Advice: 2nd monitor/flat panel

[GNEP]

Having originally specified my system with a dualhead card, with the idea of adding a second monitor when I could afford it (use 2 flat panels at work - v. nice!), I now find myself in that nice position of thinking "yes, I could afford it (as long as she doesn't mind a few less romantic dinners out...)"

BUT

small problem - next to the 19" monitor at home, there is really not much space on the desk. So - perhaps then a flat panel display instead.

Anyone here got any suggestions/experience - need good value for money (am in the UK), and preferably 1280x1024 for a resolution?

Or should I wait for further price reductions?

How good is colour reproduction on newer models? The ones I use at work are compaq 5010s, which look a bit washed out, and don't give very good colour depth - but then they are a good couple of years old.

Any input would be more than welcome!

Thanks

gnep

[Sasq]

I can't recomend a specific monitor for you in the UK
<-check location

But I would recomend going to a pc store with lots of different 17" LCD displays on display and looking at the visual quality for yourself.

The prices seem to be comming down here all the time, I'm not sure about the UK though.

Dan

[cjolley]

Originally posted by Sasq
I can't recomend a specific monitor for you in the UK
<-check location

But I would recomend going to a pc store with lots of different 17" LCD displays on display and looking at the visual quality for yourself.

The prices seem to be comming down here all the time, I'm not sure about the UK though.

Dan

There is also the question of Digital-vs-Analog inputs.
I will be interested to follow this thread also.
Chuck

[GNEP]

Thanks guys.

I will go down to Tottenham Court Road when I get a chance...and have a proper look (except that I hate central London - far too many people!)

Thanks for mentioning DVI/Analogue - hadn't really thought about this - at the moment I have G450DH, with 2 analogue outputs, so would need a screen that could take that to start with, but then whenever I upgrade the graphics card, presumably would move over to run a flat panel from digital out - but presumably that is more expensive (ADC required in the screen?)

[cjolley]

Many (I just built a system with a Viewsonic FP151)
come with both Analog & DVI inputs.
That would probably be the way to go right now.
The Viewsonic looked great using DVI & a G550.
I have not been much of a fan of thier Analog Flat Panels.
Chuck

[Michel Carleer]

Just bought an Iiyama AS4431D. This is a 17.4" 1280x1024 screen. Compared to most other LCD's it has some interesting specs:
1) The contrast ratio is 400:1 which is more than the usual 250-300.
2) It is very fast with a white/black/white (or black/white/black) time of just 25 msec. Perfect for video. Usual figure here is more around 40-50 msec or even more for screens with especially large viewing angles (it can go up to 80 msec).
3) It has an almost complete set of inputs: 1 DVI, 1 Analog VGA, 1 S-Video and 1 composite. It understands NTSC, SECAM and PAL signals.
I am very happy with it, the quality of the picture is really outstanding, with better discrimination of very dark or very light shades of grey, the lack of which is usually the big problem with LCD screens. This is important for editing video or photographs.
Sounds too good to be true? Well you are almost right, because Iiyama decided to drop and replace the model with another one too slow (40 msec), with less contrast and a screen of only 17"(I think the new model is 4332).
My recommendation: If you can find one, get it. But beware, it is quite pricy (around 1250 €).
Michka

[Ali]

I have a Dell 200FP at home, sitting next to my 20inch CRT. Its quite good.

You should be able to get the Dell from most places, or if not, get it from the states.

This monitor is 20inches, 1600X1200 resolution, and has DVI,VGA,S-VHS inputs, with picture in picture, so you can watch TV while surfing.

The viewing angle is amazing, no matter where you are looking from, you can see the screen clearly.

The text is amazingly sharp, and colours are pretty good. I have only had it 4 days, and am away from home at the moment (honeymoon), so havent had time to set up the colour properly yet.

Its fast enough to play games and watch movies without any ghosting.

Good luck with your search.

Ali

[Michel Carleer]

Ali,
Can you do 1600x1200 in DVI?
I was under the impression that max res in DVI was 1280x1024. And not higher than 60 Hz.
Michka

[Paulr]

If you can afford to go for LCD panels at that size then yes you can take the resolution higher.
Whilst browsing the web I cam accross an Eizo 19.6" LCD that can be used at 1600x1200.
It also refreshes at 75Hz.
The refresh rate is a little mis-leading, anybody who owns or has seen an LCD panel running at the more affordable 60Hz will tell you that the screen doesn't flicker like a CRT at the same.

DVI would be the way to go, but that does add to the price.
With DVI you've got a true digital signal from PC to LCD.
This should in theory give you better pixel response rate etc rather than going 'analogue to digital to analogue' which you need to do in a non-DVI setup.

[Michel Carleer]

PaulR,
Yes, LCD screens can go as high as 1600x1200, and more, and at 75 Hz.
But from what I understand, only in analog. Because there is a pixel clock frequency limitation in the DVI specs.
For example, my Iiyama can go to 1280x1024 at 85 Hz, but only in analog, with the DVI connection it is limited to 60 Hz.
It is not the LCD that is limited, it is the DVI connection.

Going to 75 Hz has one advantage: when you watch video or TV in a window in PAL format, it is better to have the screen refresh frequency a multiple of 25 Hz. For NTSC, it is better to go to a multiple of 30 Hz. Otherwise, regularly, a frame of the video is doubled or is missing, and this is seen as stuttering. It is most obvious for objects moving at constant speed.
Michka

[GNEP]

It sounds like the DVI standard has not fully matured yet. I recall reading somewhere though that you can do something like doubling up DVI out-/in-puts, removing the limitation on res/refresh. Guess not many cards or panels would support this yet.

Quality and spec of the panels (from what you are all saying) seems to have really improved in the last year though. Perhaps I should wait a bit and get one that might replace an ageing &amp; tiny TV in addition to being a secondary monitor.

Do many panels come in widescreen format (other than pure TV ones), or does that come with a big price penalty?

gnep

[Michel Carleer]

To my knowledge, only LG Electronics sells a widescreen LCD at the moment (for PC use, I mean, don't know about specialized TV hardware).
I don't dare mentionning the price
For the amount, you probably can buy 10+ normal 15" and put them side by side, which would make a hell of a widescreen
Provided Matrox comes up with a G550 MMS with 10 outputs!
Michka

[Michel Carleer]

Update: the max pixel clock frequency for a single DVI stream is 165 MHz. Which makes it for a 1920x1080 picture at 60 Hz.
However, specs for a double stream also exist, but I think it would need a different connector. The max freq would then be 100 MHz and the two streams must be synchronized (use the same clock).
Michka

[xortam]

SGI has produced a large 16x10 LCD for a few years now. I believe its probably still available. The screen came bundled with a Number 9 card. I haven't checked up on them in a couple years so I don't know what their current offerings are.