Guide to select LCD monitors 

All the Computer Monitor Savings start here. Also Compare Prices, Read Reviews & MoreFind the Lowest Prices before going into the selection of LCD monitors, let us just see the history of the computer monitor.

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Technology gets cheaper and better as time goes by. This is evident from the fact that faster and better processor are now available for much less than a few years ago. The same is the case with display technology.

Some years back, LCD monitors cost more than US$ 1000, but now they come for much less-and with many more features. CRT monitors too have become cheaper; a 15-inch monitor can be had for as little as US$ 110 and a 17-inch for approximately US$ 220.

CRT Vs. LCD monitor

The technologies used to manufacture CRT monitor and LCD monitor are completely different. CRT monitors use a cathode ray tube which houses in it the electron gun at one end and a tough glass coated with phosphor at the other. The electron gun fires electrons towards the phosphor screen and the magnetic coil precisely deflect them from their path so that they hit the correct part of the screen. The screen is made up of phosphor dots which are placed in triad formation (in a colour monitor).

Go for the quality LCD monitors.There are three electron guns; one each for red, green and blue. Each gun fires the electron on the corresponding dot. The screen is refreshed according to the refresh rate selected if it's 75 Hz, the screen will be drawn 75 times. Due to the width of the tube inside the monitor, CRT monitors are bulkier than the LCD monitors.

LCD monitor displays, on the other hand, are made up of liquid crystals. The technology used is more advanced than the one in CRT displays and calls for lots of precision. To light up the pixel, LCD uses a grid to supply the charge. Two glass layers are used as a substrate. One of the substrates is used as the row, and the other as the column, and are made of a transparent conductive material. This material is mostly Indium-Tin oxide.

These rows and columns are connected to the on-board electronics, which control the charge sent to the rows and columns. The liquid crystal material is sandwiched between the two glass substrates and the polarising material is added on the outer side of each substrate. To make the pixel work (or turn it on), a charge is sent by the integrated circuit to the correct column and ground is activated on the row of that pixel. The row and column meet each other at the pixel to be turned on-and delivers the voltage to 'untwist' the liquid crystal at that pixel.

Why does LCD monitor cost so much?

The cost of LCD monitor displays increases dramatically even if the screen size increases by just one inch. The main reason is that many thin film transistors have to be incorporated within the additional space. Because the technology is still in its early stages and the rejection rate is very high (in large LCDs it can be as high as 40 per cent), good LCD displays sold in the market have to bear the manufacturing cost of the bad LCD displays that get rejected. The only way out of this vicious circle is further advancement in technology and more refined manufacturing techniques.

3D TFT-LCD Monitor

Advanced graphic cards have entered the world of computers, and they are capable of rendering 3D objects in real time. To complement this, some world-renowned monitor manufacturers have made 3D TFT monitors. These monitors make users feel as if images on the screen are real.These monitors have a glass panel that is sandwiched between two LCD panels. Each LCD panel reflects half the light, allowing permeability. This effect creates the 3D sensation. Such monitors can be used in many critical areas such as medicine, fighter aircraft.

Buying Tips for LCD Monitors

LCD monitors use liquid crystal filled grids activated by electric fields to create smooth, finely defined images. Quality varies somewhat for certain LCD monitors.

• Resolutions

Make sure that the native resolution matches the one you use regularly. Also, look for models with a one-touch auto adjust feature that matches your screen display with your computer resolution.

• Dead Pixels

A problem with LCD screens is dead pixels. This refers to pixels that are either always 'on' or 'off'. After hooking up the monitor, run a totally white screen and look for stray black dots, then switch to a black screen and check for white or coloured dots. A few dead pixels won't seriously impact your display. But too many dead pixels or dead pixels in the wrong place can be a'constant irritation.

• Digital or Analog Inputs

Almost all flat-panel displays support analog input, which is the standard for PC video. All PC and Macintosh systems can produce analog output. If you want a sharper display, you can get an LCD monitor with digital input, called DVI (Digital Video Interface). To use the DVI input, you'll need a special graphic card with a DVI output connector.With LCD's appearing in the market, users now have a new display that provides a far crisper vision, emitting less amount of glare.

Going by the market scenario, the 15-inch LCD, which was once priced at around US$ 700 is now placed at an affordable price of US$ 500. However, the 17-inch and 18-inch category that houses models such as Samsung Sync-Masterl71 MP, still remains unreachable due to its high price. LCD monitors use minimal desk space, have a crisper display, low power consumption and minimized eye strain, since there is no radiation. The newer technology incorporated nullifies the ghosting and streaking of images. Viewing angles have increased to 140 degrees with a reduction of contrast and brightness.

• Viewable area

 Monitor size (say 17-inch) is measured diagonally. However, there is a maximum viewable area specification that you need to pay closer attention to in CRT monitors. This would be in the region of about 13.8 inch viewable for a 15-inch model and close to about 16 inch viewable for most 17 inch monitors.

• Dot pitch

 Dot pitch plays an important role in the crispness of the image. The smaller the diagonal dot pitch, the crisper the image. Diagonal dot pitch is more critical than horizontal dot pitch. For instance, a horizontal dot pitch of 0.24 mm usually corresponds to a diagonal dot pitch of approximately 0.28 mm. Most 15-inch monitors come with 0.28 mm diagonal dot pitch, whereas for the 17-inch models it's between 0.24 mm to 0.28 mm.

• Screen Geometry

Screen geometry refers to the accurate display of shapes such as circles, squares and polygons. The monitor should be capable of displaying images without any geometric distortion. In most inferior monitors you will find that circles end up looking slightly elliptical in shape.

• Video bandwidth

Video bandwidth: The higher the bandwidth of the monitor, the greater the range of resolutions it can support. Ideally, you should look for support for 85 Hz at the resolution you normally use, to avoid the flicker that will invariably take place at refresh rates of 60 Hz. This can add considerably to reducing fatigue, especially for people that spend a major part of the day sitting in front of their computers.

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