LCD - Native Resolution

[Megamorph]

I am purchasing a LCD monitor for my mother who spends 8+ hours per day on the PC. She is in her 50's and her eyesight isn't terrible, but it isn't what it used to be. I personally use a 21" LCD and run it at its native 1600X1200 resolution, but the text is certainly small. However, any other resolution looks terrible.

Should I buy a 17" LCD for my mother so I can have the larger text at the native resolution? Am I wrong in thinking that a 17" LCD is optimum for this?

Buying a LCD monitor and running it at anything other than its native resolution is NOT an option for me.

The monitor will be connected via DVI.

 

[SeTeS]

A typical 17" lcd will run at 1280 x 1024, which depending on how you setup your display appearance, may still be too small for her.

If you can afford it, pop for a 19" LCD, which will also run at 1280x1024, but w/ a larger viewable area.

Definitely don't try to run an lcd at sub native resolution... even if she has good eyesight, it'll make her THINK she needs glasses.

If all that's too pricey, get her a big crt. They're pretty cheap. You can even get a used one really cheap. I got a lease pull IBM 21" Trinitron for peanuts from merkortech.com.

 

[Tiamat]

Yes your only options are a 19" LCD running 1280x1024 or a 19" or larger CRT running 1280x1024 or 1024x768

 

[frankie38]

Originally posted by: SeTeS
A typical 17" lcd will run at 1280 x 1024, which depending on how you setup your display appearance, may still be too small for her.

If you can afford it, pop for a 19" LCD, which will also run at 1280x1024, but w/ a larger viewable area.

Definitely don't try to run an lcd at sub native resolution... even if she has good eyesight, it'll make her THINK she needs glasses.

If all that's too pricey, get her a big crt. They're pretty cheap. You can even get a used one really cheap. I got a lease pull IBM 21" Trinitron for peanuts from merkortech.com.

i am looking at the ibm p260 from merkortech. which one did you get and a brief review please? thanks

 

[Gunbuster]

A 1600X1200 screen should look ok at 800X600

 

[biostud]

just increase font size in windows

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: Gunbuster
A 1600X1200 screen should look ok at 800X600

Good point :beer:

 

[Megamorph]

Originally posted by: Gunbuster
A 1600X1200 screen should look ok at 800X600

I have the Samsung 21" 213T. I just switched it to 800X600 and it looks horrible.

 

[Megamorph]

Originally posted by: biostud
just increase font size in windows

Is increasing the font size really a feasible option?

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: Megamorph

Originally posted by: Gunbuster
A 1600X1200 screen should look ok at 800X600

I have the Samsung 21" 213T. I just switched it to 800X600 and it looks horrible.

Odd, you would assume that it should scale perfectly, with 4 pixels representing 1 at 800x600 :/

 

[Maverick2002]

Originally posted by: Megamorph

Originally posted by: biostud
just increase font size in windows

Is increasing the font size really a feasible option?

Yes. There are also special disability settings in Windows to further help with this (i.e. up the font size).

 

[Maverick2002]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

Originally posted by: Megamorph

Originally posted by: Gunbuster
A 1600X1200 screen should look ok at 800X600

I have the Samsung 21" 213T. I just switched it to 800X600 and it looks horrible.

Odd, you would assume that it should scale perfectly, with 4 pixels representing 1 at 800x600 :/

It may scale perfectly, but that doesn't mean it'll look good. Any non-native resolution on an LCD screen will appear washed out; depending on the exact resolution it may or may not appear deformed as well.

 

[SeTeS]

RE the Merkortech monitor... i think it's a P275. It's a really nice monitor. Heavy as hell tho. Stylewise... black, housing reminds me of a nextcube. This was my first move to a trinitron monitor and i was quite impressed. The brightness of the tube is really noticeable against a shadow mask tube.

Interface-wise, I started using the DB-15 but anything higher than 1280x1024 was kinda fuzzy. Once I tracked down a DVI-A cable, I was running at a crispy 1920x1440 at around 75hz if IIRC.

I think I paid around 400-450 for it 2.5 yrs ago. Merkortech charged around 65 bucks for shipping from their place to CA. They have much cheaper 21" monitors, but I liked the looks of that one and considering my last 2 viewsonic were purchase new, 450 bucks was like a steal (.. I _distinctly_ remember paying 1700 bucks for a viewsonic 21PS in 1995... eeek!).

The first one I received was messed up in that only one input functioned (the db-15). Merkortech shipped me another one along w/ pre-paid return shipping for the first. I've had no problems w/ it since.

---
RE adjusting the font size in windows... while that will take care of icons, windows, etc.. it will have no effect on things like web page images. I think that for people w/ vision problems, there's currently no real substitute for running at lower resolutions.

 

[ssvegeta1010]

Originally posted by: SeTeS
RE adjusting the font size in windows... while that will take care of icons, windows, etc.. it will have no effect on things like web page images. I think that for people w/ vision problems, there's currently no real substitute for running at lower resolutions.

Wouldnt adjusting the DPI change windows desktop and web pages?

 

[sunase]

I actually just went through this with my father. Ended up getting a Dell W2300 LCD TV (23", 1280x768) and using it as a monitor. It has both an HD15 and DVI port (using the later) that work fine with the PC and it isn't one of those weird 16:9 proportions.

It is *very* easy on the eyes. Vertical space is a bit cramped, but it has a standard VESA mount on the back and I just ordered an arm mount that will let the LCD be pivoted (so it will be extra tall instead of uselessly extra wide).

Setting Windows Display Properties->Advanced->DPI Setting can be a nice stopgap, but it screws up a lot of applications (text goes off the side of windows and can't be read, etc.). I hear Longhorn is going to be less resolution dependent for feature size, though.

Only complaint I have about the LCD is that it took Dell 3-4 weeks to ship when the website claimed 2 (although there was an awesome deal on them so maybe many people ordered ^^) and that the black level is rather terrible. I guess I'm just used to CRTs which are simply better re image quality, though.