[Retired] The LCD Thread

[palladium]

Originally posted by: squirrel9

Originally posted by: palladium
squirrel9, does your monitor show any banding with the Lagom.nl gradient test?

Yes, a little bit. But bear in mind that I'm running via the analog VGA-to-DVI cable right now, so that might have something to do with it.

I've seen this test with Gateway's current 24-inch TN monitor, and there was lots of very obvious banding. I've seen it with my Gateway 21-inch S-PVA monitor, and it was totally smooth -- no banding at all. And, that said, that was with an analog VGA input, as well.

At any rate, there's a bit of subtle banding with the HP H-IPS panel. It's definitely not completely smooth, but it's certainly not nearly as bad as the TN monitor I checked it with a week or so ago.

Weird, coz I have banding even with a DVI input. VGA input wouldn't work on my GTX280 ( dunno why), but I hooked it up to my old PC via VGA and there were no issues whatsoever.

Speaking of which, xtknight hasn't been online lately

 

[imported_realone]

Question about the BenQ G2400WD

I got one a few weeks ago and the top was darker then the bottom, no matter the view angles/settings, it was still to bright. So i sent it back for another one, got it and it's doing the same thing. Not sure it's suppose to do this or not, anyone else see this problem?

 

[n350z]

Anyone have info on the DS-2700DW yet? http://www.doublesight.com/product/?idx=31 It's a recent 2009 release.
The monitor is S-PVA panel (same as the Dell2709 just rebranded?) with plenty of inputs. If it has low input lag, I may get it. Hell, I'd be willing to play guinea pig and test it if there's a place I can buy it that has a generous return policy, just in case it sucks.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: palladium

Originally posted by: squirrel9

Originally posted by: palladium
squirrel9, does your monitor show any banding with the Lagom.nl gradient test?

Yes, a little bit. But bear in mind that I'm running via the analog VGA-to-DVI cable right now, so that might have something to do with it.

I've seen this test with Gateway's current 24-inch TN monitor, and there was lots of very obvious banding. I've seen it with my Gateway 21-inch S-PVA monitor, and it was totally smooth -- no banding at all. And, that said, that was with an analog VGA input, as well.

At any rate, there's a bit of subtle banding with the HP H-IPS panel. It's definitely not completely smooth, but it's certainly not nearly as bad as the TN monitor I checked it with a week or so ago.

Weird, coz I have banding even with a DVI input. VGA input wouldn't work on my GTX280 ( dunno why), but I hooked it up to my old PC via VGA and there were no issues whatsoever.

Speaking of which, xtknight hasn't been online lately

I've been on, just not much time lately. I'll get back to you guys.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: squirrel9

Originally posted by: Bavor
I posted this in a seperate thread before, but I was told I might get more answers here and should post it here again.

The Dell 2408WFP vs the HP LP2475w....

I posted a reply in the other thread -- might as well add it in here, too, for discussion's sake. I'll cut out most of the whining about incredibly poor Dell customer service that I had in the other one, though, and just cut to the chase:

I just made a choice in this comparison -- I chose the Dell.

The HP color uniformity issue has me utterly scared to death -- I've just seen too many reports about it. Waaay too many in comparison to any "no problem" reports.

I'm replacing a Gateway 21-inch FPD2185W, which is an S-PVA panel, like the Dell is. I have always been abundantly happy with the Gateway -- I just want a bigger monitor with higher resolution. So, I'm hoping that the Dell will be "more of the same."

The HP's H-IPS screen might have less lag, but that's not important to me whatsoever -- color uniformity is. Other things that led me towards Dell is how the TFT Central reviews showed the Dell's "sRGB simulation mode" to be quite a bit more effective than the HP's, and I'm really not going to be using much in the way of high-gamut software. Finally, the HP lacks an analog VGA port, and I can't help but think back to when I got my Gateway FPD2185W -- which many people, including myself, just couldn't get to work with DVI. I've also tried a few TN panels, and at times the VGA input made them almost tolerable compared to the DVI. In the end, I just want to have that option, and the Dell has it, but the HP doesn't.

Well this is a very sad state of affairs. I would refuse to use a monitor if the digital input didn't work.

I can understand the tint stuff. It sucks, and they should just fix it.

So, I have ordered the Dell. But it is taking them nearly a week just to ship it -- so far. I guess I've been spoiled by Amazon and other online sources where they routinely ship the same or next day after the order is placed -- God knows what Dell is doing with a whole freaking week.

Um yup..... like some of the policies that say "allow six weeks"...ridiculous.

Dell sounds like they've got a good return policy and a good warranty -- but at the glacial pace they move, I'm not so sure that these will turn out to be worth anything in the end. At this point, all I can hope is that they ship me something some day, and hopefully that "estimated delivery date" won't start stretching into "months down the road."

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: zeppelinfan2k3
Hello, joined this forum because this thread provided some great information, but I'm still not sure what would best fit my use.

So I got my tax rebate and am doing some monitor shopping.

The problem with monitors is, it seems, there's no perfect one. I want to buy an (obviously) main monitor, and the first question is that of TV versus monitor. Obviously, TV is lower resolution, but it's also cheaper for the size. I doubt it's worth getting a TV instead of a monitor, but feel free to correct me there. Also, as TVs are LCD based...do they use TN/VA/IPS panels too?

The bigger TVs use VA/IPS almost exclusively, and the smaller ones (<26" or so) use all TNs.

Assuming I get a monitor then, the first question is one of dual monitor versus single monitor. I have a 19" TN panel I use currently, and of course it works fine enough, so I figure if I get another monitor, I'll go ahead and use it as a secondary. But of course, if I get, say, a 30" monitor, I need dual link DVI to support the native resolution, which means I'm stuck with 1 monitor unless I buy another vid card and SLI them. So...24+19 versus 30 (I like the idea of dual monitors but can be swayed)?

Maybe single 24"? Sure you need 2560x1600 resolution? That's a lot....

With my dual 20" + 26" config I almost don't end up using the 20".

Then comes VA vs IPS on an axis of cost (engineering yey). Now, if I get a 24", I like Dell's 2408WFP, though it's a VA it has great reviews. Alternately, I can get the 3007WFP for twice as much but that monitor is also IPS. Hell, I could even get a refurb of the 3008WFP for the same price (are refurbs a bad idea?). I am listing all Dells because I like the price points compared to the NECs which are roughly twice as much (and even if they're much better, I struggle to think that as a non-pro-photography user that difference is worth it).

Thoughts, anyone? My biggest hangup is a 30 inch IPS at the same price (roughly) as 2 24" VA panels. Basically the same screen space (a little more in favor of the 24s), but upgrade in panels...

Also, I have no colorimeter or other such fancy calibration tools, are these really necessary to have? =

For the record, the usage is typical engineering/student stuff, office suite, schematics, games, videos, etc...

Thanks in advance for any help.

You don't need a colorimeter or anything.

You can try the HP LP2475W or the Dell 2408WFP. I'd give the HP a shot if you want to deal with the maybe 30% possibility of getting a panel with bad uniformity and having to deal with HP support to get exchanges.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: goodCat
Hey guys!
I'm really interested in buying the LG L245WP-BN but I don't seem to find anywhere details about this aspect: is it standard or extended gamut?

It's standard. http://lcd24-7.info/Monitor/LG/Flatron-L245WP/Default.aspx

Color gamut 72% NTSC.

Also, would it be suitable for office work, webdesign (coding and photoshop), movies, web surfing etc. I won't be playing any games on it.
thanks!

Sure...it may be better than the 2408WFP for those activities due to being standard gamut.

 

[squirrel9]

Well this is a very sad state of affairs. I would refuse to use a monitor if the digital input didn't work.

Well, that was a while back, and I presumed that it had more to do with my video card than the monitor itself. I'm now using much more up-to-date hardware, "new computer." But I was actually very happy with the monitor just the same, via analog VGA.

And I've got more news about the HP 2475w. I'm still using the analog VGA-to-DVI hookup, and I continue to tweak it.

About the only reason for trying analog VGA, and the continued tweaking, is that I can not, can not, can not, can not, just can not, just FREAKING CAN NOT get a balance between brightness and contrast that I'm anywhere near happy with.

After a reset to "factory default," the thing is about four million times brighter than I can stand -- it's on 90, and I've got to get it down to something like 15. I guess I'm in very low lighting most of the time, I suppose I should say. I've got it halfway tolerable now -- I suppose I should try some slight tweaking, over a period of several days. Though, "to heck with that" -- I'll probably go back to DVI and tweak around that again, before I spend much more time messing with this analog hookup.

I don't think I can use the TFT Central tweaking -- I'm just really not using anything that'll make use of the wide gamut, and using anything other than the sRGB setting pretty much gives me the day-glow greens and reds. Also, the TFT Central's contrast is quite a bit higher than I'd ever use.

I'm actually thinking in terms of buying a calibrator, but I've got to learn quite a bit more about them. Bottom line, I want to start with a MUCH, MUCH, MUCH lower brightness than the factory default, and then try to dial in proper contrast and color from there. At any rate, "I'm all ears" if anyone has some ideas to toss my way, and I'd appreciate learning from you guys.

Oh, and I've got an update about the lagom.nl gradient test -- whatever I did with my last round of tweakings made that much, much, MUCH better. Absolutely no banding at all. I think the biggest difference was likely a switch from the TFT color tweaks to the 2475's sRGB setting.

Anyway, enough for now -- time to go dig out that DVI cable!

 

[Paladin]

I just tried the gradient test on that site on my 2475w, no banding at all. I'm using DVI from my EVGA GTX 260. Using the tft central osd settings.

 

[LokutusofBorg]

Originally posted by: squirrel9
About the only reason for trying analog VGA, and the continued tweaking, is that I can not, can not, can not, can not, just can not, just FREAKING CAN NOT get a balance between brightness and contrast that I'm anywhere near happy with.

After a reset to "factory default," the thing is about four million times brighter than I can stand -- it's on 90, and I've got to get it down to something like 15. I guess I'm in very low lighting most of the time, I suppose I should say. I've got it halfway tolerable now -- I suppose I should try some slight tweaking, over a period of several days. Though, "to heck with that" -- I'll probably go back to DVI and tweak around that again, before I spend much more time messing with this analog hookup.

I don't think I can use the TFT Central tweaking -- I'm just really not using anything that'll make use of the wide gamut, and using anything other than the sRGB setting pretty much gives me the day-glow greens and reds. Also, the TFT Central's contrast is quite a bit higher than I'd ever use.

I'm actually thinking in terms of buying a calibrator, but I've got to learn quite a bit more about them. Bottom line, I want to start with a MUCH, MUCH, MUCH lower brightness than the factory default, and then try to dial in proper contrast and color from there. At any rate, "I'm all ears" if anyone has some ideas to toss my way, and I'd appreciate learning from you guys.

Oh, and I've got an update about the lagom.nl gradient test -- whatever I did with my last round of tweakings made that much, much, MUCH better. Absolutely no banding at all. I think the biggest difference was likely a switch from the TFT color tweaks to the 2475's sRGB setting.

Anyway, enough for now -- time to go dig out that DVI cable!

Check out my reply at the end of this thread, as I had similar issues with brightness on my two 2408WFPs, and they're now very pleasant to sit in front of all day.

 

[squirrel9]

Originally posted by: KevinC
I just tried the gradient test on that site on my 2475w, no banding at all. I'm using DVI from my EVGA GTX 260. Using the tft central osd settings.

I'm back on DVI now, with the TFT Central color settings, but with brightness, contrast, and gamma just all over the place. Actually, I'm getting a little closer with the latter 3 in terms of proper contrast and such, but I really can't say that I'm happy with it.

The gradient test is showing just a wee bit of banding -- just barely enough to be noticeable. It's about the least of my worries, though.

The bottom line seems to be that I just have to run this monitor about twice as bright as I want in order to get anything even remotely in the ballpark in terms of proper contrast and such. Might as well just toss the computer out the window, and go out and stare right into the sun instead. Not too happy overall, at this point........

 

[squirrel9]

Originally posted by: LokutusofBorg
Check out my reply at the end of this thread, as I had similar issues with brightness on my two 2408WFPs, and they're now very pleasant to sit in front of all day.

OK --- our messages posted at virtually the same time -- you can see that I'm getting a bit frustrated! I'm done tearing out my hair for one night -- I'll spend some quality time with your stuff tomorrow. It certainly sounds like we're talking up the same tree, so thanks for the info, and I'll give it a shot!

 

[UzairH]

Hi Xtknight and others here,

I am getting a display for the usual - gaming, movies, and general use. I had decided on the BenQ G2400, but now I see there is a 22" IPS display available, the Dell UltraSharp 2209WA, and in your gaming displays recommendation you put it above the G2400. I don't have experience with an IPS panel so I am uncertain what advantage the 2209WA would have over the G2400 in terms of colors and viewing angles. If you have seen both, what are your views on the differences? Are the color range, accuracy, and brightness noticably better on the Dell eIPS compared to the BenQ TN? One thing I really dislike is color banding, does the BenQ have that? What about viewing angle differences?

Where I am the 2209WA is 20% pricier than the G2400WA. And of course the G2400 is slightly larger than the 2209WA; so if there is little difference in image quality I will go with the BenQ.

Finally, there are several G2400 variants available; the G2400WD is 15% cheaper than the G2400WA. Are there any image quality and response time differences between them?

Thanks for the answers!

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Pugnate
Thank you for your help xtknight!!!

The aspect ratio boggles my mind a lot as well. I don't get it.

The monitor you pointed out isn't available to me. I am kinda stuck between the HP 19'' and the HP 20''.

Yeah ... sorry I can't really help you further than that. Then go with the good ol' "bigger is better" adage...

 

[Winterpool]

Gentlemen, if I may bring this to your attention: the HP LP2475w is on sale at CostCentral for $567.52, free postage. This is the lowest total price I've seen for a new display of this model. Despite my recent Dell 2209WA acquisition, I am giving this serious consideration (there are 600 or so left).

 

[videogames101]

Question, what voltage to LCDs use, and I mean to say after ac/dc conversion.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: ImDonly1
I am looking to buy a 19" LCD. I currently have a 17" Samsung. I don't want to go 22 or 24 because I think that is too big. 19, maybe 20 inches max. I was wondering if you guys could give some recommendations. I am willing to spend $200 maximum. The monitor will be used for internet browsing, gaming, and sometimes I watch tv episodes on the computer.

I am looking into the Samsung t190. Does anyone have any opinions on it?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16824001274

Also what is the difference between the t190 and the 933bw or 953bw? They are all in the same price maybe $10 difference. The 953bw can be bought for like $140-$150 in-store I think (ignore amazon price).

Is the t190 the newest? Which is best?

Please tell me your opinions on the t190/933bw/953bw and/or other recommendations.

Thanks.

Yea the Samsung T190 is actually not a bad choice according to X-Bit Labs.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articl...ung-topaz_5.html#sect0

Really not sure about the 19" widescreens but I don't recommend them in general anyways. They are too small for my taste.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Cynnr
Hey hey,

This is driving me crazy.

Syncmaster 2693hm

There a very annoying gape at the top of my viewing area. It's somewhere in the neighborhood of a 1/4 inch. I tried using the monitors menu options to adjust it but it says it's unavailable. I don't quite understand why its unavailable if the option exists.

A friend of mine suggested that it may require an analogue connection in order to access this function.

Questions:

1) Does the analogue theory make sense?
2) How do I produce said analogue connection?

Well the VGA connection would allow the monitor to have those parameters be adjustable, but that's only because the DVI connection is supposed to be perfect with no problem at all. Are you sure you're running at 1920x1200 instead of 1920x1080? Have you tried messing with any advanced video card timing/refresh settings?

If I'm barking up the wrong tree then for the love of something please tell me how to fix this stupid yet awesome thing.

PS I love this monitor

Arrg - Seems as though my display is also getting dimmer and then brighter all on it's own. Now this could be do to the slight power issues that are present in my city. This is due to a late winter storm or it could be that my beloved display is dying.

Halp!!

Thanks,

Hmm not sure what to say about this one.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: ielmox
Possible new addition to the list - inexpensive H-IPS panel: Philips 240PW9

I've been shopping for a 24" monitor to serve as a good all-rounder (text document work, gaming, movies, a little graphical work) and was looking at the HP LP2475w, considered a good monitor from most points of view and sporting an H-IPS panel with low input lag. Then I found out that HP in my territory charges USD 1,050 and up for this monitor (i.e. twice its real price elsewhere and I am in Hong Kong, a city famous for inexpensive tech!).

I have asked HP why, of course, and suggested maybe someone made a pricing error along the way. No reply yet. I will continue pestering them because I find this pricing utterly criminal.

Then I came across the Philips 240PW9EB (or just 240PW9), which uses the exact same LCD panel found in the HP LP2475w (number LM240WU4, which is an LG Philips part). The Philips is available here for USD 480, well under half the price of the HP. Although this model has been out since late 2008 there is surprisingly little information about it. I have seen distributors in Singapore getting really excited about this model, but no reviews or any real attention from the heavyweights. Here is some info:

http://lcd24-7.info/Monitor/Philips/240PW9EB/Default.aspx

http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/...liance_240pw9eb/277784

Same screen as the LP2475w, similar ergonomics, better looking design, slimmer. But the Philips has WAY fewer connections options, being limited to just one DVI and one d-sub, which does suck. Whereas the LP2475w has 2xDVI, DisplayPort, HDMI, and more.

I can't link to the Philips web site because they use a Quicktime plugin for browsing, and I can't find the direct URL for the monitor page. Check under the 24" Business monitors.

Those more knowledgeable than I may want to keep an eye out for this display, as it is a decent proven H-IPS panel that is quite affordable.... assuming connectivity is not an issue, it may even make the LCD Thread recommendation list!

I am still shopping for a monitor, but the Philips is definitely on my shortlist.... and the HP LP2475w is not, until its price here is adjusted to something reasonable.

I would like to add another IPS-based panel but the only reason I'm hesitant is because that model is not available in the US. Since the majority of my user base is North American that's a bit hard to justify.

I also am not a fan of the dearth of reviews...

But that has nothing to do with the actual quality of the monitor. It might be a great monitor, I'm just not sure enough of that to add it to the list.

Originally posted by: videogames101
Question, what voltage to LCDs use, and I mean to say after ac/dc conversion.

I don't know....something like 0-5V or 0-10V to twist the crystals.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: realone
Question about the BenQ G2400WD

I got one a few weeks ago and the top was darker then the bottom, no matter the view angles/settings, it was still to bright. So i sent it back for another one, got it and it's doing the same thing. Not sure it's suppose to do this or not, anyone else see this problem?

You are probably noticing the effects of using a TN panel.

Originally posted by: n350z
Anyone have info on the DS-2700DW yet? http://www.doublesight.com/product/?idx=31 It's a recent 2009 release.
The monitor is S-PVA panel (same as the Dell2709 just rebranded?) with plenty of inputs. If it has low input lag, I may get it. Hell, I'd be willing to play guinea pig and test it if there's a place I can buy it that has a generous return policy, just in case it sucks.

Not sure. Although the Dell 2709WFP certainly fits the use cases for now.

 

[phenwaz]

[Moved from a separate thread with some minor editing]

Hi all,

I currently own a (approx) 3 year old 20" ACD and am looking to 'upgrade' to a 24" LCD for bigger res and 1080p.

A friend has offered me his 23" ACD for AUD$500 (it's basically brand new still in the box - he never used it), and the only thing holding me back is the response time on the older ACD's (approx 16ms).

I'm aware of the issues with the cheaper TN panels and that there are very mixed reviews for the 'mid-range' Dell 2408WFP (which I am seriously considering purchasing except it is currently not on sale and even with a 10% EPP discount, it's about AUD$900).

Alternatively, I could just get a 24" TN panel (such as the Samsung 2443) for about $450 , i.e. half the cost of one Dell and about 1/3 the cost of any normal IPS panel.

• If anyone has every compared the different panel types side-by-side, how noticeable is the difference?

• I should also add that 1:1 scaling is probably needed? And having used the 20" ACD for years, I'm guessing the 'quality' drop to a TN panel will be noticeable?

My uses are: general day-to-day web-surfing, watching of movies, gaming (including FPS), and some minor graphic design/editing. I would prefer 1920x1200 (instead of 1080) for the extra real estate and because I really don't mind the black bars for movies.

Things that will annoy me: irregular image quality (ghosting, fuzzy text, differing brightness throughout the screen), poor dead pixel/quality policies, etc.

What would you guys recommend? Money isn't an issue so much as 'value for money' ... that said, I don't plan on spending $1500 on one of the 24" IPS panels. I probably would buy the 24" LED ACD if connection to a PC was possible - I understand this is still an issue? Essentially it boils down to whether about AUD$450 for a (Samsung/BenQ/etc) TN panel is worth it given the quality of TN panels or whether I should fork out the extra cash for the Dell, or even an IPS panel... In addition, the option of purchasing my friend's 23" ACD isn't a bad opportunity aside from the slightly dated technology and fact it is no longer under warranty.

I'd appreciate any feedback

 

[squirrel9]

Another HP LP2475w update.

LokutusofBorg's message in the other, "calibration" thread contained what I think is the simple solution to "getting correct brightness and contrast," though it was just another step in his process, and it sure doesn't seem to be shouted from the rooftops in simple terms. So, let me take a stab at it here, and then I'll move my discussion to the calibration thread.

OK, so the big LCD screens of the day are something like two times to TEN TIMES AS BRIGHT as anyone could possibly use, if you're working in light anywhere less than blazing electronic-store lighting, like at Best Buy.

Yes, the Brightness and Contrast controls have some effect on the overall screen brightness -- especially the Brightness control -- but you usually just can't get correct brightness and contrast by using the Brightness control.

Brightness really just "sets the black level," and Contrast "sets the white level." Usually, these levels are at odds with any effort taken to adjust the screen brightness with the Brightness control.

So, you set the Brightness so that you can see a good range of "darks" above the "darkest dark," and you do the same with the "whites" with the Contrast control. But your screen will still be retina-searing bright, right? So, what can you possibly do now?

Simple. Here's the key: TURN DOWN THE COLORS. Get into the "custom colors" mode, and drop those colors down to halfway, or whatever gives you the screen brightness you want.

That's it -- "done." The amounts of the three colors, combined, provide the true "brightness" of your screen. So, it gets pretty simple from here -- crank the colors down, check the color accuracy as best you can, and tweak the Brightness and the Contrast to get really good black levels and white levels. Try a few different color settings to make sure you like what you've got, re-adjust the Brightness and Contrast if necessary, and eventually you'll have what you want.

Simple as that, unless I'm misguided here.

That said, I did a little spreadsheet with the TFT Central's red/green/blue values, so I could easily get equivalents at 50% or some other amount. I started with 50%, and that's what I'm running right now. I think there's a bit of room for tweaking as I've got it now, but at least it's got "normal" brightness and contrast, and the color seems to be fine. I sure don't know if the average color controls on these monitors are "linear" as I've presumed here, but certainly, turning them way down absolutely "got me in the ballpark." Essentially, now that I've got the retina-searing brightness turned way down, I can actually start "tweaking" and get EXACTLY what I want. I hope!

Oh, and the "gradient" test is nice and smooth. So that's good, too.

 

[LokutusofBorg]

Glad I could help. You stated it pretty much how it hit me. Once I realized what were the controlling factors it became easy to play with the right settings to make the monitor start doing what I wanted. There was no end to the frustration before that mini paradigm shift hit me.

 

[zeppelinfan2k3]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: zeppelinfan2k3
Hello, joined this forum because this thread provided some great information, but I'm still not sure what would best fit my use.

So I got my tax rebate and am doing some monitor shopping.

The problem with monitors is, it seems, there's no perfect one. I want to buy an (obviously) main monitor, and the first question is that of TV versus monitor. Obviously, TV is lower resolution, but it's also cheaper for the size. I doubt it's worth getting a TV instead of a monitor, but feel free to correct me there. Also, as TVs are LCD based...do they use TN/VA/IPS panels too?

The bigger TVs use VA/IPS almost exclusively, and the smaller ones (<26" or so) use all TNs.

Ah ok, so other than resolution, any large screen, TV or monitor, will have non-TN screens? Good to know, thanks.

Assuming I get a monitor then, the first question is one of dual monitor versus single monitor. I have a 19" TN panel I use currently, and of course it works fine enough, so I figure if I get another monitor, I'll go ahead and use it as a secondary. But of course, if I get, say, a 30" monitor, I need dual link DVI to support the native resolution, which means I'm stuck with 1 monitor unless I buy another vid card and SLI them. So...24+19 versus 30 (I like the idea of dual monitors but can be swayed)?

Maybe single 24"? Sure you need 2560x1600 resolution? That's a lot....

With my dual 20" + 26" config I almost don't end up using the 20".

Well the 24+19 is just because I'll have the 19 kicking around with nothing better to do. I don't think I need 2560x1600 resolution though. I mostly use 2 screens not for space as much as being able to see multiple documents without minimizing and maximizing and alt-tabbing all over the place.

Then comes VA vs IPS on an axis of cost (engineering yey). Now, if I get a 24", I like Dell's 2408WFP, though it's a VA it has great reviews. Alternately, I can get the 3007WFP for twice as much but that monitor is also IPS. Hell, I could even get a refurb of the 3008WFP for the same price (are refurbs a bad idea?). I am listing all Dells because I like the price points compared to the NECs which are roughly twice as much (and even if they're much better, I struggle to think that as a non-pro-photography user that difference is worth it).

Thoughts, anyone? My biggest hangup is a 30 inch IPS at the same price (roughly) as 2 24" VA panels. Basically the same screen space (a little more in favor of the 24s), but upgrade in panels...

Also, I have no colorimeter or other such fancy calibration tools, are these really necessary to have? =

For the record, the usage is typical engineering/student stuff, office suite, schematics, games, videos, etc...

Thanks in advance for any help.

You don't need a colorimeter or anything.

You can try the HP LP2475W or the Dell 2408WFP. I'd give the HP a shot if you want to deal with the maybe 30% possibility of getting a panel with bad uniformity and having to deal with HP support to get exchanges.

Awesome, I was looking at the Dell and will look at the HP too. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[squirrel9]

Originally posted by: LokutusofBorg
Glad I could help. You stated it pretty much how it hit me. Once I realized what were the controlling factors it became easy to play with the right settings to make the monitor start doing what I wanted. There was no end to the frustration before that mini paradigm shift hit me.

Yep, many thanks!

I actually bumped up the colors a bit -- went to 60%, up from 50%, and reset the brightness and contrast -- and I think that's as close as I'm going to get.

All that said, though.... With a dark screen (low-light photos at full screen, etc.), there's really quite a bit of TN-like "reflectability" especially at the lower part of the screen, and that's absolutely the LAST thing I'm looking for in a $600+ "better than TN" monitor. My 21-inch Gateway S-PVA just has none of this -- absolutely, utterly NONE.

I'm still scheming to get my hands on a Dell 2408WFP, to see if it's as good as my old Gateway in that regard. I just want to be rid of ANY of this awful viewing-angle "reflectability" -- just give me a 100% stable screen without any of it, please.

The HP is certainly miles better than TN, of course -- but unless it's more of a "size" issue, the S-PVA is just kicking some H-IPS rear end as far as I can tell.