TFT Screens
- Thread starter ~Stef~
- Start date
Cheesy Mike
Guest
~Stef~ said:
See one in use connected to a computer. Find out what resolution it does. 1024x768 is barely acceptable. 1100x900 (or thereabouts) is much better. Ask to see a variety of different things on screen - word processing black text on white background, photos, videos, games etc. Screen quality is entirely subjective and something that you think is OK maybe complete rubbish to someone else. Whatever you do, don't buy if you haven't seen one first.
Mike
Mick_rw
Registered user
Do what I do....
go to PC world, have a look at everything, find the one you like then shop around to find it cheaper...
Mick
go to PC world, have a look at everything, find the one you like then shop around to find it cheaper...
Mick
richie
Registered user
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2003
- Messages
- 9,437
- Reaction score
- 439
Paid 350Euros for mine and I think its the dogs balls. Much less space taken and great for working on images. I use mine at 1024 768 and find that its good for my eyes.
Go and Get one.. But maybe pay a little more for 17" as I find on mine when working in Photoshop and Flash that I don't have enough space for all the panels....
But for surfing and word/excel it's fine...
Go and Get one.. But maybe pay a little more for 17" as I find on mine when working in Photoshop and Flash that I don't have enough space for all the panels....
But for surfing and word/excel it's fine...
Can be a bit of a Minefield. there doesn't really seem to be any corrolation between the prices and the quality. I use a lot of Dell TFT screens and would only rate them as OK! one of the best I've seen is the Relisys TL 970 (£480 from http://www.dabs.com/uk/productview?quicklinx=2HXT?refererid=DT) 19 inch screen and great colour. Some of the cheaper screens appear very grainy and have poor colour. If you spend any lenght of time looking at the monitor you really need to buy something good.
TFT screens.
Hi Stef, in the office, Ive got a Philips Brilliance 150p. Small screen, but very sharp and good quality. I've seen some Dell ones, and they're not anything like as good. I've got a CRT screen at home though, as it was easier to fit the windscreen wipers...
Hi Stef, in the office, Ive got a Philips Brilliance 150p. Small screen, but very sharp and good quality. I've seen some Dell ones, and they're not anything like as good. I've got a CRT screen at home though, as it was easier to fit the windscreen wipers...
Always take a look at the image quality. The reason so many of these monitors are cheap is that they use B grade panels and have a number of pixel failures across the display. These are easy to see if you run a black screen.
To get the best quality you will require an A or A- panel from Samsung or LG Phillips (Chi Mei are pretty good Chinese, Japanese are too expensive). Be aware panel prices are on the increase so 15” monitors will be almost the same price as 17” (due to the laptop market growing and increase in mobiles with TFT).
To get the best quality you will require an A or A- panel from Samsung or LG Phillips (Chi Mei are pretty good Chinese, Japanese are too expensive). Be aware panel prices are on the increase so 15” monitors will be almost the same price as 17” (due to the laptop market growing and increase in mobiles with TFT).
Cheers guys, ill be off to PC world this weekend to look for resolution, pixels failure , A grade panels and windscreen wipers
Then I'll go find it somewhere cheaper
~Stef~
p.s. Rob love the French traditional dress, looks like the Aitkins didint work
Then I'll go find it somewhere cheaper
~Stef~
p.s. Rob love the French traditional dress, looks like the Aitkins didint work
...and if you're going to be watching video or playing games you'll need a fast response time too. 16/17 ns.
AdamZ
Guest
Before you shell out you need to think what you are going to use it for.
Cheap TFTs are fine for simple Word Processing etc but if you wish to view games and videos etc then you need to look into them in more detail as they tend to smear.
Check the pixel pitch and the response time ( 15-25msec good for games etc, 35msec is tolerable - above 45 not good). Msec not nanosec (nsec) - if you can get one at 15nsec it would probably cost around £1m.
Also check the viewing zone and try to get one with around 150degrees horizontal and vertical.
I use a iiyama 4821 which is excellent but expensive at £700 rrp (£650 at DABS) which is excellent on games etc. I bought my kids a Packard Bell 15inch LCD but they switched back to a 5 year old 17inch Sony CRT.
Check the PC Pro Web site which has good reviews on equipment, you will probably have to register but it is free and worth it http://www.pcpro.co.uk/ . They have something called an "A" list and a number of group tests on-line.
PC Pro have just placed the Iiyama ProLite E431S in the "A" list which though restricted on viewing (140degrees H 120degrees vertical) has an excellent refresh rate of 15ms (mine has 25msec and the games are excellent). Price at DABS without speakers £320.
iiyama also provide 3 years on-site warranty with the screen
Really, do your research and do not skimp for a few quid, you will only regret it later and have to upgrade earlier...
Also remember that you will pay upto 10-25% more at PC World than internet suppliers such as DABS or Microwarehouse ( http://www.microwarehouse.co.uk ) and have less availability with you ending up accepting the compromise...
Cheap TFTs are fine for simple Word Processing etc but if you wish to view games and videos etc then you need to look into them in more detail as they tend to smear.
Check the pixel pitch and the response time ( 15-25msec good for games etc, 35msec is tolerable - above 45 not good). Msec not nanosec (nsec) - if you can get one at 15nsec it would probably cost around £1m.
Also check the viewing zone and try to get one with around 150degrees horizontal and vertical.
I use a iiyama 4821 which is excellent but expensive at £700 rrp (£650 at DABS) which is excellent on games etc. I bought my kids a Packard Bell 15inch LCD but they switched back to a 5 year old 17inch Sony CRT.
Check the PC Pro Web site which has good reviews on equipment, you will probably have to register but it is free and worth it http://www.pcpro.co.uk/ . They have something called an "A" list and a number of group tests on-line.
PC Pro have just placed the Iiyama ProLite E431S in the "A" list which though restricted on viewing (140degrees H 120degrees vertical) has an excellent refresh rate of 15ms (mine has 25msec and the games are excellent). Price at DABS without speakers £320.
iiyama also provide 3 years on-site warranty with the screen
Really, do your research and do not skimp for a few quid, you will only regret it later and have to upgrade earlier...
Also remember that you will pay upto 10-25% more at PC World than internet suppliers such as DABS or Microwarehouse ( http://www.microwarehouse.co.uk ) and have less availability with you ending up accepting the compromise...
~Stef~ said:
p.s. Rob love the French traditional dress, looks like the Aitkins didint work
Any diet which involves me not drinking beer was always doomed to be a non-starter...The tradtional costume is something similar to the one I need when skiing...
Screens
I use a double 18.1” Samsung TFT set-up on my main PC at home (I like having real work on the one and the net on the other) and have a 19” Dell flat screen CRT on my backup PC. For most thinks the Samsungs are superb but if you’re into fast moving games (like my daughter) I would personally prefer the Dell CRT.
I run the Samsungs from an over-clocked 9500 Pro graphics card with one running on a digital and the other on an analogue connection.
Having gone to TFT panels I wouldn’t go back to CRT’s but I agree with the “try it before you buy” advice as some of them can be crap.
I use a double 18.1” Samsung TFT set-up on my main PC at home (I like having real work on the one and the net on the other) and have a 19” Dell flat screen CRT on my backup PC. For most thinks the Samsungs are superb but if you’re into fast moving games (like my daughter) I would personally prefer the Dell CRT.
I run the Samsungs from an over-clocked 9500 Pro graphics card with one running on a digital and the other on an analogue connection.
Having gone to TFT panels I wouldn’t go back to CRT’s but I agree with the “try it before you buy” advice as some of them can be crap.
AdamZ said:
oops
Pthagonal
Guest
flat screens
are greta if you dont have much space for a monitor..
but if you want quality then get yerself a normal crt monitor
i personaly have 2x21 in screens at home..
these are high definition ones from Hewlett Packard..
and before you say woa too expensive.. i got both of these for 400 euros at a auction.. they are about 1500 each new..
the picture quality on crt is much better..
i have 3 pcs at home , one runnning 2x21 in monitor,, i use a matrox dual head video card.. it lets me use 2 screens as one desktop.. very handy for photosop/dreamweaver/flash/3dmax.. i also have a 19 in on my dell pc, thats my main messing about machine.. and another 21 in on another pc i use for 3d stuff..
yes its tight on space.. i have 2x21 ins plus a 19 in on one desk and it works fine.. pc's are underneath..
if i had a flatscreen id still have the desktop covered with crap, so its not that bad..
have a look round the auctions keep an eye out for companys going bust. there are lots of cheap bits to get if yer smart..
note, tft screens dont have a good shelf life, most are good for 3+years.. many arent designed to last much longer, esp the bigones.. a good tv monitor should do easily twice that if you take care of them..
regards
pthag
are greta if you dont have much space for a monitor..
but if you want quality then get yerself a normal crt monitor
i personaly have 2x21 in screens at home..
these are high definition ones from Hewlett Packard..
and before you say woa too expensive.. i got both of these for 400 euros at a auction.. they are about 1500 each new..
the picture quality on crt is much better..
i have 3 pcs at home , one runnning 2x21 in monitor,, i use a matrox dual head video card.. it lets me use 2 screens as one desktop.. very handy for photosop/dreamweaver/flash/3dmax.. i also have a 19 in on my dell pc, thats my main messing about machine.. and another 21 in on another pc i use for 3d stuff..
yes its tight on space.. i have 2x21 ins plus a 19 in on one desk and it works fine.. pc's are underneath..
if i had a flatscreen id still have the desktop covered with crap, so its not that bad..
have a look round the auctions keep an eye out for companys going bust. there are lots of cheap bits to get if yer smart..
note, tft screens dont have a good shelf life, most are good for 3+years.. many arent designed to last much longer, esp the bigones.. a good tv monitor should do easily twice that if you take care of them..
regards
pthag
AdamZ
Guest
Re: Screens
Despite pthag obviously having a huge mansion so that he can have 3 screens on his desk... I would not go back to a crt but I do accept that I have to pay. The 18" iiyama cost me £850 last year (now on sale low £700's) but going with a good brand gives me some protection.
Stay with a CRT if you have the space, they last for bloody years and are a lot cheaper...
Bob Jeffries said:
Despite pthag obviously having a huge mansion so that he can have 3 screens on his desk... I would not go back to a crt but I do accept that I have to pay. The 18" iiyama cost me £850 last year (now on sale low £700's) but going with a good brand gives me some protection.
Stay with a CRT if you have the space, they last for bloody years and are a lot cheaper...
exeter_lad
Registered user
Don't know about all the technical jargon, but we have a couple of LG Flatron 15" screens bought from PC World for about £179 each. They do everything we want from word to watching DVDs to playing games. Best of all, they free up space. I can actually see my desk now - had an old 21" monitor before which needed 2 people just to lift it on to the desk.
Agree with comments about CRT. Spend all day in work on those. With their flickering and reflections I am glad to come home to the the TFT.
Interesting thing about PC Pro reviews. When items are new they are the dogs bollocks. 6 months down the line they are shite.
Mostly agree with try it out.
Agree with comments about CRT. Spend all day in work on those. With their flickering and reflections I am glad to come home to the the TFT.
Interesting thing about PC Pro reviews. When items are new they are the dogs bollocks. 6 months down the line they are shite.
Mostly agree with try it out.
AdamZ
Guest
exeter_lad said:
Always the case with that area of technology and the worst thing is that within 18months the bloody PC cannot perform with a simple game.....
...back in my early days when computer games were all about shuffling someones card deck or tearing the JCL from the punched paper tape.......
...bbbuuugggeeerrr I am getting as old as my kids think I am!!!!!
Similar threads
