To LCD monitor users.... a question or two !

[Gingangooli]

Generally, CRT monitors can run at various resolutions based on the
capabilities of the monitor itself and the graphics card its attached to,
either via DVI or VGA connection.

But LCD monitors have a "native resolution" e.g. 1280x1024, and generally
run at one frequency: 60Hz. This might be fine for displaying your Windows
desktop, etc. But what happens when you run a game that "runs better" at
lower resolutions e.g. HL2 might be less juddery if you run it at 800x600,
or "a.n.other" game might run better at 1024x768. How do LCD monitors react
to lower display sizes when switching to games that have a lower resolution
set in the game options and so switches to it automatically? Does it matter?
I presume the CRT frequencies thing (e.g. 60Hz, 75Hz, 85Hz, etc) become
irrelevant on LCD monitors?

Maybe the answer is to upgrade the PC to allow ANY game to run at the native
resolution of the LCD monitor, but surely this cant be the real world answer
to the majority of LCD monitor users?

Lastly, only ever having used VGA connection on CRT monitors, what better on
LCD VGA or DVI?

tia

ginga

 

[Michael Hawes]

Generally, CRT monitors can run at various resolutions based on the
capabilities of the monitor itself and the graphics card its attached to,
either via DVI or VGA connection.

But LCD monitors have a "native resolution" e.g. 1280x1024, and generally
run at one frequency: 60Hz. This might be fine for displaying your Windows
desktop, etc. But what happens when you run a game that "runs better" at
lower resolutions e.g. HL2 might be less juddery if you run it at 800x600,
or "a.n.other" game might run better at 1024x768. How do LCD monitors
react to lower display sizes when switching to games that have a lower
resolution set in the game options and so switches to it automatically?
Does it matter? I presume the CRT frequencies thing (e.g. 60Hz, 75Hz,
85Hz, etc) become irrelevant on LCD monitors?

Maybe the answer is to upgrade the PC to allow ANY game to run at the
native resolution of the LCD monitor, but surely this cant be the real
world answer to the majority of LCD monitor users?

Lastly, only ever having used VGA connection on CRT monitors, what better
on LCD VGA or DVI?

tia

ginga

In theory, DVI is better, but difference may be very slight in practise.
While display IS best at native resolution, displa is usable at lower
resolution.
Mike.

 

[Dave]

ginga

In theory, DVI is better, but difference may be very slight in
practise. While display IS best at native resolution, displa is usable at
lower resolution.
Mike.

Yup, games look fine on LCD monitors. -Dave

 

[WooHoo2You]

I presume the CRT frequencies thing (e.g. 60Hz, 75Hz, 85Hz, etc) become
irrelevant on LCD monitors?

I do not remember why, but I have heard time and time again always run LCD
monitors on the highest frequencies they support. (BTW, I love my LCD
verses my old CTR for gaming)

 

[DaveW]

DVI is far superior to VGA in LCD's. And using any other resolution than
the Native Resolution of the LCD will result in appreciable image
degradation.

 

[Don Freeman]

DVI is far superior to VGA in LCD's. And using any other resolution than
the Native Resolution of the LCD will result in appreciable image
degradation.

That's what I had always read but either that is not true in all cases, or
the manufactuers may exagerate a little (guess which one I am leaning
towareds).

I bought this one which claims to have a resolution of 1440 x 900. But when
I run it at that resolution I get, not quite what I would call flickering,
but similar in that the text seems to shimmer, which is very annoying. When
I step it down to the next lower it looks fine, and actually I like it
better anyway as with the other the text was a little too small. I run
tandem nVidia 7600GS's.

http://www.envisiondisplay.com/products.asp?EPage=products&SMenu=h191w

 

[Geoff]

DVI

Lets start at the beginning, your computer has numbers that represent an
image it wants to send to your monitor. With vga, there is a conversion to
analog and conversion back to numbers after the signal reaches the lcd
monitor.

With DVI, the numbers are sent directly to the monitor. You can think of
numbers as row/column numbers telling which pixels to turn off and on in the
monitor.

-g

 

[Johanna]

Hi!
I have done a lot of experimentation with monitors. Right now I have 3
wall mounted LCD monitors that I can use to display the PC signal.

My monitors are 26" (Sharp Aquos TV) and a 24 and 20" respectively
monitor, both from Acer ( I got a good price for the couple! )

The Aquos manual lists several frequencies: 58 ( I think) up to 85 Hz!
WIth a 1260 * 720 resolution, 70Hz looked better than 60Hz, but the
difference is marginal.
(60Hz on a CRT is unbearable in my opionion. Nothing below 70Hz is
acceptable on CRT)

But with the Acer monitors, only the 60Hz resolution looks good! 7
0Hz looks ugly, less crisp.

I cannot spot any difference between the picture quality depending on
whether I use a DVA or VGA connector. The Acers lack a VGA input but
that does not bother me in the least, since the picture quality is great
and the price was very reasonable.

I am a real fusspot when it comes to monitors, but I am actually HAPPY
with the setup that I have achieved!

For gaming settings, at least nVidia allows you to specify the settings
each individual game ( such as Half Life for example)
Check the drivers from the Display control panel setting and you will
find these settings!
If you search online, you should be able to find out what the ideal
settings for your particular monitor (and graphics card) is for any game.
Good luck!
Jo

 

[Michael Hawes]

That's what I had always read but either that is not true in all cases, or
the manufactuers may exagerate a little (guess which one I am leaning
towareds).

I bought this one which claims to have a resolution of 1440 x 900. But
when I run it at that resolution I get, not quite what I would call
flickering, but similar in that the text seems to shimmer, which is very
annoying. When I step it down to the next lower it looks fine, and
actually I like it better anyway as with the other the text was a little
too small. I run tandem nVidia 7600GS's.

http://www.envisiondisplay.com/products.asp?EPage=products&SMenu=h191w


--
-Don
Ever had one of those days where you just felt like:
http://cosmoslair.com/BadDay.html ?
(Eating the elephant outside the box, one paradigm at a time)

The Envision only has Analog input, have you tried 1440x900 @60Hz? Have
you tried adjusting the settings on the monitor manually?
Mike.

 

[Don Freeman]

The Envision only has Analog input, have you tried 1440x900 @60Hz?

It was that setting that caused the "shimmering" (for want of a better
term),

Have you tried adjusting the settings on the monitor manually?

Yeah I've played with just about all of them, I'm not unhappy with the
lesser resolution I am forced to use as the 1440x900 make text a little too
smail regardless of the shimmering.