PC Monitors

Just thought that I'd share my experiences over the last few days in choosing a new monitor.

I've been giving myself headaches over the reletive strengths and weaknesses of the different types of LCD display out there in retail land (in brief the options are TN, VA, IPS).

I've always had basic panels (TN) before without even knowing that there were different technologies behind LCD. I've just put up with the likes of colour shift when I move from side to side and iffy, even when calibrated, colour.

At first I found it hard to believe that 24 inch monitors can range in price from £180 to £1200+ especially when the more expensive ones don't have the eye-wateringly fast response rates that are used to sell the cheaper ones to the gaming fraternity!!!!

Anyhow, after much research I decided to buy a 24inch DELL U2410 IPS pannel for just under £440 and I've just got it home and finished calibrating it in the sRGB colour space.

All that I can say is WOW - why have I waited so long.

Colour reproduction is amazing and there is no colour shift irrespective of the angle at which I look at the screen.

It may cost over twice the price of a typical 24 inch "high street" monitor but it well worth it.

If you value colour reproduction look at the monitor you are using and ask yourself - is this the best I can do...

Nightstalker wrote in post #9291459
If you value colour reproduction look at the monitor you are using and ask yourself - is this the best I can do...

I'm looking at a Quato Intelli Proof 240 Excellence, so yes, I think it is the best I can do

That must be seriously high-end kit as I can't even find a price on the web.

One German supplier will not even quote over the phone insisting on supplying quotes via post!!!!!

Nightstalker wrote in post #9296702
That must be seriously high-end kit as I can't even find a price on the web.

I got it through work. As we bought a few dozen of its bigger brother, I got a great price. It cost almost double what the computer it's connected to did. It replaced a Lacie 324 and a 724 and totally blows both away. It will probably be that last monitor I buy until someone makes a 32bit holographic 3D display.

Heh. I just got this in the mail today itself. It's assembled and on my desk for the past 6hrs only. It's REV A01 panel or whatever they call it. I been to the Dell forum And heeded the warning.

As of now, have yet to fully realise if I have a tint issue as I either don't see it or just don't know how to differentiate. It's on the desk Long with an older 22in acer.

So far I'm loving it. Color calibration will be the next headAche which I need to go through. I received the color report, but dunno how to make of it. May I know how you calibrated it? Any tips to be shared? I don't have one of those spyder thingy tho. Pointers wouldbe great.

I do love the USB ports built in tho. Lesser need to crawl down to the floor.

myjunk wrote in post #9298425
I do love the USB ports built in tho. Lesser need to crawl down to the floor.

Seriously.. be careful using the USB ports... If your display goes into powersave mode the power to the USB ports is turned off. I hosed a 500 gig drive because of this. I have no problems using them while sitting at my computer; but not for sustained transfer of large amounts of data.

Oh.. I didn't know that. Will be aware of that then.
Hmm.. And I thought it would be OK.

Tdragone wrote in post #9300640
Seriously.. be careful using the USB ports... If your display goes into powersave mode the power to the USB ports is turned off. I hosed a 500 gig drive because of this. I have no problems using them while sitting at my computer; but not for sustained transfer of large amounts of data.

Powersave mode won't disable USB ports, but enabling selective suspend in your computer will. Both a 2408WFP and 2208 I have don't disable USB ports unless you turn the monitor off (via power button), I can't see dell suddenly shifting gears for others.

myjunk wrote in post #9298425
Heh. I just got this in the mail today itself. It's assembled and on my desk for the past 6hrs only. It's REV A01 panel or whatever they call it. I been to the Dell forum And heeded the warning.

As of now, have yet to fully realise if I have a tint issue as I either don't see it or just don't know how to differentiate. It's on the desk Long with an older 22in acer.

So far I'm loving it. Color calibration will be the next headAche which I need to go through. I received the color report, but dunno how to make of it. May I know how you calibrated it? Any tips to be shared? I don't have one of those spyder thingy tho. Pointers wouldbe great.

I do love the USB ports built in tho. Lesser need to crawl down to the floor.

Calibration was done using an EyeOne Display 2 and supplied iMatch software.

I calibrated around the sRGB default setting and then checked the results against the sRGB standard using the free Colorimetre HCFR software that is freely available on the web (iMatch does not really give any usable reporting information) and CalMAN Pattern Generator.

I'll re-do the tests and post up grayscale and gamut results in a few minutes for all to see just how good this monitor is.

OK firstly the Grayscale (20 point measures) showing R G & B channels:

You made a wise choice, good sir. Even die hard Mac users go out and buy those Dell's because they are fantastic and just as good as Apple's high-end Cinema Display line, and half of what Apple charges for them. They are beautiful.

I too fought this for months as well. My old Samsung panel just couldn't track colors properly. I could get reds right and green/blue would suffer. Same for the rest.

I finally just gave up and bought a 24-inch EIZO.

-Charles