LCD Monitor and Gaming

[Kongamato]

My old CRT monitor died a smoky death, so I had to return it. However, the model I had was no longer in production and out of stock, so I had them send me a new LCD of comparable price.

I just got this new Viewsonic VX922, and I've got the usual problems with LCD gaming. It is extremely bright, and dark areas are now gray colored. What kind of settings and tweaks do you use to solve these problems?

[CBR]

Generally LCD's are too bright at 100% so that can be lowered. After that has been done then you might want to look at contrast.

There are several guides out there http://www.jasc.com/support/kb/articles/monitor.asp and http://www.vanity.dk/tft/monitorTest_scale.html just as a couple of examples.


CBR

[sapi]

I have no idea what you mean by the 'usual problems' - no one i know with a modern lcd has had any.

A decent lcd should work fine in gaming.

The brightness can be adjusted and the grey areas issue means that the monitor's contrast ratio is low.

It seems strange considering i'm running a viewsonic 22" with no problems but that's the answer....

[Beirut]

I just got this new Viewsonic VX922, and I've got the usual problems with LCD gaming. It is extremely bright, and dark areas are now gray colored. What kind of settings and tweaks do you use to solve these problems?

I've got the same screen. I'm very happy with mine. And yes, it is a bright screen.

Play with the brightness and contrast until you find a setting you like. You should have in-game settings that will give you the picture you like as well.

[Rilder]

I don't know if its just me or the LCDs we got are cheap or it has something to do with resolution but they make games look crap in my opinion, my monitor, a CRT, looks 100x better for gaming then either one of our LCD's, then again I tend to sit close to the monitor (then I should :P) and its like I can see every pixel, but on a CRT sitting at the same distance I can't...

[Husar]

That's why I bought a 17" LCD, the pixels are smaller because the resolution is always 1280*1024 for normal LCDs. But now when I play some games on my dad's CRT, the picture is completely blurry, even when reading text I feel like it's bad for my eyes.
I wouldn't go back.

[sapi]

If you do a comparison between a decent resolution (ie 1280x1024 for 17/19in; 1680x1050 for 20/22in etc) lcd and a crt, you'll never use the crt again.

I used to believe as you do, but now I'm a convert :Grin2:

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Ive got a 22inch Gateway Hd LCD and love it. Yeah I had to turn the brightness down big deal.

[Rilder]

Eh, just compared this computer (CRT) with our other computer (LCD) at 1280x1024 and the CRT looks so much better.

[Husar]

Eh, just compared this computer (CRT) with our other computer (LCD) at 1280x1024 and the CRT looks so much better.

It's blurry, and like I said, a 19" LCD has bigger pixels, on a 17" LCD they are less noticeable and thus you get a better picture when watching from the same distance. You may also have a very bad LCD, a bit more info could help, or maybe you just like blurry pictures.

[sapi]

Eh, just compared this computer (CRT) with our other computer (LCD) at 1280x1024 and the CRT looks so much better.

Than you, sir, are insane

You could either have a very good CRT or, more probably, a very bad LCD - but trust me, a direct comparison will almost always have the LCD coming out on top

For a 19" LCD pixel size shouldn't be an issue

In many ways it's what you're used to though

[Rilder]

This is actually our crappy CRT; it might but just cheap LCD's, (1 was 160 or so Dollars and the other came with a gate-way pc (its not my gate-way)

[The Foolish Horseman]

i have a 27 in hdtv lcd screen which is perfect for gaming. The only brightness problem i have noticed is in oblivion when your at the mythic dawn caves, it is so hard to see in the dark but i co0uld do that on my cheapo 14in lcd screen. Now i have to get out an ingame torch

[caravel]

CRTs basically have better image quality to LCDs. LCDs are limited to their native resolution, which tends to be rather low. For example your average 19" LCD tends to have a native res of 1280*1024, which is quite low for that screen size, leading to a rather pixelated looking image. Many 19" CRTs can go up to 1600*1400 and more, and still maintain a decent refresh rate. To achieve such a resolution on a CRT you'd need at least a 20" screen - but this is basically, more or less, increasing the screen size to add those extra pixels and not increasing the pitch.

[Lemur]

CRTs basically have better image quality to LCDs.

When you say "image quality," and then go on to talk about resolution, you're sowing confusion. Yes, LCDs function best at their native rez. But image quality? Color saturation? Contrast? I don't know about that. A properly calibrated LCD can be used for high-end image editing, as can a CRT. Neither one will give you the full gamut that the human eye can perceive, but then we're getting into color spaces, which is a barrel of bees we probably don't want to open ...

Anyway, if your beef with LCDs is the resolution restriction, that's fine and good. But don't go equating resolution to image quality.

[sapi]

Agreed.

And seriously - who cares if a 22" LCD, like the one on the desk in front of me, can only do 1680x1050 - I mean, that's such a small resolution as it is

[_Martyr_]

Just ordered a brand new LG 226WA 22 inch widescreen monitor! My old 19 inch Dell P991 is slowly giving up life! As someone else was saying, the screen is getting blurry and its begining to strain the eyes at 1600x1280. So I figured its about time to splash out (had this P991 for about 6 years...) and get something that will hopefully last another 6! This new thing is pretty unbelievable... 1680x1050 native resolution, 3000:1 contrast ratio (dynamic), 2ms response time, HDMI, DVI, Component! Cant wait for it to arrive now!

[Bob the Insane]

I want one of these...

http://www.samsung.com/Products/Moni...2MEWSFVXAA.asp

It is a toss up with the LG one _Martyr_ listed above, but checking on Newegg's reviews it seems as if the Samsung (and they are pratically identical) is marginally more popular...

But seeing as I have my PC presently hooked up to be 40" Sony LCD HDTV I am having trouble justifying the new monitor...

[Lemur]

I've got a host of things I want, and until I see the monitor with just the right combo, I will resist my geek lust.

• DVI connection (obviously)
• HDMI connection (in case I ever want to retire it someday as a videogame monitor for the kiddies)
• No ghosting (they all measure response times differently, so reviews will matter)
• No speakers (why do they bother putting junk speakers on good monitors?)
• Fat, deep color gamut
• Widescreen
• Either 20" or 22"
• Made by a reputable company
• Cheaper than dirt

Is that so much to ask for?

[Watchman]

Well, that last bit might get tricky. Especially as the five-finger discount is rather challenging with objects that large...

[_Martyr_]

I've got a host of things I want, and until I see the monitor with just the right combo, I will resist my geek lust.

• DVI connection (obviously)
• HDMI connection (in case I ever want to retire it someday as a videogame monitor for the kiddies)
• No ghosting (they all measure response times differently, so reviews will matter)
• No speakers (why do they bother putting junk speakers on good monitors?)
• Fat, deep color gamut
• Widescreen
• Either 20" or 22"
• Made by a reputable company
• Cheaper than dirt

Is that so much to ask for?

You've pretty much described the LG i've ordered!

• DVI - check
  HDMI - check (fully HDCP compatible as well... not that its such a good thing! )
  No Ghosting - check (2ms ISO measured)
  No Speakers - check
  Fat, deep colour gamut - check (3000:1 contrast ratio! )
  Widescreen - check (16:10)
  22" - check
  Company - check (LG)
  Cheap - snag, well its not too bad... 350 euro is just about still within a reasonable range!

Not to mention component input and Picture in Picture display options! The thing is though, as far as I know you cant get that model yet in the States, you guys only have access to the 226wt which lacks the HDMI and components ports and has a response time of 5ms. So if you are actually thinking of buying, id definitely wait for the 226wa to surface in the States!

I also had a look at the Samsung, and I nearly bought it! The only real difference is the lack of component and HDMI inputs, which for most people is no big deal at all, but its something I was particularly looking for!

[caravel]

When you say "image quality," and then go on to talk about resolution, you're sowing confusion. Yes, LCDs function best at their native rez. But image quality? Color saturation? Contrast? I don't know about that. A properly calibrated LCD can be used for high-end image editing, as can a CRT. Neither one will give you the full gamut that the human eye can perceive, but then we're getting into color spaces, which is a barrel of bees we probably don't want to open ...

Anyway, if your beef with LCDs is the resolution restriction, that's fine and good. But don't go equating resolution to image quality.

Perhaps my use of the term "image quality" was incorrect. What I was trying to say was that with the 15" up to 20" LCDs the native res is usually lower than the maximum possible res of a CRT, this equates to a smaller workspace and more pixelated/ugly image.

I have looked at stacks of LCDs and CRTs, as my job involves repair and redistribution of PCs, printers and components. I deal with CAD designers and graphic designers, that won't touch any LCDs below roughly 21", and will only too gladly stick with a 19" CRT capable of 1600*1400. I can't give the things away to them! When you're doing design work, the smaller screened LCDs are simply too grainy and pixelated, and unless you're prepared to dig deeper into your pockets and really pay this is usually always the case.

[Lemur]

You've pretty much described the LG i've ordered!

Interesting -- your LG 226WA does sound like the monitor I've been waiting for. There are some BenQs that fit the bill, but I'm not sure I trust that company. They've had raves and duds in the past.

When I run a search on your model, I get next to nothing, and most of it's in German. I wonder if it's coming stateside anytime this year?

[edit]

This is the one available to yanks. Very nice, but no HDMI, which means my little lemur won't be able to plug his Playstation 4, Xbox 720 or Nintendo Yowza! into it.

[_Martyr_]

Yeah like I was saying before, the newer model isnt available stateside yet... God knows why! I would have thought you guys get everything first!? I suppose LG are Asian... Anyway, here's where I bought mine: http://www1.hardwareversand.de/6VvYA...=8798&agid=603

I dont think they ship to NewYork though!

[sapi]

Forget that puny stuff, I want a dell 30"

Anyone willing to pay?

[Whacker]

Ugh, LCDs destroy my eyes. I end up getting headaches after using them for extended periods of time even after trying to set them to my likings.

I have a 21" Viewsonic G220fb monitor, and no plans to switch to a crappy LCD in the future.

[Soulforged]

I'm about to change my CRT monitor (a SyncMaster 551v), for an LCD one. It will probably be a Samsung SyncMaster 732n (of 17"). Does anyone know if the image quality on that one will be any good?

[sapi]

I would strongly advise against going for a 17" monitor - it's really too small.

19" is the norm for normal aspect ratio and 22" for widescreen; you really shouldn't go below that

[Husar]

I have a 17" LCD and I like it, very nice picture. My friend has a 19" LCD and I can spot pixels easier there. May depend on preference though, but you usually sit further away from a big screen which kind of negates the effect of having a bigger screen. 22" sounds nice but if you sit close to it, you need an insane resolution and thus insane graphicscard to get a crisp picture.

[Soulforged]

I have a 17" LCD and I like it, very nice picture. My friend has a 19" LCD and I can spot pixels easier there. May depend on preference though, but you usually sit further away from a big screen which kind of negates the effect of having a bigger screen. 22" sounds nice but if you sit close to it, you need an insane resolution and thus insane graphicscard to get a crisp picture.

Besides I can't pay for anything above 17"...