My TN story:
I've had a Dell 2005FPW for a few years now. I did my homework back when I got it and it was expensive but it was one of the top notch monitors at the time.
However, I just built a new computer this summer which included a blu-ray player. I recall at the time there was some sort of new chip (which turns out to be HDCP) that was coming out in the monitors of that time period that would be important in the future.
Well the future is now, and as it turns out as most of us now, that HDCP means your monitor and video card must be HDCP compliant or no blu-ray for you!
So to solve the problem, I borrowed another monitor at the house from someone elses computer that was a couple years newer than my monitor (same size monitor, also a Dell) and installed that...
Sure enough, it ran the Blu-Ray fine BUT the image quality seemed HORRIBLE on this monitor in comparison! So much so, I just can't use it at all compared to my 2005FPW.
The difference? The 2005FPW is an IPS panel, while the other was a TN.
I have since found a work-around for HDCP but it requires re-pluging in the monitor via VGA and running it through VGA instead of DVI... Bleh, but it works and still looks better than the TN monitor!
I was going to buy a monitor soon that is HDCP compliant and larger than 21", but I also want an LED backlit monitor since it will probably last even longer and have a much lower power consumption along with TRUE blacks which from what i've seen of the current LED backlit monitors, is worth it. BUT there is no way i'll buy a TN monitor!!!
<- Holding out for an e-IPS LED backlight 24" monitor...