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LCD panel types: IPS, MVA, etc...how do I know?

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Ken B.

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
I've learned that an "IPS" panel might be one of the better types of panels to buy aside from a typical "TN" panel, but the panel type is usually not listed on the specs of any monitors I've looked at.

Is there a simple way to find out without calling or emailing every mfr about every model?

Is there a list somewhere?

I wanted to not spend more than about $350. Is that ever possible on these non-TN panels types?
 
Things that go *bump* in the night...

I'd like to know how seemingly everyone except myself as well has this information on what panels are in what monitors readily available at thier finger tips as well.
 
google does a pretty good job of things like this... its pretty simple... type in say...

2408WFP panel type

then press the search button.

for 350 good luck finding a non TN pannel.

But heres the higher end pannel rundown of stuff id look at..

Dell

2408WFP & 2707WFP-HC = S-PVA
3007WFP-HC & 3008WFP = S-IPS

Samsung
245T 275T 305T = S-PVA
 
Well, I decided to take ahuge DUMP on all this LCD specs crap.

Last night, I just got a Sony GDM-F500R 21" CRT for $50. Granted the thing is huge, but you know what? the picture quality is gonna totally rock, and put nearly every LCD on the market to shame.

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1266616&highlight=GDM-F500R

The seller turned it on and everything looks fine. However, he wasn't selling the dsub cable with it, so I bought my own dsub to 5 BNC cable last night.

This monitor sold for $1900 back in 2000, and even today still sells for nearly $1000 brand new, if you can find one. Mines is used, but looks like it has been well taken care of. Hey, at $50, how could I lose?

I am really disappointed that in order to get truly great image quality in a LCD, I have to realistically spend about $500-700 for a IPS or PVA 22". And not only that, but apparently, these types of LCDs use almost as much power as a 21" CRT.
 
I am really disappointed that in order to get truly great image quality in a LCD, I have to realistically spend about $500-700 for a IPS or PVA 22". And not only that, but apparently, these types of LCDs use almost as much power as a 21" CRT.


For $500-700, you can get a 24" PVA, or, like me, a 26" H-IPS panel. And you yourself said the Sony CRT still retails for about 1K. There's no logic in your argument. The only thing you can argue is you got a good deal on an used CRT that still only has 19.8" of viewable space.

I, myself, would rather have a 20 pound 26" LCD on my desk then a nearly 75 pound 21" CRT to save space.
 
Well, I decided to take ahuge DUMP on all this LCD specs crap.

Last night, I just got a Sony GDM-F500R 21" CRT for $50. Granted the thing is huge, but you know what? the picture quality is gonna totally rock, and put nearly every LCD on the market to shame.

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1266616&highlight=GDM-F500R

The seller turned it on and everything looks fine. However, he wasn't selling the dsub cable with it, so I bought my own dsub to 5 BNC cable last night.

This monitor sold for $1900 back in 2000, and even today still sells for nearly $1000 brand new, if you can find one. Mines is used, but looks like it has been well taken care of. Hey, at $50, how could I lose?


As for not being logic behind the lcd costing 500 and the crt costing 1000... the crt's rnt made any more, so they are rare new... but there are TONS that have been used and crt's dont degrade much at all, so for 50bucks you got a good deal (hehe i got mine for 40 off craigslist)
I am really disappointed that in order to get truly great image quality in a LCD, I have to realistically spend about $500-700 for a IPS or PVA 22". And not only that, but apparently, these types of LCDs use almost as much power as a 21" CRT.


I myself have a 21inch sony trinitron E540 and will take it over any lcd every day... the picture is so much better its not even funny. and you get the added benefit of WAY better refresh rates. (and ppl dont even start to say that the human eye cant make out the difference between 60 and 100 or 120fps... it would take me all of about half a second to realize... but im a super big stickler for picture and audio quality haha)

When you get the 21incher setup use it for about 30min or so to warm it up then go into the menu and search for the "image restoration" (its under the color submenu on my sony) it takes all of 20 secs to do and it will make the picture even better.
 
I, myself, would rather have a 20 pound 26" LCD on my desk then a nearly 75 pound 21" CRT to save space.
That really is the only point of an LCD at this day and age: less volume on your desk. I'd buy another CRT in a heartbeat simply b/c the current state of LCDs is just deploreable. However, I am held back due to A. space on my desk in my dorm, B. the need for component and digital inputs, and C. not killing myself lugging a 75lb+ monitor around. I would just boil down and buy another 24" to take the place of my 2407WFP-HC <BARF> but every single 24" seems to have one bad birth defect that would make it waste of my $$$ all together.

But to answer your question Ken: most 20-22" widescreen monitors are TN's, and thats about all you're going to see for ~$350. I'm prolly gunna end up throwing down $1k on a 32" 1080p Aquos myself, but that Sony is a damn good monitor, and for just $50, you're making me cry dude :p

-Mobious-
 
That really is the only point of an LCD at this day and age: less volume on your desk. I'd buy another CRT in a heartbeat simply b/c the current state of LCDs is just deploreable. However, I am held back due to A. space on my desk in my dorm, B. the need for component and digital inputs, and C. not killing myself lugging a 75lb+ monitor around. I would just boil down and buy another 24" to take the place of my 2407WFP-HC <BARF> but every single 24" seems to have one bad birth defect that would make it waste of my $$$ all together.

But to answer your question Ken: most 20-22" widescreen monitors are TN's, and thats about all you're going to see for ~$350. I'm prolly gunna end up throwing down $1k on a 32" 1080p Aquos myself, but that Sony is a damn good monitor, and for just $50, you're making me cry dude :p

-Mobious-

Ya that sucks for you space limited people... i have been debating wether or not to go buy 2 more sonytrintron 21inchers for a 3 montior setup i would stiill have plenty of room left on my desk. i think one is enough tho.
 
"For $500-700, you can get a 24" PVA, or, like me, a 26" H-IPS panel. And you yourself said the Sony CRT still retails for about 1K. There's no logic in your argument."

Sure there is. I wanted to spend no more than $350...tops! For $350, I'm still not getting a monitor that approaches the quality of a CRT for all around use. Sure, for games it fine, but if I want to do more than just games, then sub $500 LCD's are not the ticket. Desk space aside, the better more expensive LCD technologies like IPS or PVA, apparently, still use a horrendous amount of watts, no better, or not much better, than a CRT. And to boot, I really have to spend much higher than my limit. I could argue with myself that 2 or 3 more inches is worth maybe double the cost, but why bother? For $50, I just saved myself a bucket load of money and got a professional monitor that's better than any popular LCD I could get at 10 times the price.

"The only thing you can argue is you got a good deal on an used CRT that still only has 19.8" of viewable space."

Dude...$50...or $500-700? I'll take door #1. When the better LCDs come down to something more reasonable, then I'll trade her in.
 
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