Monitor advice - please

[Prelude008]

Hi,

I currently have a 15" standard resolution monitor (1280x1024 I think - may be lower???). When I four table I have about a 1/3 table overlap between all tables.

From reading the forms I know that a 1200x1600 will allow you to multi-table with no overlap. However, that's out of my budget for now.

A friend offered to sell me a 17 inch monitor (I believe it's stardard resolution too) for $50. I know there will be some overlap. My question is do you think the 17 inch will make a noticable improvement and would be worth getting? Thanks.

[Freakin]

No. Find a used 19" that does 1600x1200 if you're looking to be cheap. Or buy a cheap KDS from office depot.... after rebates you can get them for like $75

Freakin

[hukilai]

Forget inches, look for resolution and screen refresh rate.

1600x1200 with an acceptable quality with minimum of 85Hz screen refresh rate is available on a good 19" or average 21" CRT box.

Some monitors, although cliaming support of 1600x1200, provide a very poor display in that resolution.
Also, if you have a very old computer, your video card might be a limitation too.

[oreogod]

Check out this thread (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=books&Number=1627431&f part=1&PHPSESSID=)

Its a program called SDESK, basically it makes your desktop as big as ud like (you view it in portions, if its fourtimes the size of your desktop, u view in one desktop at a time, using hotkeys or the mouse to move across the screens) -- at this time I find it useful when Im playing and datamining for good tables. But once I get the money I will invest into having two good sized flatscreens.

[Prelude008]

Thanks all for the information. I think I will look for a low end or used 1200x1600. Besides the "refresh rate" (a new term for me) is there anything else I should look for?

Unfortunately I checked Office Depot and the rebates on that monitor expired on 1/29 (just my luck). I have to keep looking. Thanks again.

[bwana devil]

So I could buy a 19" 1600x1200 CRT monitor for $150 and still be able to 4 table w/out any overlap??? this has me reeling. I didnt realize this until reading this thread.

Ive been agonizing over springing the $500 for the 2001fp dell monitor (my bro works at dell and would get me a 10% discount).

but i could spend $150 (or even $75!!!) and get a monitor to 4 table w/ no poker table overlap?


so i could get a 19" CRT 1600x1200 monitor and 4 table

benefit: cheap as dirt
drawback: takes up half my desk; get an inch or two less screen space than the dell

so i am understanding this correctly?

taken aback,
bwana

[kross]

You will NOT be happy with a $150 monitor at 1600x1200. There's a reason one 19" monitor costs $150, and another costs $350 (or more), with apparently the same specs. You DO get what you pay for in a monitor.

The cheaper ones are usually very fuzzy, especially at the highest resolutions. If $150 is all you can afford, then it might be best to get a good second 17", and use two monitors (at a lower resolution).

Or if you must have a 19", make sure you try it in the store, at the resolution you plan on using it. Make sure the text is sharp and clear at that resolution. Don't look at it and say, "Well it's only a little bit fuzzy, I can live with that." Because you're going to be staring at it for many hours at a time, trying to read the text on it. Even a little bit of fuzziness, after many hours, can lead to eyestrain, headaches, and will make playing poker not fun at all.

I just don't want to see you spend your hard-earned money on something you won't be happy with.

Good luck!
-- Kevin

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
So I could buy a 19" 1600x1200 CRT monitor for $150 and still be able to 4 table w/out any overlap??? this has me reeling. I didnt realize this until reading this thread.



[/ QUOTE ]

Any monitor with 1600x1200 resolution will show 4 tables with no overlap, even a 17", but the tables would be pretty small. The 4 tables will fill any screen, so the bigger the monitor, the bigger the tables will look. You can get a 19" for about $150 at Overstock (http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=CATLIST&PRO_SUB_CAT=410&PRO_SSUB_CAT=2 364)
or a 21" for under $300. I bought the Dell Trinitron 21" shown, and it is a beauty. And a big beast. Even a 19" works best on a corner desk, because they take up a lot of real estate.

[Prelude008]

Kevin/Ben,

Thanks for the info. You are right about buying a "cheapy" monitor to save money and not being happy. I'm going to look around to see if I can find a good used one. Perhaps I can even dedicate a weekend to poker to see if it can be done with OPM /images/graemlins/cool.gif

A 21" monitor seems huge. That's like a tv. I'll also keep checking overstock - your Dell is sold out.

[ihaterivers]

I bought that KDS from office depot. Came out to around $80 after rebates. If you are on a budget this is the way to go.

[freakintemp]

[ QUOTE ]
I bought that KDS from office depot. Came out to around $80 after rebates. If you are on a budget this is the way to go.

[/ QUOTE ]

I also got it, but at the time there was anothe rebate bringing it down to $50 (natually I never got my lazy ass around to filling out the rebates). This monitor gave me headaches caused by eyestrain. While the monitor specs said it could do 1600x1200 at 75Hz, I was never able to get it above 60Hz even w/ the newest monitor & video card drivers. I couldn't use it for more than 2 hours or so without having a headache the rest of the night. This affects some people, others are fine with it. Just a heads up.

Freakin