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Topic: 22" lcd monitor

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Mazonemayu
rank 27
Posted:
Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:40 pm
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Posts: 573
I currently have an 17" lcd here with my pc, I want to replace it with a new 22" one (a bit better for watching movies), but I'm wondering if this will deform the image when I play dc on it??
I've seen a few pics of dc being stretched when played on a 24" so...

anyone has any experience with this?
 
gRimGrAvY014
rank 27
Posted:
Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:28 pm
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It's possible that the monitor might have an option to center the image, so it doesn't stretch it out.

However, this method really wouldn't use all 22" of the monitor.
 
phredreeke
rank 9
Posted:
Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:04 am
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Honestly, a LCD monitor may not be the best choice for Dreamcast games. VGA on the DC is 640x480 and LCD monitors often don't handle resolutions other than their native well.

It's not the size of the monitor that may or may not deform the picture, it's the aspect ratio. If the aspect ratio is 4:3 (that is, the screen is 1.33 times as wide as it's tall) then it will display Dreamcast games without deforming the picture. If it's 16:9 then the few Dreamcast games with widescreen support (Rayman 2, Donald Duck Quack Attack, Wacky Racers and few more, mind you those also have 4:3 modes) will display correctly, while the rest of the games will be stretched out (looking "fat"). If it's 16:10 games will be stretched, although not as much as on 16:9.
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Einhander
rank 20
Posted:
Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:47 am
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(Warning: I'm typing all this up at like 6:45 in the morning and I haven't slept yet, so if I make any mistakes, that's why.)

16:10 monitors vary in their quality of displaying 16:9 images. A lot of higher end monitors will let you adjust the image for 16:9 resolutions (with small black bars on the top and bottom of the screen).

As was said, a lot of LCD screens have a difficult time displaying lower resolutions (like the 640x480 your DC will be outputting), whether it's a widescreen or fullscreen monitor. I just bought a 19" Samsung SyncMaster 906cw, which makes my 360 games look absolutely fantastic, but it has trouble with a 640x480 signal so I have to use my old behemoth 19" CRT for DC VGA.

If you do plan on getting a new monitor more for watching movies than for your computer, try to get one with a 16:9 ratio (if you're buying a widescreen monitor), and make absolutely sure it can handle a low resolution signal or else you won't be able to use it with your Dreamcast.

When you're shopping around, find out if you can bring your DC into the store with you to test out prospective monitors. Either that, or find a store with a liberal return policy.

Other factors to take into consideration are your Contrast Ratio and Response Time.

Contrast Ratio is a fancy term for how bright versus how dark your display is capable of. A low contrast ratio leads to "washed out" dark colors, among other things. My display has a 1600x1 contrast ratio, which is pretty decent. Displays go up to 3000:1 and it can get crazy high after that for really expensive displays. The first number is the "white" (or the brightest your display is capable of going) measurement, and the second number (which will always be 1) is the "black" (the darkest). Basically, what you really need to know about CR is the bigger the number, the better. Don't go under 1000:1 if at all possible. Your LCD monitor might have a dynamic contrast ratio as well, which is fine.

Response Time is the amount of time it takes a single pixel in your display to go from dark (completely black) to light (maximum brightness), and then back to dark again. It's measured in milliseconds. A high response time means it will take each pixel a longer amount of time to shift colors, meaning you'll see "ghosting" as your display tries to keep up with what is going on on-screen in the game you are playing (or the movie you are watching). My display has a response time of 2ms, which is exceptional. Try to keep it as low as possible. 2ms is phenomenal , 5ms is decent, 8ms is pushing it, and 10ms and beyond is bad news. A high response time will lead to a lot of ghosting, which makes playing games a pain in the ass.

And then there's the last thing you should know about LCD monitors (and probably the most important): some of them may have Input Lag. Input lag is the difference between the time your display receives a signal, and when it actually displays the signal. A large amount of input lag will make it very difficult to play fast-paced games, because you'll see something milliseconds after it's happened. While it won't affect gameplay in RPGs, playing a fighting game, racing game, or shooter will be a lesson in frustration. If your monitor is displaying images a half second after they actually happen in your game, you'll get KO'd/fragged/hit the wall in no time.

Also, when buying an LCD monitor, you have to beware of Dead pixels and Stuck pixels. Dead pixels are pixels that are essentially "broken". They are stuck off and do not respond to stimuli, so they appear as tiny black dots on your screen. A stuck pixel is the opposite, it's on and working, but it's stuck in a certain color. (Red, blue, or green). Stuck pixels can sometimes be fixed by flashing different colors in rapid succession, thereby "kickstarting" the pixel back into operation. Dead pixels, however, are dead, and are not fixable. Every manufacturer will try to tell you that dead/stuck pixels are no big issue, and that you should just deal with it, which is a crock of shit. Check before you buy, as each manufacturer has a different amount of pixels that must be stuck or dead before they will consider your display "broken" and replace it. This is where shopping at a store with a liberal replacement policy is ideal.

The good news about LCD monitors is they are light as hell, and take up so much less space than the same sized CRT. Also, size is measured differently between LCDs and CRTs, so a 22" LCD has a larger screen than a 22" CRT. After buying an LCD, I don't think i could go back to CRT.

To offer an alternative, though, have you thought about buying a new nicer LCD for you computer/movie use, and just dedicating your 17" for your Dreamcast? This way you don't have to worry about whether or not the new monitor will support low resolutions, or will scale 16:9 images well. Also, if you don't have a splitter, you won't have to switch your monitor back and forth from your DC to you computer every time you want to play a game. And, since LCDs have such a small footprint, if you've got a decent sized desk they should both fit pretty well side by side. Also, you wouldn't have a stretched image if your new monitor won't switch between widescreen and fullscreen. Just a thought.

To recap some key points: You want a display that will support low resolution input (640x480), has a high contrast ratio (1000:1 or better), and a low response time (5-8ms or less). It would be nice if it supported 16:9, but it's not really required. You should shop at a store that will let you return or replace your monitor if you have dead or stuck pixels.

Also, remember that odds are the guy at the store doesn't even know what a Dreamcast is and will tell you just about anything to get you to spend your money, so do whatever you can to get your DC in there with a few different games before you actually buy anything.

So there is some info on LCDs. And once you get one, we demand pictures of your setup. Good luck and happy shopping.
 
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