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[U146]Used Flat Panel Monitors

by Hallidae Thomason, Hal

The question is should I spend the extra several bills to purchase a flat panel monitor, or should I stick the fad out with my very functional regular box monitor? The answer is that there is no answer. There are basically two things that I see that are attractive about the new monitors that are sweeping across the world, into consumers homes, at an incredible rate. First they are attractive, low profile, elegant and refined. Second they take up less room and weigh less than the typical box-type monitor that has been with us for decades.

What I don't see a difference in is everything else. When I say everything else I am talking about quality of graphic both as far as color and clarity, efficiency of power usage, compatibility with other types of media (TV, DVD, etc.), and cost. Wait… that last one that is wrong. There definitely is a difference in price and that is the biggest reason why I think that I will wait until the fad of the flat panel monitor is out the window and the prices for these admittedly attractive looking machines is down to earth and worth their weight (which is considerably less as mentioned above.

Now I have been strictly talking about computer monitors in this discussion about flat panel monitor pros and cons. What I should mention next is the TV which I take a very different tone. I think that there are enough cool things about the flat screen TV that I would be willing to pay a good bit more for one of them than for the box TV. HOWEVER I still think that the price tag on these beautiful creatures is a bit exorbitant and I will have to wait until they come back down to earth.

So why do I think the TV flat panel monitors are so cool. Well for one the thought of being able to hang your TV on the wall is one of the coolest things that I have heard of. That is about the best savings of room that I can imagine for a TV. The other thing is that the picture quality on these TVs is head and shoulders above the rest of the TVs that are equal in sized but not flatness. The plasma screen allows higher resolution and better image quality without the distortion that you get from a rounded screen.

If you are still not on the flat-panel monitor camp, you ought to be considering doing it soon. And, if not, then you should! Its the coolest peripheral to own. It represents power, fashion and all things youthful and out of sight. Until you replace your CRT display you wouldnt find out how much you hated that eyesore! But before you dish out your hard earned money, getting to know the object of desire will stand you in good stead.

Browsing tips:

1. Flat panel monitors use interfaces - analog or digital. The latest models have digital interface but an all-digital environment costs more. If you are attaining an analog flat panel, you really should attach it with a digital interface to your video card with a digital out jack to mainstream the signal.

If you are thinking about to buy a digital interface, you need to investigate its compatibility. There are several digital interface standards available today-Plug and Display (P&D) from the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), Digital Flat Panel (DFP) from the Digital Flat Panel Working Group, and Digital Video Interface (DVI) from the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG).

The P&D interface is the oldest of the three standards and chances are your new model wont have this standard. Support for DFP standard is seen across many hardware vendors. The DVI standard is the most up-to-date and the most popular. Do your research and whichever standard you chose, you need to match its factors that consists of cables and video cards!

2. Pixel-refresh response time: In a LCD monitor, the time needed to switch from light to dark objects or vice versa, is referred to as Pixel-refresh response time. If the response time is poor (more than 40ms), you may see ghosting effect, i.e., the image seems to remain longer on the screen than it actually is!

Whereas in a text environment this would hardly matter, in a gaming or media centric environment the effect could be a nuisance. More economical models give more ghosting than their pricey counterparts. Also, pixel-refresh response time is not mentioned on the monitors. You need to watch in detail to judge the performance of each model.

3. Viewing angle: One problem with a flat panel monitor is its viewing angle. Laptop users must have experienced this problem. Moving away from the monitor in any way causes the monitor to black out! Different models offer different viewing angles horizontally and vertically.

Find the one best suited to your funds! In any case, for a home PC, the viewing angle doesnt make much difference but if the monitor is going to be used for official presentations then it should have viewing angle of at least 120 degrees horizontal and 100 degrees vertical. Also, ask for add-ons like pivoting frames.

4. Size: bigger is better, but with flat panel, remember 15-inch screen gives you the experience of a 17-inch CRT monitor. If you can pay for 17-inch flat panel, by all means, go for it, if not, a 15-inch screen should not be a disappointment.

Other things to check when buying a flat panel are guarantees and warranties. A three-year warranty is sufficient. People change the monitor settings in stores and while purchasing; make sure that you scrutinize the piece adequately. You now have the basic information; all you need is time to check out the market!

Check out the great selection of big screen tvs and flat panel monitors at our site today!

Article Source : Pg. 334

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Both Hallidae Thomason & John Thompson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Hallidae Thomason has sinced written about articles on various topics from Yoga Practice, Internet Marketing and Flirting Tips. Hallidae Thomason has been writing and reviewing technology for years. For more information on the visit www.aboutflatpanelmonitor.info.. Hallidae Thomason's top article generates over 201000 views. to your Favourites.

John Thompson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, Babies and Hearing Aids. products can be downloaded from our site.. John Thompson's top article generates over 823000 views. to your Favourites.