Why widescreen or glassy screens for that matter?

[mooseracing]

As I look up prices for new monitors and also laptops why were we forced into widescreen for computers and TV's? I have a std tv and now everything I watch on cable seems to be in widescreen, even commercial. WTF, I want my screen real estate back. What are the benefits to Widescreen?

Same goes for glossy laptops, they just seem like a PITA in the daylight.

 

[Roguestar]

Widescreen is screen real estate.

You can read two documents side by side. It more accurately represents the normal viewing angle and range of movement of your eyes and head. We read from left to right, don't we? Widescreens seem to fit TV aspect ratios now, and it certainly helps manufacturers that widescreens are easier to make.

Glossy screens are a bit of a pain in direct sunlight but they're usually scratch-resistant and provide better viewing angles. So turn your laptop a little away from the window, you're all set.

 

[BassBomb]

Glossy also will also make it look like there is more contrast (makes the dark look darker)

I thought it would bug me on my 20wmgx2 but I never notice any reflections even in my bright house.

Having the glossy coating also reduces the amount the color washes out when in the sun, or maybe thats just me.

Widescreen is great but it really depends on the size you have. Widescreen 19" well I can't really agree with but 20" 1680x1050 is great. As Roguestar stated I love having two documents side by side. It is sooo good

But for general browsing I still like 4:3 but I don't mind 16:10 as I just keep my messenger windows on one side while browsing at the same time

 

[mooseracing]

Originally posted by: Roguestar
Widescreen is screen real estate.
.

I don't know on bigger screens but a 19" std compared to a 19" wide, the std is taller and just alittle bit skinnier. The wides just seem smaller. Guess I'm just getting old :frown:

Originally posted by: Roguestar
You can read two documents side by side. .

Its the opposite with the engineers I work with, everyone flips the monitor so they can read more coding/project standards that they are working on.




Oh well...thanks for the replies.

 

[jgigz]

Originally posted by: mooseracing

Originally posted by: Roguestar
Widescreen is screen real estate.
.

I don't know on bigger screens but a 19" std compared to a 19" wide, the std is taller and just alittle bit skinnier. The wides just seem smaller. Guess I'm just getting old :frown:

Originally posted by: Roguestar
You can read two documents side by side. .

Its the opposite with the engineers I work with, everyone flips the monitor so they can read more coding/project standards that they are working on.




Oh well...thanks for the replies.

Probably so they can see more of 1 document at a time, not 2 side by side?

 

[0roo0roo]

as screens get bigger, wider is better. its also been shown in studies that women navigate on large wide screens more easily
and of course video content. and price concerns, building wide screen tellys anyways u see...
and gaming on wide screen is awesome. if you go back to 4:3 you will feel like you are wearing blinders.
and well, life is in wide screen
the bigger the screens get, the better it is to go wide than tall. the space is more useful. giant 4:3 just doesn't work as well.

and no, you don't compare 19" wide to 19" standard. it doesn't work that way. you do need more " in wide for screen area total to match, but thats simply a matter of geometry, nothing tricky or inferior about the concept of wide. and when you can get 22-24" for under 400 dollars these days...it really doesn't matter.

Its the opposite with the engineers I work with, everyone flips the monitor so they can read more coding/project standards that they are working on.




Oh well...thanks for the replies.

thats the other wide screen advantage if you can rotate.
long long screen lol...lots of code visible

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: mooseracing
I don't know on bigger screens but a 19" std compared to a 19" wide, the std is taller and just alittle bit skinnier. The wides just seem smaller. Guess I'm just getting old :frown:

Check out the 22" widescreens. You get just about the same height, but it is wider. Hence, more screen realestate.

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: mooseracing

Originally posted by: Roguestar
Widescreen is screen real estate.
.

I don't know on bigger screens but a 19" std compared to a 19" wide, the std is taller and just alittle bit skinnier. The wides just seem smaller. Guess I'm just getting old :frown:

Originally posted by: Roguestar
You can read two documents side by side. .

Its the opposite with the engineers I work with, everyone flips the monitor so they can read more coding/project standards that they are working on.




Oh well...thanks for the replies.

I must admit, if reading a single document, the widescreen monitors that rotate are hella handy.

 

[corkyg]

A lot of it has to do with the convergence of work and entertainment. Wide screen is now the entertainment (i.e., "Letterbox") format. HDTV is all wide - so are most new movies. Yeah - you can get them squeezed down to 4:3, but you miss a lot of stuff that way. Games also follow the entertainment route.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Roguestar
Widescreen is screen real estate.

You can read two documents side by side. It more accurately represents the normal viewing angle and range of movement of your eyes and head. We read from left to right, don't we? Widescreens seem to fit TV aspect ratios now, and it certainly helps manufacturers that widescreens are easier to make.

Glossy screens are a bit of a pain in direct sunlight but they're usually scratch-resistant and provide better viewing angles. So turn your laptop a little away from the window, you're all set.

Bolded is why. Human eyes scan side to side more easily than up and down. Just think too of how your eyes are arranged on your head. They're aside of one another, causing your field of vision to be wider than it is tall.

Originally posted by: mooseracing

Its the opposite with the engineers I work with, everyone flips the monitor so they can read more coding/project standards that they are working on.

Well there you go - I'm sure they can fit more code onto the screen at one time that way.


The main thing I miss about my 21" CRT is the pixel response time. LCD response time sucks. I've got an LG L226WT, and it's rated 2ms.
One way it causes problems is in scrolling certain graphics or grids - the entire screen's brightness "blinks" as it scrolls. It's not just an illusion either. I can look at the diffused reflection of the screen on my desk, and it looks like a dimmed strobe light.