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flat monitor advice

sardocs

New Member
I plan on replacing my current dinosaur computer monitors, two 22"screens on either side of a 19" screen, with 3 brand new high tech space saving flat screen units. What do I need to ask for when I order them from my computer tech? Does aspect ratio mess up design dimensions like my 52" TV does? Will drawings be displayed wider than they print or cut? Do I need LCD or LED. Are colours as good or different than my current viewsonics?
 

MikePro

New Member
you can buy adaptors for anything nowadays and adjust the resolution settings via your computer to accompany any ratio a TV can throw at ya.
(i.e. if you have a widescreen TV, you adjust your monitor settings and you get a widescreen desktop... but your icons stay normal size as do your windows/projects)

just get the biggest and best you can for the dollar you're willing to spend, and get the adaptors for 3bux on ebay vs. 50bux at virgin records.

also noted, I just have 1 screen at work but at my home computer station I rock a 19" LCD computer monitor next to my 42" widescreen sony bravia. I just took time to tweak the two different resolution settings between the TVs on my computer and my windows stay the same size when dragging between the two of them
 

choucove

New Member
Choosing the right type of monitor can be more complex of a question than just buy the best and biggest you can in your budget. First off, what kind of design work is planned to be done on this computer? If it is critical that all colors must match up perfectly with other computers in the business and all printed media, you need to look at getting a higher quality monitor specifically made for design purposes, mainly using what is called IPS LCD panels. These are pretty expensive, but worth the money.

If that's not the case and you just need a good size monitor to design projects with, then you can go for cheaper TFT LCD panels and even perhaps an LED lit panel. Using a TV for a monitor can be iffy depending upon the TV that you use. Many have strange refresh rates or limited connection options for a computer to work with. If you want to get something smaller than 28-inches, I'd suggest getting an actual monitor. If you want something larger than that, go with a TV.

I recommend anymore if you are getting a monitor that you intend to use regularly (such as daily design work!) then go for something at least 22 inches. That is kind of the best price range right now as buying a smaller monitor is going to cost about the same, but prices start going up pretty quickly when you get larger than 24 inches. Always look for something that supports at least 1920 X 1080 resolution. You may not want the resolution set quite that high in the end, but it's better to have the ability to set it that size for ease of use and larger working area than to not have it and wish you had.
 

MikePro

New Member
Using MikePro's approach here is what I would have on my desktop tomorrow morning.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Panasonic-TC-L42U22/14100710

Just don't know what adapters you might need.
DVI to HDMI most likely... http://www.mycablemart.com/store/cart.php?m=product_list&c=61&gclid=CPHNneCiy6UCFcbsKgodDCCdKg

DVI is the standard output of computer graphics cards these days, as computer monitors come standard as DVI for the input. You can also get DVI to S-Video and DVI to VGA (the yellow video cable in standard red/yellow/white tv inputs)

I noticed you said you were already using multiple monitors on your computer, but as a reminder for anyone reading this... you also need a computer graphics card with multiple outputs that will allow you a dual monitor setup.
 

Brandon708

New Member
I think its about time people stop calling them "Flat" Monitors since they don't even sell the other type anymore.
 

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
DVI to HDMI most likely... http://www.mycablemart.com/store/cart.php?m=product_list&c=61&gclid=CPHNneCiy6UCFcbsKgodDCCdKg

DVI is the standard output of computer graphics cards these days, as computer monitors come standard as DVI for the input. You can also get DVI to S-Video and DVI to VGA (the yellow video cable in standard red/yellow/white tv inputs)

I noticed you said you were already using multiple monitors on your computer, but as a reminder for anyone reading this... you also need a computer graphics card with multiple outputs that will allow you a dual monitor setup.


Also, some graphics cards have a mini display output and you have to get an adapter for that. Only reason I know about this is that the new video card that I'm picking up today(finally came in) to put in my computer has that type of output. I need an adapter for the cintiq that I'm going to be getting.

You are right though, most newer computers have DVI, VGA I think is going by the wayside or at least I don't see them as much on the newer computers.
 

sardocs

New Member
Thanks for the advise, everybody. I think I worded my question wrong. I'm not using a TV for a monitor. I just meant I was concerned about the way my flat screen big TV makes things look kinda stretched. You know how it puts a few pounds on the cute weather girl. I don't want that happening when I get three new monitors to replace the three I'm using now. They are probably ten years old and use up all my desk space. I want to get new ones around the same size I'm used to. These ones are fine, screen size-wise, just way too bulky.
 

MikePro

New Member
size doesn't matter.... you can get a widescreen and just change the resolution until you find one that looks right for your monitor/tv:
Picture 26.png
Picture 25.png
 

Brandon708

New Member
Thanks for the advise, everybody. I think I worded my question wrong. I'm not using a TV for a monitor. I just meant I was concerned about the way my flat screen big TV makes things look kinda stretched. You know how it puts a few pounds on the cute weather girl. I don't want that happening when I get three new monitors to replace the three I'm using now. They are probably ten years old and use up all my desk space. I want to get new ones around the same size I'm used to. These ones are fine, screen size-wise, just way too bulky.

The reason the weather girl is stretched is because it must not be in 16:9 ratio or your signal is not in HD. You won't have to worry about your screen stretching because you can adjust your ratio manually. I would suggest you upgrade to a full 1080p monitor so you get the full resolution that your design computer deserves. You wont regret it.
 

signswi

New Member
size doesn't matter.... you can get a widescreen and just change the resolution until you find one that looks right for your monitor/tv:
View attachment 58325
View attachment 58326

Not a great habit to get into, LCDs have one native resolution and any other resolution is scaled. What he's probably referring to is the screen ratio, his TV's ratio setting is probably set incorrectly (most new tvs should have an auto-detect, use that...). If it's set to anamorphic and he's watching a standard 1080P broadcast it would look stretched, etc.
 

sardocs

New Member
Thanks again for the info and advise. I bought three Samsung SyncMaster E2320 monitors, hooked 'em all up and threw away the dinosaurs I've been staring into for the last 6 years. I can't get over how much desk space that freed up! Right now I'm trying to figure out how to get the colour balanced across all three of them. One of them is quite a bit more brilliant than the other two.
 

choucove

New Member
The screen ratio is often the big difference on a TV, not the resolution. Most of your LCD screens come in a 16:9 aspect ratio, but many TV shows are still sent in 4:3. Of course 4:3 does not = 16:9 so it will skew the image to make it fit on the TV unless you change it in your settings. The same thing with movies, many movies come out in slightly different aspect ratios although they say they are formatted for "wide screen".
 

Letterbox Mike

New Member
Thanks again for the info and advise. I bought three Samsung SyncMaster E2320 monitors, hooked 'em all up and threw away the dinosaurs I've been staring into for the last 6 years. I can't get over how much desk space that freed up! Right now I'm trying to figure out how to get the colour balanced across all three of them. One of them is quite a bit more brilliant than the other two.

Invest in an i1: http://www.xrite.com/product_overview.aspx?ID=788 it's only about $200 and is worth every penny to reign in your monitors' colors.
 

signswi

New Member
Well if you had to buy a TFT panel Samsung is a good choice. They manufacture panels for most OEMs including Dell. Seconding the i1 or a Spyder, I've used and like both.
 

msrobere

New Member
I have a sharp aquos 32" lcd tv setup as a monitor, I used a dvi to hdmi cable and at first I couldn't get a sharp picture. After some research I found that there is two different dvi to hdmi cables. There is a dvi-d to hdmi which is a dual channel dvi cable which carries the extra signal for the higher resolutions. Got the new cable and picture is perfect.
 
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