Finally Moving To A Flat Panel

[Tommy]

I am finally giving up my 21" CRT for a flat panel monitor. :cry: I have never been a big fan of flat panel monitors, but I guess it's time to move on. So I bought 2 BenQ FP 2091 20.1" flat panels. :D Cha-ching.

http://www.trailvoy.com/images/forumpost/benq21.jpg

http://www.trailvoy.com/images/forumpost/stand.gif

[MoJoe]

Nice, can't mess with money :laugh: Does this mean you will be spending more time here :D

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

As someone who does photoshop and web graphics, as well as video editing, I know how important it is to have a screen that can adjust well to multiple resolutions. That's the sole reason I bought a 21" CRT over a pair of 19" LCDs when I did my setup in 2003. I figured you had the same logic, so I guess this means the distortion problems from non-native resolutions aren't really that big of a deal? :confused:

[jauto98]

Yeah, I thought I wouldn't go Flat Panel, but when I saw my friends Dell 1905FP, figured, might as well try it. Now, I will never buy a CRT monitor. To bad I have to work with a 21" CRT at work... grrr...

[Tommy]

The native resolutions for these panels are resolutions i already use so I should be ok. My worry was the ghosting effects when gaming, but i read many reviews for this particular models and all were good. Now I'll have a straight digital DVI-D to DVI-D connection from video card to monitor and I can make use of the dual DVI-D outputs on my video card. :D

That's the sole reason I bought a 21" CRT over a pair of 19" LCDs when I did my setup in 2003.

I have to say that Flat Panels have come a long way since 2003. I would of never consider one back then. Response time, Contrast ratio, Brightness nits, and Viewing angles are much improved and most are now digital panels or have both analog and digital connections.

I am very picky, so if i do not like, back they go, but I think they will be fine.:m2:

[Tommy]

Nice, can't mess with money :laugh: Does this mean you will be spending more time here :D

shhhh, i used my creditcard. :x

[jimmyjam]

At work I have a 19" lcd and a 19" trinitron crt running dual screen on a single box. The difference in sharpness is amazing, the LCD way outperforms the trinitron tube. The only downside to LCDs in the past has been the refresh time, that only becomes evident when playing games. and the technology has come a long way, sub 15ms refresh rates means this is becoming less of an issue...

[sallen]

wow sweet setup, so many toys to buy

shay

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

I have to say that Flat Panels have come a long way since 2003. I would of never consider one back then. Response time, Contrast ratio, Brightness nits, and Viewing angles are much improved and most are now digital panels or have both analog and digital connections.

I am very picky, so if i do not like, back they go, but I think they will be fine.:m2:

Good to know. Unfortunately for me that I tend to go through 2 or 3 computers before I go through 1 monitor. The CPU and hardware tend to wear out long before the monitors!!

[Jman423]

I would definately have a flatscreen like that if I could afford it!!

[work-n-show]

At work I have a 19" lcd and a 19" trinitron crt running dual screen on a single box.

jimmyjam,

Once again, you're freakin' me out. I have the exact same setup at work.

Let me guess......you bought a new computer a few years ago with a 19" Trinitron that was kickass then. You recently bought a new desktop computer and had the opportunity to upgrade to a 19" LCD cheap. So you took the opportunity to go with a dual monitor configuration and love the increase in productivity it gives you. (Especially when debugging)

Close???? :undecided

BTW - Tommy - nice setup, that is a really nice monitor stand. Do you have a link where you purchased from? Did you by chance happen to look at the new Dell 24" LCD?

[jimmyjam]

LOL :laugh: thats funny.. its more like I tricked the IT department into replacing my monitor with a flat panel and then scavenged back my CRT as well. Debugging is great, as well as being able to have an API/SDK manual onscreen and not having to switch back and forth. Also if you have to do diffs for any reason it makes life so much easier. I haven't been able to justify getting another monitor at home yet, although I haven't really tried, I'm sure I could sucker myself into it.. Tommy's setup looks awesome...

[Tommy]

jimmyjam,

Once again, you're freakin' me out. I have the exact same setup at work.

Let me guess......you bought a new computer a few years ago with a 19" Trinitron that was kickass then. You recently bought a new desktop computer and had the opportunity to upgrade to a 19" LCD cheap. So you took the opportunity to go with a dual monitor configuration and love the increase in productivity it gives you. (Especially when debugging)

Close???? :undecided

BTW - Tommy - nice setup, that is a really nice monitor stand. Do you have a link where you purchased from? Did you by chance happen to look at the new Dell 24" LCD?

Hey thanks. I got it from tigerdirect.com. Wow, the Dell 24" is nice. If i dont like my BenQ's I will get that. :undecided

[Tommy]

Well, I am using the Flat Panel monitor and I am not sure if I like it. Lot's of things look crisp and bright, but the game test didn't do so good. My video card has dual DVI-D outs and for some reason i cannot get a signal to the monitor with a DVI-D cable. I have to use the dvi to vga adaptor i was using with my CRT. So I am unable to test and see if there is a difference playing the game with a true digital to digital connection vs analog.

The one thing i do like about the fp montior is that it's perfect from edge to edge, my crt wasn't and had to be constantly adjusted. Plus that thing took so much power, that when my air conditor kicks on, the screen gets a little wavey. :)

[Tommy]

ok, i got the dvi-d connection to work. I hope there is a difference, :worried: if not , back to the crt. :yes:

[jimmyjam]

Well, I am using the Flat Panel monitor and I am not sure if I like it.That sucks dude, is there a ghosting effect? 16ms response time is pretty good, its hard to find an LCD that big <12ms...

[Tommy]

It gets blurry when moving the mouse around when looking around in game. This monitor is great for everything but games. The text and images look 10x better than on a crt. I think i am going to keep that 21" in IBM CRT that i some how manage to fit on my desk now.

Maybe I'll wait another year or two, when a real 8ms or less fp monitors comes to the market.:undecided

Dual monitors is real nice too. I had my crt and one fp hooked up. :)

[Wolfe1978nm]

I replaced an aging 19 CRT with an LCD recently. Spent ALOT of time comparing and reading reviews to make sure it had everything I wanted and was not too expensive, plus it needed to work well in games. I ended up with this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824179014

Cost me about $400 at the time but it's actually cheaper now. There is ZERO ghosting or blurring in games and everything looks great, kicks the crap out of any CRT I have found. Read some of the 250+ reviews, and it has 5 stars. It has some cheap built in speakers but on the plus side it is DVI and Dsub, so you can actually hook up 2 computers (or even one with 2 outputs) and switch between them. The only down side I have found is that movies are not quite a crisp, but after a few days use you don't really notice it anymore (this is an issue with any LCD larger than 17).

I was a huge sceptic of LCD's for the longest time but now I don't think I'll ever buy anything but LCD again.

PS - Remember to change your FONTS in windows if you switch from a CRT to LCD. There are sites that have everything you need, makes a world of difference.

[MoJoe]

It gets blurry when moving the mouse around when looking around in game.

What is your refresh rate, have you adjusted it any?

[Jman423]

I have the dual monitor setup at work. One is a wide screen that is used as a tall screen (standing vertically), and the other is a 21" flat panel. I do a lot of wensite work, and let me tell ya, every webmaster needs a dual monitor setup IMO :m2:

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

I have the dual monitor setup at work. One is a wide screen that is used as a tall screen (standing vertically), and the other is a 21" flat panel. I do a lot of wensite work, and let me tell ya, every webmaster needs a dual monitor setup IMO :m2:

any anybody needs duals if they are doing intensive data work. I know there are some times that I will head downstairs to my dual 17" CRT setup if I have an excel spreadsheet that I'm transferring numbers in and out of. It gives me better control than the single 21" CRT does.

[jimmyjam]

What is your refresh rate, have you adjusted it any?
"refresh rate" is a term that doesn't really have any bearing with LCDs. crts refresh rate is the rate at which the electron beam makes passes down the screen. in an LCD, that analog signal in the vga cable gets converted to a digital signal. Ghosting is what happens when the pixels can't physically change colors fast enough, so there is a blurring effect.

ow my brain hurts now

[Tommy]

Ok, I found the problem. One of the DVI-D ports on my video card is bad. I did some tests, with just one monitor on each port and I also change the DVI-D cable to eliminate a bad cable. Blurry and flashing pic on one port and the other is beautiful, no problems at all.

So, I called BFG, the makers of my GeForce 6800 Ultra video card, and explained the problem. I told them that I did every test possible and that I am 100% sure its a bad DVI-D port. They said send us the card and will send you a brand new card. "How long does it take to get the new card" i ask, the guy said, "about two weeks". :laugh: I said to him you got to be kidding, you can't send me the new card first so i don't have to go 2 weeks with a pc? They said thats the only model card that they won't send out a replacement first. :( I offered to give them my credit card number as collateral if they think i am going to scam them. They said call back in the morning and talk to a supervisior. So that's where I am at now. Going to be calling in a few hours.

BTW: BFG cards have a lifetime warranty. SO if anyone is looking to buy a video card, http://www.bfgtech.com/Index.htm is the company to go with. They are based in the US.

[MoJoe]

"refresh rate" is a term that doesn't really have any bearing with LCDs. crts refresh rate is the rate at which the electron beam makes passes down the screen. in an LCD, that analog signal in the vga cable gets converted to a digital signal. Ghosting is what happens when the pixels can't physically change colors fast enough, so there is a blurring effect.

ow my brain hurts now

Thank you for correcting me, I feel like a dope. I lost track about the LCD or the CRT talk:duh:

[Tommy]

Currently I am on a 56k connection since I overnighted my video card to BFG and don't have a HSI connection on this antique compaq 900mhz computer i had sitting in the basement. This computer doesnt have a nic card but does has a usb port so i am going to try and hook it up to my cable modem thru it's usb, now if i can just find the driver cd that came with the modem. :worried:

While I was out today, I saw that the local news station, Ch 6 Action News, are using Trailblazers now. So I pulled over and took a pic with my camera phone. :D . I'll post a pic of it tonight.

[MoJoe]

Damn Tommy, sorry to hear about the (I hate using this horrible phrase) dial-up :duh: :raspberry

[Jman423]

Lets have a moment of silence for Tommy.............................. ;)

[MoJoe]

Lets have a moment of silence for Tommy.............................. ;)

OK now everyone point and laugh :rotfl:


Sorry Tommy ;)

[Tommy]

:eek: So i am leaning behind my computer wire rack hooking up the antique machine and saw a nic in the back. :eek:

I have to say that going from my AMD FX-55 machine to this 900 mhz pentium is like going from the penhouse to the outhouse. LOL

[ScarabEpic22]

:eek: So i am leaning behind my computer wire rack hooking up the antique machine and saw a nic in the back. :eek:

I have to say that going from my AMD FX-55 machine to this 900 mhz pentium is like going from the penhouse to the outhouse. LOL

Most definately.

I know when I have to use an old Celeron 700mhz, that it makes my slightly outdated Athlon XP 2600+ seem really fast!!