Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?

Subject: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 02:00 PM

Calling on the Mudcat Consumer Guides, again.:-)

Time for a new monitor...my first flat panel. We saw some good buys at dell online, which is where we will be buying one, but also read some crappy customer reviews. Rog says they have all kinds at the tv sttaion, so that's not really helpful. I need one which will give me crisp, clear text as well as good colour for photos. I think I want to go with a 22 inch. So, do any of you have Dell, Samsung, or any of the other kinds they offer at dell? what do you like/not like about them or any other flat panels LCDs?

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 02:28 PM

kat -

I don't have much experience with flat panels, but our latest new computer - from a builder that I think has an exceptional reputation for using "best parts" - came with a Samsung Syncmaster 940BX.

When the monitor on my older setup died, I checked the specs on comparable competitive monitors, and found that this one did offer a couple of better numbers at very competitive pricing, so we now have two alike.

Just "buying a Samsung," however is not to be recommended. It's very important to evaluate the individual model (the 940BX in this case). This model is not commonly available at retail outlets, so you'd have to "web order" it. You also need to look at whether the details of the specifications are appropriate for your use.

A particular feature of this model was it's very high brightness/contrast ratios, about 30% higher than for closely comparable models. That was significant to me, but might not be too important to you.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 02:35 PM

I have a 19" Dell flat panel -- E193FP I think is the model number. One of the older ones, since this 'puter is several years old. Probably approximately equivalent to their current E198FP or similar Dell models.

Granting that I'm not terribly demanding about my equipment, I've had no complaints with my monitor. Text does seem to be clear and crisp and I know photos have shown up well. No technical issues.

-- Gary

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Tootler
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 02:40 PM

Mine is a Phillips. I couldn't find a model no. on a quick look, but I also have a Phillips flat panel TV and both give very good pictures.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 02:42 PM

Thanks, folks! I have found the one you recommended, John, at the dell website. They oly want $249 for it, so I think we'll go with that one. It's the one Rog had shown me, before.:-)

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 02:42 PM

You should go take a look at them at a store that has some set up. I have had several Dell flat panels here, and they look fine. I've also had HP, but the ones I buy from the store tend to be View Sonic. They make a very good monitor and used to have the best warranty in the field. I think they've dropped it down to the same 1 year warranty the others offer now. (Used to be 3 years). The resolution is pretty standard on the flat panel monitors now (if you go to CRT then you have a real desk hog but you can get much more detailed resolution. I donated one of those to the Goodwill recently--as good as it was, it weighed a ton and killed the space on the desktop).

Are you going to watch movies? Then the wider screen is a good idea. I used two monitors side by side and have a video card that allows for that (can manage up to four, if I chose to hook up that many). I don't let a movie span the monitors, though. If I view something while I work I park it on one screen.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 02:45 PM

P.S.--as John has said, I always choose them based on brightness and contrast as well as the other factors. Higher brightness will cost you a bit more. Places like frys.com have good sales and you might find one for less than the price you listed above.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 02:54 PM

We've got an account at Dell, SRS, thanks, though. Have had really good luck with stuff from them as have other family members. I have ordered it with free shipping. If I don't like it, I'll send it back. My Siamese, Kipling, is going to be devastated. He's the main reason I haven't done this sooner...he loves toasting himself on it...keeps his coat such a beautiful colour, ya know? Poor thing.

Thanks, again, everyone.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 02:54 PM

I did take a look at local sellers, but could only find "ordinary interchangeable" monitors regardless of maker. The Samsung 940SX - I think that's the model most common, and I'm too lazy to check for the exact model designation - is indistinguisable from everone else's of the same size. Every character in the model designation is critical when you're comparing specs to get what you really expect.

If you need to order from a web outlet, price shopping is important - or at least may get a "best price" - as long as you stick to places with confirmable reputations.

However for lots of people, "Gimme a monitor" is an adequate specification, if they aren't too fussy.

Most of what's available will work - usually.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: artbrooks
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 04:46 PM

I have a 17" Dell flat panel, #1703FPs...I'd assume that the 17 in the number is the size and the FP stands for flat panel - duh. I've had it for about 3 1/2 years, with no problems at all. The one I have is "made in China", which is an issue for some people.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 05:02 PM

Oh, I'm sure Kipling will just do the same thing our Nova does and cat-loaf between the keyboard and the monitor. Or sit on his haunches in front of the monitor. Either way he'll still find a way to soak up the rays!

(Note to our feline friends--monitors and TVs do not exist solely to backlight you and/or your tail...*grin*)

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Bee
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 05:26 PM

I'm currently looking at a 22 inch Acer flat screen, came with the HP Pavilion monster computer which HusbandWithaThousandBrowniePoints surprised me with Christmas day. Can't tell you how trouble free it will be, but it looks absolutely gorgeous and the colour and resolution are magnificent.

Good luck with your new monitor.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 05:41 PM

Sis sent me an AOC 19". At first the text seems not crisp, then the brain fills it all in and after a few days it looks GREAT. It was hard to get used to the wideness; I learned over time not to open every window in the full width just because I can. Mudcat, for instance, looks very odd to me widescreen, so I keep it narrower.

I THINK the measurements are different for widescreen-- horizontal instead of diagonal. My 19 is very wide. The narrow casing helps achieve that as well.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 08:06 PM

Sister Connie, always on the lookout for a deal at Christmas found a widescreeen flat 17" Acer at Staples I thing. On a 1 day sale plus a rebate we went together and got it for her son Rick.......Are you ready?   

$79.99

Yep. Had it not been Christmas and we were spending for everyone else I can assure you I would be looking at one right now. Looks great on Rick's Dell. He's trained (and continues on in training) for computer graphic design so he actually had a use for it.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 08:11 PM

Holy cow, Spaw, that's great!

GGary, *laughing* I hope Kipling will like that. He loves sitting on top and draping his head over the edge for me to scratch his forehead AND , typical cat, he does NOT like change!

Bee, another friend just got an acer and she is really happy with it. Great Christmas pressie...goodonyerhubby!

Susan, I know the wide thing will bug me for a bit. Thanks for the tips.

I think I'll go see what dell has on sale for desktops; mine is getting old, ya know?**bg**

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: artbrooks
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 08:32 PM

Don't forget to look at Dell's returned/refurbished site.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 09:04 PM

Move your mouse arrow to an open area on your monitor and right click. You'll get the box for monitor settings. Go to

Display properties -> effects -> Clear type (it says "use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts" and it does help).

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 10:24 PM

Thanks, Art, I didn't know about that. It looks as though we might be able to get something decent for a few hundred. We will take our time on that. Glad to see they are still including WINXP as an option. I do NOT want Vista!

Great tip, SRS.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Dec 07 - 10:26 PM

On my old monitor "clear type" made everything look out of whack fuzzy. I'll stick with "standard" for now.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Dec 07 - 02:41 AM

The right click tip by SRS is NOT a standard Windows thing. It works only if your monitor driver (or your graphics card) puts the command on the menu that comes up when you right click there - or if you've added it there for yourself. Apparently quite a few drivers do add it, but it's not universal.

The "standard" way to get there is Start|Settings|Control Panel, double-click Display, click the Appearance Tab, click the Effects button, and find "Cleartype" in the box for "smooth edges using" with a check in the little box to use the choice you put there.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Jim McLean
Date: 30 Dec 07 - 05:15 AM

Another thing to check is the 'screen refresh rate'. On some screens changing to 75hz makes a fantastic difference to the clarity.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Dec 07 - 07:01 AM

Anyone interested in dealing with Dell should visit their website and sign up to be spammed. I bought a computer from them about 6 years ago and still get about three per week - SPECIAL OFFER, GOOD FOR THREE DAYS ONLY. Remarkable prices on all kinds of stuff.

Of course when you get close-up with the detailed specs, you'll probably want to add "just a wee bit extra," but they do a remarkable job of pushing specific "end stock" models out the door.

I'd tell them to quit sending their ads, but then I wouldn't get any email at all - except from Microsoft non-support, AT&T unsupporters, etc. (see other threads for details)

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Dec 07 - 07:19 AM

Our company only use Dell, have done for years with no problems. We all (30 + employees) had new flat screens a couple of years ago and are still impressed with them. Great for photos, pictures, films etc. (our company is very liberal with the use of our computers, internet etc because we get our work done and dont abuse the privilege), so the computers, screens and laptops etc get loads of use. I would recommend them but I'm just a day to day user and have absolutely no technical knowledge.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 10:01 PM

Well, this is going to take some getting used to! We got the new monitor; the same as JohninKS recommended. At the moment, Mudcat sure has a lot of white space and it is very bright, even though I keep tweaking the settings. The text looked awful to me, so I change the font, then did the clear type SRS mentioned and it seems to be better. My neck is tweaking out with the different angles BUT I can't believe how easy it is to adjust the height and angles!

Puir Kipling is lost! He tried to jump up on it and wound up on the backside of it. We put a shelf thingie behind it and put the cassette dubbing machine on top of that. When he would get too hot on the old monitor, he'd move to the front of it on which sat the dubbing machine. So the dubber is on the shelf thing. If he'd just try it, he'd see he can still sleep ^ABOVE the rest of us and maybe be happy. I know he's going to miss the heat. There was so much pulled cat hair tufts, it looked like a chicken had been plucked behind the old monitor! No wonder it was shutting down.

I thought I was getting a wide screen, but it's not really. I think it will be okay as I don't like the looks of the rectangular tvs and monitors I've seen. I was going to try it because Rog seemed to think I'd like it. As it is, there is much more showing up in a window than ever on the old one and I like the looks and the flat panel.

Thanks, again, folks, for your input.

kat

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 01:41 AM

A lot of people (me included) had bad luck with Dell televisions, but I haven't heard anything bad about Dell monitors. After Michael Dell took back control of the company, I got a new television from them for free, and I've had no problems with it.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 02:10 AM

If all the white space bothers you, you need to add a background "Desktop Image. [Start|Settings|Control Panel|Display] I use a favorite art clip (Honthorst: Young Woman Playing the Viola Di Gamba, should be first pic at the link) on about 1/4 of the screen, lower right, with plain BLACK for the rest of it. Any picture will do, although .jpg or .bmp are the usual; and it can be anywhere on your computer that you can browse to to link it in Desktop settings. Check the screen dimensions you're using and match the horizontal/vertical pixel counts to determine how much flat color to add for the background for your icons.

While you're there, you can set a screen saver to run all the pictures in any folder. I use a resized and labelled set of the images from the "Living Artists" at the same web site as the Honthorst link. You don't need to use a screen saver, but it's cute and does no harm if you want to.

Windows has built-in desktop "patterns" but they'e all pretty obnoxious, and would appeal more to juvies/pre-teens (IMO).

(Lin uses a large Willie Nelson for background.)

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 04:39 AM

"(Lin uses a large Willie Nelson for background.)"

I just l-u-r-v-e it when you talk dirty! :-)

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 02:55 PM

On both computer monitors and television screens of the "widescreen" persuasion, I really HATE the distorted image (stretched wide) that so many people are willing to live with.

My computer monitors (at home and at work) are "normal" in aspect ratio (shape), but I do have a farily new widescreen TV. It comes with a "format" control that allows me to very easily set any and every program to be viewed without distortion. In very many cases, this means black/blank areas at the left and right sides of the screen, on either side of a sharp, clear, correctly-proportioned picture. (In other words, the opposite of a "letterboxed" image when viewed within the formerly-normal 4:3 screen format.)

For any program or video-recording that is intended to fill, or nearly fill, the widescreen format, there are settings that allow the viewer to easily utilize the maximum amount of viewscreen area without distorting the image.

It simply amazes me how many otherwise intelligent people set their widescreen televisions to "automatic" format, and happily stare away at the distorted images of short fat actors and athletes, thinking that there's something superior about the wonderful widescreen image that modern technology has given them in trade for their hardearned dollars.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 03:23 PM

Thanks for your input, Joe. I should have noted I got the Samsung SynMaster 940BX from Dell.

It's looking better to me this morning. I've done some adjustments.

John, when I go to Start, I get Control Panel>Appearance & Themes>Display and then all kinds of choices including Theme, Desktop, Screen Saver, Appearance, and Settings. So far, those only control what shows on my Desktop, not what shows while I am browsing.

Aha! I went to Tools in my Mozilla browser and just changed the background colour and told it to always use my choice instead of that of any given website. That takes care of all the white space!

I did change my Desktop to a nice photo I took up in the mountains last summer. May change it, though. It's fun to try different photos for it.

I want one of them Large Willies, too!**bg**

Poppa...that's what bugs me about them! I didn't know you could adjust it. I don't think I'd like the black framing it would entail, but it'd be better than the stretched out look I see in the stores. So that begs the question, why even bother with wide screens?

Thanks, again, folks!

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 03:58 PM

Hey Kat--

I can email you my Big Willie if you really want him--truth to tell, though, the picture is more of Trigger than Willie. I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out what chord is being played...

Lin

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 04:52 PM

Kat - LiK means her desktop picture. (Just to avoid confusion.)

Poppa Gator -

Once you set a proper screen resolution the only thing that might be distorted on you computer would be a "desktop" picture, or screen saver images, if you select the "stretch to fit" option. The correction is to make the picture(s) so that they agree with the aspect ratio of the monitor. For a desktop, making the actual pixel width and pixel height match the monitor is best, and it's pretty easy to do if you have even a minimalist image editor.

If you open programs/windows in the "midsize" view, they should be undistorted, and can be resized to what you want - you'll just have some "extra space" around the windows. A wide screen is handy if you like to have several windows open at the same time, but is sort of just "wasted space" if you tend to work one window at a time and at "full screen."

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 05:40 PM

John,

Well, I don't have a widescreen PC monitor, so I don't know about the available adjustments, etc. My boss has one, though, and all his icons that should be square are oblong, and his "wallpaper" photo is similarly stetched out of proportion.

I understand exactly where you're coming from about using the additional monitor-space to keep more multiple windows open with less overlap. That's how I would like to use extra monitor area. Of course, if you allow every image, every window, to be stretched out disproportinally wide, you lose every advantage of extra space that you might have enjoyed. You just have a distorted image of the same layout you would have had with your old monitor.

But then, some people are just stupid.

Kat,

I don't think you'd mind the black "framing" once you realize that you can always get the largest image possible, and without distortion. You simply have to occasionally adjust your "format" setting, instead of leaving it set to "automatic." After a while, you shouldn't notice the unused portion of your screen.

And of course, for any program intended for widescreen viewing, whether broadcast in "letterbox" format or recorded on DVD or any such medium, you can make use of the entire area of your nice new big screen.

There is plenty of programming availble that correctly "fits" the widescreen shape, with much more to come in the near future. I'm not absolutely sure, but I believe that ALL HDTV transmission is in widescreen format. Certainly, most receivers (TV sets) equipped to receive HD signals come with a wide-format viewing screen.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 08:14 PM

Oh, yeah, I'd forgotten that! My chief-engineer-at-the-tv-station-Rog has told me all HDTV IS broadcast in wide format, that's why their signal no longer fits my screen. Thanks for the reminder, Poppa. I know we are going to have to buy one of those TVs, soon. Rog feels the prices will get better, very shortly, due to the mandated switchover.

Lin or LiK as HE calls you, thanks, anyway. I don't really care about the chords.**bg**

Oh, are you sure that's what she means, John?**bg**

I learned even more on Mudcat, today, just like almost every day!

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: GUEST,Edthefolkie
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 12:05 PM

Eizo flat panels are just about the best - if you have the cash! If you want to be a real poser you can get one with a hood round the screen and pretend to be a master photographer.

Re Kipling the cat - these "animals" do in fact sit on or near to ANYTHING which their humans are reading as they feel it diverts said humans' attention from themselves. Birman cats can even stop their humans drinking tea by shedding hairs in it.

Cats can however be fooled into ignoring a monitor by providing them with the cardboard box the monitor came in.

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 01:32 PM

Thread drift, cats not monitors:

My cats invariably squat on my lap, on the newspaper, whenever I try to do the Sudolu and/or crossword. Scat!

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 02:02 PM

More cat drift...re hairs in the tea. I eat my breakfast in front of my monitor. Kipling used to sit on the old monitor and groom himself. He doesn't just give himself a lick and a spittle. He grabs short hairs all over his Siamese body and rips out tufts of downy stuff which floats down to in front and on my breakfast IF I don't have it out of the way quickly enough! It is so fine and soft, it really does look as though a chicken has been plucked. It's odd because he's been checked by the vet - no disorders and doesn't looked plucked, but that's exactly what he does to himself. Maybe I'll see if I can get a video of him doing it and put it on youtube!**bg**

The box of the new vid is on the floor which is where Trystan likes to play. It won't fit on my desk. So far, Kipling has jumped up onto the dubbing machine a couple of times, but he hasn't tstayed - partly due to lack of heat, and he cannot brace himself against the wall and just lounge without falling off. Perhaps I'll out a small basket up there for him. He has been pathetically joining Trys on our bed the past two mornings. I miss him looking down on me from on high.:-^<

Subject: RE: Tech: Dell flat panels - do you have one?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 01:14 AM

A couple of thoughts occurred as I read this update, but it wasn't clear what you were looking at, so I'll make these points:

This is a typical monitor shot on my computer. Pardon the distortion--I turned off my flash and held my breath to keep the camera still. You don't see the actual edge of the monitor without the flash, and with a dark background your best clue is the edge of the blue bar at the bottom. I actually have two side-by-side monitors, attached via an NVidia card so I could run up to four monitors. These are set to display separate stuff, as if it was one large very wide screen. But even if I were to use just one monitor, I don't use my browser screen out to the edges. I typically have several browser windows open (though most of them will be minimized and I work back and forth between them) and I have a dark background so I'm not staring at a lot of white. The desktop image I'm using lately is one that I think I picked up after visiting a site that Rapaire linked to. It had lots of astronomy shots (NASA is a great place for that kind of photo also).

I learned something new this evening--my monitors weren't refreshing at the same rate. I set them both at 72hz (one only goes that high, the other goes up to 75, so I chose what was highest between them).

I've been away hunting for (and not finding) glue sticks for my son for a while. The conversation may have progressed way past this point (or into something other than cats and computers). Apologies if I've missed a few beats.

SRS