Re: Flat Panel Monitor Recommendations & Xy (?)

[Robert Holmgren holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

** Reply to message from "J. R. Fox"  on Sun, 19 May 2002
16:27:53 -0800


> Is anyone on the list using a large (preferably 18" or larger), truly outstanding
> flat panel monitor (gorgeous colors, razor sharp text, wide viewing angle, adapts
> well to a range of lighting conditions), **with** Xy4DOS, and experiencing NO
> significant problems or compromises?

I have a 42" Fujitsu 4221 for editing video, and incidentally, when connected
to it, for everything else, including Xy4DOS. It's fantastic, full screen or
windowed, at 1024x768 max. It does NOT understand the Xy4DOS "graphic" mode WZ
-- says it is "out of range" (indeed I have standard CRT multiscan monitors that
cough on it too, esp. under Windows), although it does graphic Postscript
(GhostScript + GSView) display nicely. My main reservation about plasma
involves moving images, like MP2s (e.g. DVDs). I think the sampling rate of
this particular monitor is too low, with the result that if the image is very
low luminance and low contrast, you start to see artifacts (e.g. a dark head
that detaches from its body and seems to "float" momentarily until sampling
catches up -- bizarre to see -- or dark green splotches when you should see pure
black). It's actually a fairly common plasma complaint. I think newest models
are tackling the problem; but I'd carry something very difficult to both encode
(frequently part of the problem, technicians who don't know how to squeeze the
best out of their MPeG encoder when preparing DVDs) and to render, like "The
(ghastly) Matrix" DVD, to the store, play nighttime scenes (the whole thing
seems to play in the dark, so this is a good test tool -- of the player, too;
some players barf on it), and observe very very closely. Get the highest
contrast ratio you can find.

For standard computing, though, this is one fabulous RGB monitor. Which can
double as a drop-dead beautiful high-definition TV, although not designed for
that purpose. As to price......... don't ask. Unreasonable.

-----------------------------
Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
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