This thread does center on the HDMI issue but also addresses an other issue or question I have in this predicament. And as usual, for those who don't know me, I have to preface this by saying I'm a serious amateur, not a pro and on a tight budget and don't do professional work in terms of for-broadcast, etc..
While I do work in HD rez in Vegas 10, my stuff is for Net viewing. It's also artsy/dreamy/stylized so the kind of strict color and other parameters most of you have to take into consideration are less important. So I buy consumer monitors, consumer vid cards.
One of my dual old-style 4:3 ratio 19" LCD monitors bought back in 2005/6 died yesterday, and my video card is as ancient yet still working fine (GeForce 6800XT). Prices have dropped considerably for LCD since then, and even a pauper budget can get a decent (for this man's purposes) set-up.
While my old 6800XT has had DVI out, for various practical reasons, the connection via extension cables has been VGA and worked just fine. I can't afford cable TV, so I have Netflix and Hulu -- so I watch DVDs and stuff online on my system. I don't have a big-screen or HD TV. In fact, my 2000 model CRT TV is stashed in a closet.
Unlike most these days, I'm perfectly happy watching movies on a computer screen (I have a swivel system so I can sit in my easy chair and watch, but that's kind of OT). Simply put, I don't need surround sound or fancy stuff.
So...
Whether I do this in one swoop or buy one monitor than the other later, I'd like to upgrade to 2 x 22"/23" LCD, preferably LED backlit, @ +/- USD $130-150 each. Video card no more than USD $75 or less. Most generic but acceptable cards have various configurations - 1 DVI + 1 VGA, 2 x VGA or 2x DVI and then some also have an HDMI port. I've done some reading online on HDMI and its advantages (and also that DVI is actually on its way out), but I've never seen a card I can afford with 2 HDMI ports.
Since this is an investment and not just a replacement, I might as well make a choice that considers the future a bit.
VGA works fine for me and probably would continue doing so, but HDMI seems to be the wave of the future.
Question 1:
** I've read enough online including searched in this forum and gotten a bit lost in the true-white vs. RGB issues of LED illumination, etc. etc. -- as well as having taken a trip to my local Fry's to assess monitor differences in-real-life to have a general good sense of this issue.
But truth is that while at the store, the ones that except for the higher end Samsung etc. I could save a small amount on not going with backlit for companies are trying to get rid of them via rebates, but there, maybe it's better to go with the trend of the industry.
Staying with VGA would save me some considerable money for I could use the cables and adapters I have (VGA>DVI at video card), and cards with either VGA and/or both DVI are easy to find -- but I also don't want to end up too retrograde/behind the curve.
Thank you for your input.
While I do work in HD rez in Vegas 10, my stuff is for Net viewing. It's also artsy/dreamy/stylized so the kind of strict color and other parameters most of you have to take into consideration are less important. So I buy consumer monitors, consumer vid cards.
One of my dual old-style 4:3 ratio 19" LCD monitors bought back in 2005/6 died yesterday, and my video card is as ancient yet still working fine (GeForce 6800XT). Prices have dropped considerably for LCD since then, and even a pauper budget can get a decent (for this man's purposes) set-up.
While my old 6800XT has had DVI out, for various practical reasons, the connection via extension cables has been VGA and worked just fine. I can't afford cable TV, so I have Netflix and Hulu -- so I watch DVDs and stuff online on my system. I don't have a big-screen or HD TV. In fact, my 2000 model CRT TV is stashed in a closet.
Unlike most these days, I'm perfectly happy watching movies on a computer screen (I have a swivel system so I can sit in my easy chair and watch, but that's kind of OT). Simply put, I don't need surround sound or fancy stuff.
So...
Whether I do this in one swoop or buy one monitor than the other later, I'd like to upgrade to 2 x 22"/23" LCD, preferably LED backlit, @ +/- USD $130-150 each. Video card no more than USD $75 or less. Most generic but acceptable cards have various configurations - 1 DVI + 1 VGA, 2 x VGA or 2x DVI and then some also have an HDMI port. I've done some reading online on HDMI and its advantages (and also that DVI is actually on its way out), but I've never seen a card I can afford with 2 HDMI ports.
Since this is an investment and not just a replacement, I might as well make a choice that considers the future a bit.
VGA works fine for me and probably would continue doing so, but HDMI seems to be the wave of the future.
Question 1:
** I've read enough online including searched in this forum and gotten a bit lost in the true-white vs. RGB issues of LED illumination, etc. etc. -- as well as having taken a trip to my local Fry's to assess monitor differences in-real-life to have a general good sense of this issue.
But truth is that while at the store, the ones that except for the higher end Samsung etc. I could save a small amount on not going with backlit for companies are trying to get rid of them via rebates, but there, maybe it's better to go with the trend of the industry.
Staying with VGA would save me some considerable money for I could use the cables and adapters I have (VGA>DVI at video card), and cards with either VGA and/or both DVI are easy to find -- but I also don't want to end up too retrograde/behind the curve.
Thank you for your input.