recommend a monitor, please

KK
Posted By
Karla_Kraus
Dec 5, 2007
Views
637
Replies
23
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Closed
I’ve just upgraded to Vista (alas). I have 3.5 gigs of ram and a lot of storage, and I need a new monitor. My work is mostly in PS; I scan my own photos and composite them, save as psds, and render them as high quality jpegs for use in slide-choreographies to music that I create in ProShow Producer. For examples, see the Gallery of <http://www.thelarkascending.org>

I’ve been using a Nec Multisync for years, and now my computerperson tells me that I should have either a plasma or an LCD. I don’t like those I’ve seen of the latter–in the reference room of the public library, for instance–so it’s possible I haven’t seen the best examples.

Thanks to one and all,
Karla

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MV
Mathias_Vejerslev
Dec 5, 2007
Did you try a search of the forum? Your question is quite a common one.
SP
Sid_Phillips
Dec 5, 2007
Some of this is going to depend on your budget. But you can get good LCDs for under $1,000. Or you can get high-end monitors for several thousand.

I’ll keep running my CRTs as long as I can. But when I have to replace them, I’ll scan reviews and see if there’s anything like a consensus on what’s best at the moment. But I would definitely stay away from the $200-$300 monitors.
KK
Karla_Kraus
Dec 5, 2007
I’m glad to hear you say you like the CRTs that much. Unless I hear otherwise from someone else, I’ll keep mine too for the moment.

The big problem as I see it is that one may create fantastic stuff on one’s system with a fairly decent monitor and then turn the stuff loose to folks who have low-end lcds.

At the same time, I’ll go have a look at some lcds and plasmas in a store, maybe bring along a cd.
PF
Peter_Figen
Dec 6, 2007
Karla,

It’s almost useless to look at any images on a monitor in a store, unless they’re a high end specialty shop and can show you comparative images on hardware calibrated displays in a controlled lighting environment and show them to you in Photoshop or another color managed application.

The NEC Spectraview 2960 is getting pretty good reviews and it’s reasonably priced around $1500. The Eizo LCDs are considered some of the best, but you’ll be buying yourself an expensive Christmas present there.

If you don’t already have hardware calibration, you’ll definitely need to get it. Figure on spending a couple hundred there.
KK
Karla_Kraus
Dec 6, 2007
Peter,

I take it the Spectraview is a plasma. One thing I should do is look at a high end LCD like your Eizo and a Spectraview and see what the real difference is.

Many thanks at least for pointing me in a direction.

Best,
Karla
KK
Karla_Kraus
Dec 8, 2007
Peter,

I went over to B&H here in NYC several days ago and saw a variety of lcd monitors on display, including 2 Eizos and at least 2 Lacies. There were no plasmas. I looked at plasma tvs in the tv dept and was told that plasma tvs do not come in sizes smaller than 42"; if that goes for computer monitors as well, 42" would certainly be overkill for me and a good many other computer graphic folks.

Frankly, the high end lcds don’t seem all that bad; I expected worse. And if I were to go for one, I’d keep my crt and run them both side by side for a while to see what was what.

Of the Eizos and Lacies, I preferred the latter, though don’t ask me why.

Now no one scoff, please: I persuaded the gents on duty to put a file of mine on the monitors of all the lcds they stock, and I’m going back on a very rainy or snowy day in Jan, when the store is practically empty, to hold them to their promise.

So there we are. Anyone have anything to suggest?

Best,
Karla
BO
Burton_Ogden
Dec 8, 2007
Karla,

You might be interested in this information from B&H about 14-bit color and related hardware < http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/find/newsLetter/Bang-for-Your- Bits.jsp>, including LCD monitors.

— Burton —
BD
Brett_Dalton
Dec 10, 2007
Hehehe…. and people were bitching about PS droping a bit here and there (do a google on Photoshop and 15bit).

I was actually really impressed with the Dell 3007WFP-HC we just got at work. Aside from being MASSIVE 30′ displays they also claim a 92% of NTSC colour gamut. Once calibrated I was pretty impressed, it’s not perfect but given as an educational institution we got them for somthing like 60% of the retail I cant complain.

BRETT
KK
Karla_Kraus
Dec 10, 2007
Well, my geek says Dell belongs in hell; don’t buy anything from them, for him to install anyway.

A THOUGHT occurs; it’s actually an old thought, and for those of you who have been that way, sorry to go over it yet again. It’s fine and good to have a great system, including monitor, to work on, but what happens when you send your really splendid-looking stuff off to folks who have a so-so LCD, like something that came in the box?

Years ago I went through the same line of thinking with my designer-friends who were all on macs. My q to them then is still the same: what’s the point of generating fabulous stuff on your high-and-mighty macs when most of the world–the consuming world–is on pcs and is just not going to see it JUST the way you intended?

Karla
BL
Bob Levine
Dec 10, 2007
Well, my geek says Dell belongs in hell; don’t buy anything from them, for him to install anyway.

Find a new geek. Anyone making blanket statements like that is to be avoided at all costs.

I’ve got 24" widescreen and a 20" widescreen. I love them both.

Bob
JJ
John_Joslin
Dec 10, 2007
The high and mighty Macs have the same display manufacturers as the lowly PCs – they are just named and packaged nicely and priced higher.

And in any case, an image produced on a properly calibrated display will look just the same on any other properly calibrated display.
PF
Peter_Figen
Dec 11, 2007
"what’s the point of generating fabulous stuff on your high-and-mighty macs when most of the world–the consuming world–is on pcs and is just not going to see it JUST the way you intended"

At least you KNOW it started out right and however someone else sees it is their problem.
P
Phosphor
Dec 11, 2007
You do your best and release it into the wild.

Anybody who cares and for whom it matters will hopefully know about calibration and will have taken at least some steps to get their shifts together.

🙂
KK
Karla_Kraus
Dec 13, 2007
Len,

I’ve encountered you before somewhere–hmmmm. Are you a sysop?

My computerrepairperson (who says he has no objection to being referred to by the g-word) was unable to make it here today due to heavy snow. On the phone, he reminded me that the video card is brand-new, as is the whole system, and none of it is likely to be the culprit.

It happens that what I have is a NEC Multi-synch 21, and he too said "one of the guns most likely." Well, from what I can make out, there are two cables coming out of the back of the monitor, a power cord, which I guess is ok, and a cord connecting to the computer. That’s the cable-connector you mean, yes? But is it also the "gun," or are there some switches back there and should I make an effort to turn the beast around to see?

Let’s assume for the moment that the cable connector is the culprit. What should I do?

Let me explain that I intend to acquire a new monitor–a sort of high-end lcd to replace this crt–but I’m in the middle of a PS project right now and don’t want to do anything like that on a rush basis–unless I absolutely have to. I was planning to go over to B&H next month with a cd of some of my current stuff, see what it looked like on all their LCDs, including an Eizo and a Lacie, and then buy one.

Karla
BL
Bob Levine
Dec 13, 2007
HA! With a new system ANYTHING could be the culprit.

Bob
RK
Rob_Keijzer
Dec 13, 2007
Karla,

I had this with my CRT (before I bought an LCD): The screen would suddenly be magenta.

It was one of the pins in the connector that goes into the video card. I bet it was the Green channel 🙂 The instance I touched it the proper behaviour kicked in.

I "polished" the contacts by repeatedly pulling it out and re-inserting, after which it behaved well. Mind you, I calibrated/profiled the beast after that.

I already had my new LCD (and graphics card) on order, so I wasn’t too worried about having an unreliable monitor.

Rob
DM
dave_milbut
Dec 13, 2007
What should I do?

jiggle it carefully while watching the screen. both on the monitor end and in the end that plugs in the the video card on the back of the computer. if it’s loose and has thumb screws, tighten it.
L
LenHewitt
Dec 13, 2007
Hi Karla,

I’ve encountered you before somewhere–hmmmm. Are you a sysop?<<

For another couple of weeks or so, Yes, and then I’m taking a well-earned rest from forum duties.

But is it also the "gun,"<<

No, the 3 guns are part and parcel of the monitor tube and are what squirt electrons at the tube face to make it glow!

cable connector is the culprit. What should I do? <<

Like Dave says. Unplug and plug in again, Jiggle/shake etc.
P
Phosphor
Dec 13, 2007
Are you dead positive it’s not just a bad monitor profile?
RK
Rob_Keijzer
Dec 13, 2007
Karla,

You can jiggle the video plugs to see if that clears the problem 😛

Rob
KK
Karla_Kraus
Dec 13, 2007
Ok, great, and again many thanks. It’s interesting that this happened only when I turned the monitor and system on this morning and that once I turned the monitor off and and then on again, everything returned to normal.

I passed all of this on to my computerperson, and now I guess what I’ll do is wait to see if it happens again and then start jiggling–unless yawl tell me otherwise.

Karla
KK
Karla_Kraus
Dec 14, 2007
Thanks one and all. So far I don’t see the problem returning. However, I do keep the system including monitor on all day and into the evening. So from now on, to conserve, I’ll turn the monitor off when I walk away for a while.

Ciao for now,

Karla
DM
dave_milbut
Dec 14, 2007
set the monitor to power off after say 10 minutes inactivity in start> settings> control panel> display> screen saver> power settings. moving the mouse or touching the keyboard powers it back on when you get back.

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