Monitor Question

Hello Jim,

I had the "pleasure" to work in front of a flatscreen at a client for a few hours. Didn't enjoy it. When my previous monitor began to have "bzzzzt... bang" episodes I replaced it with a real CRT monitor.

"Jim Thompson" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Only that I attempted to purchase one two weeks ago but Fry's was already out of stock. :-( However, the display on the floor sample looked *great* (nice and bright, wonderful contrast), and the reviews here -->

I'd buy it in a heartbeat for that price; I was prepared to buy it at $330!

Since it's a widescreen display (1680x1050), do you have a relatively recent video card (say, no more than 2-3years old)? If not, you may find that your video card doesn't support the native resolution and, in a word, will look like junk. If possible you'll want to use a DVI connection, although I've found that these days the analog inputs on most LCDs are pretty good and correctly phase-lock to the video card's pixel clock.

You're going to find that you suddenly have a lot of empty desk space!

Given that you're not exactly poor, you might want to take a look at some of the 24" 1920x1200 widescreens such as the Dell 2405 (~$800-$1000 depending on rebate/discount timing); I have one at work and it's the best display I've ever used.

---Joel

Joerg, What is it you don't like about the flat screen monitors?

My wife has a 21" neovo in her office and she likes it just fine. The few times I've set there fixing her double-clicking-while-the- mouse-is-moving messes (;-) I haven't had any problems with it.

...Jim Thompson

Since PSpice can support two monitors, schematic on one, Probe display on the other, I'm considering two side-by-side.

I also saw a 30" monitor a few days ago (being used for I/C layout)... you need good eyes to sit back far enough from it to see everything.

Looks like I'm going to need to buy video cards as well :-(

...Jim Thompson

Hello Jim,

Oh, they are ok, I just prefer CRTs. Here in the office there is one LCD and one CRT right next to each other. In the lab it's LCD only. When doing lengthy CAD sessions I find that it's easier on the CRT. More contrast, more brightness, more performance in summer when the blinds aren't fully closed. CRTs simply have more gusto.

I second the question :)

If a flatscreen is set to the wrong video mode, it can be quite blurry. If set to its preferred video mode, it is perfectly sharp, better than any CRT and also much brighter. Bear in mind that an LCD flatscreen has only one resolution (e.g., 1024x768 or 1280x1024 or whatever) at which it is sharp.

Something is dreadfully wrong with your LCD! LCDs are much brighter than CRTs, have more contrast, and are sharper.

ALSO -- How many pixels per inch does that work out to? You don't want more than about 100 pixels per inch, or everything on the screen will be TINY! Flyspeck type!

That's why God (Bill Gates) and a few demi-Gods (Linux Torvalds, Steve Jobs) gave you adjustable font sizes...

Personally, I'm near-sighted and prefer a higher density pixel pitch... but (like Jim) I suspect that a 30" monitor would be largely wasted on me; 24" is about my limit.

Good flat-screen CRTs are very nice - I'm on my second one - but no LCD I've seen measures up. I recommend you try LCD on *your* system with *your* apps. and judge for yourself.

The problem is, in Windows 2000 and XP, although you can adjust the pixels per inch, some things don't scale properly. (Pictures, for instance, can come out very ugly.) There is a push toward an all-vector-graphics approach in Windows Vista precisely so that things won't shrink whenever you get a higher-resolution screen.

On this, I cannot agree! If you think a tube is better, you are using a lousy LCD for comparison. I did a side by side, and my 21 inch Princeton is vastly better than the 21 inch IIYAMA I was using... and the IIYAMA was one hell of a monitor!

LCD's have a brighter screen, more contrast, higher resolution, perfect linearity, and less flicker. The only areas where they are wanting is the screens won't take much physical abuse, and the are too slow for the shoot-em-up games that some kids like to play.

-Chuck

If that is all that is bothering you, replace the silly electrolytic that is failing, and go another 14 years.

Me personally, I was happy to get rid of the few hundred watts cooking on my desktop 24/7.

-Chuck

I prefer CRTs to LCDs as well. Right now I have a HP P1130 with a max resolution of 2048 by 1536. I have several 17" LCD monitors. One that the power supply cable was damaged, and I haven't bothered to replace the damaged coaxial power connector. Another has bad CFL lamps, and a third that just gives me a white screen. I still prefer the CRT because the LCD monitors I've used caused a lot of eye strain. ;-)

I've

apps.

lousy

vastly better

monitor!

linearity,

won't take

some kids

Funny that you all are into bright screens, I often find screens much too bright. I usually replace the default window white background by light gray

--DF

How about the screen acting like a PostScript printer? One can have vector or dot matrix or mixed representation of the pix, and the support of the monitor will do the translation, and nothing will care about the monitor's M.O. ...

doing

Agreed. And take up less room on your desk, generate less heat, consume less power, and are less likely to generate x-rays.

used to

for a

I.M.O. The flatscreens are much, much better when aligned properly´!

Besides, the CRT uses more energy which is money out of the pocket that ultimately goes in support of terrorism - Islamic or State!!

How is that adjustment done?

...Jim Thompson

-- | James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | | | E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat | |