AnimeSuki Forums

The Avatar · 2007-12-16, 22:49

Hi I'm looking to buy a new monitor for my computer. I'm currently using an nokia 500xa. It's got a contrast ratio of 300:1 and 30ms response. It's pretty damn old and I think it's time for an upgrade. I just have a few questions about monitors.

1) What the average contrast ratio of a monitor?
2) Should I get a monitor that has dynamic contrast ratio or static contrast ratio?
3) Is dynamic contrast ratio any good?
4) Is this monitor good: http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.proc...oduct=4158793?

Any help would be appreciated.

Zaris · 2007-12-16, 23:30

That's not a bad monitor, but the new "standard" resolution is Super XGA (1920x1200) which is what I use. Whatever size monitor you want, I would recommend an LCD with a contrast ratio of at least 700:1 and a 5 millisecond refresh rate. Refresh rate is also important when looking for a good monitor.

Other bits you might consider about your monitor purchase is having a built-in AC adapter and a DVI port.

This is the monitor I use, 4 inches bigger than the one you're considering. Samsung is a great monitor brand (I'm getting a 58" Samsung TV for my parents this Christmas for approx. $2000.00 and there is no comparison from all the other brands I've seen) and if you've got the extra dough, bigger is better - it will last you in the long run, technology-wise and financially-wise (3 year warranty). To give you a better idea of what a 24" screen will look like, check out these images of my desktop.

panzerfan · 2007-12-16, 23:39

Hmm. I guess what I have to start out with is to talk a little bit about the LCD panel technologies...

There exists TN, IPS/S-IPS and MVA/P-MVA/PVA/S-PVA panels.

TN is the most popular type, being cheap, have fast pixel response time, and you are not going to get true black, and viewing angle is not superb.

IPS has the best color reproduction and it is slower, but you get better viewing angle with them.

MVA is a compromise of the two.

To sum things up, currently, with LCD, you have to sacrifice speed slightly for color reproduction and viewing angle (and paying a price premium). The most popular panel type is known as TN, which is unable to display true colors. Modern-day LCD uses dithering to trick your eyes so you don't notice the lack of color depth, but if you really want a gorgeous reproduction, you have to pay up.

205BW is a highly regarded monitor for its price.

By the way, there is no 22" LCD to date that is made of anything but TN panels. 24" is now the new favorite, and it is large enough that you can get 1080p resolution on. The 22" monitors have a resolution of 1680x1050 whereas the 24" have 1920x1200 pixels. The prices of 24" will drop in the forseeable future, whereas 22" looks stable.

By the way, response time is very deceptive. The manufacturers will claim the highest response time they can muster, which will not mean much ultimately. I strongly suggest do your research before buying anything.

ChibiDusk · 2007-12-17, 15:09

I am also looking for a new monitor.

Wondering if I should get...
L196WTQ-BF (199.99)
W1907 (279.99)
(the first is the cheapest with highest contrast and lowest response time... 3000:1 and 2ms...)

or...
LG226WA (379.99)
(I'd love the component input for the Wii)

or save up for a while and get...
245BW (499.99)

panzerfan · 2007-12-17, 15:56

@ChibiDusk:
Depends on what you really want. There exists this 27.5" monitor made by Hanns-g which sells at 500 dollars from what I remember. However, it will not do 1:1 pixel mapping, which means that your 16:9 hidef contents will get stretched on it, but it is very large a monitor!

ChibiDusk · 2007-12-17, 17:05

I prefer quality over size. I actually would rather 19" then anything. 24" is the absolute largest I'd go. But that's excessive. So what's a good 19" monitor that packs a whack of quality? Price doesn't matter that much, except if it's over 499.99 for 19"... then THAT'S a tad ridiculous.

It must be Mac compatible. I'll be using it mainly for video and games. MUST have a 16:9 mode so when I connect a device via DVI/HDMI it will scale properly.

panzerfan · 2007-12-17, 17:42

16:9 will leave you with the need of pixel mapping. Most monitors with this feature are much more expensive than the TN counterpart.
A talltale sign of TN is if the viewing angle is 160 degrees horizontal/vertical.

Samsung's 215TW is a 21" monitor that's under the budget of 500 dollars, with resolution of 1680x1050. It uses S-PVA panel. It has component, and even picture-in-picture. If you want a 24" that can support 1:1 pixel mapping, expect to pay $550 minimum. BenQ's FP241VW, and FP341W will do that, as does DELL's 2407wfp, Westinghouse's L2410NM and Gateway's FPD2485W. LG's L245WP-BN apparently does that as well, through DVI.

@ChibiDusk: sorry, not that unit. As a matter of fact, the current existing 19" and most 20" +22" are made without such option.

ChibiDusk · 2007-12-17, 18:05

Are there no 19" models with pixel mapping? What about the HP W1907? It is 19", glossy screen, 1000:1 contrast, 5ms response... does it have pixel mapping? If I connect a PS3 via DVI will it display 16:9 with the black bars correcting the AR?

Sides · 2007-12-17, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by panzerfan

Samsung's 215TW is a 21" monitor that's under the budget of 500 dollars, with resolution of 1680x1050. It uses S-PVA panel. It has component, and even picture-in-picture. If you want a 24" that can support 1:1 pixel mapping, expect to pay $550 minimum. BenQ's FP241VW, and FP341W will do that, as does DELL's 2407wfp, Westinghouse's L2410NM and Gateway's FPD2485W. LG's L245WP-BN apparently does that as well, through DVI.

The 215TW has input lag, plus slow response time, however it is superb for picture/photo editing, but not suitable for console gaming.

panzerfan · 2007-12-17, 19:00

Fast(er) response time is a trademark for TN... although TN with 1:1 pixel mapping seems to not compute for some reason. The TN panel monitors will all stretch the 16:9 to 16:10 because of the cost-saving nature involved with most of them.

The Avatar · 2007-12-18, 02:24

Thanks for the help everyone. I've still got some question's though. Panzerfan how does this monitor stack up against the one I posted in my last post: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16824001240?

Also I've read that I shouldn't look at the dynamic contrast ratio and should focus on the static contrast ratio, is this true.

Lastly if neither of these monitors are good what would you suggest? I will be using this monitor to watch anime, movies, and playing my xbox 360. Also I'm on a budget of about $300. I can probably go over it a bit but not too much.

Sides · 2007-12-18, 10:09

Try reading some reviews on behardware, their latest review on 22" TN panels.
Since you're actually using it for the 360 as well, TN panel is probably much better suited for your needs.
Honestly i would suggest a crt, i.e. GDM-W900, over any LCD panel atm.

panzerfan · 2007-12-18, 14:09

I agree with Sides on CRT though. Sony GDM-FW900 is a widescreen variation which is beautiful... but you will need desktop real estate for it, and that you won't see these things being made anymore.

Chimei's CMV 221D-NBC, Samsung 226BW are ranking pretty well.

And.. Samsung does have 2280HD, which is close to 500 dollars, but it has a TV tuner, at 22", 1680x1050 resolution, 1:1 mapping as well. I haven't seen much review on this unit though.

Lastly, do not despair over LCD < CRT in terms of contrast ratio/gamut. Field Emission Display is looking very promising... although it'll be a while before we see anything made using this technology. Think of it as the metal storm approach to CRT, where you use carbon nanotubes to bombard phosphor dots, creating images comparable to CRT, yet thin enough a display to rival LCD. Unfortunately, screen burn-in is possible with these units. A variation known as the Surface-conduction Electron-emitter panel is closer to mass production.

The Avatar · 2007-12-18, 21:51

Would you honestly recommend the Sony GDM-FW900? Because I found someone close to me who is selling it and I really need to know if it is worth it. I know it's good for my Xbox but is it good for anime and movies too? Will it really be that much better than an lcd? I've also read that only about 22" are actually viewable.

panzerfan · 2007-12-18, 23:36

Well, this monitor supports component and VGA. It's a good 98 pound (according to [H]) when you ship her. Tweaking this thing can be anywhere from messing with the OSD or spending money to hack the firmware.

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=952788 is a thread that I strongly recommend you to read through regarding this monster.

2007-12-16, 22:49	Link #1
The Avatar The Avatar of Death Join Date: Dec 2005	Computer Monitor Questions Hi I'm looking to buy a new monitor for my computer. I'm currently using an nokia 500xa. It's got a contrast ratio of 300:1 and 30ms response. It's pretty damn old and I think it's time for an upgrade. I just have a few questions about monitors. 1) What the average contrast ratio of a monitor? 2) Should I get a monitor that has dynamic contrast ratio or static contrast ratio? 3) Is dynamic contrast ratio any good? 4) Is this monitor good: http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.proc...oduct=4158793? Any help would be appreciated.

2007-12-16, 23:39	Link #3
panzerfan Name means little... Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2004	Hmm. I guess what I have to start out with is to talk a little bit about the LCD panel technologies... There exists TN, IPS/S-IPS and MVA/P-MVA/PVA/S-PVA panels. TN is the most popular type, being cheap, have fast pixel response time, and you are not going to get true black, and viewing angle is not superb. IPS has the best color reproduction and it is slower, but you get better viewing angle with them. MVA is a compromise of the two. To sum things up, currently, with LCD, you have to sacrifice speed slightly for color reproduction and viewing angle (and paying a price premium). The most popular panel type is known as TN, which is unable to display true colors. Modern-day LCD uses dithering to trick your eyes so you don't notice the lack of color depth, but if you really want a gorgeous reproduction, you have to pay up. 205BW is a highly regarded monitor for its price. By the way, there is no 22" LCD to date that is made of anything but TN panels. 24" is now the new favorite, and it is large enough that you can get 1080p resolution on. The 22" monitors have a resolution of 1680x1050 whereas the 24" have 1920x1200 pixels. The prices of 24" will drop in the forseeable future, whereas 22" looks stable. By the way, response time is very deceptive. The manufacturers will claim the highest response time they can muster, which will not mean much ultimately. I strongly suggest do your research before buying anything. __________________ It would be enough for the depressing things in life to only exist in reality. It is because that I think the birth of a story... is from people dreaming of a happy ending. ~Misaka Shiori Last edited by panzerfan; 2007-12-16 at 23:53.

2007-12-17, 15:56	Link #5
panzerfan Name means little... Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2004	@ChibiDusk: Depends on what you really want. There exists this 27.5" monitor made by Hanns-g which sells at 500 dollars from what I remember. However, it will not do 1:1 pixel mapping, which means that your 16:9 hidef contents will get stretched on it, but it is very large a monitor! __________________ It would be enough for the depressing things in life to only exist in reality. It is because that I think the birth of a story... is from people dreaming of a happy ending. ~Misaka Shiori

2007-12-17, 17:42	Link #7
panzerfan Name means little... Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2004	16:9 will leave you with the need of pixel mapping. Most monitors with this feature are much more expensive than the TN counterpart. A talltale sign of TN is if the viewing angle is 160 degrees horizontal/vertical. Samsung's 215TW is a 21" monitor that's under the budget of 500 dollars, with resolution of 1680x1050. It uses S-PVA panel. It has component, and even picture-in-picture. If you want a 24" that can support 1:1 pixel mapping, expect to pay $550 minimum. BenQ's FP241VW, and FP341W will do that, as does DELL's 2407wfp, Westinghouse's L2410NM and Gateway's FPD2485W. LG's L245WP-BN apparently does that as well, through DVI. @ChibiDusk: sorry, not that unit. As a matter of fact, the current existing 19" and most 20" +22" are made without such option. __________________ It would be enough for the depressing things in life to only exist in reality. It is because that I think the birth of a story... is from people dreaming of a happy ending. ~Misaka Shiori Last edited by panzerfan; 2007-12-17 at 18:17.

2007-12-17, 19:00	Link #10
panzerfan Name means little... Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2004	Fast(er) response time is a trademark for TN... although TN with 1:1 pixel mapping seems to not compute for some reason. The TN panel monitors will all stretch the 16:9 to 16:10 because of the cost-saving nature involved with most of them. __________________ It would be enough for the depressing things in life to only exist in reality. It is because that I think the birth of a story... is from people dreaming of a happy ending. ~Misaka Shiori

2007-12-16, 23:30	Link #2
Zaris of Porsche Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pasadena, California Age: 40	That's not a bad monitor, but the new "standard" resolution is Super XGA (1920x1200) which is what I use. Whatever size monitor you want, I would recommend an LCD with a contrast ratio of at least 700:1 and a 5 millisecond refresh rate. Refresh rate is also important when looking for a good monitor. Other bits you might consider about your monitor purchase is having a built-in AC adapter and a DVI port. This is the monitor I use, 4 inches bigger than the one you're considering. Samsung is a great monitor brand (I'm getting a 58" Samsung TV for my parents this Christmas for approx. $2000.00 and there is no comparison from all the other brands I've seen) and if you've got the extra dough, bigger is better - it will last you in the long run, technology-wise and financially-wise (3 year warranty). To give you a better idea of what a 24" screen will look like, check out these images of my desktop.

2007-12-17, 15:09	Link #4
ChibiDusk Back From The Dead? Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canada Age: 35	I am also looking for a new monitor. Wondering if I should get... L196WTQ-BF (199.99) W1907 (279.99) (the first is the cheapest with highest contrast and lowest response time... 3000:1 and 2ms...) or... LG226WA (379.99) (I'd love the component input for the Wii) or save up for a while and get... 245BW (499.99)

2007-12-17, 17:05	Link #6
ChibiDusk Back From The Dead? Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canada Age: 35	I prefer quality over size. I actually would rather 19" then anything. 24" is the absolute largest I'd go. But that's excessive. So what's a good 19" monitor that packs a whack of quality? Price doesn't matter that much, except if it's over 499.99 for 19"... then THAT'S a tad ridiculous. It must be Mac compatible. I'll be using it mainly for video and games. MUST have a 16:9 mode so when I connect a device via DVI/HDMI it will scale properly.

2007-12-17, 18:05	Link #8
ChibiDusk Back From The Dead? Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canada Age: 35	Are there no 19" models with pixel mapping? What about the HP W1907? It is 19", glossy screen, 1000:1 contrast, 5ms response... does it have pixel mapping? If I connect a PS3 via DVI will it display 16:9 with the black bars correcting the AR?

2007-12-18, 02:24	Link #11
The Avatar The Avatar of Death Join Date: Dec 2005	Thanks for the help everyone. I've still got some question's though. Panzerfan how does this monitor stack up against the one I posted in my last post: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16824001240? Also I've read that I shouldn't look at the dynamic contrast ratio and should focus on the static contrast ratio, is this true. Lastly if neither of these monitors are good what would you suggest? I will be using this monitor to watch anime, movies, and playing my xbox 360. Also I'm on a budget of about $300. I can probably go over it a bit but not too much.

2007-12-18, 10:09	Link #12
Sides Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Edinburgh Age: 42	Try reading some reviews on behardware, their latest review on 22" TN panels. Since you're actually using it for the 360 as well, TN panel is probably much better suited for your needs. Honestly i would suggest a crt, i.e. GDM-W900, over any LCD panel atm.

2007-12-18, 14:09	Link #13
panzerfan Name means little... Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2004	I agree with Sides on CRT though. Sony GDM-FW900 is a widescreen variation which is beautiful... but you will need desktop real estate for it, and that you won't see these things being made anymore. Chimei's CMV 221D-NBC, Samsung 226BW are ranking pretty well. And.. Samsung does have 2280HD, which is close to 500 dollars, but it has a TV tuner, at 22", 1680x1050 resolution, 1:1 mapping as well. I haven't seen much review on this unit though. Lastly, do not despair over LCD < CRT in terms of contrast ratio/gamut. Field Emission Display is looking very promising... although it'll be a while before we see anything made using this technology. Think of it as the metal storm approach to CRT, where you use carbon nanotubes to bombard phosphor dots, creating images comparable to CRT, yet thin enough a display to rival LCD. Unfortunately, screen burn-in is possible with these units. A variation known as the Surface-conduction Electron-emitter panel is closer to mass production. __________________ It would be enough for the depressing things in life to only exist in reality. It is because that I think the birth of a story... is from people dreaming of a happy ending. ~Misaka Shiori Last edited by panzerfan; 2007-12-18 at 14:46.

2007-12-18, 21:51	Link #14
The Avatar The Avatar of Death Join Date: Dec 2005	Would you honestly recommend the Sony GDM-FW900? Because I found someone close to me who is selling it and I really need to know if it is worth it. I know it's good for my Xbox but is it good for anime and movies too? Will it really be that much better than an lcd? I've also read that only about 22" are actually viewable. Last edited by The Avatar; 2007-12-18 at 22:18.

2007-12-18, 23:36	Link #15
panzerfan Name means little... Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2004	Well, this monitor supports component and VGA. It's a good 98 pound (according to [H]) when you ship her. Tweaking this thing can be anywhere from messing with the OSD or spending money to hack the firmware. http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=952788 is a thread that I strongly recommend you to read through regarding this monster. __________________ It would be enough for the depressing things in life to only exist in reality. It is because that I think the birth of a story... is from people dreaming of a happy ending. ~Misaka Shiori