LCD or CRT Monitor?

[Roy A. Mayes]

trying again...

My setup:

==============

Thanks.

I thought this thread died yesterday, but I'm glad to see the
additional input.

Since I can't justify $1500 for a decent LCD (19" UXGA), I think
your advice is well-taken...

Thanks again to all!

Tony

A $500 LCD monitor will be awful. You need to budget at least twice
that to get an LCD that even gets close to a $300 CRT. Probably
even more.

A good LCD beats a good CRT any day, but at about ten times the
price. Cheap LCD's are ok for everyday use, but do not have nearly
the quality of a CRT.

MAG are generally low contrast and do not have very good color
range, even for LCD's. You'll be a lot happier with a good CRT.

--
Jesper

--
D7i
http://www.pbase.com/roymayes

--
D7i
http://www.pbase.com/roymayes

 

[Roy A. Mayes]

okay, I forgot how to get the picture to show up in the thread, so I guess I'll have to settle with a link

http://www.ofoto.com/PhotoView.jsp?UV=319241385679_19214804603&collid=42528698403&photoid=40314888403

==============

Thanks.

I thought this thread died yesterday, but I'm glad to see the
additional input.

Since I can't justify $1500 for a decent LCD (19" UXGA), I think
your advice is well-taken...

Thanks again to all!

Tony

A $500 LCD monitor will be awful. You need to budget at least twice
that to get an LCD that even gets close to a $300 CRT. Probably
even more.

A good LCD beats a good CRT any day, but at about ten times the
price. Cheap LCD's are ok for everyday use, but do not have nearly
the quality of a CRT.

MAG are generally low contrast and do not have very good color
range, even for LCD's. You'll be a lot happier with a good CRT.

--
Jesper

--
D7i
http://www.pbase.com/roymayes

--
D7i
http://www.pbase.com/roymayes

--
D7i
http://www.pbase.com/roymayes

 

[Tony Reynolds]

Roy:

That looks like it does great things for your work-flow, but my wife and I share a 10x11 space (our ex-dining room) and so for me at least, compact is better.

I'm at work right now, and the Dell 21" I am using is really shallow, only 18" deep. Some of the 19" monitors are deeper than that. I get really spoiled and then I go home and try to work on theat fuzzy 17". YUK!

The thing is, the Dual Head card by Matrox is reasonably priced at about $75, and I don't want to blow my budget.

My ideal setup would be three top-quality LCD's: A big one in the center for applications, a smaller one to the right for menus and a mathing smaller one to the left for internet. Actually, if I get the 19" CRT for the center and a 15" LCD for the right, I can use my ThinkPad TransNote for left. Even though it's only 10.4" and 800x600, it's plenty for the web.

Tony

 

[Richard L. Stuart]

Tony - faced a similiar situation, I went for Glass, 21, in spice of the space, and a video card that would allow me to display the 5MP pics directly, full screen, without modification, I am on a trip to Japan(in Osaka) but basically, the card allow me to display 2500X2000 pixel pics direct. Great for editing in photo shop.

Richard

I've researched the threads regarding recommendations of CRT versus
LCD monitors, and have to say that it looks like the opinions seem
to be split right down the middle, so I thought I'd turn to my
friends here in the Minolta Forum...

I have a Dimage 7i, so I'm obviously into quality images. My
faithful MAG DX17f 17" monitor is on its last legs; the screen has
started to get slightly fuzzy. I swore that the next monitor I'd
get would be flat screen LCD because I want the desk space back,
but after weeks of research, I'm still no closer to a decision.

I can get a 19" MAG LCD at Tigerdirect.com for US$499 after a $50
rebate, which seems fabulous to me: nearly as much screen area as
the Dell 21" CRT (Trinitron) I use at work.

I can get a really excellent 19" CRT that will run 1600x1200 at
75Hz for half that.

The things that I'm worried about with the LCD's are:

1. Color calibration or lack of it.
2. Warranty for dead pixels, something CRT's never have.
3. Ability to drive "non-native" resolutions.
4. Contrast and color.
5. Cost: i.e. "bang for the buck".

I would like a UXGA LCD (1600x1200), but they're still very
expensive, while a 1600x1200 CRT is readily available for US$250 or
less.

Does anyone have any opinions either way? I would be willing to
spend up to $600 for a 17" or 18" LCD if I was certain that it
would suit my needs for photo editing, but I may be happier at 1/3
the cost for a CRT, especially since I use AutoCAD a lot and need
all the screen real estate I can get for menus (even worse than
Adobe.)

Does anyone know of a good SHORT THROW 19" CRT Pure Flat that will
run 1600x1200 native at 85Hz? Short throw tubes take up less desk
space.

Trinitron Aperture Grill or Invar Shadow Mask? (I've been using the
Dell for three years and the wires in the Trinitron tube don't
bother me...)

Any help would be appreciated. Right now, I'm going to hit the
sack; it's been a long hard day here in Seattle...

Thanks!

Tony Reynolds

--
Richard - D7i Newbie

 

[Tony Reynolds]

In looking for 19" CRT's I stumbled across this site:

http://www.monitoronsale.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=900076A

They have the Dell (Sony) Trinitron 21" CRT for $289, with a 1 year warranty running an extra $50. (Normal warranty is 30 days).

Since I have been using one of these on my office workstation for the last 2 years and like it, this seems like a very good deal on a monitor capapble of displaying resolutions greater than 1600x1200 with high refresh rates and dual inputs.

Has anybody had any experience with these guys? Their procedure for refurbishing monitors looks very good. This looks to be a better deal than buying off Ebay. At least I know it's been looked at and is warranted to not have problems. I've been burned on Ebay.

Though I know that one gets what one pays for, this seems like a very sweet deal. If it lasted at least 3 years, I would be very pleased. Plus it's no deeper than a typical 17" monitor...

Anybody concur?

Tony

Richard

I've researched the threads regarding recommendations of CRT versus
LCD monitors, and have to say that it looks like the opinions seem
to be split right down the middle, so I thought I'd turn to my
friends here in the Minolta Forum...

I have a Dimage 7i, so I'm obviously into quality images. My
faithful MAG DX17f 17" monitor is on its last legs; the screen has
started to get slightly fuzzy. I swore that the next monitor I'd
get would be flat screen LCD because I want the desk space back,
but after weeks of research, I'm still no closer to a decision.

I can get a 19" MAG LCD at Tigerdirect.com for US$499 after a $50
rebate, which seems fabulous to me: nearly as much screen area as
the Dell 21" CRT (Trinitron) I use at work.

I can get a really excellent 19" CRT that will run 1600x1200 at
75Hz for half that.

The things that I'm worried about with the LCD's are:

1. Color calibration or lack of it.
2. Warranty for dead pixels, something CRT's never have.
3. Ability to drive "non-native" resolutions.
4. Contrast and color.
5. Cost: i.e. "bang for the buck".

I would like a UXGA LCD (1600x1200), but they're still very
expensive, while a 1600x1200 CRT is readily available for US$250 or
less.

Does anyone have any opinions either way? I would be willing to
spend up to $600 for a 17" or 18" LCD if I was certain that it
would suit my needs for photo editing, but I may be happier at 1/3
the cost for a CRT, especially since I use AutoCAD a lot and need
all the screen real estate I can get for menus (even worse than
Adobe.)

Does anyone know of a good SHORT THROW 19" CRT Pure Flat that will
run 1600x1200 native at 85Hz? Short throw tubes take up less desk
space.

Trinitron Aperture Grill or Invar Shadow Mask? (I've been using the
Dell for three years and the wires in the Trinitron tube don't
bother me...)

Any help would be appreciated. Right now, I'm going to hit the
sack; it's been a long hard day here in Seattle...

Thanks!

Tony Reynolds

--
Richard - D7i Newbie

 

[Roy A. Mayes]

In my three monitor setup, I have a 17" View Sonic PT775. This was my first monitor and I got it at a great price: $850. My next monitor was the 22" Mitsubishi 2020U: bought for a great price of $1000. The 3rd monitor is a 17" View Sonic E771 that I paid $315 for. In each case, the monitors were approximately half the cost of what they had been selling for a year earlier.

I like the realestate, especially in PhotoShop. I edit on the 22" and scatter the pallets across the other two. I have a Radeon driving two of the monitors and the stock video card driving the 3rd. They set up seemlessly on my Mac G4.

http://www.monitoronsale.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=900076A

They have the Dell (Sony) Trinitron 21" CRT for $289, with a 1 year
warranty running an extra $50. (Normal warranty is 30 days).

Since I have been using one of these on my office workstation for
the last 2 years and like it, this seems like a very good deal on a
monitor capapble of displaying resolutions greater than 1600x1200
with high refresh rates and dual inputs.

Has anybody had any experience with these guys? Their procedure for
refurbishing monitors looks very good. This looks to be a better
deal than buying off Ebay. At least I know it's been looked at and
is warranted to not have problems. I've been burned on Ebay.

Though I know that one gets what one pays for, this seems like a
very sweet deal. If it lasted at least 3 years, I would be very
pleased. Plus it's no deeper than a typical 17" monitor...

Anybody concur?

Tony

Richard

I've researched the threads regarding recommendations of CRT versus
LCD monitors, and have to say that it looks like the opinions seem
to be split right down the middle, so I thought I'd turn to my
friends here in the Minolta Forum...

I have a Dimage 7i, so I'm obviously into quality images. My
faithful MAG DX17f 17" monitor is on its last legs; the screen has
started to get slightly fuzzy. I swore that the next monitor I'd
get would be flat screen LCD because I want the desk space back,
but after weeks of research, I'm still no closer to a decision.

I can get a 19" MAG LCD at Tigerdirect.com for US$499 after a $50
rebate, which seems fabulous to me: nearly as much screen area as
the Dell 21" CRT (Trinitron) I use at work.

I can get a really excellent 19" CRT that will run 1600x1200 at
75Hz for half that.

The things that I'm worried about with the LCD's are:

1. Color calibration or lack of it.
2. Warranty for dead pixels, something CRT's never have.
3. Ability to drive "non-native" resolutions.
4. Contrast and color.
5. Cost: i.e. "bang for the buck".

I would like a UXGA LCD (1600x1200), but they're still very
expensive, while a 1600x1200 CRT is readily available for US$250 or
less.

Does anyone have any opinions either way? I would be willing to
spend up to $600 for a 17" or 18" LCD if I was certain that it
would suit my needs for photo editing, but I may be happier at 1/3
the cost for a CRT, especially since I use AutoCAD a lot and need
all the screen real estate I can get for menus (even worse than
Adobe.)

Does anyone know of a good SHORT THROW 19" CRT Pure Flat that will
run 1600x1200 native at 85Hz? Short throw tubes take up less desk
space.

Trinitron Aperture Grill or Invar Shadow Mask? (I've been using the
Dell for three years and the wires in the Trinitron tube don't
bother me...)

Any help would be appreciated. Right now, I'm going to hit the
sack; it's been a long hard day here in Seattle...

Thanks!

Tony Reynolds

--
Richard - D7i Newbie

--
D7i
http://www.pbase.com/roymayes

 

[syberascal]

Tony,

Like I said earlier, I have a 19" Dell Trinitron CRT, so I'm little bias towards Trinitron tubes. Having said that, the deal you located sounds very tempting. Sometimes refurbished products are items returned to manufacturer which are not defective. Since Dell doesn't have any retail stores/locations, this is probably the case with the Dell products. If I was to purchase a refurbished monitor, I may be inclined to get the extra warranty, so I had a little extra peace of mind.

My father has a 1979 Trinitron TV which looks as good as the day he brought it. They are excellent tubes. I think a Trinitron will last you a long time.

Good luck with your decision.

http://www.monitoronsale.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=900076A

They have the Dell (Sony) Trinitron 21" CRT for $289, with a 1 year
warranty running an extra $50. (Normal warranty is 30 days).

Since I have been using one of these on my office workstation for
the last 2 years and like it, this seems like a very good deal on a
monitor capapble of displaying resolutions greater than 1600x1200
with high refresh rates and dual inputs.

Has anybody had any experience with these guys? Their procedure for
refurbishing monitors looks very good. This looks to be a better
deal than buying off Ebay. At least I know it's been looked at and
is warranted to not have problems. I've been burned on Ebay.

Though I know that one gets what one pays for, this seems like a
very sweet deal. If it lasted at least 3 years, I would be very
pleased. Plus it's no deeper than a typical 17" monitor...

Anybody concur?

Tony

Richard

I've researched the threads regarding recommendations of CRT versus
LCD monitors, and have to say that it looks like the opinions seem
to be split right down the middle, so I thought I'd turn to my
friends here in the Minolta Forum...

I have a Dimage 7i, so I'm obviously into quality images. My
faithful MAG DX17f 17" monitor is on its last legs; the screen has
started to get slightly fuzzy. I swore that the next monitor I'd
get would be flat screen LCD because I want the desk space back,
but after weeks of research, I'm still no closer to a decision.

I can get a 19" MAG LCD at Tigerdirect.com for US$499 after a $50
rebate, which seems fabulous to me: nearly as much screen area as
the Dell 21" CRT (Trinitron) I use at work.

I can get a really excellent 19" CRT that will run 1600x1200 at
75Hz for half that.

The things that I'm worried about with the LCD's are:

1. Color calibration or lack of it.
2. Warranty for dead pixels, something CRT's never have.
3. Ability to drive "non-native" resolutions.
4. Contrast and color.
5. Cost: i.e. "bang for the buck".

I would like a UXGA LCD (1600x1200), but they're still very
expensive, while a 1600x1200 CRT is readily available for US$250 or
less.

Does anyone have any opinions either way? I would be willing to
spend up to $600 for a 17" or 18" LCD if I was certain that it
would suit my needs for photo editing, but I may be happier at 1/3
the cost for a CRT, especially since I use AutoCAD a lot and need
all the screen real estate I can get for menus (even worse than
Adobe.)

Does anyone know of a good SHORT THROW 19" CRT Pure Flat that will
run 1600x1200 native at 85Hz? Short throw tubes take up less desk
space.

Trinitron Aperture Grill or Invar Shadow Mask? (I've been using the
Dell for three years and the wires in the Trinitron tube don't
bother me...)

Any help would be appreciated. Right now, I'm going to hit the
sack; it's been a long hard day here in Seattle...

Thanks!

Tony Reynolds

--
Richard - D7i Newbie

 

[Tony Reynolds]

Syberascal:

Thanks for the encouragement... I think I'm going to go for it. Now I have to revamp my plans that i had for furniture.

Even with shipping and the extra for the extended warranty, I'm still at about $350. That's less than half the current price for a monitor of this caliber, especially since I already use one at the office and want this one for home.

I believe that these monitors may be lease returns.

Like you, my father has a Sony Trinitron, a 12" portable that cost him a fortune in 1978 or 79. It still works...

Tony

Like I said earlier, I have a 19" Dell Trinitron CRT, so I'm little
bias towards Trinitron tubes. Having said that, the deal you
located sounds very tempting. Sometimes refurbished products are
items returned to manufacturer which are not defective. Since Dell
doesn't have any retail stores/locations, this is probably the case
with the Dell products. If I was to purchase a refurbished
monitor, I may be inclined to get the extra warranty, so I had a
little extra peace of mind.

My father has a 1979 Trinitron TV which looks as good as the day he
brought it. They are excellent tubes. I think a Trinitron will
last you a long time.

Good luck with your decision.

http://www.monitoronsale.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=900076A

They have the Dell (Sony) Trinitron 21" CRT for $289, with a 1 year
warranty running an extra $50. (Normal warranty is 30 days).

Since I have been using one of these on my office workstation for
the last 2 years and like it, this seems like a very good deal on a
monitor capapble of displaying resolutions greater than 1600x1200
with high refresh rates and dual inputs.

Has anybody had any experience with these guys? Their procedure for
refurbishing monitors looks very good. This looks to be a better
deal than buying off Ebay. At least I know it's been looked at and
is warranted to not have problems. I've been burned on Ebay.

Though I know that one gets what one pays for, this seems like a
very sweet deal. If it lasted at least 3 years, I would be very
pleased. Plus it's no deeper than a typical 17" monitor...

Anybody concur?

Tony

Richard

I've researched the threads regarding recommendations of CRT versus
LCD monitors, and have to say that it looks like the opinions seem
to be split right down the middle, so I thought I'd turn to my
friends here in the Minolta Forum...

I have a Dimage 7i, so I'm obviously into quality images. My
faithful MAG DX17f 17" monitor is on its last legs; the screen has
started to get slightly fuzzy. I swore that the next monitor I'd
get would be flat screen LCD because I want the desk space back,
but after weeks of research, I'm still no closer to a decision.

I can get a 19" MAG LCD at Tigerdirect.com for US$499 after a $50
rebate, which seems fabulous to me: nearly as much screen area as
the Dell 21" CRT (Trinitron) I use at work.

I can get a really excellent 19" CRT that will run 1600x1200 at
75Hz for half that.

The things that I'm worried about with the LCD's are:

1. Color calibration or lack of it.
2. Warranty for dead pixels, something CRT's never have.
3. Ability to drive "non-native" resolutions.
4. Contrast and color.
5. Cost: i.e. "bang for the buck".

I would like a UXGA LCD (1600x1200), but they're still very
expensive, while a 1600x1200 CRT is readily available for US$250 or
less.

Does anyone have any opinions either way? I would be willing to
spend up to $600 for a 17" or 18" LCD if I was certain that it
would suit my needs for photo editing, but I may be happier at 1/3
the cost for a CRT, especially since I use AutoCAD a lot and need
all the screen real estate I can get for menus (even worse than
Adobe.)

Does anyone know of a good SHORT THROW 19" CRT Pure Flat that will
run 1600x1200 native at 85Hz? Short throw tubes take up less desk
space.

Trinitron Aperture Grill or Invar Shadow Mask? (I've been using the
Dell for three years and the wires in the Trinitron tube don't
bother me...)

Any help would be appreciated. Right now, I'm going to hit the
sack; it's been a long hard day here in Seattle...

Thanks!

Tony Reynolds

--
Richard - D7i Newbie

 

[Doughnutboy-1]

I currently have a NEC Multisync LCD1830, an 18-inch LCD monitor that I bought 6 months ago from tigerdirect.com, refurbished.

I love this thing! It's so light, especially compared to the NEC E1100+ monitor I replaced with it (21 inch CRT). I now have room on the desk to place a book in front of the monitor.

The image quality is fantastic. I must admit, it could be inconvenient if you didn't want to use its "native" resolution of 1280x1024... it gets a little fuzzy... but for me that's not an issue since all the games my kids use it for will run well in 1280x1024 mode.

Shortly after I bought it, my parents were over... and the screen saver I had running (just to show it off) actually fooled them into thinking I had an aquarium (the monitor is black). I edit all my pics on it.

I measured, and the viewable screen surface is exactly the same in area as my 21-inch CRT was. All that, and I don't break my back when I move the thing!

Dave
http://www.serene-shades.com

 

[Tony Reynolds]

What you have is ultimately what I would like, but right now, to get an LCD monitor with the same resolution as a 21" CRT, I'd have to spend SIX times as much as the refurb price for the Dell, THREE times as much for a new 21" CRT. (A 21" CRT has a 20" [roughly] viewable area, quite a bit bigger than the 18" viewable you have now...)

I don't relish having a 70 lb. chunk 'o stuff sitting on my desk at home, but that's what I've had here at work for the last two years. I've been thrilled with the Trinitron; the support wires in the screen don't bother me and I like the choice of being able to run two signals into the monitor with a convenient switch on the front. To get this same combo of features and resolution in a 19" CRT, I'd have to buy the Sony CDP420.

The big thing for me is this:

I spend a great deal of my time in AutoCAD and Photoshop. I run my monitor here at work at 1600x 1200. This saves me time because I don't have to zoom in and out as much, not nearly as much as I do at home on a 17" CRT (15.6" visible) running at 1152x864 (the max it will run). The LCD display I could AFFORD right now, would only give me a 1280x1024 max res. It would be beautiful, but I wouldn't be as productive.

I can't justify spending $600 for an LCD (when I really NEED to spend at least $1500) when that same $600 can get me a 'state of the art" set up with a 21" Trinitron, 15" LCD for menus and a dual-head video card to drive them both. Wow! I might forget where the zoom tools are on my menu bar...

Looks like I'll be locked into a corner desk for a few more years. ;-)

Tony Reynolds
Seattle

I currently have a NEC Multisync LCD1830, an 18-inch LCD monitor
that I bought 6 months ago from tigerdirect.com, refurbished.

I love this thing! It's so light, especially compared to the NEC
E1100+ monitor I replaced with it (21 inch CRT). I now have room
on the desk to place a book in front of the monitor.

The image quality is fantastic. I must admit, it could be
inconvenient if you didn't want to use its "native" resolution of
1280x1024... it gets a little fuzzy... but for me that's not an
issue since all the games my kids use it for will run well in
1280x1024 mode.

Shortly after I bought it, my parents were over... and the screen
saver I had running (just to show it off) actually fooled them into
thinking I had an aquarium (the monitor is black). I edit all my
pics on it.

I measured, and the viewable screen surface is exactly the same in
area as my 21-inch CRT was. All that, and I don't break my back
when I move the thing!

Dave
http://www.serene-shades.com

 

[ACoyl]

Tony, we have an ex-dining room too...two computers, two printers, one scanner, two black cats, two desks and dozens of computer books. No room for a dining room table. We eat at the breakfast counter in the kitchen but it is a sacrifice we make for our habit.

Roy:

That looks like it does great things for your work-flow, but my
wife and I share a 10x11 space (our ex-dining room) and so for me
at least, compact is better.

I'm at work right now, and the Dell 21" I am using is really
shallow, only 18" deep. Some of the 19" monitors are deeper than
that. I get really spoiled and then I go home and try to work on
theat fuzzy 17". YUK!

The thing is, the Dual Head card by Matrox is reasonably priced at
about $75, and I don't want to blow my budget.

My ideal setup would be three top-quality LCD's: A big one in the
center for applications, a smaller one to the right for menus and a
mathing smaller one to the left for internet. Actually, if I get
the 19" CRT for the center and a 15" LCD for the right, I can use
my ThinkPad TransNote for left. Even though it's only 10.4" and
800x600, it's plenty for the web.

Tony

 

[syberascal]

Tony,

I think you are making the smart and more economial move. In a couple of years, LCDs would have improved and the prices would have fallen even more. Why give your hard earned away? Let the early adoptors do that for you. Like yourself, I would love to have a LCD or plasma screen, but right now, I cannot justify the cost. (Of course, I'm talking about LCDs which can give near CRT performance. There are a lot cheap LCDs on the market, but why get something you are not happy with!)

Good luck with the Trinitron!

I don't relish having a 70 lb. chunk 'o stuff sitting on my desk at
home, but that's what I've had here at work for the last two years.
I've been thrilled with the Trinitron; the support wires in the
screen don't bother me and I like the choice of being able to run
two signals into the monitor with a convenient switch on the front.
To get this same combo of features and resolution in a 19" CRT, I'd
have to buy the Sony CDP420.

The big thing for me is this:

I spend a great deal of my time in AutoCAD and Photoshop. I run my
monitor here at work at 1600x 1200. This saves me time because I
don't have to zoom in and out as much, not nearly as much as I do
at home on a 17" CRT (15.6" visible) running at 1152x864 (the max
it will run). The LCD display I could AFFORD right now, would only
give me a 1280x1024 max res. It would be beautiful, but I wouldn't
be as productive.

I can't justify spending $600 for an LCD (when I really NEED to
spend at least $1500) when that same $600 can get me a 'state of
the art" set up with a 21" Trinitron, 15" LCD for menus and a
dual-head video card to drive them both. Wow! I might forget where
the zoom tools are on my menu bar...

Looks like I'll be locked into a corner desk for a few more years. ;-)

Tony Reynolds
Seattle

I currently have a NEC Multisync LCD1830, an 18-inch LCD monitor
that I bought 6 months ago from tigerdirect.com, refurbished.

I love this thing! It's so light, especially compared to the NEC
E1100+ monitor I replaced with it (21 inch CRT). I now have room
on the desk to place a book in front of the monitor.

The image quality is fantastic. I must admit, it could be
inconvenient if you didn't want to use its "native" resolution of
1280x1024... it gets a little fuzzy... but for me that's not an
issue since all the games my kids use it for will run well in
1280x1024 mode.

Shortly after I bought it, my parents were over... and the screen
saver I had running (just to show it off) actually fooled them into
thinking I had an aquarium (the monitor is black). I edit all my
pics on it.

I measured, and the viewable screen surface is exactly the same in
area as my 21-inch CRT was. All that, and I don't break my back
when I move the thing!

Dave
http://www.serene-shades.com

 

[Tony Reynolds]

I agree...

I just ordered the Dell P1110 UltraScan from http://www.monitoronsale.com . $339 shipped. I'll know in a week when I hook it up whether I made a good decision or not, but based on my experience, I think not. I should be able to get a good deal on an Apple 23" LCD in two or three years.

Now to find that cheap 15" LCD...

Tony Reynolds

I think you are making the smart and more economial move. In a
couple of years, LCDs would have improved and the prices would have
fallen even more. Why give your hard earned away? Let the early
adoptors do that for you. Like yourself, I would love to have a
LCD or plasma screen, but right now, I cannot justify the cost.
(Of course, I'm talking about LCDs which can give near CRT
performance. There are a lot cheap LCDs on the market, but why get
something you are not happy with!)

Good luck with the Trinitron!

I don't relish having a 70 lb. chunk 'o stuff sitting on my desk at
home, but that's what I've had here at work for the last two years.
I've been thrilled with the Trinitron; the support wires in the
screen don't bother me and I like the choice of being able to run
two signals into the monitor with a convenient switch on the front.
To get this same combo of features and resolution in a 19" CRT, I'd
have to buy the Sony CDP420.

The big thing for me is this:

I spend a great deal of my time in AutoCAD and Photoshop. I run my
monitor here at work at 1600x 1200. This saves me time because I
don't have to zoom in and out as much, not nearly as much as I do
at home on a 17" CRT (15.6" visible) running at 1152x864 (the max
it will run). The LCD display I could AFFORD right now, would only
give me a 1280x1024 max res. It would be beautiful, but I wouldn't
be as productive.

I can't justify spending $600 for an LCD (when I really NEED to
spend at least $1500) when that same $600 can get me a 'state of
the art" set up with a 21" Trinitron, 15" LCD for menus and a
dual-head video card to drive them both. Wow! I might forget where
the zoom tools are on my menu bar...

Looks like I'll be locked into a corner desk for a few more years. ;-)

Tony Reynolds
Seattle

I currently have a NEC Multisync LCD1830, an 18-inch LCD monitor
that I bought 6 months ago from tigerdirect.com, refurbished.

I love this thing! It's so light, especially compared to the NEC
E1100+ monitor I replaced with it (21 inch CRT). I now have room
on the desk to place a book in front of the monitor.

The image quality is fantastic. I must admit, it could be
inconvenient if you didn't want to use its "native" resolution of
1280x1024... it gets a little fuzzy... but for me that's not an
issue since all the games my kids use it for will run well in
1280x1024 mode.

Shortly after I bought it, my parents were over... and the screen
saver I had running (just to show it off) actually fooled them into
thinking I had an aquarium (the monitor is black). I edit all my
pics on it.

I measured, and the viewable screen surface is exactly the same in
area as my 21-inch CRT was. All that, and I don't break my back
when I move the thing!

Dave
http://www.serene-shades.com

 

[Tony Reynolds]

Sorry, this should have read:

"...but based on my experience, I think it will be a good decision."

Flying fingers-no brains disease...

Tony

I just ordered the Dell P1110 UltraScan from http://www.monitoronsale.com .
$339 shipped. I'll know in a week when I hook it up whether I made
a good decision or not, but based on my experience, I think not. I
should be able to get a good deal on an Apple 23" LCD in two or
three years.

Now to find that cheap 15" LCD...

Tony Reynolds

I think you are making the smart and more economial move. In a
couple of years, LCDs would have improved and the prices would have
fallen even more. Why give your hard earned away? Let the early
adoptors do that for you. Like yourself, I would love to have a
LCD or plasma screen, but right now, I cannot justify the cost.
(Of course, I'm talking about LCDs which can give near CRT
performance. There are a lot cheap LCDs on the market, but why get
something you are not happy with!)

Good luck with the Trinitron!

I don't relish having a 70 lb. chunk 'o stuff sitting on my desk at
home, but that's what I've had here at work for the last two years.
I've been thrilled with the Trinitron; the support wires in the
screen don't bother me and I like the choice of being able to run
two signals into the monitor with a convenient switch on the front.
To get this same combo of features and resolution in a 19" CRT, I'd
have to buy the Sony CDP420.

The big thing for me is this:

I spend a great deal of my time in AutoCAD and Photoshop. I run my
monitor here at work at 1600x 1200. This saves me time because I
don't have to zoom in and out as much, not nearly as much as I do
at home on a 17" CRT (15.6" visible) running at 1152x864 (the max
it will run). The LCD display I could AFFORD right now, would only
give me a 1280x1024 max res. It would be beautiful, but I wouldn't
be as productive.

I can't justify spending $600 for an LCD (when I really NEED to
spend at least $1500) when that same $600 can get me a 'state of
the art" set up with a 21" Trinitron, 15" LCD for menus and a
dual-head video card to drive them both. Wow! I might forget where
the zoom tools are on my menu bar...

Looks like I'll be locked into a corner desk for a few more years. ;-)

Tony Reynolds
Seattle

I currently have a NEC Multisync LCD1830, an 18-inch LCD monitor
that I bought 6 months ago from tigerdirect.com, refurbished.

I love this thing! It's so light, especially compared to the NEC
E1100+ monitor I replaced with it (21 inch CRT). I now have room
on the desk to place a book in front of the monitor.

The image quality is fantastic. I must admit, it could be
inconvenient if you didn't want to use its "native" resolution of
1280x1024... it gets a little fuzzy... but for me that's not an
issue since all the games my kids use it for will run well in
1280x1024 mode.

Shortly after I bought it, my parents were over... and the screen
saver I had running (just to show it off) actually fooled them into
thinking I had an aquarium (the monitor is black). I edit all my
pics on it.

I measured, and the viewable screen surface is exactly the same in
area as my 21-inch CRT was. All that, and I don't break my back
when I move the thing!

Dave
http://www.serene-shades.com

 

[Tony Reynolds]

I received the Dell 21" Trinitron on Tuesday and hooked it up as soon as I got home, all 75 pounds of it.

I initially thought I'd gotten a defective monitor. After 1 hour of tweaking, nothing I did was able to get rid of the ghosting and fuzziness. I gave up, and went to bed expecting to call for an RMA the next morning.

I got on the http://www.monitoronsale.com website and looked for the RMA section, but instead ended up in "troubleshooting". For the symptoms I was experiencing, they said to be certain to use the shielded VGA cable that came with the monitor... Needless to say, in my rush when I got home I had hooked it up using the cheap, non-shielded cable that was already hooked to my CPU, not wanting to crawl under the desk.

When I got home I hooked up the massive shielded cable and fired the system up. Sure enough, all my problems went away. Another lesson learned...

Now if I can get the Matrox G450 and hook up a 15" LCD for menus, I'll be in business. I'm glad I made the decision to go with a big CRT. a big LCD can wait until technology (and price) catches up with my expectations and budget.

Tony

I've researched the threads regarding recommendations of CRT versus
LCD monitors, and have to say that it looks like the opinions seem
to be split right down the middle, so I thought I'd turn to my
friends here in the Minolta Forum...

I have a Dimage 7i, so I'm obviously into quality images. My
faithful MAG DX17f 17" monitor is on its last legs; the screen has
started to get slightly fuzzy. I swore that the next monitor I'd
get would be flat screen LCD because I want the desk space back,
but after weeks of research, I'm still no closer to a decision.

I can get a 19" MAG LCD at Tigerdirect.com for US$499 after a $50
rebate, which seems fabulous to me: nearly as much screen area as
the Dell 21" CRT (Trinitron) I use at work.

I can get a really excellent 19" CRT that will run 1600x1200 at
75Hz for half that.

The things that I'm worried about with the LCD's are:

1. Color calibration or lack of it.
2. Warranty for dead pixels, something CRT's never have.
3. Ability to drive "non-native" resolutions.
4. Contrast and color.
5. Cost: i.e. "bang for the buck".

I would like a UXGA LCD (1600x1200), but they're still very
expensive, while a 1600x1200 CRT is readily available for US$250 or
less.

Does anyone have any opinions either way? I would be willing to
spend up to $600 for a 17" or 18" LCD if I was certain that it
would suit my needs for photo editing, but I may be happier at 1/3
the cost for a CRT, especially since I use AutoCAD a lot and need
all the screen real estate I can get for menus (even worse than
Adobe.)

Does anyone know of a good SHORT THROW 19" CRT Pure Flat that will
run 1600x1200 native at 85Hz? Short throw tubes take up less desk
space.

Trinitron Aperture Grill or Invar Shadow Mask? (I've been using the
Dell for three years and the wires in the Trinitron tube don't
bother me...)

Any help would be appreciated. Right now, I'm going to hit the
sack; it's been a long hard day here in Seattle...

Thanks!

Tony Reynolds

 

[syberascal]

Tony,

Congrads on your monitor choice! A nice thick and shielded monitor cable makes a big difference. I have seen it myself. Happy viewing!

I initially thought I'd gotten a defective monitor. After 1 hour of
tweaking, nothing I did was able to get rid of the ghosting and
fuzziness. I gave up, and went to bed expecting to call for an RMA
the next morning.

I got on the http://www.monitoronsale.com website and looked for the RMA
section, but instead ended up in "troubleshooting". For the
symptoms I was experiencing, they said to be certain to use the
shielded VGA cable that came with the monitor... Needless to say,
in my rush when I got home I had hooked it up using the cheap,
non-shielded cable that was already hooked to my CPU, not wanting
to crawl under the desk.

When I got home I hooked up the massive shielded cable and fired
the system up. Sure enough, all my problems went away. Another
lesson learned...

Now if I can get the Matrox G450 and hook up a 15" LCD for menus,
I'll be in business. I'm glad I made the decision to go with a big
CRT. a big LCD can wait until technology (and price) catches up
with my expectations and budget.

Tony

I've researched the threads regarding recommendations of CRT versus
LCD monitors, and have to say that it looks like the opinions seem
to be split right down the middle, so I thought I'd turn to my
friends here in the Minolta Forum...

I have a Dimage 7i, so I'm obviously into quality images. My
faithful MAG DX17f 17" monitor is on its last legs; the screen has
started to get slightly fuzzy. I swore that the next monitor I'd
get would be flat screen LCD because I want the desk space back,
but after weeks of research, I'm still no closer to a decision.

I can get a 19" MAG LCD at Tigerdirect.com for US$499 after a $50
rebate, which seems fabulous to me: nearly as much screen area as
the Dell 21" CRT (Trinitron) I use at work.

I can get a really excellent 19" CRT that will run 1600x1200 at
75Hz for half that.

The things that I'm worried about with the LCD's are:

1. Color calibration or lack of it.
2. Warranty for dead pixels, something CRT's never have.
3. Ability to drive "non-native" resolutions.
4. Contrast and color.
5. Cost: i.e. "bang for the buck".

I would like a UXGA LCD (1600x1200), but they're still very
expensive, while a 1600x1200 CRT is readily available for US$250 or
less.

Does anyone have any opinions either way? I would be willing to
spend up to $600 for a 17" or 18" LCD if I was certain that it
would suit my needs for photo editing, but I may be happier at 1/3
the cost for a CRT, especially since I use AutoCAD a lot and need
all the screen real estate I can get for menus (even worse than
Adobe.)

Does anyone know of a good SHORT THROW 19" CRT Pure Flat that will
run 1600x1200 native at 85Hz? Short throw tubes take up less desk
space.

Trinitron Aperture Grill or Invar Shadow Mask? (I've been using the
Dell for three years and the wires in the Trinitron tube don't
bother me...)

Any help would be appreciated. Right now, I'm going to hit the
sack; it's been a long hard day here in Seattle...

Thanks!

Tony Reynolds