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Author Topic: Monitor buying advice  (Read 4086 times)

Offline Spartacus

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Monitor buying advice
« on: August 31, 2003, 03:11:38 AM »
My AppleVision 750 is starting to show signs of its death.

Therefore, and because I want a larger display, I am thinking of buying a new monitor.
However, I am so far not sure what kind of display to buy.

I want min. a 19" monitor. The problem is, that here in Germany (probably it's the same in the US(?)) CRT displays have almost vanished from the stores. I went to one of the big electronics chains yesterday and besides the fact they only had about 6 or 7 CRT display (and a couple of dozens TFTs) they had only one display that seemed to fit my needs. It was a 19" LG Flattron (flat CRT) display.
Either this or this (not quite sure). With 350 Euros the price was good too. However, when I asked for a Sony they told me that the only Sony 19" CRT that was still available was 800 Euros!

The problem I see is that 18 or 19" (or 20") TFT displays are still too expensive. 17" models recently droped in price, but e.g. the 20" Apple Cinema display is with 1500 Euros too expensive for my taste. But the CRTs seem to become unavailable soon (or at least only very few will remain available).

So, I don't know what to do. What would you buy? And is the LG any good?

Thanks! smile.gif
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Offline Paddy

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« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2003, 08:13:54 AM »
Lukas, the specs look ok, but found this for one model:

http://hardwarecentral.dealtime.com/xPR-LG...rks_E900B_19_in

For another model, better reviews at Amazon. I think this may be a higher end model than the one you were looking at, though hard to tell.

A http://www.techwatch.com.au/reviews/hardware/795ft/listing at Epinions makes me wonder if the one you saw wasn't a little overpriced at 350 euros!

Do you have any access to used monitors? (ie: used computer dealers etc.?) There are German eBay listings - I have bought several monitors off eBay with great success. (Picking them up yourself is a good option if possible - which I did with my LaCie)

There are some 640 CRT monitors 19" and up listed on the German section of eBay right now.

http://listings.ebay.de/aw/plistings/list/...ex.html?from=R4

And, of course, my personal fave:

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIt...6&category=8063

I'll leave you to decipher the German - my one year of Latin only gets me so far...wink.gif
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Offline Bill

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« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2003, 08:41:20 AM »
An interesting monitor I noticed in a retail store was one that had the feature of picture in picture similar if not the same as a Television picture in picture.

Was walking around in an Office Depot and one of the flat panel displays had a small picture of a TV broadcast (abc) football game in the upper right hand corner, while the rest of the screen was XP stuff.
Then I saw a 'rabbit ears' type antenna right next to it.
Pulled one of the employees over and asked.
The monitor itself has a TV turner built in with all the necessary jacks (rca, s-video, video #1 and #2) for hook ups.
He said you can just about 'tap' the monitor into what ever you like for a second picture.
He couldn't reverse the picture when I asked if that could be done yet he said it should be able too.

It was a Samsung 17". Can't recall the actual model number.
The guy said as far as he knew Samsung was the only brand that has this feature.
!5", 17" and the 19".
The 17" price tag was $569 out the door.

kind of a handy feature.
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Offline Spartacus

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« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2003, 08:54:19 AM »
Thanks for your replies.

Paddy,
I have had a rather bad experience with buying a monitor off ebay. It was an Apple 21" Studio Display and the tube was faulty. Although the seller took it back and I got my money back I had to pay for the shipping and therefore lost about 60 Euros.
Eversince, I'd rather not buy monitors at ebay.
Those LGs seems to be LGs top of the line CRT displays. Therefore, the price is okay, I think.

But the LaCie 19" is with 499 Euros not too expensive either.
What do you think of this Formac 19" Trinitron monitor? It costs about 400 Euros. Personally, I am thinking of buying this one.
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Offline Paddy

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« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2003, 11:20:09 AM »
Lukas, specs look pretty good for the Formac. I know they make good LCD monitors - don't know a lot about their CRT's. Found one person's review that complained of lack of clarity, but the comments from others made me wonder if he either was expecting too much or had a bad monitor.

http://www.ciao.com/Formac_Pronitron_19_90...0__Test_2560808 - I used Google's translation to read the review (THAT was certainly entertaining! wink.gif) - but there may be other stuff to read on this site that you'll find useful.

The LaCie and Mitsubishi monitors (same company) are generally regarded to be the best of the CRTs - if you can find a good price on one, I'd go for it. It's worth a few extra dollars, IMHO.

I bought my LaCie off eBay, though for monitors (and other costly hardware) I try to actually buy fairly locally, so I can go, see the monitor in action and THEN pay for it. Saves on shipping too. It helps that I live in the Boston area, so there are usually some listings to choose from and sellers willing to have me pick up the items.
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Offline kelly

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« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2003, 01:29:30 PM »
I like my 19" Mitsubishi Open Box. smile.gif

I hear nothing but good things about La Cies. smile.gif
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kelly
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Offline Spartacus

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« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2003, 02:59:42 PM »
What do you think of this NEC/Mitsubishi display?

Sorry to post a link to a online shop, but the NEC website was offline.

That display is pretty inexpensive (about 270 Euros). But on the other hand it doesn't have a Trinitron tube. My AppleVision has one...does it make such a difference?
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Offline Spartacus

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« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2003, 05:25:01 AM »
I just got word that the Formac monitor is no longer available.  dry.gif

On the other hand a different Formac display with Diamondtron tube is still available. But that's another point I am unsure what to think of. Is there a difference in quality between a Formac, LaCie or Mitsubishi monitor when all of them have a Diamondtron tube? The Mitsubishi is the most inexpensive one and the LaCie cost about 150 Euros more. Therefore, I am wondering of course whether these 150 Euros are wasted money?
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Offline Paddy

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« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2003, 10:42:45 PM »
Lukas, the NEC monitors can be good too - the reference you posted doesn't work, so I'm not sure exactly which monitor you're looking at. If it's the 95F, this review of the 950SE makes mention of it:

http://www.epinions.com/content_67373207172

Wonder if the 950SE and the Diamond Pro 930 are similar? (or if he got the numbers mixed up? - can't find a "950") The 930 has better specs than the 95F, and has specs very similar to the LaCie Electron Blue 19". Can't say enough good things about my Electron Blue 22" - I'd go for the either the Mitsubishi 930 or the Electron Blue.

Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 930SB

LaCie Electron Blue
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Offline Spartacus

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« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2003, 04:22:42 AM »
Thanks Paddy.

Obviously the Mitsubishi's are called NEC/Mitsubishi here in Germany.

The Diamond Pro 930SE in black looks really cool, but unfortunately, it seems as if it was only available in white here in Germany. And it costs about $100 more than in the US. mad.gif

Well, I guess I'll go either for the Formac or for the Mitsubishi. The LaCie is just a little too expensive.

BTW: Does this NaviSet software the Mitsubishi has work for Macs, too?
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Offline kelly

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« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2003, 08:37:20 AM »
I have the Discontinued Diamond Pro 920. smile.gif

http://www.monitoroutlet.com/480225.html

It's pretty good and has a smaller Footprint than most.

Don't know about that software.
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kelly
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Offline Spartacus

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« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2003, 01:42:31 PM »
Sorry to bother you again, but what do you think of this Samsung display?

With 300,- Euros is pretty inexpensive and from what I can tell the specs look pretty good, too. The only thing I am uncertain about is the tube. What is a NaturalFlat tube? I always thought that flat was not a tube type (like Trinitron or Diamondtron).

BTW: I found out that the Mitsubishi is available in black, too, but cost about 15 Euros more. But I guess that's worth it (black definitely looks better next to a G5). smile.gif
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Offline kelly

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« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2003, 09:30:09 PM »
Natural Flat just means it's pretty flat. smile.gif

I've heard nice things about Samsungs also. smile.gif
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kelly
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Offline krissel

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« Reply #13 on: September 02, 2003, 09:41:19 PM »
I purchased a 17 inch Samsung SynchMaster 700NF (natural flat) monitor for my folks nearly two years ago. I was so impressed with the clarity and color that it prompted me to go out and get a new monitor for myself.

I ended up with a 19 inch Mitsubishi Diamond Plus 91 though due to a sale price. But it was a toss-up as to whether to get that one or a 19 inch SynchMaster. They both had excellent specs and clear images. I now have the 17" as a second monitor as my folks now have an eMac.  smile.gif

The Mitsubishi's only flaw is a very slight "bowtie" effect that I can't get rid of with the geometry controls. No one else notices it, just me.
 rolleyes.gif
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Offline sandbox

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« Reply #14 on: September 02, 2003, 10:04:44 PM »
If you can find one, these work well, Black and Affordable!
$240.00 US Good service too!

http://www.viewsonic.com/products/crt_p95fplusb.htm

http://www.epinions.com/product-Monitors_V...isplay_P95F_B_1
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