Captain Pants sets a challenge

[Captainpants]

I am after two components for a family member new build.

Where the @*%% can you find a bog standard internal DVD or CD ROM slot loader. Children and trays dont mix!. I bought a Pioneer 106S years ago so they do exist!

I am also after a CRT monitor with flat screen like a Trinitron based Sony.

I know these exist because I still have a Sony G200. Cost me £200 5 years ago and still the sweetest monitor I have.

No I dont want go Ebay either!

 

[Ian]

I can only find slimline (laptop size) slot loading DVDs, apart from the 106S which is pretty expensive and out of stock:

http://www.pcwb.com/servlets/Catalogue?item_code=PIONDV11&shop=PCWBD

As for the CRTs, I bought a nice 19" Dell branded one which was a flat screen CRT using some trinitron like system, very nice monitor and cost about £110 new about 18 months ago! I'm not really in the know about CRTs now as I've got a TFT, but there are plenty of good ones about now so I'm sure someone will have a recommendation.

 

[ChristopherP]

Look for an iiyama vision master pro 454...

But why not go TFT? I went from top of the range CRT to mid/high TFT and i was really impressed with the sharpness etc.

 

[Captainpants]

I still think CRTs are the way fwd at present. They don't ghost and the greyscales are consistent. I'll give it another year for the manufacturers to get their act together.

 

[tek]

The response times on TFTs are really good now so ghosting doesn't really happen - well it hasn't to me. The TFT I'm buying for £139.99 has 8ms response time. http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/prod...2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=87636

 

[mudfrog]

Are you suer the Acer monitor above is 8ms as it says 12ms in the Key Features section???

If it is 8ms I think I would snap one of those up. lol

 

[tek]

Yes it is 8ms. Read the reviews and you will see other people had the same misunderstanding. On the Acer website, its listed as having 8ms.

 

[floppybootstomp]

I still think CRTs are the way fwd at present. They don't ghost and the greyscales are consistent. I'll give it another year for the manufacturers to get their act together.

Me too. Until a manufacturer gurantees no dead pixels, I refuse to take part in a purchase lottery. And they're still expensive compared to CRT.

Iiyama, Sony and NEC are good CRT Monitors.

And I can't find a slot loading DVD drive anywhere, I've just checked around 10 suppliers.

 

[mudfrog]

Yes it is 8ms. Read the reviews and you will see other people had the same misunderstanding. On the Acer website, its listed as having 8ms.

Coooool

Might have to get meself one in that case.

 

[KGB-911]

The response times on TFTs are really good now so ghosting doesn't really happen - well it hasn't to me. The TFT I'm buying for £139.99 has 8ms response time. http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/prod...2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=87636

I have had that TFT for a few months now and it is amazing! not a single problem, no ghosting and sharp image.

I reccomend it!

 

[Dr Freudstein]

Slot-loaders

Captain,

I understand your concern about disc trays and kids, but I had a Pioneer slot-loader back in the day (well, 2001 or so). I think it was the 105 rather than the 106, and although slot-loading was quite cool, it was noisy as hell! Not just sucking the disc in, but in terms of playback, too. No matter what utility I tried (and I tried many) I could not get the drive to spin at anything less than max speed, which meant watching DVDs was ruined by the constant, extremely loud whoosh and metallic reverberation caused by the drive. I would hope things have improved since then, but as you are struggling to find one now suggests these drives never really impressed the market very much.

Cheers, Steve

 

[Me__2001]

this is probably way too late but i've found a slot loading DVDRW , Plextor PX-716AL its a bit pricey overclockers have them for just under £100

 

[Quadophile]

For the kind attention of the Ghost:

If you are reading this I am sorry we humans have so far come up with a TFT with 4ms response time I know it is too slow for you but that is the best we can do. If you want to be kept informed about 0 ms TFT you will have to keep visiting PC Review.

Thanks

For the kind attention of Humans:

Anyone interested in a TFT with response time of 4 ms? If so, let me know I can guide you in the right direction

 

[muckshifter]

Yup ... even I have "seen" a TFT I like, can read off and looks good ... shame about not finding one IN STOCK

 

[psd99]

I have had that TFT for a few months now and it is amazing! not a single problem, no ghosting and sharp image.

I reccomend it!

so do i

i fully agree!

 

[1nteger]

I haven't read all responses to this thread but here's a couple of comments:

First, I too had a pioneer(120S) slot loading DVd Rom and it was excellent, but I couldn't find a slot DVD burner anywhere when i upgraded. I prefer them to trays as they keep the disks cleaner with the brushes at the top and bottom of the slot.

Second, on TFT monitors, I have an Iiyama ProLite E431S witha 16ms response and it doesn't ghost at all, even in very fast fps games. It's over a year old now and I want to upgrade to a bigger screen, but response times are becoming too much of a distraction. All manufacturers report response times in different ways - u could find a monitor with a 16ms that maintains that time very stabbly and doesn't ghost. Another might be rated as 10ms, but actually average 30ms in practice. they often quote the lowest extreme it can hit, rather than the average actual performance. Anything sub-16ms should be fine for most purposes, including games. Brightness, contrast and viewing angle are more important to look for now, plus DVi connectivity.

If you want a no dead pixel guarantee, then i reckon Philips are the only ones out there that offer that. They make really good monitors too.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Second, on TFT monitors, I have an Iiyama ProLite E431S witha 16ms response and it doesn't ghost at all, even in very fast fps games. It's over a year old now and I want to upgrade to a bigger screen, but response times are becoming too much of a distraction. All manufacturers report response times in different ways - u could find a monitor with a 16ms that maintains that time very stabbly and doesn't ghost. Another might be rated as 10ms, but actually average 30ms in practice. they often quote the lowest extreme it can hit, rather than the average actual performance. Anything sub-16ms should be fine for most purposes, including games. Brightness, contrast and viewing angle are more important to look for now, plus DVi connectivity.

I didn't know that.

Cheers for the info. I don't intend changing to a TFT screen at any time in the near future, I like my CRT monitors, I have room for them and I'm really not interested in having the latest fashion accessory, I just want something that gives me a good clear image and isn't too imposing on my desktop.

Fortunately, I gotta big coupla desktops

And yes, Philips monitors are excellent, a brand that is often overlooked, tbh.

And finally, I wouldn't entertain any TFT Monitor that didn't have a DVI connection, I've read that really brings out the best in them. Of course, having that connectivity costs a fair bit more, but it's something peeps often overlook.

I honestly don't think there's much point, in terms of quality, in going for a TFT Monitor that only has VGA connection.