Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: Condor on April 15, 2008, 01:07:16 PM

Title: LCD Monitor
Post by: Condor on April 15, 2008, 01:07:16 PM
My new machine is running great and I haven’t done much tweaking yet.  (I may not bother.)  It’s nice to see frame rates >10 when in a Wirblewind during heavy action.  I’ve been using the new machine for several days and haven’t seen a frame rate less than 74. It’s usually pegged at 75.   

I wasn’t going to spend any more $$$ for a while but several of you have convinced me that a good LCD will be a significant improvement over my 21” Trinitron CRT.  I’ve decided to go with a 24” and would appreciate suggestions.  I know Homeboy thinks his Acer is great but I can’t get it locally at a decent price.  The local Sam’s has the Samsung 245BW for a good price.  Has anyone had experience with that monitor?  I’ve read some good reviews but am never sure of how much confidence to place in them.  I do want to run AH at 5:4 so I don’t want a monitor that will not give a good image at that aspect ratio.   
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: BaldEagl on April 15, 2008, 01:31:19 PM
Here's the one I got but it's only a 22".  Love it!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005097 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005097)
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: SIK1 on April 15, 2008, 03:23:17 PM
Just keep in mind that nothing beats a crt for picture quality at this time.

I must say that a 21" crt should be a nice big screen to be looking at, nothing like the old 15".
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: BaldEagl on April 15, 2008, 04:30:31 PM
Just keep in mind that nothing beats a crt for picture quality at this time.

I must say that a 21" crt should be a nice big screen to be looking at, nothing like the old 15".

You are wrong.  I have a 17" Sony Trinitron CRT and a 19" Viewsonic CRT and my 22" Widesceen LCD beats them hands down for crispness, clarity and overall picture quality.  There is no comparison.

[EDIT]  That is what I always though too until a few weeks ago when I got my new monitor.  Was I mistaken.  I'd never go back now.
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Getback on April 15, 2008, 05:21:12 PM
Just keep in mind that nothing beats a crt for picture quality at this time.

I must say that a 21" crt should be a nice big screen to be looking at, nothing like the old 15".

I've heard that the LCDs have surpassed the CRTs. Plus you get a lot more desk room. I have a 19 inch crt and it is huge.

You're right it does beat that 15 inch by a wide margin. I remember the day I brought my Compaq 133mhz machine home with that awesome 14inch monitor with a screen that looked so much like a Fish bowl. Ah the good ole days.
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Condor on April 15, 2008, 08:23:05 PM
Getback,  Did you ever have a trash 80?  Now those were the days.

Well, I'll soon know who's right on LCD vs CRT.  I stopped by Sam's and they had only one Samsung 245BW left so I took the plunge.  If I don't like it I can take it back for a full refund so why not.
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: HomeBoy on April 15, 2008, 08:46:56 PM
I've had my 24" LCD a little over a week.  I have been a die-hard CRT man all these years with my 21" Trinitron.  I can tell you that the color sharpness and clarity of this 1920x1200 LCD leaves the poor ole CRT in the past.

I must confess that I have been wrong all this time!  The LCD is hands down better than the CRT.
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Tigger29 on April 15, 2008, 08:58:32 PM
I too became a firm believer of the LCD.  I too was leery, but after about 2 hours of using one... I vowed to never go back.

Mine is about four years old?  And still working great.  It has developed two dead pixels during that time... neither one noticeable unless I'm looking for it.  It's still just as bright and clear since the day I bought it!

Also it's a "Hanns-G" brand 19".... supposedly it's Samsung on the inside.. but back then the price was right.

My only complaint?  Blurring.  And even that is really only noticeable in a GV.. fully zoomed in and rapidly scrolling to the left or right.  Of course being older.. my response time is 8ms... I'm sure the faster models these days (2ms or 5ms) have that cured.

And I agree.. picture quality is MUCH, MUCH better than even the best CRT's back in the day... and no headaches!
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Condor on April 15, 2008, 10:18:22 PM
I'm another LCD convert.  I see detail in Aces High I never knew existed.  This monitor is not going back to Sam's.  The color is beautiful.  It beats the 21" Trinitron by a significant margin.  I'm running the LCD at 1600 x 1200. 
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: reeb on April 16, 2008, 01:45:15 AM
Here's the one I got but it's only a 22".  Love it!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005097 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005097)


i have that same monitor and all i can say is amazing! i went from my old 17" samsung  to this and was blown away. I got mine for 275$ caught it on sale and i could never be happier specially with the 2ms and 3000:1 contrast. running it digital in 1680x1050 120dpi and its bigger then the 1978 JCpenny 19" color tv i have. so ive been looking at adding a tv tuner card to my rig so i can make it a dvr and watch tv on it. awesome monitor
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Ghosth on April 16, 2008, 07:32:02 AM
Sorry but I havn't seen an LCD yet that comes close to my CRT.

In fact I've got a nice little 15" lcd someone can have for 50$ and shipping.
Colors are "washed out" text is harder to read, nothing is as clear or crisp.

Big plasma, perhaps, but I'd stick with your CRT till it dies if I were you.
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Max on April 16, 2008, 07:57:17 AM
Sorry Ghosth but I've got to disagree. Having once owned a Sony 21", I made the jump to a 17" followed by a 19" LCD after the CRT fritzed out. I would agree that the CRT was even par with those older  LCD's. The 24" LCD I now run at 1920x1200 blows any and all CRT's out of the water in terms of sharpness and bright vivid colors.
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: MrRiplEy[H] on April 16, 2008, 08:21:26 AM
Yep comparing a 15" old LCD to a 24" Samsung or other proper brand LCD is like comparing a 1980 Yugo to a 2008 Corvette.
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: HomeBoy on April 16, 2008, 08:41:37 AM
Sorry but I havn't seen an LCD yet that comes close to my CRT.

In fact I've got a nice little 15" lcd someone can have for 50$ and shipping.
Colors are "washed out" text is harder to read, nothing is as clear or crisp.

Big plasma, perhaps, but I'd stick with your CRT till it dies if I were you.


You sound just like me there Ghosth!   :D

I fought and argued this point for a long time just as you are but when I plugged in my 24" 1920x1600, 2ms, 3000:1 LCD, I changed my tune quicker than a liberal politician!   :rofl

BTW, wanna buy a spare CRT?
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: BaldEagl on April 16, 2008, 08:59:02 AM
When I upgraded from my 17" Trinitron CRT I brought home a 19" Viewsonic LCD.  I brought it right back to the store and picked up a 19" Viewsonic CRT.  This was several years ago when LCD refresh rates were 8ms and contrast ratios were no where near where they are today.  I actually liked the LCD but (this was back in AHI) the ghosting of icons at night just wasn't doing it for me.

Modern LCD's are no where near the experience I had then.  Go on-line and see what your choices are in CRT's.  You can barely find them anymore.  Why?  I'd think the answer is obvious.

Gosth, if I were you I'd go out and take a look at LCD's again.  If you still hold to your beliefs, I've got one CRT I can part with (actually... two... I'd buy a second LCD with the proceeds) and I bet Homeboy and Condor each have another.   You'll have enough CRT's to never have to worry about running out.
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Condor on April 16, 2008, 12:30:53 PM
Actually, I have three CRTs to get rid of now.  :eek:  I tried the ner monitor in the game last night.  In the interest of full disclosure, like Tigger, I see some blurring of plane icons when I rotate the turret of a wirbelwind as fast as it will go.  So the LCD is not perfect.  It's mildly bothersome but doesn't affect game play.  Its enough that I can't quite read the icons unless I slow the rotation but the icons and planes don't spread out to the point where I can't see where they are.  While flying a P51 at 400mph at treetop level I saw no blurring at all.  I see absolutely no ghosting.

I'm anxious to test it with Track IR in a furball.  If the blurring is no worse than what I have observed so far it's an OK tradeoff to be able to see more detail at a distrance.  Other than the slight blurring the improvement over the 21" Trinitron is spectacular.

Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: BaldEagl on April 16, 2008, 12:45:39 PM
I wanted to go with a 24" but that's why I opted for a 22".  I couldn't find a 24" with a 2ms response time.  They were all 5ms, the minimum recommended for gaming.

No blurring or ghosting here.
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: swoopy on April 16, 2008, 03:20:38 PM
Ive got the Samsung 22" LCD Syncmaster 226BW and its fantastic, its the best thing ive ever bought. :O
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: kilz on April 16, 2008, 07:31:33 PM
I have the Samsung 27" LCD Syncmaster its the best monitor i have ever had. i am thinking about buying a 30" Samsung LCD
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: zoozoo on April 19, 2008, 06:05:52 AM
im using 28" lcd  for AH  :)
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: DustyR on April 21, 2008, 08:12:07 PM
The screen on this laptop 17" LCD is far superior to the the 17' CRT.  You can bet the monitor that I replace on my desk top puter will definetly be a LCD.

 :noid :aok
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: AesopSoze on May 25, 2008, 04:33:08 AM
Getback,  Did you ever have a trash 80?  Now those were the days.

Well, I'll soon know who's right on LCD vs CRT.  I stopped by Sam's and they had only one Samsung 245BW left so I took the plunge.  If I don't like it I can take it back for a full refund so why not.

Condor, what's a Trash 80? (Somehow I think I'm going for the bait)
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Getback on May 25, 2008, 04:38:14 AM
I saw a Samsung 24 inch, ms LCD for $359 after rebate at fry's. Any opinions?
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Spatula on May 25, 2008, 06:11:27 PM
I recently got me a samsung syncmaster 204B 20" non-widescreen (4:3) 5ms 1600x1200. There's stuff all non-widescreen LCDs out there these days, the 204b is really the pick of the crop. Get one now before you can no longer get standard aspect ratio monitors.
As far as sharpness and colour saturation, it beats the pants of any CRT i've seen. I still think CRTs handle high-speed motion slightlt better tho - theres all but nothing in it tho. LCD all the way for me.
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Condor on May 25, 2008, 09:30:23 PM
I have the Samsung 245BW.  I never knew ho much I was missing!  The detail and sharpness are significantly improved ofer my 21" Trintron.  I was one of the die hard CRT guys until now.  There is a little blurring with motion but I don't beleive it effects game play.  With an Nvidea card you can set it at the 4:3 aspect ratio and not hav anything cut off or lose any of the sharpness.  I paid $400. 
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Shamus on May 26, 2008, 01:06:37 PM
I was a dyed in the wool crt geek. My 22" Mitsubishi that I had for years recently quit. I was always of the opinion that you cant beat a good crt for gaming, well you can.

I got an LG 19" 4:3 with a 2 ms response time.

The color, crispness and detail is far superior to the crt, have not had a problem with ghosting either.

shamus   
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Condor on June 02, 2008, 08:07:33 AM
AesopSoze,

Trash 80 was an early 80s personal computer marketed by Tandy through Radio Shack.  It's real name was TRS-80.  It had a Z80 procesor and little black and white screen.  Almost no memory.  Games were run from tapes. Had an early flight simulator by subLogic with  Just wire frame graphics.  Stone age stuff but one of the best at the time.  Here's a link to an info and emulator page if you curious.

http://discover-net.net/~dmkeil/

Personally, I don't see why anyone would want to emulate a TRS-80 on  modern machine. 
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Mugzeee on August 25, 2009, 04:52:31 PM
I recently got me a samsung syncmaster 204B 20" non-widescreen (4:3) 5ms 1600x1200. There's stuff all non-widescreen LCDs out there these days, the 204b is really the pick of the crop. Get one now before you can no longer get standard aspect ratio monitors.
As far as sharpness and colour saturation, it beats the pants of any CRT i've seen. I still think CRTs handle high-speed motion slightlt better tho - theres all but nothing in it tho. LCD all the way for me.
Hey Spat...I know this thread is older than Skuzzys hard drive :D...but what system specs were/are you running with the syncmaster 204B? Thanks
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: RipChord929 on August 25, 2009, 05:24:15 PM
Oh man, ya gotta check out the game on a 47inch HD 120hz LCD... Perfect, NO ghosting!!!
It'll blow you AWAY!!! Almost lifesize, w the HiRez Textures, INCREDIBLE!!!

I could NEVER go back to a little monitor now!!!

RC
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: guncrasher on August 25, 2009, 11:05:52 PM
Oh man, ya gotta check out the game on a 47inch HD 120hz LCD... Perfect, NO ghosting!!!
It'll blow you AWAY!!! Almost lifesize, w the HiRez Textures, INCREDIBLE!!!

I could NEVER go back to a little monitor now!!!

RC

man you'll look as big as my exwife

semp
Title: Re: LCD Monitor
Post by: Dace on August 26, 2009, 01:10:31 PM
I just got this from Newegg last week on sale for $195.99 and free shipping

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254040

Went from 22" Dell/Sony Trinitron to this thing and was like  :O poopin' masonry at the difference.