[RTTY] Article on LCD Displays

[Ian White, G3SEK]

Phil Florig wrote:
>Just got the latest issue of "Desktop Engineering" and a nice
>article on LCDs.  Tended toward the higher end market but the
>content and market outlook is for LCDs in general. Most CRT
>monitor makers have left the market as LCDs gain.
>
>Here is the article URL:
>http://www.deskeng.com/articles/resource_guide/resource_guide_-_flats_ta
>ke_flight/
>
It's an interesting article, but misleading about the "density" of the 
display. Screen sizes and numbers of pixels are going up, but the 
physical density of the TFT pixels remains stuck around 0.2-something 
millimetres.

If you want to use the larger screen to display more windows, it won't 
look any sharper... only larger.

Here in the office, the computer display is one of the most important 
tools of my trade. I'm currently using a 17in 1280 x 1024 LCD that has 
the smallest available pixel size about 0.24mm - a top-quality monitor, 
bought as a factory-reconditioned bargain. Running most applications 
full-screen, and with the LCD pushed well back into the space the old 
CRT used to occupy, the image quality is superb. Visitors drool and 
covet.

On the other hand, the logging/RTTY monitor is an ancient Gateway 15in 
CRT... and that display is even sharper than that high-end LCD!

Like CRTs, each screen size for LCDs comes in a range of price and 
quality. You still have to pay more for the sharpness that comes from a 
slightly smaller pixel size.  Also note that a cheap LCD may have 
significant numbers of missing pixels - always view before you buy, and 
buy from a vendor who will take it back if you don't like it, or it has 
too many dud pixels.

Bottom line: an LCD at the lower end of the range (for its screen size) 
may be *worse* than the old CRT that you just threw out.



-- 
73 from Ian G3SEK         'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek