Buying a Monitor
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This article has been taken from the Bob Rankin Newsletter and is entirely his work. Visit his site for lots of useful information : http://askbobrankin.com/
Which Monitor Should I Buy?
The
easy answer is "buy the
biggest 
A bit of quick searching today revealed
that one can find decent quality
19-inch
If you can swing it, consider going
with a dual-monitor setup. My desktop sports dual 22-inch monitors, which
allows me to easily view both a web browser and
a word
Monitor Specs and Jargon
The amount of raw info that a screen
can display is called its "resolution." Resolution is measured in pixels,
the tiny dots that form patterns on a screen. Typical resolutions are 1440
x 900, 1280x1024, and 1024 x 768 pixels. Every monitor can display info in
multiple resolutions controlled by the operating system's settings. But
physically larger screens display any given resolution in larger text and
images which are easier to read. My preference is the 1680x1050 resolution
setting, which makes text a bit smaller, but maximizes screen real
estate.
Another important factor is the monitor's
"refresh rate". That's the number of times per second that the monitor re-draws
the patterns on the screen that make up images and text. A refresh rate of
60 Hz (60 re-draws per second) - is barely adequate for
simple word
The "viewing angle" of a monitor is
important only if the monitor will be used as a TV screen or for presentations
to groups of people. Move slowly to one side of the monitor. Does the display
remain bright and sharp? There is a sharp drop-off in image quality at some
angle from perpendicular to the screen's surface; that is the maximum viewing
angle. But if it's just you sitting right in front of the screen, viewing
angle isn't that important.
Flat-screen monitors are all you will
find for sale these days unless you shop at thrift stores or on Craigslist,
where bulky, heavy CRTs are dumped. The main choice here is "LCD or plasma?"
The better cost/benefit ratio is found
in LCD
I've never been fanatical about brands
when it comes to computer monitors. I've had some great no-name models, and
some dismal ones with well known name tags. But I do recommend that you spend
a few minutes researching your picks before you buy, to see how they've performed
for others.
Monitor Connectors and
Accesories
Modern monitors come with multiple
types of connectors to accommodate different digital devices. If your computer
is all that will be connected to a monitor, then you need only be concerned
with connectors that exist on your computer. Most monitors some combination
of
Accessories often built into flat-screen
monitors include stereo speakers;
A stand to hold a flat-screen monitor
upright is standard factory equipment. But watch out for cheaper stands that
don't allow you to tilt the screen. You'll want to tilt the screen at an
angle that best suits your lighting and sitting position.
If you wish to hang the monitor on
a wall to save desk space, you will find mounting brackets that fit flush
against a wall and others that protrude a few inches to allow the monitor
to swivel. Be sure your monitor has wall-mount screw holes in its back, and
match the spacing and size of the holes to the mounting bracket you select.
The hole sizes and spacing come in a few standard
configurations for small, medium, and large monitors. There are also
swiveling arm brackets that attach to the edge
of a desk and suspend the monitor over the desk surface; these, too, must
be carefully matched to the size and weight of a monitor.
Here's one final consideration when
buying a new monitor, but it applies to your OLD monitor. Don't just toss
the old monitor, since they tend to be toxic to the environment. If it still
works, donate it to a friend, local school or
charity. Freecycle can
help you find a taker for unwanted equipment. If it's a
junker, contact your local municipality for recycling
info.