Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Got Bought New 16X9 Computer Monitor... Please Reccomend A Good Video Card

This is topic Got Bought New 16X9 Computer Monitor... Please Reccomend A Good Video Card in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-03-2006, 08:44 PM:

I just bought a new 20" 16 X 9 LCD monitor at COSTCO yesterday for my computer. I was tired of the confinments of the 4X3 monitor especially for doing photo stuff. Resolution is 1680 X 1050 and so far I'm really happy with it... this monitor is also capable of 1080P as well as all the other usual scan rates. This is hardly the best 16X9 monitor out there but a long shot better than my old 15" Phillips 150B LCD which was about 6 plus years old.

This new monitor also has a DVI input and I was wondering if I should get a video card with the DVI output and if this output also runs the standard computer stuff or is it strictly just for HDTV and video related stuff? Picture quality is dam good with the SVGA connector but would the DVI input be worth the time and $$ to take advantage of?

Thanks for any input!

Mark

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-03-2006, 08:50 PM:

Go buy 2 more of those and get the Maxtor P750 card. Anything less than 3 monitors is just non-productive! [Cool]

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 01-03-2006, 09:42 PM:

Best image quality (by far) will be with the DVI input and running its native resolution. No scaling!

Posted by Wolff King Morrow (Member # 2226) on 01-03-2006, 10:44 PM:

I concur with David. Just went the large screen LCD route myself. My card currently is the ATI X850XT. It has dual outputs, so I send one to my CRT and the DVI to my LCD and extend my desktop on both.

One thing I've discovered is that each monitor typ has its advantages. LCD is fantastic for still-image quality and perfect geometry lines. Its also great for taking up less space and isn't so ungodly heavy like a CRT is. Where it fails is scrolling. Even with a fast pixel response of 8ms, I'm noticing gaming emulation shows some pretty noticable ghosting. The other drawback is the scaling. Anything not native res gets some bad software-style scaling to fit the screen, making lines look uneven and warped.

CRT on the other hand does not have a pixel-response issue, and custom res modes look fantastic on them if lined up correctly. The downside is the obvious weight issue, the imperfect geometry, and not quite as good image quality.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-03-2006, 10:59 PM:

Thanks for the tips guys! Its mainly just for photo stuff... I like doing panoramas quite a bit so the extra width is very useful. I will definately give the MAtrox a try Brad..... It got pretty good reviews after I did some research on it. I will also hang on to my old monitor to use as an auxillery screen.

BTW: In case anyone else is looking around I got this thing over at COSTCO for $379.00. Its Chineese made but the image quality is fantastic. Link

Mark

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-04-2006, 12:56 AM:

Gee Mark, with that big monitor in your SMALL shoproom that you have in your house, it's gonna really brighten that house of yours up pretty good! (lol).

You wouldn't even have to wear your reading glasses anymore.. [Smile]

-
monte

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-04-2006, 06:59 AM:

Not that they can't exist, but I have never seen an LCD monitor who could keep up with a really good CRT. Right now I am staring at a LaCie electron blue III 22" CRT. The best monitor I have ever seen, and it's not even their latest model.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-04-2006, 07:15 AM:

CRT monitors are obsolete, power hungry and very toxic to dispose of. CRT's won't be around much in about 5 to 7 years except for some special applications, so you will see them slowly disappear. The rapid technological growth of the LCD display has been amazing to say the least and it now outpaces every other form of display technology. Its price level has also come way down from just two years ago to the point that anyone can afford to purchase one.

Mark

Posted by Floyd Justin Newton (Member # 1316) on 01-04-2006, 09:43 AM:

Mark--

According to the spec sheet your monitor should only pull
about 8/10 amp. That's a hell of a lot better than a CRT!!

Posted by Wolff King Morrow (Member # 2226) on 01-04-2006, 01:03 PM:

quote: Michael Schaffer
Right now I am staring at a LaCie electron blue III 22" CRT. The best monitor I have ever seen, and it's not even their latest model.

Lacie doesn't have a latest model for CRT. They now only make LCD screens if you check their USA web site.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-04-2006, 06:00 PM:

Yes, CRT's are disappearinig by the hour.... One trip to Circuis City or Worst Buy will confirmm that.....

Mark

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-04-2006, 11:54 PM:

LCD monitors kick ass with a direct digital connection (analog VGA is unacceptable). LCD TVs have yet to kick ass.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-06-2006, 01:43 AM:

quote: Wolff King Morrow
Lacie doesn't have a latest model for CRT. They now only make LCD screens if you check their USA web site.

Interesting. They did make one later model (ebIV) at least than the one I have though.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 01-06-2006, 03:18 AM:

quote:
According to the spec sheet your monitor should only pull
about 8/10 amp. That's a hell of a lot better than a CRT!!

My 19" TFT monitor claims a power drain of 40w, compared to 125 for its CRT predecessor (a Dell rebadged Trinitron).

Agreed entirely with Mark - the rate at which flat panel displays are improving in definition/contrast and reducing in price combined with the environmental impact of manufacturing, using and disposing of CRTs must surely mean that the CRT is now a dead technology walking, at least as far as the mass consumer market is concerned. Only last autumn Britain's last CRT factory closed down (story here).

Posted by Joel N. Weber II (Member # 3530) on 01-08-2006, 11:14 AM:

Mark, how old is your computer, and what type of slot does it have for the video card?

There are three different voltages used on various generations of AGP cards, which causes compatibility issues; I believe at least one of the motherboards I'm still using from about 6 years ago is incompatible with the higher-end AGP cards that will only work in a 4x or 8x slot.

And then the really new computers have PCI Express slots instead of AGP.

Video cards designed for traditional PCI slots will also work in most computers (although a few of the newer motherboards only have PCI Express slots), although the performance will be lower.

Also, how does a monitor that has only 1050 lines of resolution display 1080P? Does it just chop 30 lines off? Or am I misunderstanding what the 1080 in 1080P means?

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 01-08-2006, 02:29 PM:

I'm salivating over the new Dell 30" widescreen computer monitor. Native resolution: 2560 X 1600. Pricey though. $2200. It costs a little less than Apple's 30" model. Like the Apple monitor, this one requires a video card with two DVI outputs. Most new video cards have multiple outputs though. The only downside is unlike their 23" monitor, this one doesn't have any auxilliary inputs for other video sources.

Posted by Wolff King Morrow (Member # 2226) on 01-08-2006, 02:57 PM:

Actually it doesn't require two DVI outputs. Dual link is the more expensive (and better quality) DVI cable standard that allows for twice the communication flow from within the cable. Basically it could be called "super-DVI".

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-08-2006, 06:25 PM:

Bobby, Check on that monitor at COSTCO.COM.... They sell the Dell flat screens at really goood prices....

Mark