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Thread ID: 35394	2003-07-11 04:15:00	Buying a monitor....	Mantis (3703)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
158791	2003-07-11 04:15:00	I'm curretly looking at buying a monitor, I'm considering both new and 2nd hnd off trade-me or the like.... Basically I want a 17" or a cheap 19"..... I found a .... Dell 17" Digital Monitor E770 s ... on trademe for around $120..... it gives the following details.... year of mf is july 2000 800--600 1280--1040 Is this a good deal? Could someone please explain the refresh rates, and give me a basic run-down on what to look out for when buying a monitor..... Also any recommendations on monitor types or genaral info would be greatly appreciated.... Thanks.... Mantis	Mantis (3703)
158792	2003-07-11 04:25:00	refresh rates i would say least 75Hz? jus so its not flickering. the resolution depend how small things are on screen then u can see more .. webpages, more of MS Word etc.. 17inch i say the norm is 1024 768 reso 19 inch 1280 1024 depends on personal taste thou as i prefer 1280 1024 and one step higher for 17 and 19 inch respec. why not consider flat panel? this is one regret someone i know made when he bought a new 17 inch last 6 months ago.. what do u use the PC for?, the figures can depend on your usages...	nomad (3693)
158793	2003-07-11 04:35:00	Go LCD. Checkout www.tomshardware.com	KiwiTT (4082)
158794	2003-07-11 04:51:00	$120 is quite good second hand. I paid $150 for a 17" IBM that works perfectly from a company that sells ex-lease stuff. You should really get a look at the picture before you buy it. Make sure its got a nice clear picture, esp. in the corners, and leave it on for a while to check it stays good when it warms up. Open up something that is pure white and check the colour isn't distorted. Unless your happy to live with imperfections (great way to get the price down). The max resolution isn't really relevant it will be at a horrible refresh rate. Check the highest resolution it can do at 85Hz, thats will the resolution you will want to use for extended periods. If you end up looking at new stuff, phillips are quite good for their price. Stick to brand name ones.	bmason (508)
158795	2003-07-11 05:51:00	For performance issues, take a look at FAQ #3. You might not be able to check everything at the time of purchase but if you ask for a right of return you can check properly at home under the right lighting conditions. Monitors can die fairly quickly so minor deterioration can matter. I have just dumped a three year old 17" Hyundai that was perfect until a few weeks ago then the tube went downhill really fast giving me a dull pix with poor focus. Alas I was unable to resurrect the old girl and out she went on the local inorganic. Moral of the story is, if not 100% satisfied with pix quality, don't buy. Monitor checks are available on line at E.ric's "Oh Bugger" site. Sorry I don't have the URL handy but Google will find it. Cheers Billy 8-{)	Billy T (70)
158796	2003-07-11 06:37:00	the minimum refresh rate i'd use would be 85Hz, esp if your a heavy user. i find that 1024 x 768 on a 17" works fine. When you get to the highest resolutions your only getting about 60Hz which i find unbearable. a cheap 19" will only give you a headache. you may have a nice big screen but it probably isn't too good for your eyes.	Dylan (800)
158797	2003-07-11 08:47:00	Hi... sorry if this question is stupid but.... from the information given how do I tell what the refresh rate? I want to run the monitor at at least 1024 x 768 .... Thanks again... Mantis	Mantis (3703)
158798	2003-07-11 09:33:00	My advice would be never buy a monitor unseen off TradeMe. One persons idea of a "good picture" is most often just a joke. Most people never notice their picture slowly deteriorating and losing focus. Most probably the reason it is sold on TradeMe rather than through Trade and Exchange is that it wont be all that good. At least through T&E you can go along to the vendor and ask to see it running. I see this thing all the time at Turners auctions, people buy monitors untested that I know dont even fire up because of a blown power supply, or are incredibly dim, or bad on colour, that are only fit for the tip. If you know the monitor model number you can look up the specs. using Google.	Terry Porritt (14)
158799	2003-07-11 09:35:00	do a google search for the specs with the monitor brand and model #. as u increase reso the refresh rate will decrease. what do u use it for?	nomad (3693)
158800	2003-07-11 13:05:00	I mostly use my computer for audio editing and also general surfing, word processing etc etc . . . . I don't really play games all that much, or do any video stuff . . . . I've had a look on pricespy at new 17" monitors, there are a lot within $200 - $250 price range . . . . The AOC 17" 7F Max 1280x1024 Flat Screen looks good and affordable, has anyone had any experience with this brand or any of the others featured? . pricespy . co . nz/cat_5 . html#g13" target="_blank">www . pricespy . co . nz One more small question . . . . With a GeForce 4 MX440SE 64Mb tv out graphics card, will I be able to run a dual monitor setup? This was my original plan, to buy 2 x 17" monitors off trademe and run them like this . . . . . Again thanks for all your help . Mantis .	Mantis (3703)
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