CRT to LCD

O

ob1

2[H]4U
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My aging 21" Nokia CRT is starting to have alot of ghosting and is getting progressively worse. I am thinking of changing out to an LCD as they seem to be coming down in price quite a bit. Just a quick check of opinions, would going to one of the $300 22" LCD panels satisfy me, or would it leave me with a feeling of bleh? I am not a picky person about my monitor to a great extent, (except always needed a high refresh on the CRT). However I game alot. I do use the computer for work sometimes, but I have a laptop for that mainly. I typically play games like EQ2, CC3, SC, etc.
Also, please ignore the sig, as I will be upgrading my video card and cpu along with the monitor. Thanks...
 
Depends, CRT's are usually better for gaming and graphics work. So you may want to keep the 21"incher around. Although wide screen gaming is hot.

LCD's are better for text and for reduced eye strain. But sounds like you have your laptop for this.

With that said, some of the modern LCD's I've used have had excellent color reproduction and refresh rate such that I no longer miss CRT's. My previous Samsung 19" that I have as a portable spare has excellent refresh rate but horrible colors. My 24" BenQ has perfect everything, performance in extreme dark environments could still be a bit better though.

It's all about quality, if you find the cheapest you can and squeeze by, you may find that you were happier with the CRT...

I don't know much about the 22" panels and what to recommend there, I'm sure there are threads scattered around that talk about some quality ones.
 
Yeah, I am not sure either. I may just buy a 22" and see if it works for me I guess, and if not, then move to either a new CRT or something like a higher quality 20" or 24" LCD. The only issue I am having is that I cannot really afford the 8800GTX for gaming, which I would probably need with the 24" LCD...
 
It definately depends. It depends if you had a quality CRT or not. Menelmarar has a Samsung 19", which is not a great CRT. I own a Samsung 997DF, which is a 19" flat screen CRT, and compared to a quality CRT its not that hot. Still, I use it instead of my 21" widescreen LCD for gaming because I usually game in a dim or dark atmosphere and the LCD black level is just unacceptable in such an environment. To clarify, its not just the color black that is the problem, it is all dark colors and grey tones. A night scene looks like a haze on the LCD.

If you like to game with the lights on, and you like a super bright display with bright/contrasty colors, then I don't think you'll regret gaming on an LCD one bit.

One more thing. The 22" LCD's are TN panels, which are way behind CRT's and even other LCD's in terms of black level detail and color. That's why they are so cheap. Coming from a CRT, you may be pretty disappointed in a TN panel.
 
Is that Nokia you have the 445Xpro by any chance? I have that one and love it, probably one of the best Hitachi shadow mask tubes ever made, too bad yours is on it's way out. In case you decide to get another CRT, or a CRT+LCD, i recently found these merchants selling new Crt's:

NEC FE2111sb : http://www.nm-select.com/searchresults.asp?search_id=1&dept_id=56 <--- $349 + S/H + 3yr warranty

Dell P1130 21" Trinitron aka Sony G520: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...TRK&#37;3AMEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=120107270749 <-- $225 shipped

Dell P1230 / 22" Diamondtron AG tube: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...name=STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=120107277263 <---$160 shipped total


Ignore the listed max resolution on the P1230/diamondtron. It's capable of 1600x1200 @ 103hz, which means it has a pixel clock of somewhere between 330-370mhz and thus ought to be good for at least 1920x1440 @ 80hz (roughly). Can't remember the formula to get the exact numbers but's it's easily in the ballpark.
 
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Yep, the 445XPro is exactly the one I use and have loved it for years. Unfortunately, I have had it for like 10 years or more now, and it is just getting to much shadow on the text. I mean, I am starting to have problems noticing small details in games because of the shadowing, so I need to get a new one.
I see everyone jumping on the LCD wagon, and was wondering if anyone had a similar instance to share. As I have read in the forums and from the replies here, it is just one of those things that are highly subjective. I will probably try one of the LCD's to just test the waters, and if it doesn't work, I will go back and get a new CRT and give the LCD to my son....

Thanks everyone for the input.
 
ob1 said:
Yep, the 445XPro is exactly the one I use and have loved it for years. Unfortunately, I have had it for like 10 years or more now, and it is just getting to much shadow on the text. I mean, I am starting to have problems noticing small details in games because of the shadowing, so I need to get a new one.
Click to expand...
Hmmph, just remembered...

My 445Xpro had shadowing on the text at one time as well, Text on a white background looked like it was smudging to the right (i think). Turns out i had a kinked vga cable and replacing it fixed the problem. Maybe your cable is also kinked/bent, or perhaps the pins are oxidized? Or maybe your VGA cable is near a source of electrical or magnetic interference? (unshielded speakers or wires, power supplies, UPS battery backups etc)

I wouldn't spend a ton of cash on a new vga cable, but if you can swap it with another it'd be worth a shot. With VGA cables, the shorter thicker ones with ferrite barrels on both ends are considered the best type. I try to only use 3' long cables since i run high resolutions and analog is prone to interference.

Good luck either way
 
I was really against lcds for a long time. In February i finally got an lcd after my crt started to die. I can say after using it an LCD isnt as bad as i thought. the only think i am not completely happy with are the black levels. They aren't as good a a crt but with a little tweaking i was able to get rid of most of the problem. They are slim so they dont take up as much space(not really for me i got the 37" Westinghouse lol), like the widescreen and it just looks so much cooler then an old crt. Over all i a really happy with an lcd as long as you get a good quality one i don't see how you wouldn't be happy with it.
 
its all about the black levels with LCD's

if you game in the dark or play heavily shaded games, you will miss your crt:(

now if you dont play them, then an LCD is great. I have the benq 241W myself and its colors are sweet, but the CRT is sitting right next to it for when i play FEAR:D
 
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