TFT display

[Skybird]

My old CRT is giving up it'S life, slowly but surely, it is loosing more and more contrast and sharpness.

So a new one is on order, probably a TFT. That is new terrain for me. I already thought about it y year ago, but back then there was no real need.

1. 19" CRT equals 17" TFT ?

2. 8 ms means I am on the safe side?

3. I want a resolution of 1280x1024, 32 bit

4. What brightness and contrast values should I consider to be minimum, and optimum beyond which higher values differences are not that obvious anymore? 500:1 is okay?

5. I use a FX5900XT, it is absolutely sufficient for me. Could I mess up anything with connectors? what about DVI? Needed? I am doing only little gaming anymore, onls some sims, beyond that: word processing, picture editing, some graphics stuff. Only sometimes action, during a brake :)

6. Pixel-faults, is that a real risk or is it hyped only?

7. I do not want to spend more than 200-250 euros. any recommendated models or manufacturers? German Amazon lists several models by Benq and Acer in that price range, are these models trustworthy?

Any answers appreciated, thanks

What is the lifespan of TFT? I still could get a CRT 19" for less than 100 euros, and it probably will live another 9-10 years like my old one.

[Tchocky]

Aldi are doing a decent offer on a 17" TFT on thursday morning, should you feel like queueing :D

[Skybird]

I saw that, too, but I have no idea on it's quality. It also is in the same price range like comparable offers by Acer or Benq. And I simply cannot get used to buy hightech electronics in a supermarket without a service station at location. :)
Thanks, nevertheless. :up:

[Seeadler]

Buy a Samsung TFT, they offer for their models (build after Feb. 2005) a warranty of 3 years on all errors (incl. pixel-errors). If an error should be present, call the Samsung hotline and the equipment will be fetched from the service at your door.

Personally I use two Samsung TFT BF930 at the HomeOffice and I am absolutely content with those :up:

[Fish]

Buy a Samsung TFT, they offer for their models (build after Feb. 2005) a warranty of 3 years on all errors (incl. pixel-errors). If an error should be present, call the Samsung hotline and the equipment will be fetched from the service at your door.

Personally I use two Samsung TFT BF930 at the HomeOffice and I am absolutely content with those :up:

398 euro, is the cheapest offer in the Netherlands.

[Seeadler]

the prizes are going down:
Samsung 930BF 19" - 325€ www.amzon.de
Samsung 730BF 17" - 275€ www.amzon.de

I bought my second 930BF in January here: www.kmelektronik.de

[Skybird]

Thank you, I will check prices for Samsung as well. Although a 17" for 300 Euros or more is a bit beyond my price limit. 250 is the limit.

[Wim Libaers]

High image quality in that price range usually means CRT.

[Konovalov]

Thankfully my CRT 19" Phillips Brilliance 109P is still going strong and has served me well. The fact that I won it when I re-subcribed to a gaming magazine about 5 years ago sweetens it a bit too. :smug:

Might be worth your while Sky having a read of a new 19" TFT article over at Tom's Hardware:

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/03/27/the_spring_2006_lcd_collection/

Good luck with your choice.

[porphy]

No complaints on my Mitsubishi Diomond Plus 9I. It's really excellent even after 5 years, except bulkyness. Wouldnt mind a 21" flat screen though....

Cheers Porphy

[Skybird]

Thanks, Konovalov, that is a good source. Im happy that I am under no time pressure, I can research and compare as long as I want - I still have moving pictures here...:)

[GunnersMate]

Whatever happened to the quality 19" CRT Market? :x :damn: :down:

[Wim Libaers]

Whatever happened to the quality 19" CRT Market? :x :damn: :down:

It's still there. Not as many models as a few years ago (one or two per manufacturer, plus one or two cheap junk models), but they are still made. Of course, as LCD takes over even for most cheap systems, and CRT is used only by graphics professionals who need the higher image quality, you can probably expect 19in CRT's to disappear, with only high quality 21 and 22in CRT's remaining.

[Deamon]

Whitch reaction time should a display have at least for games ?

[SUBMAN1]

My old CRT is giving up it'S life, slowly but surely, it is loosing more and more contrast and sharpness.

So a new one is on order, probably a TFT. That is new terrain for me. I already thought about it y year ago, but back then there was no real need.

1. 19" CRT equals 17" TFT ?

2. 8 ms means I am on the safe side?

3. I want a resolution of 1280x1024, 32 bit

4. What brightness and contrast values should I consider to be minimum, and optimum beyond which higher values differences are not that obvious anymore? 500:1 is okay?

5. I use a FX5900XT, it is absolutely sufficient for me. Could I mess up anything with connectors? what about DVI? Needed? I am doing only little gaming anymore, onls some sims, beyond that: word processing, picture editing, some graphics stuff. Only sometimes action, during a brake :)

6. Pixel-faults, is that a real risk or is it hyped only?

7. I do not want to spend more than 200-250 euros. any recommendated models or manufacturers? German Amazon lists several models by Benq and Acer in that price range, are these models trustworthy?

Any answers appreciated, thanks

What is the lifespan of TFT? I still could get a CRT 19" for less than 100 euros, and it probably will live another 9-10 years like my old one.

If you game, stay away from TFT's since you will almost never want to run in its default res, and anything else looks terrible.

I own a couple Samsung TFT's for their speed, but I still only game on my CRT's.

-S

PS. My Samsungs are prefered by the way for normal office type apps. Very nice display - just not the best thing for gaming.

[Skybird]

If you game, stay away from TFT's since you will almost never want to run in its default res, and anything else looks terrible.

I own a couple Samsung TFT's for their speed, but I still only game on my CRT's.

-S

PS. My Samsungs are prefered by the way for normal office type apps. Very nice display - just not the best thing for gaming.

Hm, I red about it but I am not sure i understoods it correctly. TFt resolutions are somewhat fixed by default, something like that. Are they okay if I do my stuff in 1280 and 1024 resolution exclusively?

[SUBMAN1]

If you game, stay away from TFT's since you will almost never want to run in its default res, and anything else looks terrible.

I own a couple Samsung TFT's for their speed, but I still only game on my CRT's.

-S

PS. My Samsungs are prefered by the way for normal office type apps. Very nice display - just not the best thing for gaming.

Hm, I red about it but I am not sure i understoods it correctly. TFt resolutions are somewhat fixed by default, something like that. Are they okay if I do my stuff in 1280 and 1024 resolution exclusively?

Yeah - if you use 1280x1024 exclusively it is OK, but that is not reality in the gaming world. SHIII for example - stuck at 1024x768 unless you hack it. Some games will require a major workhorse to play at 1280x with AA enabled is another example. My Falcon runs best at 1024 (without looking weird) is another example. The list is endless.

My Samsungs are stuck at 1280x1024. If I try 1024x768, it is not a clear picture no matter what. 1024x768 with 4x AA on is my favorite setting as well. If I am not running 1024, I like to run at 1600x - soemthing a TFT can never do if it is designed for a max of 1280x.

Anyway, TFT is a limiting thing in the gaming world. Don't get me wrong though - my Samsungs are 8ms and fast and do a good job at gaming with a good picture, but the CRT still reigns king in this area and probably always will. Only drawback to the CRT - size.

-S

PS - CRT's don't need to worry about pixel fill speed either. With the LCD, even at 8 ms, I can still see some ghosting on the Samsung. Though this is not as bad as the older AG Neovo I had that was 25 ms. THe AG Neovo was a more classy looking monitor though with a crystal instead of plastic face, and it was made out of pure metal - no plastic at all. I liked that monitor. Gave it to my mother in law though.

[Skybird]

Hm, makes me think. BTW, I was not precise I did not mean 1280x1024 exclusively, but I ,meant two resolutions: 1280x1024 AND 1024x780 (which I use in SBP, for example).

Is scaling down the resolution a problem with all TFT, or only with "bad" models?

If I do not want to buy another CRT (I am already planning with the additonal space on my table), then maybe I need a new graphics boards, which can handle 1280 in SBP not only in 80 or 90% of the situations, but throughout all the match.

Any cheap and silent working recommendation for nVidia? currnetly i have a Leadtek card (5900XT), which is remarkably silent. I like that card, and it is sufficient for all gaming i did in the last two years, at 1280 and AA and AF at 2x maximum, or off.

Bye-bye to Hiarcs 10, if I go that way... :(

[Deamon]

If you game, stay away from TFT's since you will almost never want to run in its default res, and anything else looks terrible.

I have a samsung syncmaster 151s 15" that have a max resolution of 1024 x 786 i notice a problem with sharpness in one half of the screen when i scale down the resolution to 800 x 600. Else i never have noticed any problems with gaming. The screen is a little to dark though.

I think the best thing would be to go to a store and try out different resolutions of the display you want to buy and see whether there are any unfixable problems at different resolutions you want to use the display.

Deamon

[Polak]

What a strange coincidence, my old CRT is also giving up on me :)
And I have also been thinking of buying a TFT.
Great thread. :yep:

[Wim Libaers]

Hm, makes me think. BTW, I was not precise I did not mean 1280x1024 exclusively, but I ,meant two resolutions: 1280x1024 AND 1024x780 (which I use in SBP, for example).

Is scaling down the resolution a problem with all TFT, or only with "bad" models?


Well, they all have to filter down to the lower resolution (or use less of the screen and have black bands around the image, but most screens don't do that). Some have better filtering than others, but there will always be some loss of quality.

Another problem, mostly for older games, is that most LCD screens have dimensions in a 5:4 ration, while most CRT's are 4:3. Games that assume every monitor has a 4:3 aspect ration will be stretched a bit in the vertical direction on a LCD screen.

[TteFAboB]

Monitor's are so 90's...

I play games in a Holo-deck. :up:

[Skybird]

Another problem, mostly for older games, is that most LCD screens have dimensions in a 5:4 ration, while most CRT's are 4:3. Games that assume every monitor has a 4:3 aspect ration will be stretched a bit in the vertical direction on a LCD screen.
Now that I never have heared of before! This thread slowly but surely turns into a lifesaver for me!

What age means "older games?"

[Skybird]

This was enligthening!

http://www.tgdaily.com/2005/11/30/crts_arent_dead_yet/

Maybe I stay with an CRT. cheaper, seems to be better, I can stay with my gfx board, and I still can get my Hiarcs 10.

[Wim Libaers]

Another problem, mostly for older games, is that most LCD screens have dimensions in a 5:4 ration, while most CRT's are 4:3. Games that assume every monitor has a 4:3 aspect ration will be stretched a bit in the vertical direction on a LCD screen.
Now that I never have heared of before! This thread slowly but surely turns into a lifesaver for me!

What age means "older games?"

That's hard to define exactly. Most games from before LCD's became common will have this problem, with very few (Quake for example) exceptions. A few new games may still have the problem, but most new games will support 5:4 and perhaps some widescreen resolutions. Because it's hard to say exactly, you should probably look at what specific games you own support. It can also change with patches, for example F4:AF will get this support with patches, though it will not be perfect for the 2D cockpit. (it's often much harder to support other aspect ratio's in 2D than in 3D)