Minimum Key Specs for Flat Panel LCD Monitor?

[rkr1958]

I'm considering buying a flat panel LCD monitor. I just wanted to get your inputs on what are the minimum key specs I should be looking for when buying a 19" or 17" monitor. For example, DVI and VGA connection. In terms of the others I really don't have a clue on what they should be. Thanks in advance.

[Capmaster]

The DVI monitors are going to cost quite a bit more than the VGA-input ones because they are strictly digital.

I have a 20" HP digital panel at work and a Sony 17" VGA-input panel at home because of the price difference. I think the analog one I have looks fantastic and I really can't tell the difference in screen quality.

Refresh rate and resolution are the two big specs. If you're planning on gaming they say you should go with a 16 mSec refresh, but I think that's just for hard-core gamers that are sensitive to that stuff. 25 mSec looks just great to me.

Resolution: Probably want as high as you can get within reason. I wouldn't accept one that was lower than 1600 x 1200 native resolution. And it'll look better running at its native resolution

[rkr1958]

Thanks ...

Capmaster, If I read you right then you believe that from a cost-benefit perspective that VGA is a better value than DVI? Also, I've heard contrast ratio quoted for these monitors. Is this spec significant compared to refresh rate and resolution?

Also, I'm not a big gamer. I do video stuff and I use my computer as a second (or third) TV and DVD player. Mainly for my son to watch his video but sometimes I'll catch a ballgame or World Poker Championship (WPC) game while my wife watches something else.

[Capmaster]

Thanks ...

Capmaster, If I read you right then you believe that from a cost-benefit perspective that VGA is a better value than DVI? Also, I've heard contrast ratio quoted for these monitors. Is this spec significant compared to refresh rate and resolution?

Also, I'm not a big gamer. I do video stuff and I use my computer as a second (or third) TV and DVD player. Mainly for my son to watch his video but sometimes I'll catch a ballgame or World Poker Championship (WPC) game while my wife watches something else.

Yeah, I think so. My analog panel looks just great and it was at least $100 less than the same mfg. and size in a digital panel. And 17" is truly 17" so it's larger than the old 17" CRT in screen area, which used the diagonal distance from tube corner to tube corner to get that number, not just the viewable. Same principle as calling a DVD "4.7GB". Marketing hype

The contrast ratio is another spec but those can be misleading. You really should look at them side by side to compare. Always important when shopping for a monitor. Vendors have ways of fudging the numbers to make a monitor look better on paper than it really is, so there's no substitute for an eyeball comparison

[rkr1958]

I bit the bullet last Saturday on this one. I got a Sony 19'' Flat Panel LCD, Model SDM-HS94Phttp://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1090933160993&skuId=6781636&type=product for my local Best Buy for $699 w/$100MIB.

So far I've been very happy with it. I had an old 17" CRT (EV700) for the past four years. I do believe that the brightness and contrast on it must have been defective because I also had both at 100%. I'd had trouble with dark video scenes (such as the night scenes in Brother Bear).

Pardon the pun but the difference between my 17" CRT and my Sony 19" Flat Panel is like night and day.

[ViRaL1]

Looks like a pretty good deal. Not much better online. Sony's pretty good on the visual end.

[rkr1958]

Guess what ... this past Sunday I saw this same monitor advertised in CompUSA for $699 w/$100 Instant Rebate and $100 MIB. Since it's been less than 30-days since my purchase I took the add and my receipt back to Best Buy and they refunded me $108 = $100 price difference + $8 (sales tax) . It turns out that Best Buy is now selling this monitor for the $599 w/$100 MIR.

The refunded $108 is like an early Christmas Present.

[ViRaL1]

That is ONE good thing big stores have over e-tailers. Price matching really comes in handy. Especially if you know how to work the system. Some times you can get some really kick ass deals. It seems a little harder than it used to be now since a lot of places started factoring in their MIRs as part of the deal. Although you can usually bypass that by getting the price match AFTER the sale as opposed to up front. If you let the period that the MIR is offered pass, they usually can't say much.