Monitor replacement

[livemoa]

My old Compaq monitor is not what it used to be, and it probably wasn't much then...... Time to think about replacing it. I am told CRT is best for image editing/photoshop stuff, is that true?

Any recommendations, beyond buying a Mac (which I would do if I could afford to) as to monitors?

 

[SusanV]

Hi David,

I don't have an answer for this, but I'm interested in the subject as well.
I would like to replace my old Gateway monitor, but of course $$$ is
always the hurdle. I'll be watching this thread to see if CRT's are still
the best route to go...

Susan

 

[Bob Carnie]

We use Lacie moniters with our Macs and have been very happy with them.
We also use a second moniter right beside the Lacie for holding the tools, palettes ect. their is a simple drag over the top to each monitor. I like this setup alot for working on files.
Looking forward to the day when I can put one of those massive big boy Mac monitors to use. Everything on one screen with room to watch movies at the same time.

 

[jd callow]

Lacie is one of the best and the best that I've used. Any maonitor that can be calibrated will work (eventually). If you buy a lcd, make sure that it has a wide contrast range 700:1 to 1000:1 and has the controls to alter the colour per channel, gamma, temp... Some have stated here that the controls are less important if the graphic card already have them. My card (nVidia) has the controls, but I'm stil using the monitor's built in controls when I calibrate.

I also use two monitors and find that it is a huge improvement over one.

 

[Kirk Gittings]

Lacie does not make monitors. The LCD Lacies are just rebadged NEC's and perhaps the pick of the litter with an additional couple of hundred added to the price.

 

[Bob Carnie]

Last time I looked all the moniters had a Lacie logo on it .
They seem to do a pretty good job for us. Are you suggesting that there are better moniters available for the digital workflow?

Lacie does not make monitors. The LCD Lacies are just rebadged NEC's and perhaps the pick of the litter with an additional couple of hundred added to the price.

 

[SusanV]

I just found this review of Lacie and NEC lcd monitors. (a few pages down in the article to get to the lacie and nec)

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/07/06/nec_and_lacie_lead_on_professional_lcd_gear/

 

[Kirk Gittings]

I am suggesting that Lacie does not actually make monitors. They use NEC monitors rebadged with the Lacie logo. They may be hand picked with the best specs (tightest tolerences). This is old news.

The most knowledgeable people in this regard hang out in the Luminous Landscape forum. Go there and do a search.

In general (though others are going after the graphics market aggressively) the highest quality pecking order has been generally acknowledged to be:

Eizo > Quato > Nec > Lacie > Apple

This is sure to change as more manufactures pursue this market.

I have been using Lacie CRT monitors with no complaint for years. I am ready to upgrade one of my workstations and always look for bargains. For years the best bargains were reconditioned Lacie CRTs. Those are gone now. IE I will seriously look at deals on NEC

 

[jd callow]

Kirk, I'm sure you are correct, especially as it pertains to LCD's. My experience with lacie was with their CRTs. I am sure thay didn't make those either, but then most companies that sold CRTs didn't make CRTs.

 

[livemoa]

Couple of people have pointed me at the eizo monitors. Might be a bit out side my budget at the moment..... good specs. Will go to the luminous landscape site and have a trawl, thanks for the suggestion kirk.

 

[Ted Harris]

AFAIK NEC also made the LaCie CRT's although in that case LaCie did add soe functionality.

IMO the Apple Cinema Display 23" and 30" monitors are among the best you can find but, of course, rather pricy. Stepping back a bit from them in price and size you have the other companies that Kirk mentioned. I only have direct experience with Eizo but can recommend any of their products without qualification. They are built like tanks (we have two that have been shipped all over the place for workshops many times). They calibrate with ease and stay calibrated. When we were lookinf for LCD monitors to use in scanning workshops and ship around the country all of the compaies Kirk mentioned came to mind. I then talked with the folks at X-Rite and thye highly recomended te Eizo products because of the ease of calibrating them (we didn't talk about Quato as I recall). I had already eliminated Apple for this purpose because even the 20" was to big to ship. The X-Rite folks didn't have anything bad to ay about NEC/LaCie .... they just really liked the Eizo's. BTW you can often find very good deals on refurbs and recently discontinued models on Eizo's website. The monitors we use for workshops are 15 and 17 inchers and they cost less than $200.

 

[Kino]

NEC 19 inch CRT

NEC-Mitsubishi Diamond PRO 930SB / 19" / 1920x1440 / Black / CRT Monitor Refurbished

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1585500&CatId=169

$59 USD each -- shipping should be as much as the monitor, these are beasts but the resolution!

My next purchase...

 

[livemoa]

NEC-Mitsubishi Diamond PRO 930SB / 19" / 1920x1440 / Black / CRT Monitor Refurbished

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1585500&CatId=169

$59 USD each -- shipping should be as much as the monitor, these are beasts but the resolution!

My next purchase...

But that I lived in North America......

 

[Kirk Gittings]

these look suspiciously like the Lacie Electron Blues which NEC made for Lacie................................

 

[Kirk Gittings]

I ordered one. 106 bucks delivered! How can I go wrong? I will let you know hoe it works out and compares to my Lacies

 

[Kino]

Just got my NEC/Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 930SB today, just plugged it in and WOW - WOW -WOW! Looks brand new and the resolution knocks your socks off!

Now, to find a profile for it and get my Epson 4990 installed!

 

[donbga]

Now, to find a profile for it and get my Epson 4990 installed!

Simply finding a profile for the monitor won't guarantee optimum display performance. Monitors need to be calibrated and profiled to be properly color managed.

Don Bryant

 

[Kirk Gittings]

Simply finding a profile for the monitor won't guarantee optimum display performance. Monitors need to be calibrated and profiled to be properly color managed.

And they need to be regularly calibrated at that.

 

[Kino]

Simply finding a profile for the monitor won't guarantee optimum display performance. Monitors need to be calibrated and profiled to be properly color managed.

Don Bryant

Didn't say it would... Just said I needed to find the profile, as it didn't come with the unit. I know a thing or two about calibration, having worked a motion picture film lab for over 13 years (timer, printer, film inspector) and having help to design a digital restoration system for highly deteriorated nitrate film ...

One step at a time...

 

[donbga]

Didn't say it would... Just said I needed to find the profile, as it didn't come with the unit.

Kino,

I guess I not following you here, but best of luck.

Don Bryant

 

[Robert Hall]

I have an lcd and a crt. Quite different but both calibrate-able. I have a Samsung 204(something) and a no name brand that was quite inexpensive for the size.

This works quite well, but I feel it's really important to calibrate the lcd even more so for contrast than the crt.

Robert

Robert Hall
www.RobertHall.com

 

[Kirk Gittings]

Got my NEC-Mitsubishi Diamond PRO 930SB / 19" / 1920x1440 / Black / CRT Monitor Refurbished today and set it up. I am not impressed with this monitor. Granted the resolution is good but it simply will not calibrate to closer than 65% of target luminosity. Which is indicative of a well used, old monitor nearing its deathbed.

 

[Kino]

Guess you got a bum one... too bad! Did you purchase the $10 warranty? I'd send it back...

 

[Kirk Gittings]

Kino, yes I did. Off it went today. It was a good gamble for $100, but I won't waste my time on another.

 

[Kirk Gittings]

So instead of trying to go cheap, I went medium cheap (by today's ridiculous standards) and ordered a new LaCie 319. I have rarely found, since going tradigital, much true value in trying to cut corners either in terms of the value of my time or the quality of the product. A monitor is definitely one of those areas. I had in the past run across some good deal on used or refurbished Lacie CRT's, but those days are gone.