Pros and cons of LCD monitors

As some of you know, I'm on the hunt for a new computer. I may be
able to get a good used one (1-2 years old) locally, but my question
at this point is about the monitor. I don't need to buy a new
monitor, but I might get one with the computer. What do you guys
think of LCD monitors?

From http://www.lsit.ucsb.edu/kb/idx/5/046/article/ : "The
disadvantages of LCD monitors are...fixed resolution and inconsistent
color. It is also common for these screens to have imperfections
known as dead or stuck pixels, where one dot is stuck on a color.
This is not a problem for most users."

These sound like serious problems for people who do web design. What
do you think? Do some LCD monitors avoid these problems?

Thanks,
Lois
--
www.wordsweave.com

In article <51e75$42e1d90c$d135d5a2$11881@MDI.CA>,
"Lois" <auto-newsgroups@wordsweave.com> wrote:

> I don't need to buy a new
> monitor, but I might get one with the computer. What do you guys
> think of LCD monitors?

One man's opinion on one monitor in my home. My Viewsonic 19" LCD is the
cat's meow. I bought it with the same trepidation that you have now. I'm
sure the one you buy will be all screwed up, but mine simply worked
fine. I see no difference between my old CRT and my LCD except that the
LCD allows me to have my computer behind it and occupying far less space
combined than my old CRT alone (Mac Mini). I miss being irradiated.


> From http://www.lsit.ucsb.edu/kb/idx/5/046/article/ : "The
> disadvantages of LCD monitors are...fixed resolution and inconsistent
> color.

I'm not sure what that definition of fixed resolution means. I can show
anything between 640x480 to 1280x1024 and a whole lot in between. I can
also show anything between 256 and millions of colors.

> It is also common for these screens to have imperfections
> known as dead or stuck pixels, where one dot is stuck on a color.

Hasn't happened yet. Hopefully, that's an old problem. I've heard it too
in the past with Powerbooks.

> This is not a problem for most users."
>
> These sound like serious problems for people who do web design. What
> do you think? Do some LCD monitors avoid these problems?

Again, I won't even try to sell you on any monitor. But I will tell you
that there is an LCD in your future. Just like I used to tell friends
that the Internet was in their future. And it happened! I have no doubt
that it will happen to you. CRT's are dead technology. Have you seen how
cheap they are lately? Again, one man's opinion.

leo

--
<http://web0.greatbasin.net/~leo/

Lois wrote:

> As some of you know, I'm on the hunt for a new computer. I may be
> able to get a good used one (1-2 years old) locally, but my question
> at this point is about the monitor. I don't need to buy a new
> monitor, but I might get one with the computer. What do you guys
> think of LCD monitors?
>
> From http://www.lsit.ucsb.edu/kb/idx/5/046/article/ : "The
> disadvantages of LCD monitors are...fixed resolution and inconsistent
> color. It is also common for these screens to have imperfections
> known as dead or stuck pixels, where one dot is stuck on a color.
> This is not a problem for most users."
>
> These sound like serious problems for people who do web design. What
> do you think? Do some LCD monitors avoid these problems?

One thing to be aware of - if the number of colours is listed as 16.2
million then it really only supports something like 250k (I can't
remember the number OTOH but it's something like that) and the 16.2m
are achieved through dithering. If it says 16.7m then it really is
16.7m. For most users this isn't a problem, but if you require exact
colour matching when designing or whatever, then you're best to make
sure it supports 16.7m colours.

--
Chris Hope | www.electrictoolbox.com | www.linuxcdmall.com

Brian Cryer wrote:
> Lois,
>
> Personally if I had the option I would always go for an LCD monitor. They
> are smaller (depth wise), don't suffer from flicker and give a crisper
> image. I realise the last point is subjective and some might disagree.

They're definitely brighter.

--
Steve Sobol, Professional Geek 888-480-4638 PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
Company website: http://JustThe.net/
Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/
E: sjsobol@JustThe.net Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307

Yes. Agreed - and without straining you eyes (you can turn up the brightness
on a CRT monitor but it just isn't the same because a CRT just "glares").


"Steve Sobol" <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote in message
news:dbsruu$5mo$2@ratbert.glorb.com...
> Brian Cryer wrote:
> > Lois,
> >
> > Personally if I had the option I would always go for an LCD monitor.
They
> > are smaller (depth wise), don't suffer from flicker and give a crisper
> > image. I realise the last point is subjective and some might disagree.
>
> They're definitely brighter.
>
> --
> Steve Sobol, Professional Geek 888-480-4638 PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
> Company website: http://JustThe.net/
> Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/
> E: sjsobol@JustThe.net Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307

Steve Sobol wrote:

> Brian Cryer wrote:
>> Lois,
>>
>> Personally if I had the option I would always go for an LCD monitor.
>> They are smaller (depth wise), don't suffer from flicker and give a
>> crisper image. I realise the last point is subjective and some might
>> disagree.
>
> They're definitely brighter.

Agreed. I just recently bought a Dell 20" monitor (1600x1200 - nice!)
and got terrible headaches from it the first few days. I turned the
brightness and contrast down a bit each day until they went away. It's
almost at zero for both settings but it's still bright enough for me!
I've been meaning to up the brightness a bit again to see if the
headaches come back.

--
Chris Hope | www.electrictoolbox.com | www.linuxcdmall.com

Lois wrote:

> From http://www.lsit.ucsb.edu/kb/idx/5/046/article/ : "The
> disadvantages of LCD monitors are...fixed resolution and inconsistent
> color. It is also common for these screens to have imperfections
> known as dead or stuck pixels, where one dot is stuck on a color.
> This is not a problem for most users."
>
> These sound like serious problems for people who do web design. What
> do you think? Do some LCD monitors avoid these problems?

I still use CRT for digital photography stuff (on a Mac) where I need the
monitor properly calibrated. On our two main desktop machines (running
Linux) we're now using Iiyama ProLite E485S 19in LCD monitors and love 'em.
If there is any problem with the colour balance, I can't see it (and I'm
fussy about these things). I had one pixel that stuck for a while, but that
cured itself. Not bothered about the fixed resolution because it's the
resolution (1280 x 1024) that I want anyway. I do web design on this
machine, running Gimp to make/adjust web versions of images, and I'm
perfectly happy with it - given that web design is far less critical than
digital photography anyway.

Plus, the LCD monitors have their own advantages - very crisp display, they
consume less desk space and, in our relatively small office, don't seem to
take up the whole place like the hulking great 19in CRTs used to. I
wouldn't go back.

--
www.diverse-art.com
www.montcocher.com/work/