As more people are buying LCD monitors, I’ve decided to put together a primer.

LCD monitors cost significantly more then their familiar CRT monitor brethren. Cathode Ray Tube technology, (or CRT), is the same technology used in televisions. The main justifications for the extra cost of LCD is reduced eye-strain and smaller case size, which leaves more desk space. LCD’s look slick and hip, and have a crisp image.

Many people mistakenly refer to LCD monitors as “flat” monitors. This is not a good label for them, because there are also flat screens on CRT displays. The flat screen is certainly a pleasant feature of an LCD, however.

Some LCD monitors have inputs for both PC and television, so they can serve double-duty. This is advantageous if you live in a small apartment or are on a budget. Some can also connect to game consoles and other devices. With their portability, LCD monitors allow for versatility that big-ol’ CRT’s lack.

LCD’s have a slower pixel response time, which can make for some blurry movie watching. This is a very real consideration for serious gamers in weighing the pro’s and con’s of an LCD over CRT monitor.

Another drawback is the viewing angle, which is generally less than a CRT. This would make it hard to share a monitor, and would mean that as a television display, the LCD would limit the seating area.

Higher-quality LCD monitors currently have viewing angles of 150-170 degrees horizontal and 130-180 degrees vertical.

Considerations such as pixel response time and viewing angle will become less important as the technology improves.

Here are the main features to look at in an LCD monitor:

Size: The majority of LCD sales are 15” and 17” models. As you look at 18” displays and up, the price rises dramatically. For many applications, which require multi-tasking, size is a very important consideration. A 15” monitor would make a lousy display for watching DVD’s. For some users a 15” monitor is adequate, however; and in some situations it is a perfect fit.

Image Quality: When judging an LCD’s performance, I’ll want to see it display a high-quality image and judge the colour and sharpness. Then I would watch a DVD on it. Finally, I would use it to view some plain text and observe how sharp and defined the text displays. Another consideration is the resolution settings that the display is capable of.

Features: Some LCD’s come with a remote control. Some can swivel on their base for portrait viewing. Other features may include: two component inputs; picture-in-picture; PC Card slot; USB ports; or speakers.

Viewing Angle: If you’re going to pay for an LCD, insist on a viewing angle of at least 150 degrees horizontal, 120 degrees vertical. 170 x 170 is a lot nicer!

Menus and Controls: LCD’s can be more troublesome to set up then CRT monitors. It is nice to have easy and intuitive controls, while having lots of features. Some LCD’s have many buttons while others rely on two or three.

Inputs: While you may know why you want an LCD monitor at this time, as a long-term investment, you may find yourself wanting to use the LCD for different tasks in the future. The uses of an LCD monitor are governed by the inputs that the unit has. They can include:

S-Video (used for high-quality video connections);

Composite (uses a single RCA jack to connect to a video source-- low quality);

Component (uses 3 RCA jacks to separate the three color signals to give you a much richer and more powerful video experience);

Optical (have a Toslink connector on each end and are used to connect optical audio connections, such as on a DVD or CD player);

RF (used to connect television monitors to antennas or video cassette recorders-- low quality);

DVI (enables high-resolution applications on digital flat-panel displays);

VGA (used by computer monitors to seperate the RGB signals).

Design: Elegant is a word that well describes the way an LCD looks on a desk. Some have bases of painted metal, while others are molded plastic. Some designs employ clean, straight lines; others are more fluid in their appearance. Consider the weight of the base, and how easy it would be to accidentally knock the display over.

Price: LCD monitors may cost more, but when considered in the perspective of the price of CRT monitors just a few years ago, they do not seem so bad. As a monitor will generally outlast a computer in terms of its usefulness, it is easier to justify buying a nice display. But with 17” and larger CRT displays becoming so inexpensive, LCD monitors are still a luxury item in most situations.

11 March 2003  |   permalink