Too many choices these days:

> > > Too many choices these days:

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Byte-Mixer
Member Since: Dec 04, 2007

Okay, so, I'm in the market for a new monitor.

I've been using my old 15" Viewsonic, which used to be my wife's grandmother's monitor. 1024x768 resolution, 4:3 aspect ratio.

With newer stuff coming out, I'm realizing not all of it properly fits my screen anymore, as the resolution is just too low.

So, I'm in the market for a new monitor. Specifivally 19" wide-screen as that is the largest I can fit on my desk. Budget is $89 to $109 and I'm looking at the typical "safe" brands like Asus, Acer, AOC, and Viewsonic.

Looking at what is out there in that range, specifically in LED backlighting land, the number of choices are just, well, staggering. I'm seeing monitors with the same specs, (example, Viewsonic VA1948A vs. VA1948M and they're the same price, roughly, yet one will have a stellar review and another...well...mediocre.

Or in the case of the Asus VE198T vs. VH198T vs. 198D-P or T-P, ...... and most getting decent reviews....one differenc might be VGA port only instead of VGA+DVI or whatever.....but.....ugh, sooo many different choices....VS, VA, VH, VE, A spec, M spec, T spec......ARRRRRGH too many choices!

I dunno, maybe one model is just a newer edition or something, or different base? whatever. :P

It gives me a headache looking at various reviews and thoughts/opinions. I just want a good size monitor, with good crisp visuals, and isn't all wobbly.

I'm not really a graphics whore, to me, 1280x780 is just as good as 1440x900 or 1336x768 whatever :P I don't care that much about the contrast being 50,000:1 or 10Million to 1. I don't care about pixel pitch or brightness in cd/m or whatever...that's just nitpicky crap. :P As long as it looks good, crisp, and doesn't blur much during fast motions, no color bleed with more vibrant colors, then I'm good. :P

Maybe I'll just get an Asus VE199T and be done with it >_<

Stricter standards needed? hah!

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MASSIVE Mastering, LLC
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2008

Sep 16, 2012 02:03 am

I've got a pair of Asus VH198's that I'm quite happy with... I think they were in the $119-ish range (about a year or so ago if I recall, so I have no idea if they still make that particular model).

Funny anecdote -- A while back, had a client in that asked a fairly typical question --

"Hey, those monitors are pretty nice -- Mind if I ask what they ran you?"

(Me) Well, the list price is around $10k, but I got a bit of a deal on them.

After a moment and a short, awkward silence, he said --

"Dude - I'm sorry. I meant your video monitors. I need some new ones and those seem pretty nice. No f**king way I'm dropping ten grand on 'em..."

Byte-Mixer
Member
Since: Dec 04, 2007

Sep 16, 2012 02:41 am

Hahahahah! Ah, gotta love that kinda humor. :D

Yeah, I think the VH model is discontinued or at least indefinitely out of stock in some places, but it looks like the VE version is newer, or the replacing edition. Something like that anyway. It's running about $109 + shipping most places I think. BHPhotovideo has one for free shipping though I think.

The base/wobble/shaking isn't really a big issue to me, it's just we have train tracks about 300 or 400m away. And the less screen shaking from the running train, the better, haha! So a nice wider base should help with that, which the 198T appears to have. My current monitor is kinda similar on the base and it doesn't shake too horribly.

Nothing like zooming in on a wave form to kill a pop or click, or plosive when the monitor is dancing to the passing train, haha!

Edit: So, I went with the VW199T-P monitor. Got it slightly less and could get it here slightly faster than the VE198T, hehe. And they're practically the same as far as I'm concerned....maybe slightly less flashy trim and whatnot, but whatever. :P

Rockstar Vatican Assassin
Member
Since: Mar 20, 2009

Sep 18, 2012 10:49 am

Well, that's sad you can only fit a 19". For about the same price ($100-150) you can easily get a 23" or 24" widescreen.

I used to do "LCD" reviews for my company's hardware standards some time ago. Basically, Samsung, Viewsonic and NEC were/are still the bees knees .... everything else is simply 'what you like about it.' Vizio, Lenovo, Dell, HP, and Acer all have very attractive prices and decent picture quality too. It's really hard to evaluate LCD quality just looking at web reveiws. Lining them up and seeing them all display the same graphic at the same time is what separates the winners and losers. Tough to do though since most of the retailers only supply low and mid range models. But, you can still get an idea and then purchase the high end for the same price online!!

Granted... you've made your purchase. But for anyone reading this post... some helpful advice (maybe).

sloppy dice, drinks twice
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2003

Sep 19, 2012 02:45 pm

I had an ASUS 24" monitor that I liked, bought in 12/2011. Before it burned to cinders, it showed great video. I'm no videophile but it had a nice picture. The blacks werent the blackest but I guess I'd go with an ASUS again. It was a good deal from newegg.com at $169.

Byte-Mixer
Member
Since: Dec 04, 2007

Sep 20, 2012 02:22 am

Well, my order should get here tomorrow (today as it's past midnight) I'll letcha know what I think.

Still 19" widescreen for $104 isn't too bad in my book. I could "technically" fit 20" since I have about 21" between the shelves, but then I wouldn't have room for the things I have on either side of the monitor (like my desktop mic stand and such) :P

Also, off topic, I'll be down in FL at the end of the month for my grandmother's 100th birthday. (woohoo!) I ordered a case for my NL2X keyboard since I'll be taking that with me. Normally runs $190, and I saw a deal on one for $164. I wanted something decently protective since I'm taking it on the plane with me. I won't be checking it with the clothes, rather I'm going to try to take it as a carry-on as it SHOULD fit in the overhead bin. If not, I'll just check it at the gate since it won't get handled by the baggage people that way. (well, supposedly anyway)

Update/Edit: So, yeah, the monitor arrived, and everything is hunky-dory, haha! Screen is clear, crisp, good text contrast, colors are quite vivid, and I'm quite happy with it after doing some calibration. :)

The case I got was an SKB hard-shell with adjustable foam, and looks like it fits my Nord Lead just about perfectly. www.skbcases.com/music/pr...amp;o=&s=76

At first I thought it wasn't ATA standard, but it is listed with the other ATA cases on their site, so maybe it is.

I got an SKB case for my amp in 2009, and it survived just fine, though a corner of the case got a little marred.

But yeah, I think the synth will survive just fine, and I want to show it off to my brother who will also be down.

http://www.reverbnation.com/2ndg
Member
Since: Nov 27, 2007

Sep 20, 2012 10:23 pm

Dude its funny, i have the exact same Viewsonic monitor here.
apart from that i havent any useful input.

> > > Too many choices these days:

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