Monitor question from a dummy

[Skyedriver]

Hi,
Some folk drive cars and don't know how to fix them (not me). Some folk (me) drive computers (since 1989) and don't know how to sort them.
I am in need of a new monitor and reading the specifications makes my eyes glaze over.
Been looking at Acer, Samsung, HP etc and sone have an input listed as "VGA" and others are "analogue" which I seem to think is old hat but might be confusing this with TV.

Acer have 17" & 19" around £104 - £125 which seems good value, its for home use, Autocad, photos and internet use, no games intended.

Can anyone help please.

[mcflurry]

For home non gaming use, any of those will be fine.
Or take a look at the new Samsung Pebble - it's a nice looking monitor

[agent006]

VGA = Analog
DVI = Digital

DVI is better than VGA.

[MickC]

agent006 said:

VGA = Analog
DVI = Digital

DVI is better than VGA.

But only if your graphics card has a DVI ouput.

Although most graphics cards with DVI outputs also have VGA (or you can use an adaptor) and most monitors with DVI input also have VGA, its worth checking cause no point paying more for DVI if you can't use it.

[agent006]

MickC said:

But only if your graphics card has a DVI ouput.

My graphics card has VGA out only. Doesn't stop DVI being better.

[Holst]

agent006 said:

MickC said:

But only if your graphics card has a DVI ouput.

My graphics card has VGA out only. Doesn't stop DVI being better.

Eh?..

I dont see why.

Unless you mean that most screns with a DVI input will have a higher spec than those that to not.

[Gingerbread Man]

Skyedriver said:

Hi,
Some folk drive cars and don't know how to fix them (not me). Some folk (me) drive computers (since 1989) and don't know how to sort them.
I am in need of a new monitor and reading the specifications makes my eyes glaze over.
Been looking at Acer, Samsung, HP etc and sone have an input listed as "VGA" and others are "analogue" which I seem to think is old hat but might be confusing this with TV.

Acer have 17" & 19" around £104 - £125 which seems good value, its for home use, Autocad, photos and internet use, no games intended.

Can anyone help please.

I'd say that most monitors that you could pick up would be good for you.

If you did play games, you'd need to find a monitor with fast response times so you don't get ghosting. This is where the monitor can't keep up with the fast moving images and leaves a a ghostly trail behind the image.

But as this won't be a problem, I'd suggest finding the biggest/ best monitor that you can for your budget?

If you use AutoCAD a lot I'm consider a bigish monitor, easier to see what you're working on, more on the screen at once as it were.

DVI and VGA wise.. DVI is digital and it is considered the better connection. VGA is analogue and considered to be lesser of the two.

If you can only find monitors with a DVI connection, don't worry as you can buy an adapter for a few quid.

Now on the wide screen vs. non wide aspect monitors aspect. I think it's up to the user. I have a nice 22" wide screen sitting before me now and find that I prefer it to my old non wide screen. Useful for seeing pictures, Excel documents, more on the screen for photoshop and other things. I never watch films but you would have that advantage as well.

I'd recommend going to look at say a 19" wide and a 19" 4:3 (is it 4:3, I mean normal non wide anyway) and seeing which you prefer. The non wide's screen will be higher but the wide's longer. Much the same as tv's so depends on user preference.

I'll stop blabbering on now.

David

[Skyedriver]

Thanks everyone for your help