
~S~

RTGorkle · « **Reply #8 on:** March 21, 2007, 02:36:55 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Bruv119
GORK!
that puppy you put a link to is the very same one I was boasting about on your channel!!
It is beautiful and sexy and I love it.
Bruv
~S~

Yeah - I just realised you were telling me about your new one. Brilliant.

Does it squash your AH window/view out because it's widescreen, or will it preserve the right shape?

Bruv119 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 21, 2007, 02:48:32 AM »

Well the native res is 1640 x 1024 i think.

I read in the tech forum how to add this resolution to the video.cfg ?? file in the AH directory settings maybe.

This fills my whole screen (without any black bars on the side) but as explained in other threads the vertical FOV is reduced slightly.

Can make it slightly harder to keep track of cons over your head or behind.

I've used a spare button on my stick to add look forward up and up hat being look up. I'm sure you can play around to get AH without reduced vertical FOV but it will have the black bars.

With everything being nice and big my aim and shot has improved especially in osty's but in a big furball it is harder to keep track of all cons.

Just need time to adapt.

Bruv
~S~

Bruv119 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 21, 2007, 02:49:33 AM »

Think playing on a square monitor to playing on a rectangle one.

That is the problem you are faced with.

RTGorkle · « **Reply #11 on:** March 21, 2007, 02:51:55 AM »

Ta mate. I'll have a go but would be happy with no FOV change and preserving the aspect ratio that I'm used to. I don't think the black bars would bother me.

Anyway, I will try a few things out and let you know.

Ta for your help.

MrRiplEy[H] · « **Reply #12 on:** March 21, 2007, 02:58:24 AM »

Number one rule of thumb when buying monitors:

Always check the individual monitor YOURSELF with your own eyes before purchasing. If you can't do it, make sure the provider has a good return policy.

I've seen so many new monitors that were completely out of whack straight out of the box. That also includes LCDs that were distorted and blurry as weird as it sounds.

RTGorkle · « **Reply #13 on:** March 21, 2007, 02:59:45 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by MrRiplEy[H]
Number one rule of thumb when buying monitors:

Always check the individual monitor YOURSELF with your own eyes before purchasing. If you can't do it, make sure the provider has a good return policy.

I've seen so many new monitors that were completely out of whack straight out of the box. That also includes LCDs that were distorted and blurry as weird as it sounds.

Thanks. The place I buy from are extremely good about returns. First class.

Bruv119 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 21, 2007, 03:08:48 AM »

little bit of reading

http://forums.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=168374&highlight=widescreen+monitor+aspect+ratio

Out of interest I will have a play this afternoon and see how the black bars look. Been trying to deal with gfx glitches and CTD's as a priority. I thought the 8800 drivers were at fault. Good news is i think ive sorted it. I believe it may have been the processor.