[Retired] The LCD Thread

[Grand Schmu]

Hi everybody,

I am new here and I saw all the lcd monitors recommandations!! Very usefull!

I have a choice to do: two monitors to buy. The first one is for me. I need a monitor between 20'' and 24'', with a very good color reproduction by default for photo editing and printing (maybe wide gamut) and a sweet agreable text reproduction (no eyes fatigue) for office work. Sometime, I also edit videos and dvd also so I want that frames goes fluid but I don't need a very fast monitor. I never play games. I work almost 10 hours per day in front of my monitor. I would like to have the 90degree pivot too for portrait photo). I am ready to pay between 400$ and 700$.

The second one is for my 60 years old father, to do almost the same usage but the color precision is less important for him; he prefers to prevent eyes fatigue and strain and to have big characters. He will retouch photos and will do a lot office work because he is a government translator. HE DON'T WANT A WIDESCREEN display. He looks for a 19'' or a 20'' between 250$ and 350$ with the 90 degrees pivot.

Those are the monitors I looked:

For me:
Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP-HC
Samsung SyncMaster 971P
ViewSonic VP930b
HP LP2465
NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2 (not sure)

For my father:
Samsung SyncMaster 971P
HP LP2065
HP LP1965

Does someone have suggestion or opinion for me and my father?
Thanks very much!
P.S. Sorry, i am not very good to write in english...

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Grand Schmu
Hi everybody,

I am new here and I saw all the lcd monitors recommandations!! Very usefull!

I have a choice to do: two monitors to buy. The first one is for me. I need a monitor between 20'' and 24'', with a very good color reproduction by default for photo editing and printing (maybe wide gamut) and a sweet agreable text reproduction (no eyes fatigue) for office work. Sometime, I also edit videos and dvd also so I want that frames goes fluid but I don't need a very fast monitor. I never play games. I work almost 10 hours per day in front of my monitor. I would like to have the 90degree pivot too for portrait photo). I am ready to pay between 400$ and 700$.

Try the HP LP2465 for standard gamut, or 2407WFP-HC for wide gamut. Keep in mind std. gamut is good for screen matching and wide gamut is good for print matching.

The second one is for my 60 years old father, to do almost the same usage but the color precision is less important for him; he prefers to prevent eyes fatigue and strain and to have big characters. He will retouch photos and will do a lot office work because he is a government translator. HE DON'T WANT A WIDESCREEN display. He looks for a 19'' or a 20'' between 250$ and 350$ with the 90 degrees pivot.

Those are the monitors I looked:

For me:
Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP-HC
Samsung SyncMaster 971P
ViewSonic VP930b
HP LP2465
NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2 (not sure)

For my father:
Samsung SyncMaster 971P
HP LP2065
HP LP1965

Does someone have suggestion or opinion for me and my father?
Thanks very much!
P.S. Sorry, i am not very good to write in english...

You father would do best with an LP1965, I believe. It should have great text clarity because of its bigger dot pitch. Enjoy.

 

[Grand Schmu]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: Grand Schmu

For me:
Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP-HC
Samsung SyncMaster 971P
ViewSonic VP930b
HP LP2465
NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2 (not sure)

For my father:
Samsung SyncMaster 971P
HP LP2065
HP LP1965

Does someone have suggestion or opinion for me and my father?
Thanks very much!
P.S. Sorry, i am not very good to write in english...

You father would do best with an LP1965, I believe. It should have great text clarity because of its bigger dot pitch. Enjoy.

---------------------------------

What is the main difference between the Syncmaster 971p and the LP1965? (my first choice was the 971p because of the good reviews)

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Grand Schmu

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: Grand Schmu

For me:
Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP-HC
Samsung SyncMaster 971P
ViewSonic VP930b
HP LP2465
NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2 (not sure)

For my father:
Samsung SyncMaster 971P
HP LP2065
HP LP1965

Does someone have suggestion or opinion for me and my father?
Thanks very much!
P.S. Sorry, i am not very good to write in english...

You father would do best with an LP1965, I believe. It should have great text clarity because of its bigger dot pitch. Enjoy.

---------------------------------

What is the main difference between the Syncmaster 971p and the LP1965? (my first choice was the 971p because of the good reviews)

The 971P has good color quality but it has more response time issues. The LP1965 seems to be better overall for most people but it's really hard to know. If your father is editing photos maybe the 971P would be better for him after all because it does have great color accuracy. Just beware of the response time problems.

 

[Grand Schmu]

Thanks so much!! I will go for the 2407WFP-HC for me and the Syncmaster 971p for me father.

Another question, I heard that the 2407WFP non-HC has a better color preset that the HC version. Did-you heard about that? So I wonder if the lp2464 would better that the 2407 non-HC...

Thanks

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Grand Schmu
Thanks so much!! I will go for the 2407WFP-HC for me and the Syncmaster 971p for me father.

Another question, I heard that the 2407WFP non-HC has a better color preset that the HC version. Did-you heard about that? So I wonder if the lp2464 would better that the 2407 non-HC...

Thanks

Do keep in mind the 971P also has no on-screen controls (which is really stupid). You need to use MagicTune (supports some graphics cards on Win/Mac) to control it.

The 2407WFP non-HC is no longer for sale, as far as I know. But I wouldn't have any idea how the non-HC and LP2465 compare. They do use the same Samsung S-PVA panel, AFAIK. The HP panel should be a great choice. HP is a very reputable company.

 

[mitch3ll]

i am looking for some recommendations on a 19-22" widescreen monitor. i would like it to be gaming orientated as im trying to build a new pc for todays current games. i was reading that anything below 22" kind of negates the point of having a widescreen monitor, but it would benefit me well, as i do alot of left to right work with audio sequencers. i wouldnt like to go above $250 on this one. 22" would rock but might be out of my price range. i was looking heavily at some acer's that were about $179. also is buying online safe? seems like ive been reading if you receive one with dead pixels your out of luck. anyway thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Nnyan]

OK so work got in the way of getting the 2232GW friday and life most of the day today. But finally I was able to swing by Circuit City and pick this up. Wife liked the fact that this monitor uses far less packaging then the others = ). Pretty light LCD and the stand is a bit weird, had me wondering for a few before I figured it out (push it into the monitor).

Anyway so far so good. Anyone know how to enter the service on this? some reason I can't find the post with the samsung instructions.

 

[fivetiger]

Originally posted by: fivetigerI'm probably going to pick up a monitor tonight, but I still can't decide between the 2232bw and the 226bw.

To my surprise, I ended up buying the LG 226WTQ. I hadn't researched it much, but when I saw it in person, it looked significantly better than the 226bw that was right next to it.

That was at Circuit City, so I went to Best Buy and looked at it there....still looked the best. So, I came home and did some quick research on it, decided there weren't any negatives that were worse than the Samsung panel lottery, and bought it. No problems so far.

Oh, and I like the bezel way more. I didn't realize how shiny (tacky) the 226bw was until I saw it in person.

 

[xtknight]

I believe I forgot to post this reply. Sorry 'bout that.

Originally posted by: Nnyan
I'm coming to the conclusion that based on my sensitivity I'm going to have to get a color meter in order to properly adjust any LCD I get. Not being a pro or anything I just need something basic that gets the job done right. Any suggestions?

Try the Spyder2 Express.

Best colorimeter at this price point.

 

[anth0ny]

Well turning off the RTA on my 'A' Panel stopped the colored ghosting issues. They looked a hell of a lot clearier with the RTA on but I can't stand the ghosting. When playing the map Wake, the jets are blurring past the screen.

Having it off causes the textures in BF2 (and I assume any other games) to blur when im moving. And now, with the RTA off, my eyes start hurting a little from the blurring. It goes away when I turn the RTA back on.

I think I am going to exchange it at Fry's tomorrow and try my luck in the lottery again. Can anyone confirm that there is no colored ghosting or any ghosting at all in the 'S' panel?

 

[j0j081]

Originally posted by: xtknight
[

They are using 20.1" wide-gamut panels in the 206BW? This is very surprising. How exactly did you deduce this (e.g. did you open up your panel)?

yeah I took apart both 206bws I've owned to check the panels. The older one is a Chunghwa panel CLAA201WA 04. This one is an an AUO panel M201EW02 VC. I googled them both to find the specs. I was quite surprised to find this one has the enhanced color gamut because I thought only Samsung produced those panels but maybe they licensed the tech to AUO or whatever these companies do. The interior of the AUO one is a bit different than the Chunghwa one. It has some kind of chip located at the top of the case whereas the Chunghwa one had an empty space. The 206bw with the AUO panel was manufactured in Sept 07 while the Chunghwa one was from July. The AUO panel definitely looks a lot nicer especially when watching movies or gaming.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: j0j081

Originally posted by: xtknight
[

They are using 20.1" wide-gamut panels in the 206BW? This is very surprising. How exactly did you deduce this (e.g. did you open up your panel)?

yeah I took apart both 206bws I've owned to check the panels. The older one is a Chunghwa panel CLAA201WA 04. This one is an an AUO panel M201EW02 VC. I googled them both to find the specs. I was quite surprised to find this one has the enhanced color gamut because I thought only Samsung produced those panels but maybe they licensed the tech to AUO or whatever these companies do. The interior of the AUO one is a bit different than the Chunghwa one. It has some kind of chip located at the top of the case whereas the Chunghwa one had an empty space. The 206bw with the AUO panel was manufactured in Sept 07 while the Chunghwa one was from July. The AUO panel definitely looks a lot nicer especially when watching movies or gaming.

Well..cool..I guess. I never recommended the 206BW for photo editing anyhow. But if you get a wide gamut panel you're good to go for almost any other kind of use (and you'll probably prefer it). It's still the panel lottery that concerns me (which panels are worse than others and in what ways). But really, I'm not sure what else to recommend at that size. The Samsung is such a great package overall.

I'll have to watch out for the L207WT.

Both CMO and AUO are major proponents of wide gamut panels, probably more so than Samsung right now when it comes to actual output. Samsung was the first to introduce a consumer-grade wide gamut panel, the Samsung 931C, but their output of wide gamut panels has not been significant. Their professional XL20 uses a wide-gamut AMVA from AU Optronics. I have no doubt that CPT and Hannstar will be jumping on the wide-gamut train in not too long, if they haven't already.

 

[j0j081]

yeah I don't really do much photo editing anyway. I couldn't afford much more so this is good for me and my everyday use.

 

[Trean]

So I read through the initial post as well as the archived one, similar in many aspects. I also have read through reviews on multiple monitors that I am looking into in many many places.

But simply stated here is my dilemma:

I want a monitor that can be converted into a multimedia hub but at its core remains a monitor for a computer that is used to occasionally play video games ranging from FPS to MMORPGs.

I want a 24" monitor but every 24" monitor I have looked into has some major dilemma.

For example BenQ has a monitor in the 24" range and it seemed like a great solution for gaming and multimedia but then I ran into a problem description relating to overscan or something like that. Such that the resolution is expanded past the monitor actually cropping off the edge of the viewable image. This problem has been dealt with or at least acknowledge but the revision to my knowledge has not be released to North America.

Another example is the Dell 2407wfp-hc, I was set on getting a 2407wfp rev a04 but then all the sudden this great new HC version was released and the normal 2407 went into the great unknown. The HC reintroduces a bunch of problems that were weeded out over the four revisions of the 2407; most importantly for me at least is the ghosting.

All this being said, I haven't actually seen either of these 24" monitors in action or in person. I have only seen one 24" monitor on the shelves of either Best Buy or Circuit City and that was an Acer, I think.



So knowing what I want, do any of you have any suggestions as to a "best" solution for me. I don't need a 24" monitor but would like to stay at 1920x1200 or better resolutions for 1080p HD compatibility with HD movies and such. I plan on continuing to look over the many links in the initial post as well as others, but a little guidance would be greatly appreciated. I recently discovered the Gateway XHD3000 which is way out of my price range but it has had high marks in almost everything; but given its price the testing by "real" users is limited... I wish I had an unlimited source of money :*(.

 

[Montius]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: Montius
I haven't checked this thread in a while, and last time I did there was pretty high praise for the FP241W. I've still got my 2407WFP-HC sitting here, with the return slip beside it. So what's come up on the BenQ?

Well the BenQ has (at least some units have) blackout problems. It blacks out once in a while during usage with some graphics card configurations, and BenQ so far has not dealt with it AFAIK. Doesn't sound too good to me.

Hmm. Though I can deal with this ghosting I just have the feeling that there are better options out there. Are there any resources that talk about the blackout problem, and are you aware of which GFX configurations cause this blackout?

 

[siik]

is the new Dell UltraSharp 2208WFP a good buy?
http://accessories.us.dell.com...&sku=320-6107#Overview

viewing angle is only 80 .. is that bad?

 

[brencat]

Originally posted by: fivetiger
To my surprise, I ended up buying the LG 226WTQ. I hadn't researched it much, but when I saw it in person, it looked significantly better than the 226bw that was right next to it.

That was at Circuit City, so I went to Best Buy and looked at it there....still looked the best. So, I came home and did some quick research on it, decided there weren't any negatives that were worse than the Samsung panel lottery, and bought it. No problems so far.

Oh, and I like the bezel way more. I didn't realize how shiny (tacky) the 226bw was until I saw it in person.

Fivetiger...I completely agree! I saw the LG vs the Samsung 226bw at Best Buy this morning for the first time and I liked the LG better too. Thought the colors had more pop to them and the matte bezel was much better. The shiny bezel of the Samsung would probably distract me during gaming. Frankly though, I wasn't completely sold on either one.

Now, the Samsung 24" 245bw was a different story...even though it was a TN also, it seemed to have better viewing angles and more color retention than either of the 22s and was much nicer IMO. The shiny bezel was less distracting on this b/c of the larger screen.

TBH, I may have to go to 27" or even 30" before I get interested. Whatever I buy, it must be a worthy replacement to the Iiyama Vision Master Pro CRT I've had for 9 years. And I just don't think I've found what I'm looking for yet.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: mitch3ll
i am looking for some recommendations on a 19-22" widescreen monitor. i would like it to be gaming orientated as im trying to build a new pc for todays current games. i was reading that anything below 22" kind of negates the point of having a widescreen monitor, but it would benefit me well, as i do alot of left to right work with audio sequencers. i wouldnt like to go above $250 on this one. 22" would rock but might be out of my price range. i was looking heavily at some acer's that were about $179. also is buying online safe? seems like ive been reading if you receive one with dead pixels your out of luck. anyway thanks for any suggestions!

Widescreen below 22" does tend to be pretty small, but 21" and 20.1" are certainly reasonable sizes. I think anything below that (e.g., 19", 17" widescreen) is simply too small for anyone to really be happy. But it depends on what they are used to, of course.

I don't really keep up on the policies of online vendors so you'll have to look at their FAQs for details on LCD return/exchange policies.

Dell allows you to exchange for a refurb within 21 days, or maybe 30, I believe. It's hard to find this policy online for some reason but I hear about people doing it all the time. It is called their "Total Satisfaction" policy, or something to that extent.

Newegg, and most merchants, will only consider an LCD defective if it has 8 dead pixels (maybe this varies from 6-10 depending on merchant).

But then you have the choice to deal with the manufacturer (e.g. ViewSonic) directly. They often specify an ISO class that determines the dead pixel policy. Check here (or call them): http://www.behardware.com/arti...-dead-pixels-2007.html

The policy may vary per country.

Anyway, the 206BW is a good LCD for you: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16824001095

 

[mitch3ll]

thanks for the help xtknight! going to check out your suggestion.

 

[TempletonPeck]

Has anyone used the HP W2007 or W2207? Are they good monitors for multimedia?

Any information you can give would be appreciated.

 

[Skott]

Originally posted by: brencat

Originally posted by: fivetiger
To my surprise, I ended up buying the LG 226WTQ. I hadn't researched it much, but when I saw it in person, it looked significantly better than the 226bw that was right next to it.

That was at Circuit City, so I went to Best Buy and looked at it there....still looked the best. So, I came home and did some quick research on it, decided there weren't any negatives that were worse than the Samsung panel lottery, and bought it. No problems so far.

Oh, and I like the bezel way more. I didn't realize how shiny (tacky) the 226bw was until I saw it in person.

Fivetiger...I completely agree! I saw the LG vs the Samsung 226bw at Best Buy this morning for the first time and I liked the LG better too. Thought the colors had more pop to them and the matte bezel was much better. The shiny bezel of the Samsung would probably distract me during gaming. Frankly though, I wasn't completely sold on either one.

Now, the Samsung 24" 245bw was a different story...even though it was a TN also, it seemed to have better viewing angles and more color retention than either of the 22s and was much nicer IMO. The shiny bezel was less distracting on this b/c of the larger screen.

TBH, I may have to go to 27" or even 30" before I get interested. Whatever I buy, it must be a worthy replacement to the Iiyama Vision Master Pro CRT I've had for 9 years. And I just don't think I've found what I'm looking for yet.

Yeah, the glossy look of the 226bw is fine if you are into that type of screen but personally after looking at both and looking back at both monitors past problems and hype. At the time I bought mine the 226bw was having alot of panel lottery problems and the LG 226WTQ had a firmware update that fixed the ghosting problems. I'm glad I went with the LG 226WTQ(BF). Best LCD I have owned yet. Lot of credit goes to xtknight too for all his help and work here. :thumbsup:

 

[amcdonald]

sorry if I missed the info somewhere... but I'm looking to buy a 30" monitor
what is recommended at this point? should i just get the dell?

 

[Thetech]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: Thetech
Ooh, tell us more about this 20.1 inch Widescreen? I'm concerned with multiple people being able to view the monitor at the same time, just to explain I am used to using a 19 Inch Samsung CRT monitor so that tells you the kind of viewing angles I'm used to

Well obviously a 20.1" monitor will be more expensive. You'll be looking at the Dell 2007WFP or NEC 20WMGX2 most likely. The 2007WFP can come with an PVA panel which isn't so bad. Are you really concerned about not being able to see straight-on? I don't think this will be a problem with smaller TN screens (but at 20" TN and higher it is something to consider). My 17" 4:3 TN is great with viewing angles. I can only assume a 19" 16:10 will be just dandy as well. I wouldn't worry about it so much if I were you.

Get a 19" widescreen now and then upgrade to a 24" 8-bit VA w/ slightly wider angles later.

Edit: didn't realize you said multiple people. Then give the 20WMGX2 a try. $360 AR is hard to beat for this monitor:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16824002319

The NEC is barebones when it comes to ergonomics so there is also the Samsung 215TW (21" widescreen) with much more flexible erg:

http://www.samsung.com/us/cons...21DPWAB/XAA&fullspec=F

Stand Function

Function of stand. Tilt is basic and Height adjusting, Pivot & Swivel is optional one
HAS(Height Adjustable), Pivot, Swivel, Tilt

Keep in mind 215TW has some input lag.

The 2007WFP is probably another option (comes w/ PVA/IPS and good ergonomics): http://support.dell.com/suppor...s/2007WFP/en/index.htm

If you're looking for something more economical, give the 19" MVA HP LP1965 (std. aspect) a try: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16824176072

Coming from a 19" CRT it seems like a 20"+ is only a natural upgrade though (1680x1050 still lower res than 19" CRT 1600x1200).

20WMGX2 (glossy), 215TW, 2007WFP, LP1965 are all wide angle LCDs.

I'm worried about being able to run most modern games with at least medium quality settings at 1680 x 1050, I usually play games like BF2 at 1280x968 (19 inch CRT)at high settings with 2xAA. I think I might stick with a 19 Inch WS but I'm still concerned about the higher res.

 

[j0j081]

Originally posted by: Skott


Yeah, the glossy look of the 226bw is fine if you are into that type of screen but personally after looking at both and looking back at both monitors past problems and hype. At the time I bought mine the 226bw was having alot of panel lottery problems and the LG 226WTQ had a firmware update that fixed the ghosting problems. I'm glad I went with the LG 226WTQ(BF). Best LCD I have owned yet. Lot of credit goes to xtknight too for all his help and work here. :thumbsup:

To clarify though the screen is not glossy just parts of the case.