Comments on Monitor

[Jedo_03]

Hi all,
I'm stewing over updating my CRT's with flatscreen LCD's..
Yeah I know - brings me into the 20th Century...
Does anyone own, have knowledge about, or care to comment on this:
Esp that impressive contrast ratio...
LG W1942T-SF Monitor
[FONT=&quot]Model : W1942T-SF
LG's 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor
Features
• Extremely high contrast ratio: 8000:1 (DFC)
• Fast response time: 5ms
• Resolution: 1,440 x 900 (WXGA+)
• 4:3 in Wide (ARC function): original image as it is
• Certified for Vista Premium
• DFC (Digital Fine Contrast Ratio) technology - World's most innovative contrast ratio
The best image quality with the world's most extreme contrast ratio. Experience the clearest, sharpest images available today on an LCD. With the LG FLATRON, the colors literally jump off the screen.
• FLATRON f Engine - World's First Picture Enhancing Chip for LCD Monitors
It uses DAFI technology which includes RCM (Real Color Management) function which allows monitor to display the most vivid and natural colors available on an LCD. Also it comes complete with ACE (Adaptive Color and Contrast Enhancement) function that enhances brightness and contrast. The technology is ideal for watching videos or displaying high quality photos. [/FONT]
Thanks
Jedo

 

[JustAnEngineer]

The LCD thread is one place to find monitor information:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=31&threadid=2049206&enterthread=y

You need digital input-- DVI (with HDCP), HDMI or DisplayPort.

You want to run your LCD monitor at its native resolution.

You want an IPS or VA panel for photo use. You want to avoid a TN panel because of the inadequate 6-bit color depth (leading to banding or dithering) and because of the nasty color and brightness shifts with viewing angle.

There are a few (rather expensive) monitors out there with advanced backlight technology. LED backlights will be great once they become affordable.

I favor 1920x1200 IPS panels like those in the DoubleSight DS-265W or the NEC LCD2690WUXi.

 

[Garbz]

Ditto on the NEC, I can definitely say it's worth every cent, but clearly a different monitor league than what you are looking at spending.

Have you considered some of the Dell UltraSharps? Do a search for Dell UltraSharp will lead to 2-3 threads by ChristiePhoto I think who bought one recently. It's not the largest, and it's not wide screen, but it is by far one of the most affordable IPS screens I have seen, and it definitely comes with his seal of approval.

For all the reason JustAnEngineer mentioned avoid TN panels, the LG W1942 is of course a TN panel like all cheap LCDs. They are what give LCDs the name they have to the uneducated when it comes to colours. You know the guys who say there's nothing better than a CRT which is rubbish if you know what to buy.

One thing to note is ignore specs. I'll run through the list of specs so you can spot the marketing rubbish:
- High contrast ratio 8000:1. Rubbish. LCDs bearly have more than a few hundred:1 ratio. This dynamic contrast crap makes white scenes brighter and dark scenes darker achieving only an increase in eye-strain. Colour specs typically say contrast ratio for colour critical work should be somewhere around the 280:1 anyway.
- Fast response time ? What number? black to white, grey to grey? Is this response to input included or is this just the pixel time? This really only matters if you'll be playing games on the screen. Typically the faster the response the poorer the screen visual quality, as IPS and PVA screens can simply not match the speed of the cheap and nasty TN film panels.
- Certified for vista? This defies logic. It's a screen. I'm sure I could strip a green CRT out of an oscilloscope and make it work with vista.
- DFC Worls most useless crap for reasons I said above. Only causes eyestrain. If this feature can't be switched off then send the screen back!
- Flatron f Engine - The ability to display vivid colours is related to the backlight and the panel technology. Again this is a load of rubbish.

Work your way through the specs this way:
If colour work (photography) is important to you then you need a PVA screen as a minimum. IPS screens are better. http://www.flatpanels.dk/panels.php This site lists the panels used in each screen.
Look at the resolution and size. These will typically be important.
Make sure you have DVI as said above. (HDCP is what is needed to play all those fancy new high def things. A holywood headache. If you have a TV to watch content on then ignore this, but if you want to watch movies on this computer, especially HD movies, then HDCP is a must) HDMI and DisplayPort, are further gimmicks which you may or may not find useful. Again I have a TV so I have no need for this on my computer screen, your situation may vary.
Depending on your budget, the last mile I can recommend is if you're going to get an IPS display and you want something which is ideal for colour correct work then make sure you get a screen with a 12bit internal colour look-up table and a calibration unit, like the NEC mentioned above. But this is really the creme of crop when it comes to screens, and they're not cheap.

 

[JustAnEngineer]

- Certified for vista? This defies logic. It's a screen. I'm sure I could strip a green CRT out of an oscilloscope and make it work with vista.

Believe it or not, the Vista certification requirements for monitors include digital input with support for HDCP. This is a good thing.

There's no difference in image quality between DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort. Whichever you have will work satisfactorily.

 

[icassell]

Ditto on the NEC, I can definitely say it's worth every cent, but clearly a different monitor league than what you are looking at spending.

Have you considered some of the Dell UltraSharps? Do a search for Dell UltraSharp will lead to 2-3 threads by ChristiePhoto I think who bought one recently. It's not the largest, and it's not wide screen, but it is by far one of the most affordable IPS screens I have seen, and it definitely comes with his seal of approval.

.

It is my understanding that Dell no longer guarantees that their monitors ship with IPS panels. Ask before buying!

Ian

 

[Garbz]

Believe it or not, the Vista certification requirements for monitors include digital input with support for HDCP. This is a good thing.

Yep something else retarded to worry about curtsy of Microsoft and the entertainment industry. Nowadays a simple display device is no longer guaranteed to work with your operating system.

I should have been clear in what I was saying. The vista certified tag is not something that you'd need to worry about as a photographer, and neither is HDMI, DisplayPort, HDCP or any other 4 letter acronym. These are important only if you intend to play high-definition content on your screen that is copy protected by some of those stupid companies.
But along with that if HighDef movies is a criteria for your experience you wouldn't be looking at a screen with such a low resolution, and on the complete flip side you wouldn't want an IPS screen either.

 

[Jedo_03]

Thanks to all for your guidance here -
many thanks
Jedo

 

[JustAnEngineer]

Yep something else retarded to worry about curtsy of Microsoft and the entertainment industry. Nowadays a simple display device is no longer guaranteed to work with your operating system.

While it may seem cool and trendy to bash Microsoft for everything imaginable, they're the good guys on the HDCP issue. Any monitor will work fine with Windows Vista, but you might as well get one that supports HDCP so that you can watch protected content (like Blu-ray discs, for example).

IPS panels are good for movies, as well as photographs.

If the $670 price for the 26" 1920x1200 IPS panel is too much for your budget, step down to a *VA panel or to the very affordable 1680x1050 resolution.

 

[icassell]

photographs.

If the $670 price for the 26" 1920x1200 IPS panel is too much for your budget, step down to a *VA panel or to the very affordable 1680x1050 resolution.

What 26" IPS panel can you get for $670?

Ian

 

[Garbz]

IPS panels are good for movies, as well as photographs.

Depends on the movie. Definitely fast paced action a PVA or TN film panel is far better. At worst get a large enough screen and you end up with motion sickness from the lower response times. Those new S-IPS panels are a bit better, but still my point remains the same, if you are very interested in having a machine that is as much an entertainment system as it is for photo editing getting a PVA panel is an excellent compromise between refresh rate and viewing angle consistency.

 

[MikeBcos]

The LG may not be the best monitor in the world but it will be far better than your current CRT. At work I use high end LCD monitors, at home I use a Microtek cheapy, there is actually very little difference between the two for general use. The differences only really become obvious on video and gaming aplications.

 

[JustAnEngineer]

What 26" IPS panel can you get for $670?

http://www.doublesight.com/product/?idx=26
That's the cheapest monitor I've seen with that panel.

 

[Ls3D]

Looks like the OP signed off, so this off topic monitor link should not be too out of place. Engadget regulars you have already seen this 23" 2,048 x 1,152 consumer rig.

 

[Garbz]

uah good god! It's bad enough using 1920x1200 on a 26" screen. I'd hate that Samsung. I guess in a few years Samsung will get out of the monitor business and open up a chain store of optometrist