is a widescreen monitor necessary

Quincy_3

Poppycat wrote:

No are you? I mealy saying that the post was going off topic as it was.

Please respect the OP post, by all means start a new thread

Im not a BG, Ok with you?

I am respecting the OP please dont imply I was not. :beer:

rchddap1

The monitor I use is a 17" CRT. My partner grabbed it from his old works when they were going to throw it away (yes he got permission first). I would like a nice flat screen, but don't see the point as the one I have is perfectly fine. My previous monitor lasted for about 10-11 years before it was replaced (and even then it was still going strong). So I'm on a money saving thing at the moment and won't replace my CRT just yet.

If you want a new monitor just go for what fits with your needs.

Quincy_3

rchddap1 wrote:

The monitor I use is a 17" CRT. My partner grabbed it from his old works when they were going to throw it away (yes he got permission first). I would like a nice flat screen, but don't see the point as the one I have is perfectly fine. My previous monitor lasted for about 10-11 years before it was replaced (and even then it was still going strong). So I'm on a money saving thing at the moment and won't replace my CRT just yet.

If you want a new monitor just go for what fits with your needs.

Oooh good post, just jogged my memory I got one free from that freecycle site and its like new sat in the cupbaord, https://www.freecycle.org

don9999

Of course...it depends what you use it for. Although they ARE ideal for watching movies, that is NOT the only main use for a widescreen monitor.

A widescreen monitor is ideal for having more than one window up on screen at the same time. Now this DOES sound quite frivolous, especially to someone who doesn't have a widescreen monitor. But......it's extremely useful and something I'd find difficult to do without in future.

I do quite a lot of programming, and its great to have multiple windows on view - including one for the list of programming objects, another for the code itself and another for the output. Quite often, I also have Explorer open, MSN Messenger, and several other windows.

Of course, much of this can be done with just a 'big' screen - or more specifically one with 'higher' resolution (note that most 19" TFTs have the same resolution as a 17" TFT, so you won't actually see 'more' on screen, it'll just look bigger. But...if you go to a top-quality 19", or better still, a larger TFT, then the resolution will be higher, and you CAN see more on screen).

I'm very lucky to have a Dell 2405 monitor, and always have multiple windows open. Very often when doing 'work' work, I have a large spreadsheet open on the left, and a word document open on the right. Or...two word documents open side-by-side.

Cheers,
Don

salthepal

Thanks to you all. This Sony CRT monitor works very well but I am in the process of redecorating the bedroom and would like to condense the amount of space taken up my computer stuff. At the moment, the monitor takes up about a third of the desk space and I can't imagine I will be disappointed with the quality a new TFT monitor since this one is nearly 7 years old.
Does anyone know where I can read reviews of Dell monitors please?
Thanks.
Sally

Aiadi

Make sure then it has a good picture quality so you can also use it as a TV in your bedroom (space and money saving) but better to have one with a TV Tuner in that case. I use a 19" Samsung LCD monitor and it is really great. As others mentioned it is also useful to have a wide screen if you want to open 2 documents side by side at the same time of view a wide sheet.

Poppycat

Talking of tuners if it doenst come with a tuner you can always get one of those usb freeview adaptors, they double up as a pvr (personnel video recorder) and can be had for less than £30, although you do need a decent aerial and in a freeview area, but that goes as well with monitors with builtin tuner.

Unsure if some builtin monitors have a digital tuner or not.

If you can get a monitor with DVI interface it does look better than a vga interface. My monitor has both and its hooked to two pcs, and it does look better on dvi mode than vga. You also need a pc that supports it via you video card.

irnbru_2

don9999 wrote:

I do quite a lot of programming, and its great to have multiple windows on view - including one for the list of programming objects, another for the code itself and another for the output. Quite often, I also have Explorer open, MSN Messenger, and several other windows.

I'll stick with a virtual desktop and toggle between my windows ..... reduces the cluttter.

don9999

irnbru wrote:

I'll stick with a virtual desktop and toggle between my windows ..... reduces the cluttter.

That's what I 'used' to do. But it became a pain to constantly flick between screens to check one window then back to the first, etc. etc... Much easier (for me) to have both windows open and I can flick my eyesight between the two windows. It's just SO much easier. Though of course, that's only MY view.

sweven

Hi Sal

At work I've got 2 side by side 17" lcds, and need them because I often have half a dozen different programmes running and need to flick from one to another all the time.

I work from home one day a week and had been using a single 17" which was pretty difficult. I've now got an Acer AL1916W running at 1440 X 900. It feels almost as good as the twin screens at work, and I'd recommend it from that point of view.