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LCD Monitors: What to look for.
There are numerous manufacturers that are offering many different models,
and all of them will have a different set of specs. Before you make a purchase,
look at the following specifications:
1. Native Resolution 3. Viewing Angle 5. Brightness
2. Contrast Ratio 4. Analog vs. Digital input 6. Response Time
The native resolution is the maximum resolution that the screen can display
before the image starts to expand past the edge of the screen. Resolution is the
number of light dots that make up the width and height. 1024x768 means there are
1024 horizontal light dots and 768 vertical dots. If your screen has a native
resolution of 1024x768 and you have your video card settings at 1280x1024 the
image is bigger than will fit on the screen and you will have to scroll around
to see the outer most portions of your image. Generally speaking as the physical
size of the monitor goes up so does the native resolution. For example a 15 inch
LCD monitor may have a native resolution of 1024x768, but a 17 or 19inch will
probably be 1280x1024.
Wide screen monitors are also becoming more main stream. Wide screen
monitors have a different set of resolutions because they use a different aspect
ratio (vertical vs. horizontal dimensions). Wide screen monitors give you more
horizontal space on the screen. This gives you several benefits. One benefit is
the ability to open two documents side by side. This allows you to see both
windows without having to flip back and forth between the two. One thing to be
aware of when buying a wide screen monitor is that the screen height may stay
the same. The manufacturer just added to the width to make it a wide screen
aspect ratio. If you are looking for an overall bigger monitor, vertical and
horizontal together, you will have to review the vertical height to make sure it
is larger than your current monitor.
The contrast ratio is defined as the ratio of the luminosity of the
brightest and the darkest color the monitor is capable of producing. A higher
contrast ratio results in more distinct colors and higher image quality.
The viewing angle is the maximum angle from the side that you can view the
screen without any image quality loss. If you’re going to use the monitor in a
conference room, you will want a high viewing angle so everyone can see the
image on the screen.
The difference between a digital and analog input for a monitor is the type
of plug it uses to connect to your pc. The video card on your pc may have either
connection or sometimes both. The analog style is the one that had been around
for a very long time now. Also called a VGA plug, it is probably still the most
common connection for all types of monitors. The digital connection has been
around for a couple years but still is not as widely used. This connection is
called a DVI plug. The digital interface between the video card and monitor
gives you a better, crisper image.
The brightness of an LCD monitor is also an important thing to look for. Some of
the lesser value monitors will have a low brightness rating. Viewing a low
brightness monitor in a very well lit environment, or even just having a light
close by, will make it hard to see the image. You should look for a high
brightness rating.
The response time of a monitor is the amount of time that it takes the monitor
to refresh a video or moving image on the screen. Slow response times lead to
distortion and other image quality losses if using the monitor for games or
viewing DVDs.
If you have any other questions about LCD monitor please call us at:
Idea Solutions: 1-888-535-4332
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