Why flat panel monitors at so low resolution?

Mr Pilkington · Post by **Mr Pilkington** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 3:12 pm

I would take some serious mods and wicked investents but....
<a href="http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/W ... mmmmmmmmmm Cinemalicous. </a>

alternatefutures · Post by **alternatefutures** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 3:50 pm

It is a nice resolution size for editing, but Mac flatpanels are not on the cuttingedge of LCD technology. Their contrast ratios and response times leave much to be desired when compared to an Iiyama or a Samsung. I once liked Viewsonic until they just decided one day to raise the published specs without doing anything to the monitors themselves. And honestly, for the price of that Mac display you could get two 20" 1600X1200 Iiyama or Samsung monitors WITH a Matrox Parhellia card! I actually feel sorry for Mac users who don't have much of a choice here.

alternatefutures · Post by **alternatefutures** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 3:51 pm

Oh, and Phade, I love it that you can click a link in the "Topic Review" window and it pops up in that little frame. Cool! And the back button even works! Neato!

Mr Pilkington · Post by **Mr Pilkington** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 4:17 pm

True, I'll just stick to my 20" Sun Trinitrons anyways. 1600x1200 is plenty for me. And I'm not bothered by CRT.

Org Profile · Post by **Phade** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 4:24 pm

Hey,

The visiual quality dosn't bother me that much. It's just the massive amount of desk length space. I barely have enough room for my keyboard!

Phade.

TaranT · Post by **TaranT** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 1:39 am

Phade wrote:The visual quality doesn't bother me that much. It's just the massive amount of desk length space. I barely have enough room for my keyboard!

My problem, too. Also, figure the heat output of multiple CRTs in an upstairs room at the height of summer.

I was out "window shopping" over the holidays and noticed that LCD monitors are really moving. The Best Buy's seemed to go through their floor stock in a matter of days. I saw small local computer shops with stacks of LCD monitors that were almost gone by New Year's. Tonight, I was in a Costco that had 40-50 Princeton LCDs (15", $269). Not to mention about ten copies each of two different brands of 42" plasma tv's.

All of which leads me to believe that the distribution pipeline is loaded with these things. This could be the year that LCD monitors start taking over the market as their prices fall to acceptable levels ('bout time, too).

alternatefutures · Post by **alternatefutures** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 2:18 am

Actually, the begining of the takeover has long past as companys began replacing aging CRTs with LCDs last year. This year, however, there is more demand than supply, as you have noticed, so expect a price hike. The good news is that more money to LCD manufacturers means higher capacity factories and better equipment. Higher capacity factories means long term price drop. Better equipment means more 600:1 - 800:1 contrast ratio panels running at 16ms response time. My advice is to hold off buying the panels this year and get a panel next year for either a lot less or that has almost no downside in comparison with CRTs besides price.

TaranT · Post by **TaranT** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 3:45 am

I'm taking the opposite position on prices since I'm observing more supply than demand; i.e. no matter how many they sell, there's always more on the shelf in a few days. Everything I've seen indicates pressure to move inventory. I've been to several places just in the past couple of weeks that have had dozens of these things stacked on the floor. And I can't recall the number of different brands - ten to twenty at least (even though the number of manufacturers is probably much smaller).

The next few months will tell. Keep an eye on the online sites. LCD monitor prices at googlegear, newegg, etc. have been falling since well before Xmas.

You're right about the quality, though. Prices are falling the most for basic units with no DVI jack, higher response times, and lower contrast ratios. Most people would not notice and will buy as long as the price is low enough. As phade said, picture quality is not the only issue, especially if you're just Web browsing or doing Office-type work.