Glossy Screen Question

G

goldy

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jun 3, 2006
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Hello all,

I recently just purchased purchased a Samsung LCD ( I can still return it) and I noticed that I like the glossy screen's better then the Matte. I am not talking about the cabinet that surrounds the LCD, I am speaking about the gloss on the screen itself.

Is there any type of product I can overlay on my monitor to get the same effect of a glossy screen? I know there is something you can paint on it, but do not want to take the risk of messing up the monitor would just rather return it for a different one.
 
I personally would exchange it for the glossy version as the new monitors with glossy screen have anti reflective stuff within it. I wish i would have went with the glossy version, almost seem like they have a slightly better picture
 
Glossy screens have better blacks and more "vibrant" colors. This doesn't mean it's better than matte.

There's nothing to put on the screen, so if you're really into gloss; return it.
 
persisting1 said:
Glossy screens have better blacks and more "vibrant" colors. This doesn't mean it's better than matte.
Click to expand...

Explain to me how better does not equal better?

The only reason I can see not to go for it is if you have a personal dislike for glossy screens or have really crazy lighting to worry about.

To clarify: matte screens may be useful if you can't control the lighting, but the scattering effect they create sucks and it's nice if you can avoid it.
 
ashmedai said:
Explain to me how better does not equal better?

The only reason I can see not to go for it is if you have a personal dislike for glossy screens or have really crazy lighting to worry about.
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Technically glossy surface doesn't make panel better, difference is how it looks to eye.
And while there's beneficial use for glossy surface that's not in general use/work displays but in displays which are used in dark/dimly light environment!

Maybe you're using monitors brightness maxed and colour boost cranked over the scale but only situation where glossy screen doesn't bother is crazy low lighting.
Last year I was getting new laptop for all around use and because of certain requirements there were only real two choises.
Before getting new laptop I went to DreamHack (other reasons than gaming and such) and there I actually saw laptop I had ordered. In that dim lightning screen looked surely great but when I got laptop and started testing it in normal room lightning it was anything else. Any direct light hitting to screen in near direct angle is obviously going to cause problems with any screen so no sense to even try that way but problems are much more widespread: Any light wall or surface gets reflected very effectively and if there aren't those then it's own face whose reflection is shining on screen blocking visiblity of anything except brightest part of image.

Little better exposure and full size image and you could probably read camera's model number from reflected image:
http://www.proadviser.de/en/monitore/review/2007/review-hp-w2408h-part3.html
This one looks like excellent shaving mirror:
http://www.proadviser.de/en/monitore/review/2007/review-asus-pg221-part2.html#Design


INFRNL said:
I personally would exchange it for the glossy version as the new monitors with glossy screen have anti reflective stuff within it.
Click to expand...
If there's anything it's polishing and waxing what they get!
Sure there are very effective multilayer AR coatings, like those used in high quality photography filters, which increase optical transmittance of surface to above 99% but those aren't cheap to make and for getting those coatings added to huge surface area of monitor (compared to optics) you might well have to stack up many times more bills than currently.
 
I have always been a matte finish person myself until I checked out the HP w2207h. It has a glossy screen let me tell you I'm sold! It's the closest thing to my old CRT I have seen. Everything just seems to pop with the glossy screen. Blacks are blacker, whites actually look white and colors look amazing, but in a realistic way. I don't find it distracting at all. I'd rather have a few reflections than have a matte screen again I'll say that. Glossy for the win!

Maybe a thin piece of clear plastic would give the same effect? Not saying to use tape, but if you put clear packing tape over a printed image(regular white copier paper) it makes the colors pop.
 
Are there matte monitors that have the same color vibrancy and black deepness (at least appearance wise) as the glossy monitors seem to be? I'm specifically talking about a 24" for under $1000 price tag.
 
theblackw0lf said:
Are there matte monitors that have the same color vibrancy and black deepness (at least appearance wise) as the glossy monitors seem to be? I'm specifically talking about a 24" for under $1000 price tag.
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Its hard to quantify.
One thing that is for certain, if you take the same "display panel + electronics + software" and use it as glossy, it will look more vibrant than the same setup used with a matte finish.
Theres nothing to stop a better panel being exclusively used for Matte or a normal panel being overdriven to try and match the vibrancy of glossy screens.

I too am a glossy man and very happy about it as its like being able to pick from the cream of the crop.
Thats not to say that I dont find some matte screens are very good though.
 
So what's the best 24" glossy monitor? Preferably under $500 but I'm willing to go a couple hundred higher.

edit: Sounds like the Samsung T240HD might be the way to go.

edit: nevermind, guess the Samsung isn't glossy.
 
Gateway FHD2400 is glossy screen with tons of hook ups, (DVI, HDMI,VGA,S-Component, etc) Picture in Picture, 1920x1200 resolution and you can get it for around $460 shipped.

When you look it up, skip the part where it says you can get it from Circuit City for $335...they are all sold out. I cried.
 
FHD2400 has been superseded by the FHD2401, apparently. No word on whether it fixes the backlight issues and thus is potentially worth the loss of several inputs and the scaling chip.
 
ashmedai said:
FHD2400 has been superseded by the FHD2401, apparently. No word on whether it fixes the backlight issues and thus is potentially worth the loss of several inputs and the scaling chip.
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I don't think the 2401 has a glossy screen does it?
 
I take it you are considering fitting another panel to your current LCD?
You can do this if you can get the same panel exactly but in glossy.
Using other panels is hit and miss, the firmware on the LCD controller may support them, it may not.
Most likely not or not fully.

Also you lose your warranty instantly you open up your LCD and its likely the new LCD panel will not be cheap.
Fitting the new panel can be tricky and it is very easy to break the backlight.
 
Explain to me how better does not equal better?
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E.T said it perfectly with....
Technically glossy surface doesn't make panel better, difference is how it looks to eye.
And while there's beneficial use for glossy surface that's not in general use/work displays but in displays which are used in dark/dimly light environment!
Click to expand...

What it really comes down to is preference. Yes professionals can use a glossy screen. For years "professionals" have stayed away from them, but some are now seeing their benefits.

matte screens may be useful if you can't control the lighting
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Correct statement. Some environments need matte. Gloss at times can "distort" the color from reflections. It really comes down to using a glossy monitor and understanding it when doing color critical work. I have both matte and glossy screens and work on photoshop. I have no problem with either of them.
 
So, matte for offices & work area, glossy for a gaming rig in a poorly lit basement?
 
(Noting, of course, that you should really just install some nice indirect lighting in the basement and quit hurting your eyes...:D)
 
OK, I have not seen this addressed here so let's make sure this is clear.

The reason a glossy coated panel looks clearer and more vibrant than a matte panel, is because it's not matte. A matte finish uses light diffusion to reduce glare from outside sources, unfortunately it also diffuses the image behind it as well.

So it's because there is no light diffusion that a glossy panel looks clearer than a matte. Which means you can't just put a piece of glossy AGC over a matte screen and get a better image.
 
Yeah, that's what I was getting at back in #4. But glossy can screw it up too, just in different ways...it depends on the quality of each.
 
I believe most people prefer matte screens (there should be a poll about it around) and they know why :)
 
Don't most people prefer glossy? Like 95% of people? I can't even find a notebook that doesn't have a glossy display on it. I am still wondering why there are still a lot more matte desktop displays than glossy ones and also wondering why only a handful of LCDTVs have glossy displays.

Aren't CRT monitors and TVs inherently glossy to begin with anyway, since the front part is glass? There were always reflections on my 27" RCA television.
 
silverwolf0 said:
Don't most people prefer glossy? Like 95% of people? I can't even find a notebook that doesn't have a glossy display on it. I am still wondering why there are still a lot more matte desktop displays than glossy ones and also wondering why only a handful of LCDTVs have glossy displays.

Aren't CRT monitors and TVs inherently glossy to begin with anyway, since the front part is glass? There were always reflections on my 27" RCA television.
Click to expand...

silverwolf0 said:
Don't most people prefer glossy? Like 95% of people? I can't even find a notebook that doesn't have a glossy display on it. I am still wondering why there are still a lot more matte desktop displays than glossy ones and also wondering why only a handful of LCDTVs have glossy displays.

Aren't CRT monitors and TVs inherently glossy to begin with anyway, since the front part is glass? There were always reflections on my 27" RCA television.
Click to expand...

Read it yourself: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1032820854

Most notebooks have crappy glossy screens, because people just don't consider their purchase enough. I bought a new notebook with matte screen, I had to choose one from HP business line.
Notebooks don't have glossy screens becuase the use weak backlight and low-quality TN screens, so they need to enhance the coulours this cheaty way. Even TN desktop monitors are better then these on notebooks.
 
Biges said:
Read it yourself: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1032820854

Most notebooks have crappy glossy screens, because people just don't consider their purchase enough. I bought a new notebook with matte screen, I had to choose one from HP business line.
Notebooks don't have glossy screens becuase the use weak backlight and low-quality TN screens, so they need to enhance the coulours this cheaty way. Even TN desktop monitors are better then these on notebooks.
Click to expand...

I was going to skip the glossy option on my mbp originally, but after closely comparing the two, I went with the glossy option and I couldn't be happier. It is a personal choice kinda thing to be honest. Anyone who says otherwise is silly.
 
Nenu said:
Its hard to quantify.
One thing that is for certain, if you take the same "display panel + electronics + software" and use it as glossy, it will look more vibrant than the same setup used with a matte finish.
Theres nothing to stop a better panel being exclusively used for Matte or a normal panel being overdriven to try and match the vibrancy of glossy screens.

I too am a glossy man and very happy about it as its like being able to pick from the cream of the crop.
Thats not to say that I dont find some matte screens are very good though.
Click to expand...

The best way to see this is to look at Samsung's LCD TVs - in particular the A630 (semi-matte) vs. the A650 (glossy). From what everyone has been able to tell they use the same panels and electronics (the electronics might be a little bit different as the 650's have a higher dynamic contrast than the 630's).
 
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