Why Trinitron Sucks

[yhelothar]

This is based on my experience with 6 21" monitors. Two of them are Dell P1110s, and the other 4 are IBM P275. I have narrowed these problems down to the monitors based on:
1. All monitors don't share the exact same problem
2. I have tried 3 different VGA cables, and two different video cards(gffx5900 and matrox millenium ii)

The biggest problem that I have found in all 6 21" monitors, is that it's either sharp on dark colors or light colors. Out of my 6 monitors, some monitors has blurry lines/txt on light colors but sharp with dark colors, some of the monitors has blurry lines/txt on dark colors but sharp on light colors, and some are mixed, which have the right side of the screen blurry on light colors, and the left side of the screen is blurry on dark colors.

Secondly it is impossible to get the convergence(alignment of the three colors, RGB) uniform throughout the entire monitor. If you fix the horizontal convergence on one part of the screen, it will be off on another part, which there is no controls to adjust both parts. So you have to choose which side you want good convergence.

Based on my experiences, I am never going to buy another aperture grill, it's all shadowmask for me. What good is vibrant colors and high contrast when your picture is messed up?

 

[ponyo]

ok.

 

[BenSkywalker]

Secondly it is impossible to get the convergence(alignment of the three colors, RGB) uniform throughout the entire monitor.

What a shock, you can't get the convergence right no matter what Trinitron tube you try. Check around a bit about Trinitron tubes and getting proper convergence across the screen. Pretty much what you are talking about is akin to trying two different MSI 5900s and not liking the AA at all so you go out and buy a Gainward 5950 and have the same problem so you swear off AGP cards

 

[Peter]

Proper alignment is what makes an expensive monitor expensive - on the same kind of tube.

For example, my old Sony GDM-1961 at home, a very early, now 12 years old aperture grill CAD monitor monster, has really good geometry even though it's not yet digitally controlled, perfect RGB convergence, maximized screen surface usage and the best possible color gamut. But that's because I put a whole afternoon into twiddling its three dozen internal dials to make it so - and because I can, after spending many years practicing to get the hang of doing that.

 

[yhelothar]

Peter: Yeah I wish my monitor had three dozen dials to control the convergence, then maybe I could have gotten it perfect, but the fact is that unless you spend $1500 for the Sony GDM F520, I don't think any other monitors offer any more than 4 different controls for convergence adjustment. IBM P275 is supposedly the top of the line 21", costing $750, and it only offers 4, which is clearly not enough.

Skywalker: no idea how your logic is supposed to relate to me. It would be more like I don't like MSI 5900, and I get gainward 5950, and still have the same problem, so I swear off nvidia cards.

 

[kylebisme]

sure you might swear off nvidia cards, but swearing off agp cards would be going to far. as is swearing off aperture grills simply because you have complaints about trinitrons, dimontrons are always an option.

oh and btw i have an ibm p260 and while the convergence isn't pefrect is is damn close to the point that i can't see any problems unless i use a multicolor test screen.

 

[yhelothar]

I guess you have a point.. I have edited the title accordingly

 

[cw42]

i prob dont have the needs to examine my monitor colors as closely as yours but i own 3 different Trinitron monitors and i love them

 

[Peter]

virtualgames, I'm sure your monitors have plenty more internal dials than you dreamt of in your worst nightmares. Doing a proper monitor alignment is not for the end user.

 

[akshayt]

thanks for the info

 

[cockeyed]

You didn't say what software you are using to set the convergence; if you're not using a test pattern to set it, a good program like "Nokia Monitor test," would be a good one to use. It can be found using Google. I use this program along with a magnifying glass to set my 19" NEC "tron" and it gets things looking good. I use a pattern with white lines (Horz & Vert) and adjust to get them as white as possible in each area of the screen.

 

[Evdawg]

wow trinitron sux... i did not know this. Now, why is it that every company that makes monitors uses the trinitron technology... or that its THE most popular tube out, and has been for a long time. Oh they definently suck....

wtf?