Specifications

www.techbargins.com

Our Cookie and Coffee Klatch was hosted by Nancy Vrooman and Peter Stonehower, to the delight of a full house,

with almost half an hour of social time. We used this time to catch up on our many projects, and family news.

Guy Kuncir introduced our guest speaker Ralph Dallon, from our original Staples store, (Broad Street) discussing

computer monitors, both LCD flat screens and CRT types.

Ralph opened his discussion with the question: "What kind of monitor should I buy?". This problem is defined by

knowing what you want to do with the computer. As outlined in his handout, you will need to decide which aspect

or feature of your system is most important. Web browsing, and email are simple applications which need only a

low end display device. Video editing and desktop publishing are more demanding, and usually the most difficult

display problems are faced by the computer gamers who need every bit of video power they can get to show fast-

moving 3-D images in a full range of colors and intensities.

Another problem is the age of the operating system, such as Win9x, Win2K, or WinXP, each one more powerful

than the previous one. Later systems support more kinds of monitors, as the number of models and manufacturers

continues to increase. There are two basic styles of video cards to drive these monitors - analog and digital. Each

has its features and most also have limitations. The amount of RAM on board the card also affects performance, as

images are read from that area as the system controls the display. The bit-rate at which information enters and

leaves the memory is a very important specification, as it determines how fast the screen may be refreshed.

Currently, cards are starting to have 256 MB of display RAM, and most older systems have at least 16 MB of RAM

to store images apart from the regular system RAM. Flicker and color-depth are affected by the type of display and

how it is matched to the video card. Analog monitors can display an unlimited range of color tones, but digital

monitors are almost as good, with 16 Million colors available from a 24 bit digital signal. In a matched digital card

and monitor system, there is no need for the RAM-DAC converter for an analog output, so those systems are

probably the best combination for your video display tasks.

Another deciding factor is the amount of space available on your desk. If you are cramped for room in your

computing environment, the Liquid Crystal Display [LCD] revolution is just what you were waiting for. An old-

fashioned Cathode Ray Tube [CRT] monitor has at least twice the footprint of an LCD with comparable display

area. Pricing has changed so that 17" CRT monitors are now available for $100! Brand names, such as Sony,

Viewsonic, Samsung, and NEC are the leaders in the marketplace, while other makers try to match their

specifications and performance, at lower prices. One big advantage of LCD displays is the lack of any harmful

radiation, such as soft X-rays produced by high voltage electron beam acceleration in the CRT. The bulky design of

CRT monitors also contrasts with the slim, light weight features of the LCD types, so the lower mass is a definite

advantage when you install the LCD display on your desk. LCD prices start as $289.98 for Envision EN-5200e 15"

model, and range to $1,750 for a 20" VP201M Viewsonic, as listed in the Staples LCD website comparisons. See:

http://staples.com/Catalog/Compare/compchart.asp?ClassID=142219&FunctionType=1