I want to buy my first LCD

[Messerschmitt]

Hello

I would like to buy my first LCD, but unfortunately I am not that expert in monitors, and don't realy know where to look for performance and viability like I do for the other hardware.

Anyway, right now I have a CRT, and as I understood, the CRT give much more stress to the eye than an LCD, since they are on crystals.

I do not know the exact difference between the CRT HZ (refresh rate) and LCD (I don't see any HZ for them, but I uderstood that a potential equivalent is the response time?)

Anyway, I would like to know which is a good brand first of all. From what I heard Acer is one of them?

I seen this LCD from Acer, and from what I know it seems pretty good?

I know that the Response time can be of 2 types? Black to white and Grey to Grey? And if the response time is low on Grey to Grey that would mean the LCD is even better than another monitor that has the same response time but on Black to White?

Is it correct that as higher the Contrast Rate is, the better it is?

Pixel Pitch, I do not know which one is better, higher or lower?

What about brightness?

So many questions, please if you can reponde at least to some of them I would highly appriciate it.

Thank you

[LLXX]

I personally prefer Samsungs. I have a pair of 173Ts that have been working well for over 2 years.

The refresh rate of an LCD doesn't really matter, since they don't flicker at lower refresh rates. There is no difference in display between 60Hz and 75Hz (most LCD monitors don't have a very high maximum refresh rate, as there is no need to design the circuitry to handle the higher frequencies).

I'm not sure about response time, but any modern LCD should have no ghosting issues. Lower is better.

A higher contrast ratio just means you can set the contrast and brightness controls lower for the same brightness. (I have both my monitors set at minimum brightness and contrast, it causes less strain on the eyes.)

Pixel pitch is the spacing of the individual pixels. All LCDs of the same size and resolution will have the same pitch, so it is rarely a factor of comparison.

As for brightness, I prefer a darker monitor, it's better for the eyes than looking into a bright light.

[Aegis]

I prefer Samsung or LG monitors. Samsungs are a bit expensive, but they're the highest quality monitors around. LG also makes good monitors, but theirs are cheaper. Refresh rate really doesn't matter, since all LCD monitors are capable of and limited to 75Hz. It all depends on what you like. Just try to stick with a good brand.

[Blub]

One other point is the native resolution. Not for comparison between different LCD's maybe, but more a general hint.

Keep in mind that the LCD only works well at it's native resolution (1280x1024 in your case). Or at the very least it looks better. If you're going to play games, make sure your system is able to handle that resolution at an acceptable frame rate.

I like my Samsung 913, but it'sa not even the best one out there. It doesn't have ghosting issues at least.

[Andromeda43]

I've installed several Acer LCD monitors....and I have to say "I hate them".

The ones I've seen are too bright and parts of the screen like the scroll bar on the right are washed out and very hard to see. And they will not dim down sufficiently to overcome this defect.

You need to go to a store that sells LCD monitors and look at them for yourself.

Don't just look at a pretty picture like a screensaver.....open up some programs and see what the scroll bar, etc., looks like.

Overall, I much prefer a CRT to an LCD screen. They are much more versatile in operating at different screen resolutions. I hate it when I can see every pixel on the screen as I can with most LCD screens.

Right now I'm using a Sony Trinitron 19" CRT monitor and I cannot see the pixels at all.

Many Graphics experts, photography buffs, etc., will not have an LCD monitor at all.

Good Luck,

Andromeda43 B)

[hougtimo]

some of us need LCDs though. I personally get migranes from CRTs because of the flickering even at high refresh rates.

[Andromeda43]

A good CRT should NOT flicker. If a CRT is flickering, then something is horribly wrong.

I completely believe in the old saying that goes, "Different strokes for Different folks".

Use what works best for you and

Use it in Good Health!

Cheers!

Andromeda43

[Scubar]

If your going LCD look for ones with <8ms response time. Also ViewSonic do some very nice LCD monitors.

[Messerschmitt]

Good reponses...

I seen a review about the Acer and the guy said he had no problem with his.

Well, and since people said about Samsunb, I checked out and camed out with this?

Tho it's 50% more expensive, and I am not one of those people that can throw money.

Anyway I seen that the input connectors can be quite a factor so here I ask about the 2 monitors:

(can be found also on the specs they provide on this shop site)

And oh yea, I am from Canada, so as far as I seen, there are not "performant" monitors around my shops, and everything is **** ridiculous expensive (500$ for a monitor with weaker specs than these 2, and this is only from the small details they offer).

Acer:

Signal Input

Input Video

Signal Analog RGB

DVI-D

Sync Type

Separate H/V

Composite H/V

Sync on Green

Input Connectors

1 x 15 pin D-Sub

1 x DVI-D

Samsung:

Signal Input

Input Video

Signal

VGA (15 pin D-Sub)

DVI-D

Input Connectors

1 x VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15)

WHat is this difference between DVI-D and DVI-I especially? This was the problem the guy from the review was reffering at, saying that the newer cards got DVI-D. I am totally non-knowledgeble about this sort, and at the moment I got a Gf4 Ti4400 (will prob upgrade soon). Will I have problems?

[blinkdt]

Get a Samsung. I use them in all of my builds without disappointment. New model just out, 19" rotating/pivoting with only one control: the power button. Everything elase is auto-adjusting, about $320. Unbelievably sharp images. The model number escapes me, sorry.

Better yet, if you are fortunate enough to live near a Sam's Club, get it there. Their return policy is incredible: "If you are ever disatisfied with a purchase for any reason at any time, bring it back for a full and complete refund." That includes the tax. Dead pixel? No problem. Big price drop in the last three months? No problem. A new model is released 6 months from now and you are lamenting your past purchase? No problem. Keep the box, accessories, and receipt and you are good to go. For the lifetime of the item. In the checkout line, they ask if you want to purchase the extended warranty..I just smile and say, "no, your warranty is better."

I kid you not. Only in America, baby.

[Messerschmitt]

Get a Samsung. I use them in all of my builds without disappointment. New model just out, 19" rotating/pivoting with only one control: the power button. Everything elase is auto-adjusting, about $320. Unbelievably sharp images. The model number escapes me, sorry.

Better yet, if you are fortunate enough to live near a Sam's Club, get it there. Their return policy is incredible: "If you are ever disatisfied with a purchase for any reason at any time, bring it back for a full and complete refund." That includes the tax. Dead pixel? No problem. Big price drop in the last three months? No problem. A new model is released 6 months from now and you are lamenting your past purchase? No problem. Keep the box, accessories, and receipt and you are good to go. For the lifetime of the item. In the checkout line, they ask if you want to purchase the extended warranty..I just smile and say, "no, your warranty is better."

I kid you not. Only in America, baby.

Is this "Sam's Club" near Canada border? At the time being, in Seattle?

About everything auto-adjusting in that Samsung... Can't that be a drawback? what if you don't like that "auto" and you want to trim it yourself?

[blinkdt]

Is this "Sam's Club" near Canada border? At the time being, in Seattle?

About everything auto-adjusting in that Samsung... Can't that be a drawback? what if you don't like that "auto" and you want to trim it yourself?

Go to samsclub.com and check for locations. Odd, I just visited the site and did not see the monitor listed that I saw in my local store about a week ago. Good quality white plastic, matches my Shuttle SB86i perfectly. I am going out there tomorrow and will post back.

As for the auto-adjust feature, no drawback as far as I am concerned. Just pivot the monitor and the OS responds, no need for pivot-pro software or nVidia's rotate feature. And the image is never out-of-place on the screen.

Edit: correction: the LCD does not automatically adjust for pivot, the "MagicRotation" (formerly Pivot Pro) or nVidia software is required.

And the darned thing folds up and the base acts as a carry handle as well. Smart.

Edited June 10, 2006 by blinkdt

[blinkdt]

OK, I just came back from Sam's. I returned my 19" Samsung 913T, which I had purchased for $348.74 on 12/12/05, for a full-and-complete refund no-questions-asked, tax included. Then I walked over to the shelf and pulled a 19" Samsung 960BF for $319.87. It is a work of art. I bought some steaks with the extra ~$30 .

As an aside, not too long ago the Samsung 204T was available at Sam's for a price in the range of $1,000. A beautiful, 20" pivoting model, truly ground-breaking at the time and worth the money if you could afford it. I could not. A few months later, to my astonishment, it was on the shelf for a "mere" $520. So I began saving my pennies. When I returned to buy it, the price had dropped again to $480. And it is now available for ~$425! Do I need to spell out the rest? If you where the guy who bought the monitor at $1,000 eight months ago, would you:

A. be an upright individual and suck it up, or

B. bring back the original, buy two (2), and pocket the extra $150

Is this a trick question? I still have the original and will keep it, but it is good to know that Sam's offers price/product protection like no other vendor in the world. Buying a Dell? Don't buy it from Dell, buy your Dell at Sam's. If the power supply blows three years from now (well out of warranty), bring the whole thing back and upgrade the entire system? Then again, you have to live with yourself.

[Messerschmitt]

The samsunb 204T has 16ms reponse time so it's not good for gaming

960BF is nice since it has 4ms and better, eit's Grey to Grey

Anyway, if you did payd only 319$ for it then it's a great deal. Do they also ship in Canada? I would be interested to buy from them

But their website leave to desire

Edited June 9, 2006 by Messerschmitt

[blinkdt]

Yes, their Web site is less than intuitive at times. I have difficulty navigating it even when trying to locate an item that I know is there.

Having said all that, you are on your own. Use the site support features to determine what works best for you in terms of purchasing, shipping, returns, etc. There is no substitute for access to an actual store, however. Good luck.