best LCD monitor(s) to buy - please help

"Dan" wrote in message
...
640x480 ? for the games, Sunny
Ta.
I upped the resolution in WinXP to 1152 x 864, and that is as far as I can
go without using a pair of binoculars :-)

In article ,
Sunny wrote:

2 Days ago I replaced my wife's 19" monitor and my 21" monitor
(HitachiCM771 and Hitachi CM813)
with :
a. Samsung 22" wide screen LCD - 2243BWX, and
b. Samsung 22" wide screen LCD - T220

The 2243BWX is running WinXP with a NVIDIA MX440 at 1024x768
The T220 is running WinXP and Win98SE with a NVIDIA 8500GT at 1024x768
(also Win98SE, using a 64Mb Voodoo V5 video card (KVM switch)

[snip]

This is a terrible waste of these monitors. Both should be able to do
1680x1050, and I have an old P2-400, with an NVidia RIVA TNT which also
does 1680x1050. While I understand further on in this thread you have
eyesight related limitations which apparently prompted you to set these
resolutions, your eyes will probably thank you more if you drive these
displays at their native resolutions, and perhaps play with the font-size
a bit...?

The other unfortunate part is that in my experience, Samsung's support for
other scaling-options than 'fill screen' (i.e. stretch all input until
they fill the screen). This will distort all signals you provide. More
'mature' displays allow you at least 'Fill to aspect' (which means they
stretch the input until they hit an edge, and then keep it like that,
filling up any left-over space with black bars. Finally, there's also 1:1,
which maps the input, on a pixel-per-pixel basis, to the screen, but at
low resolutions, you will end up with a post-stamp sized image.

Anyway, if you're happy with your setup, all the power to you, but be
aware there are probably other, and better solutions which let you use the
full resolution of the monitor, and provide less eye-strain.

Regards,

Patrick.

Yes, I like my ATI Radeon 9800 Pro video card very much also.
The only problem that I've had with it is the fan stopped working,
which I worked around with an after market heatsink combined with
blowing a small $10 fan into the open case.

My previous video card used to use an NVIDIA graphics chipset,
which left me with a bad after taste.

My AMD CPU system has served me well.
I might build an Intel CPU system one day.


"Dan" wrote in message
...
I bought a new LCD monitor not very long ago because the screen size on my
old CRT Optiquest Monitor kept getting smaller and smaller because it was
wearing out. I am happy with my current monitor and it is a Viewsonic
monitor with a VGA connection. I was also considering a Samsung monitor but
decided not to go with DVI even though my graphics card could support it. I
currently use an ATI Radeon 9800 XT graphics card which I find to be really
awesome and do not want to change it until I have to in the future.
Fortunately, most of the games coming out require ATI Radeon 9500 or better
since ATI continues to support their graphics cards that are Radeon 9500 and
better for games. I know Nvidia is the current leader but ever since the
failed update from a 3dfx graphics card to an Nvidia G-Force and then the
successful update from the 3dfx graphics card to the ATI Radeon card, I have
been an ATI fan and have found their customer service to be helpful to me as
well as their backwards compatibility. The thing is that I like Intel CPU's
better than AMD CPU's so I find the only way to keep me happy is to have a
fully customized machine that I suggest to everyone who enjoys working with
their computers(s).


"Adam" wrote:


"Franc Zabkar" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:13:30 -0700, "Adam" put
finger to keyboard and composed:

Not sure what's the best newsgroup for this topic so here goes ...

I'm thinking about replacing my ViewSonic P815 monitor from CRT to LCD.

I'm assuming that you will attach your monitor to a Win98 box, and I'm
also assuming that your video card is not the latest and greatest.

If so, then I'd be careful that any monitor I chose had a native
resolution that was supported by my card.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.


I have the following video card ...
- ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB 256-bit DDR 8x AGP

It should work fine with the dual LCD monitor setup, right?

BTW, in case you're wondering why I'm thinking about
replacing my beloved ViewSonic P815 CRT monitor,
the bulky size (depth-wise) pushes the monitor too far forward or
too close, which is causing me to have nearsighted vision and
destroying my farsighted vision.

"Sunny" wrote in message
...

"Adam" wrote in message
...
- (W=19.9"; H=19.19") ViewSonic P815 21" CRT Monitor

Just went out and measured the old 21" monitor
Hitachi CM813 :
Dimensions : W 19" x H 20.5"
Screen : W 16" x H 12"
Samsung T220 :
Dimensions : W 20.5" x H 17.5"
Screen : W 18.7" x H 11.5"

The big difference is 5" deep instead of 19" and a vast drop in weight
:-)



Thanks!

The T220 does not pivot so I'm considering
it's bigger brother (listed in the PDF in the following URL) ...
http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/d...eripherals&typ
e=monitors&subtype=lcd&model_cd=LS22TWHSUV/ZA

The PDF is really nice since it also shows dimensions without the stand also.

Adam wrote:

The dimensions of the Dell widescreen LCD Monitors are
more square (which is good, I guess) than the Samsung.
I'm not sure whether the dimensions include the case enclosure or not.

- (W=19.9"; H=19.19") ViewSonic P815 21" CRT Monitor

Umm.... 21" 4:3 (CRT) monitors have viewable screen dimensions of 16"
x 12".

Sunny wrote:

I had a quick try at 1680 x 1050, didn't bother adjusting the "window" to
fit the screen, when it looked like I needed a magnifying glass to read
anything :-)

Fit it to the screen at 1680x1050, and live with it. Reading glassses
if needed.

Be glad you didn't get a 19" 1680x1050.

"chrisv" wrote in message
...
Adam wrote:

The dimensions of the Dell widescreen LCD Monitors are
more square (which is good, I guess) than the Samsung.
I'm not sure whether the dimensions include the case enclosure or not.

- (W=19.9"; H=19.19") ViewSonic P815 21" CRT Monitor

Umm.... 21" 4:3 (CRT) monitors have viewable screen dimensions of 16"
x 12".



Yes, you're right. But, since my primary concern is space,
the physical (not viewable) dimensions are
what I'm most interested in.

My friend Jeff helped me replace a fan that was giving me a BIOS error
message and my system now works great. Jeff also helped me replace burned
out LCD lights. I enjoy working with the software side but am still too
limited on the hardware side because I am always concerned I will break a
piece on the hardware side but software does break but it is just so much
easier for me to work with because my hands on skills with computers as far
as the hardware side is not too great. I can change memory modules and
graphics and sound cards and easy things like that but still need help from
an expert when it comes to actually building my machine. It was nice because
the fan replacement was fairly cheap and I think it was about $5-$10 dollars.

"Adam" wrote:

Yes, I like my ATI Radeon 9800 Pro video card very much also.
The only problem that I've had with it is the fan stopped working,
which I worked around with an after market heatsink combined with
blowing a small $10 fan into the open case.

My previous video card used to use an NVIDIA graphics chipset,
which left me with a bad after taste.

My AMD CPU system has served me well.
I might build an Intel CPU system one day.


"Dan" wrote in message
...
I bought a new LCD monitor not very long ago because the screen size on my
old CRT Optiquest Monitor kept getting smaller and smaller because it was
wearing out. I am happy with my current monitor and it is a Viewsonic
monitor with a VGA connection. I was also considering a Samsung monitor but
decided not to go with DVI even though my graphics card could support it. I
currently use an ATI Radeon 9800 XT graphics card which I find to be really
awesome and do not want to change it until I have to in the future.
Fortunately, most of the games coming out require ATI Radeon 9500 or better
since ATI continues to support their graphics cards that are Radeon 9500 and
better for games. I know Nvidia is the current leader but ever since the
failed update from a 3dfx graphics card to an Nvidia G-Force and then the
successful update from the 3dfx graphics card to the ATI Radeon card, I have
been an ATI fan and have found their customer service to be helpful to me as
well as their backwards compatibility. The thing is that I like Intel CPU's
better than AMD CPU's so I find the only way to keep me happy is to have a
fully customized machine that I suggest to everyone who enjoys working with
their computers(s).


"Adam" wrote:


"Franc Zabkar" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:13:30 -0700, "Adam" put
finger to keyboard and composed:

Not sure what's the best newsgroup for this topic so here goes ...

I'm thinking about replacing my ViewSonic P815 monitor from CRT to LCD.

I'm assuming that you will attach your monitor to a Win98 box, and I'm
also assuming that your video card is not the latest and greatest.

If so, then I'd be careful that any monitor I chose had a native
resolution that was supported by my card.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.


I have the following video card ...
- ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB 256-bit DDR 8x AGP

It should work fine with the dual LCD monitor setup, right?

BTW, in case you're wondering why I'm thinking about
replacing my beloved ViewSonic P815 CRT monitor,
the bulky size (depth-wise) pushes the monitor too far forward or
too close, which is causing me to have nearsighted vision and
destroying my farsighted vision.

It's nice to have helpful friends. Like you, I'm not that
comfortable with taking hardware components apart to fix.
If it weren't for all the helpful friends on the newsgroups, internet, etc.,
I would not have been able to put my own computer system together.
No way, no how.

Actually, the "after market heatsink" that I attached to
the GPU is a VGA cooler. I'm not sure what happened but
there's still a shower of bad pixels when I first boot up.
I see the bad pixels when the Windows logo is displayed.
But, after the system goes into Win98SE,
no more shower of bad pixels. Strange!
Wonder if your video expert friend, Jeff,
might know what the problem might be.



"Dan" wrote in message
...
My friend Jeff helped me replace a fan that was giving me a BIOS error
message and my system now works great. Jeff also helped me replace burned
out LCD lights. I enjoy working with the software side but am still too
limited on the hardware side because I am always concerned I will break a
piece on the hardware side but software does break but it is just so much
easier for me to work with because my hands on skills with computers as far
as the hardware side is not too great. I can change memory modules and
graphics and sound cards and easy things like that but still need help from
an expert when it comes to actually building my machine. It was nice because
the fan replacement was fairly cheap and I think it was about $5-$10 dollars.


"Adam" wrote:

Yes, I like my ATI Radeon 9800 Pro video card very much also.
The only problem that I've had with it is the fan stopped working,
which I worked around with an after market heatsink combined with
blowing a small $10 fan into the open case.

My previous video card used to use an NVIDIA graphics chipset,
which left me with a bad after taste.

My AMD CPU system has served me well.
I might build an Intel CPU system one day.


"Dan" wrote in message
...
I bought a new LCD monitor not very long ago because the screen size on my
old CRT Optiquest Monitor kept getting smaller and smaller because it was
wearing out. I am happy with my current monitor and it is a Viewsonic
monitor with a VGA connection. I was also considering a Samsung monitor
but
decided not to go with DVI even though my graphics card could support it.
I
currently use an ATI Radeon 9800 XT graphics card which I find to be
really
awesome and do not want to change it until I have to in the future.
Fortunately, most of the games coming out require ATI Radeon 9500 or
better
since ATI continues to support their graphics cards that are Radeon 9500
and
better for games. I know Nvidia is the current leader but ever since the
failed update from a 3dfx graphics card to an Nvidia G-Force and then the
successful update from the 3dfx graphics card to the ATI Radeon card, I
have
been an ATI fan and have found their customer service to be helpful to me
as
well as their backwards compatibility. The thing is that I like Intel
CPU's
better than AMD CPU's so I find the only way to keep me happy is to have a
fully customized machine that I suggest to everyone who enjoys working
with
their computers(s).


"Adam" wrote:


"Franc Zabkar" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:13:30 -0700, "Adam" put
finger to keyboard and composed:

Not sure what's the best newsgroup for this topic so here goes ...

I'm thinking about replacing my ViewSonic P815 monitor from CRT to
LCD.

I'm assuming that you will attach your monitor to a Win98 box, and I'm
also assuming that your video card is not the latest and greatest.

If so, then I'd be careful that any monitor I chose had a native
resolution that was supported by my card.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.


I have the following video card ...
- ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB 256-bit DDR 8x AGP

It should work fine with the dual LCD monitor setup, right?

BTW, in case you're wondering why I'm thinking about
replacing my beloved ViewSonic P815 CRT monitor,
the bulky size (depth-wise) pushes the monitor too far forward or
too close, which is causing me to have nearsighted vision and
destroying my farsighted vision.

Sure, I can ask. Please give me a few days. BTW, Adam, have you made sure
that you do not have any loose connections and the dust is clear from your
machine as well as all the connections in the right place for your computer,
right?

"Adam" wrote:

It's nice to have helpful friends. Like you, I'm not that
comfortable with taking hardware components apart to fix.
If it weren't for all the helpful friends on the newsgroups, internet, etc.,
I would not have been able to put my own computer system together.
No way, no how.

Actually, the "after market heatsink" that I attached to
the GPU is a VGA cooler. I'm not sure what happened but
there's still a shower of bad pixels when I first boot up.
I see the bad pixels when the Windows logo is displayed.
But, after the system goes into Win98SE,
no more shower of bad pixels. Strange!
Wonder if your video expert friend, Jeff,
might know what the problem might be.



"Dan" wrote in message
...
My friend Jeff helped me replace a fan that was giving me a BIOS error
message and my system now works great. Jeff also helped me replace burned
out LCD lights. I enjoy working with the software side but am still too
limited on the hardware side because I am always concerned I will break a
piece on the hardware side but software does break but it is just so much
easier for me to work with because my hands on skills with computers as far
as the hardware side is not too great. I can change memory modules and
graphics and sound cards and easy things like that but still need help from
an expert when it comes to actually building my machine. It was nice because
the fan replacement was fairly cheap and I think it was about $5-$10 dollars.


"Adam" wrote:

Yes, I like my ATI Radeon 9800 Pro video card very much also.
The only problem that I've had with it is the fan stopped working,
which I worked around with an after market heatsink combined with
blowing a small $10 fan into the open case.

My previous video card used to use an NVIDIA graphics chipset,
which left me with a bad after taste.

My AMD CPU system has served me well.
I might build an Intel CPU system one day.


"Dan" wrote in message
...
I bought a new LCD monitor not very long ago because the screen size on my
old CRT Optiquest Monitor kept getting smaller and smaller because it was
wearing out. I am happy with my current monitor and it is a Viewsonic
monitor with a VGA connection. I was also considering a Samsung monitor
but
decided not to go with DVI even though my graphics card could support it.
I
currently use an ATI Radeon 9800 XT graphics card which I find to be
really
awesome and do not want to change it until I have to in the future.
Fortunately, most of the games coming out require ATI Radeon 9500 or
better
since ATI continues to support their graphics cards that are Radeon 9500
and
better for games. I know Nvidia is the current leader but ever since the
failed update from a 3dfx graphics card to an Nvidia G-Force and then the
successful update from the 3dfx graphics card to the ATI Radeon card, I
have
been an ATI fan and have found their customer service to be helpful to me
as
well as their backwards compatibility. The thing is that I like Intel
CPU's
better than AMD CPU's so I find the only way to keep me happy is to have a
fully customized machine that I suggest to everyone who enjoys working
with
their computers(s).


"Adam" wrote:


"Franc Zabkar" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:13:30 -0700, "Adam" put
finger to keyboard and composed:

Not sure what's the best newsgroup for this topic so here goes ...

I'm thinking about replacing my ViewSonic P815 monitor from CRT to
LCD.

I'm assuming that you will attach your monitor to a Win98 box, and I'm
also assuming that your video card is not the latest and greatest.

If so, then I'd be careful that any monitor I chose had a native
resolution that was supported by my card.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.


I have the following video card ...
- ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB 256-bit DDR 8x AGP

It should work fine with the dual LCD monitor setup, right?

BTW, in case you're wondering why I'm thinking about
replacing my beloved ViewSonic P815 CRT monitor,
the bulky size (depth-wise) pushes the monitor too far forward or
too close, which is causing me to have nearsighted vision and
destroying my farsighted vision.