Tft/crt

[JammyJim]

Manufacturer Samsung
Type (CRT/TFT) TFT active matrix technology ~ 0.264-millimeter dot pitch
Physical Dimensions (WxHxDmm)
Screen Size (inches") 17"
Resolution 1280 x 1024 resolution @ 75Mhz
Speakers No
Brightness 250cd/m²
Power Consumption (Watts)
Viewing Angle (Degree's)
Contrast Ratio 350:1
Input
Response Time (ms)
Warranty Yes - 3 Year - ISO Class 2



ive found this monitor for 250 quid (display model or sum such) at a pcworld. normal retail is 350 or 300 on scan.

however


Is this worth purchasing over a normal CRT monitor?
Its for my brother who plays alot of games. not so much movies. However ive heard mixed reports.


its refresh rate isnt exactly 'great' and its resolution seems rather small....

any advice?

[Leshy]

Refresh rate doesn't particularly matter on a TFT screen, as you have no flicker anyway, and 1280x1024 isn't a small resolution. For both CRT and TFT 17" screens, 1280x1024 is perfectly normal.

[meglamaniac]

Refresh rate DOES matter if you want to play games on it. You don't get flicker but you do get ghosting from one frame to the next as TFT is a smooth "fade" update rather than the (near) instant response of CRT monitors. For that reason, you should also bear in mind the response time, which is information you seem to be missing there.
Find it out before you buy - I have no idea what typical TFT response times are, but take a figure of 25ms as an example. 1 second / 0.025 = 40, so regardless of the refresh rate, what you'd actually EXPERIENCE would be 40 frames a second. As this is TFT you wouldn't get jerking, you'd just get hideous blurring in any movie or game with any degree of movement in it. Bear in mind this gets worse the higher the contrast ratio is (ie. white square moving on black background = blurtastic).

Obviously that figure is way too high as a monitor with that kind of response would be useless for anything except word processing, but that's just an example.

Oh and a 17" TFT is equivilant to a 19" CRT if that makes the resolution seem any less small (because the measurement on a CRT includes the tube that's cut off by the casing whereas the measurement on a TFT is purely visable screen area).

I'm off to bed now, bye

[Leshy]

Originally Posted by meglamaniac

You don't get flicker but you do get ghosting from one frame to the next as TFT is a smooth "fade" update rather than the (near) instant response of CRT monitors.

Response time is a much more decisive factor in whether you'll get image ghosting than the refresh rate. Although most newer brands of TFT monitors no longer have the ghosting issues that earlier ones had.

[wakey]

When I get asked advice on buying a monitor I normally say the following.

If space is a major issue go for a TFT

Otherwise get a good quality CRT which are generally cheaper than a budget TFT and perform much better on the whole.

[Tactitus]

My 2 cents:

LCD/TFT Pros

1. Generally brighter and crisper, easier on the eyes
2. Usually has digital inputs
3. Uses a lot less space and energy, and generates a lot less heat

CRT Pros

1. Faster response times for smoother animations
2. Clearer display in multiple resolution modes
3. Cheaper (on a per pixel basis as it's harder to compare sizes)

[BoredOfThis]

ok whilst i have been waiting for my new pc the monitor has arrived so i have plugged it into my laptop and am running them both at the same time and i would say that the LCD screen is not as bright as it could be and also at some angles when you look at the screen its impossible to see.

Another reason why i think CRT is better is

DEGAUSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SyPh0n]

Originally Posted by BoredOfThis

ok whilst i have been waiting for my new pc the monitor has arrived so i have plugged it into my laptop and am running them both at the same time and i would say that the LCD screen is not as bright as it could be and also at some angles when you look at the screen its impossible to see.

Another reason why i think CRT is better is

DEGAUSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TFT, if you use it for Windows, typing, poncing on forums.... I can't fault it for any of this.

CRT at the moment is the only way to go IMO for games and DVDs. However, it hasn't stopped me drooling over 16ms silver 17" TFT's which are getting there in terms of playing games and watching films.

14ms this year, but "prices set to rocket", apparently.

[wu_trax]

my tft has a response time of 25ms, i have NO PROBLEMS whatsoever. games fine, videos fine, everything perfect.

[pablissimo]

Cheap TFT's are a waste of time and money when you could be buying a mid-range branded CRT with a larger screen area and higher resolution with none of the ghosting problems that are still seen on a lot of TFTs.

[Luckeh!!!!]

Originally Posted by meglamaniac

Oh and a 17" TFT is equivilant to a 19" CRT if that makes the resolution seem any less small (because the measurement on a CRT includes the tube that's cut off by the casing whereas the measurement on a TFT is purely visable screen area).

lol, 17" is 17" on a TFT with CRTs it is roughly 1" less than the stated size.

I have 1 of each in my house, my 17" flat CRT is 16.1" viewable, my bro's 17" TFT is actually 17" viewable.

wu_trax, the TFT in my house is 25ms aswell, most games ghosting is quite apparent, though the picture seems a fair bit crisper on it compared to my CRT.

[wu_trax]

Originally Posted by Luckeh!!!!

wu_trax, the TFT in my house is 25ms aswell, most games ghosting is quite apparent, though the picture seems a fair bit crisper on it compared to my CRT.

i never noticed much of that.
i dont play games that much anymore, but i did play some shooters for a few days after i bought this tft. and i watch lots of movies here.

but maybe im just too tollerant with the picture after all those cheap, crappy crts i bought before.

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by BoredOfThis

ok whilst i have been waiting for my new pc the monitor has arrived so i have plugged it into my laptop and am running them both at the same time and i would say that the LCD screen is not as bright as it could be and also at some angles when you look at the screen its impossible to see.

That's because you have a crap TFT.

I think we've established that your lappy is all round terrible.

My monitor has a visability angle thing of about 160 degrees, in both axes.

I use it to play games (almost entirely RTS/FPS's), and I can't notice any ghosting, although I may have gotten used to it.

Hold on, I'll find the specs.

Here we go:

- SXGA 1280 x 1024
- 16.7 million colours
- Excellent Contrast Ratio (400:1)
- Fast response time - tr: 12ms + tf: 4ms
- Wide viewing angle - 160º H x 160º V

[BoredOfThis]

tis a packardbell laptop with a 15.1” XGA TFT Screen

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by BoredOfThis

tis a packardbell laptop

I think we've found the problem