New Computer - but which monitor?

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svalley
Posts: 343
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:07 pm
Location: Albany, Oregon

New Computer - but which monitor?

Post by svalley »

I just ordered the parts for a new graphics processing computer and have decided to get a new monitor. At work I have 2 18.5"x11.5" monitors that seem pretty sharp.

At home I am using 2 CRT monitors, one very good graphics and a not so good one for palletts, etc. What I am looking for is probably a single extra wide LCD monitor that is very sharp, easy to profile and calibrate and costs $750 or less.

Any sugesstions?
"You can't build a time machine without weird optics"
Steve Valley - Albany, Oregon

Chris S.
Site Admin
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Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:55 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Post by Chris S. »

svalley,

Over at the post-processing and printing forum on Fredmiranda, this is a fairly frequent matter of dicussion. Paging back through the last month or so of postings, I see seven threads on the subject--and I recall many before that. Thought I might find one especially worth recommending, but suspect you would be better served seeing them for yourself, if you haven't already:

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/16/7

I have two monitors on my graphics PC--a 23-inch Apple Cinema monitor (which runs fine on a Windows machine) and a 24-inch Samsung SyncMaster 245BW. The Apple I bought as a factory refurb from the Apple Store for $750, the Samsung from Newegg.com for just under $400. Have had both monitors for a while, so not sure how current those prices would be--and of course the models are always changing.

I have both panels running at 1920x1200 pixels, and am very happy with them. Both are calibrated with a Spyder 2 pro colorimeter and software.

While both monitors are about equal for general use, the Apple is an IPS panel and so the image does not grow darker or lighter as you move your head. Off axis performance with the Samsung is actually very good for non-critical work (movies, office work, or pallets)--but I don't use it for viewing an image I'm editing, since I don't want variation depending on the position of my head. I'm being picky, here--I could use the Samsung for image editing, if I exercised even a little bit of care in keeping my head roughly centered. But since I have two monitors, I use the Apple for the critical work.

One drawback to the Apple is that once I calibrate it, I can't touch the adjustment buttons, since there is no on-screen scale to allow me to return to the calibrated parameters. I can live with this, but would have prefered it to be otherwise.

At FredMiranda, people are speaking highly of certain (not all) Dell monitors and HP monitors, some of which I believe are within your price target.

Hope some of this rambling is at least slightly useful. Best of luck.

--Chris

svalley
Posts: 343
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:07 pm
Location: Albany, Oregon

Post by svalley »

Thanks Chris,

I will check out fredmiranda. Right now the one that is at the top of my list is the Nec Multisync p221w-bk-sv.

Steve
"You can't build a time machine without weird optics"
Steve Valley - Albany, Oregon

Charles Krebs
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Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:02 pm
Location: Issaquah, WA USA
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Post by Charles Krebs »

Steve,

Also consider the Eizo graphics monitors. They are quite nice as far as uniformity of color and brightness across the screen.

svalley
Posts: 343
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:07 pm
Location: Albany, Oregon

Post by svalley »

Thanks Charlie, I forgot about those.
"You can't build a time machine without weird optics"
Steve Valley - Albany, Oregon

Chris S.
Site Admin
Posts: 4042
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:55 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Post by Chris S. »

The Eizo's are outstanding. Last I checked, though, all but the smallest were above Steve's posted price target. If spending more is an option, a lot of people think highly of LaCie, also.

Cheers,

--Chris

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