LCD monitors - ok for editing ??

[JohnK]

Looking to replace my aging CRT PC monitor. Are there any advantages or disadvantages with LCD for photo or video editing? Someone said the definition might not be as good because LCD pixels are single colour only while crt pixels can be either r/g/b

is this bollox ??

Any recommendations on a 17 - 19" LCD monitor ??

Thanks

[GLOC]

I use a 17" LCD/TFT for my photo editing and haven't had too much of an issue. It is a Samsung Syncmaster 172V.

The important thing is if you are doing some serious photo work where colour reproduction is important, get it calibrated! You can pick up a monitor calibrator for about £100-150. It is worth it in saved prints which arent correct.

Also make sure the monitor allows you to adjust brightness and contrast as these are required during the calibration process.

I would also recommend either getting the largest you can afford as PSCS and Adobe Premier Pro require lots of desktop space when you start to have the menus displayed. I use a 15" laptop linked with my 17" TFT, allows me to put all the menus on the lappy and the image on the TFT...

Just my 2p re: photo editing...

[Okeanos]

Originally Posted by JohnK

crt pixels can be either r/g/b

is this bollox ?

Yes.

A colour CRT screen is made up of seperate RGB pixels, take a magnifying glass and have a close look at any CRT tube.

The only difference is the luminace and contrast. Its very hard to get black on a LCD screen, the LCD crystals are used to cover either the R/G/B pixel, whereas on a tv the electrons are only fired at pixels that need to be lit.

Every screen will display your image differently though. Mine always look better on my laptop compared to my home pc, they are both lcd screens.

[Pen Simon]

One important factor when thinking of using TFT screens for editing video is the refresh rate.

I have a triple head display on my system - at the moment two are 21" CRT, but the other is an Acer 19" model which has a 8ms refresh rate - anything less for video is not very good. (The perceived viewing area of the 19" TFT is not actually far off the viewable area of the CRTs because of their masks.

Specifications have been improving steadily and it is more common now to see 8ms and better rather than something around 12ms or above.

As someone previously mentioned, true black levels are hard to attain on TFT - something to bear in mind.......

My Edit Suite - before rewire....

[Okeanos]

Originally Posted by Pen Simon

My Edit Suite - before rewire....

I can see why you had to re-wire, where's the kettle?

[Pen Simon]

Originally Posted by Okeanos

I can see why you had to re-wire, where's the kettle?

I should have been more specific - ....in preperation for the rewire - I have removed one of the equipment bays and turned the other 90 degrees. Its amazing houw much space you get back in a system when you stop using 1" reel to reel and Betacam!

The changes have made room for the DVD authoring station to come nearer the edit desk.

The kettle is just in the house not far away!

[StuartC]

further advice for TFT consideration.

TFT screens can suffer from faulty pixels, which may either be locked on or off, and once there, they cannot be repaired.

Check the warranty details on your prospective purchase to see what guarantee you have for dead pixels. I recall reading that there is now an ISO standard for this, and that a number of faulty pixels are allowed for a given number of megapixels before your warranty is enforceable. Not an issue if it's near the edge of the screen, but a real PITA once you notice it....

Some online retailers will actually provide a check and guarantee that your unit will be free of dead pixels (e.g. www.aria.co.uk). I'd recommend considering this, or insist on a visual inspection in the shop if you're buying over the counter.

I'd also recommend a widescreen format - makes Photoshop work much better, as you've got more screen space for the toolbars beside your image.

I have a Dell 20" widescreen (2005FPW) from here (www.itcsales.co.uk), which have a very good rating (apparently the panels are the same as in the Apple Cinema Screen monitors). This screen can also be rotated from landscape to portrait if you need this feature.

It's the dogs danglies!

[Lazlo]

Originally Posted by Okeanos

I can see why you had to re-wire, where's the kettle?

Sod the kettle - where's the joystick go?


AFAIC the only reason to buy a TFT is if you're short of space or power. CRTs are better quality, have better colour characteristics (I've heard) and much lower equivalent price. Get a reasonable GFX card and you can have two at once - or one of each type if you feel like it.

[Woz]

I'm currently sat here in front of a 21" CRT that is, er, 14 years old. Great colour, great resolution. OK it's not "fashion" but for lots of CAD and graphics work it's great. Mitsubishi tube IIRC badged as a Dell.

I hasten to add that the computer it's nailed to is a Dell Precision 380 Workstation. Grrrrrrr.

[JohnK]

thanks for the advice. Wow, pen, thats some set up !!!!!!