High Definition Monitor?

[Gambit X]

Hey all,

I think this is in the right forum, but anyhow;

I'm quite new to all this high-definition stuff, but i want to get into it and advance my home technology. I want a new PC monitor that will allow me to view things in high definition, up to 1080p if possible, or whatever the highest widescreeen revolution is. Are there any available in the UK yet? What is the best high definition model out at the moment? Money is not really an object, as i've got to spend my made-reduncancy money some how! I tend to view games consoles on the pc monitor too, so with the next-generation looming, what are the best models to look at to get the best visuals out of these machines?

Thanks,
Gambit X.

[Eiji]

Originally Posted by Gambit X

Hey all,

I think this is in the right forum, but anyhow;

I'm quite new to all this high-definition stuff, but i want to get into it and advance my home technology. I want a new PC monitor that will allow me to view things in high definition, up to 1080p if possible, or whatever the highest widescreeen revolution is. Are there any available in the UK yet? What is the best high definition model out at the moment? Money is not really an object, as i've got to spend my made-reduncancy money some how! I tend to view games consoles on the pc monitor too, so with the next-generation looming, what are the best models to look at to get the best visuals out of these machines?

Thanks,
Gambit X.

Its a Sony 24" Wide-Aspect GDM-FW900 FD Trinitron CRT monitor which I use for gaming and graphic design. I picked it up on eBay a few months ago for £267

It displays upto 2304x1440 and can easily do 1280x720p ,1920x1080i/p and any other resolution within its scan frequency (lots!)

Unfortunately Sony don't make CRT monitors anymore so they are difficult to find and you definately won't find one thats new.

Even though I have this great monitor I am still in the market for a large 32"/36" CRT HDTV thats if Sony ever bring them out over here as the new Samsung Slimfit HDTV is pants

Atleast when the Xbox360 comes out I can buy the VGA cable for it and plug it into my monitor and enjoy the games in their native res but 24" isn't such a big display these days :/

[StooMonster]

My PC monitor is Apple 30" Cinema Display, which is a 16:10 aspect ratio LCD with 2560x1600 pixels at 100dpi. It is the the finest LCD monitor available today.

I also have two Sony 24" 16:10 widescreen GDM-FW900 FD Trinitron CRT monitor for sale; will put on eBay next week. The Sony FW900 remain the finest CRT monitor ever made ... amazing colour reproduction and used in many professional television and movie post-production suites (check them out in the Pixar 'Incredibles' extras). As Eiji83 says, their resolution support is second to none ... they can display anything, and can accept resolutions / refresh rates that not even today's top end graphics cards can output. Can not recommend these monitors enough.

StooMonster

[Kramer]

You could also consider Dell's 2405.......1920x1200 & component input too for your consoles.

[Gambit X]

Ahh, thanks guys! I do like the look of that Dell, and you say that 2405 model will let me view everything in high-def, yes? Is 1920x1200 better than 1080i or whatever it's called?

Cheers,
Gambit X.

[Mr.D]

We use FW900s at work. I always find them a little bit on the soft side outside the very centre of the screen and the downside is they are quite deep on the desk.

The SGI branded sony ones ( can't remember the exact model) whilst not quite so flat were better monitors.

Personally for watching hidef video I'd go for one of the newer Dell flat panels. You only really need the fw900 for rigorous colour matching ( film work) . Even then unless you can properly calibrate them it won't be any better than the dell most likely.

[NicolasB]

Originally Posted by Gambit X

Ahh, thanks guys! I do like the look of that Dell, and you say that 2405 model will let me view everything in high-def, yes? Is 1920x1200 better than 1080i or whatever it's called?

Cheers,
Gambit X.

1080i requires a resolution of 1920x1080 to view natively. I think you can feed it directly to a Dell 2405FPW and have it letterboxed (which gives the correct aspect ratio).

The one potential downside is that the 2405FPW lacks HDCP on its inputs, which means you probably won't be able to view Sky HD or HD-DVD/BluRay disc material on it (or at least not without adding on an illegal HDCP-removal device).

But anything that's viewable on a PC at all should be viewable on it.

There are monitors that go higher, notably the Apple 30" model that StooMonster mentioned, but the Dell has enough resolution for high-definition video clips.

[welwynnick]

I have the Sun equivalent, GDM 90W10. It's big and heavy, but it has the best (static or video) image I've ever seen. Displays two pages of A4 with 60 lines of text side by side in full size and perfectly legible. I'm using 1920 x 1200, and there is no distortion or loss of convergence, aligment or focus, even at the corners. ( there's loads of adjustments) I can happily sit one screen width away so the image fills the field of view of my glasses. increadible RGB/video bandwidth, too, about 360MHz, I think. Will take anything. Can't speak highly enough of them, they are so good. I even have two....

[Goose74]

I also have the Sun equivalent GDM 90W10 and can confirm that it is an excellent monitor (made by Sony, badged Sun) I think it is the equiv of a Sony W900. Although the max res is officially 1920 you can take it all the way up to 2304 of even 2560x1600 using powerstrip (Im using a radeon 9700)
Im not sure if the dot pitch is as good as the FW900 but I think its certainly good enough for me at 1080p

[Goose74]

Originally Posted by Eiji83

Atleast when the Xbox360 comes out I can buy the VGA cable for it and plug it into my monitor and enjoy the games in their native res but 24" isn't such a big display these days :/

What adapter would I need to do this?

[hossacd]

Originally Posted by StooMonster

I also have two Sony 24" 16:10 widescreen GDM-FW900 FD Trinitron CRT monitor for sale; will put on eBay next week.

I would be interested in buying one of these, I have been keeping an eye out on ebay but they have none for sale. Are you still selling them ?

[Eiji]

Originally Posted by Goose74

What adapter would I need to do this?

You wouldn't need an adapter. You would just plug one end of the official Xbox360 VGA cable into the console and the other into the back of the monitor