Tips for shooting screens

I've seen some interesting shots on the internet of random stuff lately like TV screens, computer monitors, iPods, etc. But each time I try to shoot them, they are either really washed out or I keep getting refresh lines through them.
What's the hot ticket for shooting screens and having them look good?

Thanks everyone!

Set shutterspeed to 1/15 or slower. Set aperture and ISO to get decent exposure.

To build upon Rene's post...in 60Hz countries like USA with NTSC broadcast standard TV screens, use 1/15 for a safe way to deal with the 1/60 refresh rate and the interleaved frames of video. The NTSC format color system consists of 29.97 interlaced frames of video per second. Each frame consists of 484 lines out of a total of 525 (the rest are used for sync, vertical retrace, and other data such as captioning), and you need TWO fields for a complete screen image to appear, as NTSC is drawing odd-numbered scanlines in odd-numbered fields and even-numbered scanlines in even-numbered fields. So while the refresh rate is 1/30, the frame rate is 1/30.

In PAL/SECAM broadcast areas (e.g. Europe) the scan rate is 1/100 for 1/50 frame rate, and there are 625 rather than 525 scan lines.

Now for computer monitors, the story is somewhat different. Some monitors in USA refresh each 1/60, yet some other monitors refresh each 1/72.

The key to shooting any monitor is to do so in a darkened room!

Wilt wrote in post #2581766
In PAL/SECAM broadcast areas (e.g. Europe) the scan rate is 1/100 for 1/50 frame rate, and there are 625 rather than 525 scan lines.

You need to get out more, Wilt. In Europe the refresh rate is 1/50th of a second, and it is interlaced as in the USA so that it takes two fields for a complete screen image; the frame rate is therefore 25 frames per second.

I would recommend using a shutter speed of exactly 1/30th (NTSC) or 1/25th (PAL/SECAM) to ensure you capture exactly one frame. If you go slower, as René suggested, you will capture multiple frames which may be a problem if the picture is moving. If for whatever reason you want to go slower, try to use whole multiples of 1/30th or 1/25th (e.g. 1/15th, 1/8th... or 1/12th, 1/6th...) to ensure that the screen is evenly lit.

Don't forget a tripod or other camera support if your shutter speed is slow. As Wilt says, do it in a darkened room so you don't get any reflections on the screen, and (just in case there are any newbies reading) DON'T use a flash!

StewartR wrote in post #2582037
You need to get out more, Wilt. In Europe the refresh rate is 1/50th of a second, and it is interlaced as in the USA so that it takes two fields for a complete screen image; the frame rate is therefore 25 frames per second.

Yeah, you caught my mistake! I meant to state, 'So while (NTSC) the refresh rate is 1/60, the frame rate is 1/30. In PAL/SECAM broadcast areas (e.g. Europe) the refresh rate is 1/100 for each field, for 1/50 frame rate, but they are scanned twice in order to eliminate flicker! There are 625 rather than 525 scan lines."

StewartR wrote in post #2582037
If you go slower, as René suggested, you will capture multiple frames which may be a problem if the picture is moving.

True....
I should have elaborated a bit more...