Tell me what to look for in a monitor

[Prufrock]

I am a somewhat IT challenged guy. I have one-tabled $20 into over $1500. I would like to mulitable. My budget for a monitor is $600. Will a monitor with 1280 X 1024 do the job? Tell me what I need to look for(specs). I just cannot afford the Dell Monitor that is mentioned so often here.

[Evan]

I have a 1280x1024 monitor currently and I'm fine playing 3 tables on it. PLaying 4 just gets too crowded for my taste so I bought a 2001fp yesterday and it should be here in about a week. If your budget is stictly $600 then you'll have to go with a 1280x1024, but if you can stretch it a little you can probably upgrade. I just got he 2001fp on EBay for $750 with shipping.

[Prufrock]

Thanks Evan,
I do not anticapate handling more than 3 tables at a time. What do you think of getting the 1901fp?

[ihaterivers]

I just ordered a 19' kds flat screen monitor from office depot that will be about $78 after rebates including shipping. Go to www.slickdeals.net (http://www.slickdeals.net) and look under Sunday's listings.

Oh yeah I think you need to purchase by 9/30 to qualify for rebates. I don't think you can beat this deal anywhere.

[Prufrock]

Thanks ihaterivers,
But I am looking for a flat panel. Also, is there anything I should stay away from. What are the things I need to know to buy a flat panel for multitabling. Contrast ratio?

[null]

[ QUOTE ]
I am a somewhat IT challenged guy. I have one-tabled $20 into over $1500. I would like to mulitable. My budget for a monitor is $600. Will a monitor with 1280 X 1024 do the job? Tell me what I need to look for(specs). I just cannot afford the Dell Monitor that is mentioned so often here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Basically you need a monitor that will do 1600x1200 to fit 4 party tables with no overlap. Personally I'm ordering a 22"CRT (the NEC FP2141SB-BK) rather than an LCD. CRTs are the traditional monitors, whereas that Dell is an LCD. I'm getting a CRT because it's better for gaming, color is better, and it's a bit cheaper too.

The CRT I mentioned I'm getting for $609, but if you decide to get a CRT rather than an LCD, check out the NEC MultiSync FE2111SB 22". You can get it for around $550 at the right site. It's basically the same as the monitor I'm getting with the exception of running very high resolutions at high refresh rates, which you probably don't need anyway. It'll still do 1600x1200 at 85Hz. I've been researching monitors lately, and it's highly recommended.

[ihaterivers]

Hmmm. A 22'' monitor for 609 that can 4 table with no overlap or a 19'' monitor for under $80 that can also 4 table with no overlap. I'd be returning that 22'' in a heartbeat.

[null]

[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm. A 22'' monitor for 609 that can 4 table with no overlap or a 19'' monitor for under $80 that can also 4 table with no overlap. I'd be returning that 22'' in a heartbeat.

[/ QUOTE ]

I realize most people here only care about being able to 4 table with a monitor, but there are other considerations. One of the reasons I chose the monitor I did was gaming. You suggest a 19" monitor that can do 1600x1200 max resolution at 75Hz, from what I could tell. The monitor I'm getting is capable of 2048 x 1536 @ 85 Hz, plus it's one of the best CRTs you can get in terms of picture quality. While I don't have the hardware right now to take full advantage of it, I will in the future. I agree that for the average user who wants a cheap upgrade, your recommendation is better.

[benfranklin]

You need 1600x1200 resolution to multitable without overlap. At Party, the table images are 800x600, and I believe most others are the same. I don't believe flat panels are capable of that. With a conventional CRT monitor, you can get 1600x1200 on anything from a 17" to a 21". The smaller the screen, the harder to see details of the tables.

Space can be a big problem with the bigger monitors, particularly a 21" CRT, but they are great. You can find factory refurbished 21" CRTs for reasonable prices at local computer fairs or at online discount sites. Check buy.com or overstock.com. I recently bought a 21" Dell Trinatron flat screen (not flat panel) at overstock.com for under $300, and have seen similar monitors at similar prices.

[Prufrock]

Thanks BenFranklin,

The specs you give are what I needed. Will check out CRT but kind of have my pokerheart set on a LCD. Maybe I will just have to save some more money and get the DEll

[sprmario]

the dell 2001fp is apparently available for $707 shipped via dell. it's on same website listed above:

http://www.slickdeals.net/

Oh and the 19" 1901fp is $515 shipped.

[sfer]

Are you planning on running dual or scrapping the original monitor?

[Blarg]

If your budget is $600, you really REALLY should just hold off buying until you can knock it up another $150 or so.

Dell regularly runs specials on their 19-incher that does 1600x1200, and you will be very comfortable 4-tabling at that resolution. There's no comparison between the ease of playing overlapping vs. non-overlapping tables.

You owe yourself a little more patience till you can scrape together the money and get what you really would enjoy and get the best use of instead of spending everything you have to get half of what you need. Spending all that money and not even getting 1600x1200 seems like the worst possible choice. Heck, you can get $100 CRT's that do 1600x1200. No point spending big money if you are not going to get 1600x1200 out of it.

Try fatwallet.com, or even scan the front page section of y our local papers. I found a coupon code there, tucked carefully away in small print, that gave a price for the Dell 19-incher with 1600x1200 for $765, much cheaper than its usual price.

It's worth the wait to do it right!

[NLSoldier]

The Dell 2001fp is your best play and it's not close. Can you see why?

[derick]

If you want to save money ... I'd spent $99CND for a video card that can use two monitors (mine is nvidia 5700 256meg based). I'd pick up a $275 19" monitor that can do 1600x1200 before I worried about spending $600 on a really big expensive 21" beast. If you must spend $600 buy a dual head video card for $100 and two $250 19" 1600x1200 monitors.

Using the Nvidea software you can make your old and new monitors appear as one screen.

[rhizome]

I bought a Viewsonic 21 inch CRT from amazon for $437.30 (shipping included). I set it to 1920x1200 to 4 table with a little side space for other things like poker tracker or winamp. You can even crank it up to 2048x1536 if you want, but that's too much for me. The extra tables have more than paid for themselves already.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000071W9A/qid=1096511910/br=1-1/ref=br_lf_e_1//002-7370970-4686468?v=glance&s=electronics&n=1068302