Discussion
Similar real estate? Only if you are going from a 15" tft to a 21" at least.
Check your graphics card. If you have analog and DVI outputs then you can do two monitors easy peasy. I was of a similar opinion before, but then used a couple of spare monitors I had lying around. Wouldnt go back. PH on one, work on t'other. (I even get e little work done from time to time....
Check your graphics card. If you have analog and DVI outputs then you can do two monitors easy peasy. I was of a similar opinion before, but then used a couple of spare monitors I had lying around. Wouldnt go back. PH on one, work on t'other. (I even get e little work done from time to time....
Plotloss said:
Same here.
Extra monitor is the way forward without doubt.
Though I have never grasped this TFT nettle.
I find CRT so much nicer to look at.
TFT ? CRT ? do what
English please Matt
talking to a simpleton here 
How about the Resolution and response times? what is good/Acceptable ?
>> Edited by shadytree on Friday 22 July 11:53
Flat panels - TFT
Traditional telly like - CRT
If you are playing lots of games or using stuff where clarity makes a real difference then CRT or VERY good TFT are your only real choices. On TFT the quicker the better.
If you are just general use then TFT/CRT makes little odds.
What are you using the machine for in the main?
If you are looking for more desktop space, I take it its generally 2D applications etc.
Dont you get sick of looking at 6 screens or so every day?
Traditional telly like - CRT
If you are playing lots of games or using stuff where clarity makes a real difference then CRT or VERY good TFT are your only real choices. On TFT the quicker the better.
If you are just general use then TFT/CRT makes little odds.
What are you using the machine for in the main?
If you are looking for more desktop space, I take it its generally 2D applications etc.
Dont you get sick of looking at 6 screens or so every day?
CRT = cathode ray tube.
Big monitors, like an old TV. Disadvantages include having to 'aim' the 3 coloured beams at the glass, so a bad CRT can look blurry.
Also high voltage electronics and capacitors likely to break, just like a TV so life expentancy not great.
Can flicker at high resolution and/or low refresh rate
TFT = LCD = those new-fangled thin ones
Obviously much smaller.
Quicker to turn on.
No aiming problems.
No screen 'missing' (i.e. a 17" LCD is ACTUALLY 17"
Disadvantages, very few do more than 1280x1024 resolution but most typical pistonheaders probably use 800x600 or 1024x768 anyway
.
Inability to adjust aim means image can be 'wobbly/blurry' when not using the screen's native (max) resolution: Analogy is putting 5 oranges into 4 boxes - you'll end up with something unbalanced because one box will have 2 oranges in.
No thrilling possibility of an electric shock from the screen (maybe an advantage).
Less dynamic range (only ranges from greyish black to greyish white).
Delay/blur on fast moving graphics.
All areas of screen permanently lit (even black areas are just an LCD pixel blocking out white light; obviously that's worse than not making the white light in the first place) so contrast tends to be worse. Also they don't work with LCD 3D glasses.
All IMO.
Russell
Big monitors, like an old TV. Disadvantages include having to 'aim' the 3 coloured beams at the glass, so a bad CRT can look blurry.
Also high voltage electronics and capacitors likely to break, just like a TV so life expentancy not great.
Can flicker at high resolution and/or low refresh rate
TFT = LCD = those new-fangled thin ones
Obviously much smaller.
Quicker to turn on.
No aiming problems.
No screen 'missing' (i.e. a 17" LCD is ACTUALLY 17"
Disadvantages, very few do more than 1280x1024 resolution but most typical pistonheaders probably use 800x600 or 1024x768 anyway
. Inability to adjust aim means image can be 'wobbly/blurry' when not using the screen's native (max) resolution: Analogy is putting 5 oranges into 4 boxes - you'll end up with something unbalanced because one box will have 2 oranges in.
No thrilling possibility of an electric shock from the screen (maybe an advantage).
Less dynamic range (only ranges from greyish black to greyish white).
Delay/blur on fast moving graphics.
All areas of screen permanently lit (even black areas are just an LCD pixel blocking out white light; obviously that's worse than not making the white light in the first place) so contrast tends to be worse. Also they don't work with LCD 3D glasses.
All IMO.
Russell
I went from 1 x 17" TFT to 2 x 17" TFT, rather than one 20+", because I got much more screen area for my money.
I needed to replace my graphics card with a dual head one, but that was easy enough and so was setting up.
Two monitors is great! I can have Photoshop open on one, folders of pix + toolbars on the other, and just drag them across.
I needed to replace my graphics card with a dual head one, but that was easy enough and so was setting up.
Two monitors is great! I can have Photoshop open on one, folders of pix + toolbars on the other, and just drag them across.
Plotloss said:
When you are looking at VGA cards look for these handy key phrases.
Twin Head
DVI and VGA Out
Either of these will allow you to connect 2 monitors.
can you please reply a bit quicker next time Matt
Can't see any on PC World's site ?
Any idea where to look?
>> Edited by shadytree on Monday 25th July 15:43
Personally I'd give PC world a wide berth for something like this.
This is the cheapest I can find:
www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?ASU-108490
This is the cheapest I can find:
www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?ASU-108490
Ok chaps, I pulled the trigger last night
Two 19" Proveiw DTK TFT-MA982K LCD TFT's for £210 each and a VGA Graffics card for £35.
Ok the monitors aren't top named brands, but the clarity and spec were good enough for my needs, and they look neat.
Max res 1280x1024, Response time 16ms, contrast ratio 500, 16.2 mln colors.
Got home, had the back off my pc in 30 seconds, new graffics card was in within one minute, plugged the new screens in with an adapter, switched the lot on, changed the display setting to duel monitors and hey presto. Peice of p**s.
Thanks for all the advice chaps.
Happy punter with more desktop than you can throw a mouse at
>> Edited by shadytree on Tuesday 26th July 07:22
Two 19" Proveiw DTK TFT-MA982K LCD TFT's for £210 each and a VGA Graffics card for £35.
Ok the monitors aren't top named brands, but the clarity and spec were good enough for my needs, and they look neat.
Max res 1280x1024, Response time 16ms, contrast ratio 500, 16.2 mln colors.
Got home, had the back off my pc in 30 seconds, new graffics card was in within one minute, plugged the new screens in with an adapter, switched the lot on, changed the display setting to duel monitors and hey presto. Peice of p**s.
Thanks for all the advice chaps.
Happy punter with more desktop than you can throw a mouse at
>> Edited by shadytree on Tuesday 26th July 07:22
Plotloss said:
What you need are colour profiles for your monitors.
Google for [monitor name] color (bloody yanks) profile
These are little files that you download that set the colours then its just a case of adjusting the monitor
So how's that work then? Do I have to change each colour? Remember I'm NOT a tefal head here
Think of it as accurate representation.
Its explained in depth here:
www.color.org/profile.html
For all intents and purposes though, it will probably work just fine out of the box.
All they do is ensure that the image as printed or shown on a monitor that is set correctly is accurately portrayed at design time on your monitor.
I am sure someone a little cleverer that me with at least some design experience can explain it a lot better though!
Its explained in depth here:
www.color.org/profile.html
For all intents and purposes though, it will probably work just fine out of the box.
All they do is ensure that the image as printed or shown on a monitor that is set correctly is accurately portrayed at design time on your monitor.
I am sure someone a little cleverer that me with at least some design experience can explain it a lot better though!
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff