[Hambino]

I made a different thread but it got lost when the db crashed. Anywho, I need a monitor for post processing (I only have PCs hooked up to TVs right now, no monitors ). What specs should I be looking at here?? What are y'all using?

Thanks!

[wlachan]

Just look for those with IPS panels.

[mikemike]

Depending on your budget:
30" NEC IPS 2560x1600 $2300 - Newegg.com - NEC LCD3090W-BK-SV (this is the most accurate monitor out there but you pay dearly for it)
30" Dell IPS 2560x1600 $1500 - UltraSharp U3011 30?W Monitor with PremierColor Details
30" HP IPS 2560x1600 $1150 - Newegg.com - HP ZR30w (reviewers there complain about a buzzing and oversaturation though)
27" Dell IPS 2560x1440 $1100 - UltraSharp U2711 69cm (27?W) Monitor with PremierColor Details
27" Apple IPS 2560x1440 $1000 - Apple LED Cinema Display (27" flat panel) - Apple Store (U.S.) (This is glossy finish which I find very annoying and the only input is mini-display port which might mean you need a new graphics card or an adapter)
26" Viewsonic IPS 1920x1200 $950- Newegg.com - ViewSonic VP2655wb
23" NEC IPS 1920x1080 $300 - Newegg.com - NEC EA231WMI-BK

[NaClH2O]

Hi Hambino and welcome!

Here is a good place to start: flatpanelshd (scroll down to Graphic Monitors) Thru their recommendations I got the HP LP2475 which is an IPS (In plane switching) monitor. I've been very happy with it and I was spoiled because my previous monitor was a 20" Sun Microsystems CRT. It is every bit as good as the Sun, and much bigger!
One other thing. If you are planning on getting a good monitor it really really pays to get a monitor calibration tool and software. My new HP was VASTLY improved after I calibrated it. Spyder, Huey, and others all have a variety of calibrators. I own the Spyder Elite and can vouch for it's relative ease of use, flexibility and accuracy.

NaCl(I've also heard good things about the Dell U2410)H2O

[Ratmagiclady]

Ye Gods, some of those are pricey.

I'm kind of in pretty much the same boat as Hambino, here, (I was going to post my own thread on this, but it seems a little redundant) and I do tend to glaze over at the specs. I presume that if a given thing is IPS, it'll proudly say so? (What is that, anyway? )

You seem to know a good deal about what's out there, Mike, and I'm wondering if there are any somewhat-more-affordable options, or if the cheapest there is as cheap as you'd advise going. I'm never really sure what my sweetie will be able to spend, (Three's possibly a bit of a stretch, but about what I figured I might have to spend barring finding any excellent bargains. I can wait a little while longer if it'll save buying twice, but I'm anxious to really start seeing what I'm doing by now. So I did think I'd put a monitor on the holiday wish list. )

(Incidentally, I'd rather do without glare coatings if it'll mean a clearer view, so no worries there. Size is also pretty negotiable, as long as any smaller unit will rotate so verticals don't become teeny. ) Anyone? TIA.

[Lowell Goudge]

things have certainly changed in the 3-4? years since I bought my flat screen monitor. At that time, I paid about $450 for a 22 inch LG flatscreen, trading in a dell 4/3 17inch CRT. (Thought it was kind of neat to have my initials on the monitor)

At that time, most monitors had a 5-10mS refresh rate (LG was 3) and 1:800 contrast ratio (LG has 1:3000)

It is limited to 1580:1050 at maximum resolution.


Having said all that it is still a great monitor to look at, and while I understand the dynamic range of newer monitors is even beter, and the pizel pitch is lower, when it comes down to it. do you really need more.

If you are full time professional maybe, but I don;t understand why I need more / bigger monitor, than the 13 x 19 printer that I own.

[eddie1960]

Hi Hambino and welcome!

Here is a good place to start: flatpanelshd (scroll down to Graphic Monitors) Thru their recommendations I got the HP LP2475 which is an IPS (In plane switching) monitor. I've been very happy with it and I was spoiled because my previous monitor was a 20" Sun Microsystems CRT. It is every bit as good as the Sun, and much bigger!
One other thing. If you are planning on getting a good monitor it really really pays to get a monitor calibration tool and software. My new HP was VASTLY improved after I calibrated it. Spyder, Huey, and others all have a variety of calibrators. I own the Spyder Elite and can vouch for it's relative ease of use, flexibility and accuracy.

NaCl(I've also heard good things about the Dell U2410)H2O

I have the Dell U2410 mentioned on the site (came as part of a bundle) and it was a nice bump from my previous monitor, but I still think My old Mag Tube was more accurate (but it was a monster on space, threw tons of heat and cost more than my most recent computer bundle when i bought it so i can live with the small differences )
I still believe it's best to have them calibrated properly, but the isp monitors are pretty good out of the box

[NaClH2O]

RML
Check out the flatpanelshd site mentioned in my post. IIRC I spent about $500 for my HP 24inch at Cost Central. I had no problems either with the monitor or the transction so I can recommend them.
IPS refers to the type of panel. There are also TN (cheapest and most common) and PVA (also called MVA) To save myself a lot of writing and possibly confusing you, check out the differences here
Generally speaking IPS and PVA/MVA are much much better for graphic work because the colors are truer, but the top gamers all use TN panels because their response times are faster. Unless you are a dedicated gamer stick with the other two panel types.

NaCl(hope that leaves you a bit less confused)H2O

[mikemike]

I presume that if a given thing is IPS, it'll proudly say so?

Like NaCl said there are basically three dominant LCD technologies - TN, PVA, and IPS - TN is fastest but has poorest viewing angles and worst colors and is produced by several suppliers, IPS is the slowest but has the best viewing angles and best color reproduction, and PVA is a compromise.

Unfortunately not always, a lot of monitor brands source their panels from multiple suppliers and they sometimes change the supplier within the production life of the same model. Dell used to be bad about this, they used to start producing their "ultrasharp" monitors with IPS panels then change the panel to PVA midway though the production and still sell it with the same name.

A good indicator that it is IPS is if they advertise viewing angles of 178/178 (horizontal/vertical). TN will be 170/160 and PVA will be 176/176. Although, sony advertises their TVs as 178/178 even though they are PVA so even this is no longer a 100% reliable indicator.

The manufacturers for IPS are LG, Phillips, Hitachi, and Panasonic and they use them pretty reliably in all of their televisions but it is harder to tell when shopping for a computer monitor because they mostly act as suppliers not direct vendors. LG is in the monitor business but it looks like they are using non-IPS panels on their current lineup. So if resolution isn't a high priority looking for an LCD TV from one of them on clearance might be a good route. In a computer monitor I like very high resolution and pixel density.

If I were in the market for a monitor right now, I would go for the HP and check out how bad the buzz is. It has a 10 bits per color so it produces 99% of adobe color gamut. If price were a major constraint I would go for the 23" NEC or like I said, a clearance TV.

[Ratmagiclady]

Thanks, NaCl, (And Mike: we crossed posts.) that pretty much clears things up. It does sound as though a few hundred bucks is about the minimum for the IPS, which really does seem like it'd be a worthwhile way to go in order for me not to be all uncertain about viewing angles and what I'm really seeing.

Certainly if it comes to buying something new, I don't want to be responsible for adding more e-waste to the world if I'll just be passing it on, anyway. Better just to buy once. Something used for a stopgap wouldn't be out of the question, though.

(No worries about gaming, if I play at all, it's just for a little diversion/stimulation if I find myself too cooped-up. When I put together a current desktop, there's a fair likelihood I might start with some PC gamer's old box, and then maybe I'll find an old game or two, but it's really no big deal. Most of the newer games seem to be more complex than I'm generally interested in when I'm too bored to entertain myself, anyway. )


Incidentally: Any problems with this one? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003D1CFHY?ie=UTF8&tag=pchahe-20&linkCode=a...SIN=B003D1CFHY

Or this? (Never heard of 'ViewSonic' as a brand) http://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-VP2365WB-23-Inch-IPS-Monitor/dp/B002R0JJYO/ref=pd_cp_pc_1

[NaClH2O]

RML
Don't know about that particular View Sonic, they generally make pretty good "consumer" models, I've a view sonic at work that is OK. But it is strictly a business model.
FlatPanelsHD has some info about the HP linky and they review it's big brother the 24 inch. Read the review for the 24 inch, the models will probably be very similar. HP ZR24W review

NaCl(there aren't a lot of sites that review graphic monitors, FlatPanelsHD is one of the better ones, and pretty easy to navigate)H2O

[NaClH2O]

RML:
Another option you might want to consider is a second hand CRT monitor. I had an old Sun Microsystems 20 inch monitor that was simply wonderful for graphic work once I calibrated it. Because they are analog, they reproduce 100% fo the adobe color gamut and the colors are spot on once it's calibrated. I would have kept mine except that the powersupply was starting to go and it would take forever to warm up. And of course being prolly decades old finding a ps was out of the question.
The downside to a CRT are they are big, heavy, power hungry and take a while to warm up. I've also heard that they need re-calibration more often but I don't know how reliable that bit of info is.

NaCl(but if you can find a good one locally for $150 or less you might want to check it out)H2O

[Ratmagiclady]

RML:
Another option you might want to consider is a second hand CRT monitor. I had an old Sun Microsystems 20 inch monitor that was simply wonderful for graphic work once I calibrated it. Because they are analog, they reproduce 100% fo the adobe color gamut and the colors are spot on once it's calibrated. I would have kept mine except that the powersupply was starting to go and it would take forever to warm up. And of course being prolly decades old finding a ps was out of the question.
The downside to a CRT are they are big, heavy, power hungry and take a while to warm up. I've also heard that they need re-calibration more often but I don't know how reliable that bit of info is.

NaCl(but if you can find a good one locally for $150 or less you might want to check it out)H2O

Yeah, I've had my eye out for those all along: they've proven harder to find than expected, actually: (At least in the form of one I'd know would be the right sort. Funny, it seems the world's full enough of unwanted monitors as it is, but telling one from another's another matter. ) If I found one cheap enough, it'd be one thing, but by this point the bulk's particularly undesirable cause we'll be moving next year, and don't know quite what kind of space we'll be in, so if an acceptable flat-screen's in reach, it's probably worth the outlay. Besides, I ought to be able to frame a flatscreen with some old picture frame so I can make that Steampunkified desktop setup I've always wanted to do.

(Hope this stuff's also been helpful to Hambino, didn't mean to chatter up her thread so much. )

[Hambino]

See, this is why I donated when Adam made the call; I. LOVE. THIS. FORUM!

Anywho, RML by all means, take as much of "my" thread as you like; I find all of this dialogue extremely helpful.

Thank you to everyone who responded with such great information (+1 for NaCl and MikeMike ). I was pretty excited to see the link to the NEC monitor as I had kind of been looking at that one so it now sits in my cart ready for purchase

[Ratmagiclady]

See, this is why I donated when Adam made the call; I. LOVE. THIS. FORUM!

Anywho, RML by all means, take as much of "my" thread as you like; I find all of this dialogue extremely helpful.

Thank you to everyone who responded with such great information (+1 for NaCl and MikeMike ). I was pretty excited to see the link to the NEC monitor as I had kind of been looking at that one so it now sits in my cart ready for purchase

Hee. It's good about the donations. I think my budget's finally seeing some daylight in which I can make a couple I've had to put off, myself, depending how the holiday shopping goes, (despite having had to throw a little chunk at hopefully bringing my old machine back to life this month: I hope the old trooper can revive and hang in a while longer) but it's obviously worth it.

So far, I'm inclined to go with one of those NEC models, myself, but, we'll see. sweetie's got a few options now to make a Yule of it if that's what's decided.

It makes me wonder if it'd be practical to go in on a traveling monitor calibrator among some of the folks here, or if they're software-limited to just one or two machines.