OT: LCD Monitor DVI (digital) vs. 15-Pin D-Sub (analog)

JohnnyRoy wrote on 1/16/2005, 8:22 AM
I’m looking to replace my CRT with an LCD. I bought my kids a Samsung 710V 17 inch that was on sale at output.com and I can’t believe how gorgeous this thing is. It just blows my 21 inch IBM P260 CRT away with crisp text that is easy to read. Now I want one... no... make that two. ;-)

My question is: Since my graphics card accepts two monitors (one 15-pin D-Sub (analog) and one DVI (digital) input), should I get one LCD with a DVI input? They are about $100 more money for the same LCD specs with DVI. Will I see a $100 difference quality? Does anyone have both and can tell the difference side-by-side? Or should I just get two analog LCD’s so that I have exactly the same model (and quality) for both monitors? I’m thinking of getting two 17" to replace my 21" (which is only 20" viewable anyway). Should I replace it with two 19" or are they too big? The Samsung 710N-2 is only $295 and has a five star rating. Anyone have this display or comments about it?

Bonus question: Why is a digital input to a digital device (i.e., DVI) more money than an analog input to a digital device since obviously the cheaper one requires more components for the A/D converter and the digital one does not. Is this a rip off?

~jr

Comments

epirb wrote on 1/16/2005, 8:37 AM
I have a Samsung 910t 19"
I love it plus you can rotate the screen to vert etc. which works nice with certain Vegas layouts. for example if I have a lot of tracks on the timeline I'll move theT/L over to that screen and make it "higher than wider".
My other screen, is a 17" widescreen LCD, where my T/L norm resides. One is plugged into DVI(widescreen, I think), the other in VGA . I'm sure there is a difference somewhere but to my eyes they both look great.
BillyBoy wrote on 1/16/2005, 9:02 AM
I have several LCD's (I'm stll using a older View Sonic VG175 as my main computer monitor. It accepts either DVI or the older sub-15) If you can go digital from the graphic card to the monitor that's the way to go since you avoid any analog to digital conversion which always, even under the best of conditions chips aways at the quality of the signal. That's assuming you using the monitor as a computer monitor.

All that said, I got a new 22 inch LCD Samsung to now serve as my "external monitor" for editng when I got my big screen plasma. Anyhow, I feed it through firewire to a Canopus 300 then out through its D1 via component then into the Samsunng 22 inch component. The quality of the picture and overal all brightness/contrast is outstanding.
L25 wrote on 1/16/2005, 10:36 AM
I have a View Sonic VG175 as well, it crapped out on me about 4 months ago. I still use it but it takes about 30 minutes to warm up to clear all the horizontal noise. I also need to get a new monitor.

My other monitor is a very old apple (sony trinitron) 20" crt display with a PC adaptor on the cable.
wcoxe1 wrote on 1/16/2005, 11:55 AM
Don't forget to look at the 1920 x 1080 HP L2335, which is expensive, but is VERY nice. I just picked up one for $1359. It has just about every input imaginable, except 1394.
JJKizak wrote on 1/16/2005, 12:50 PM
If there is a difference it isn't very much. I have a Viewsonic 19" and really do not see any difference between DVI and analog.

JJK
JohnnyRoy wrote on 1/16/2005, 12:58 PM
Thanks for the responses. I thought it would be difficult to tell the difference. I’ll have to see what the budget allows but at least now I know I won’t be missing much if I go for two analog LCD’s. Thanks all,

~jr
L25 wrote on 1/27/2005, 7:40 AM
Hello John:

Did you get the Samsung 710N-2? I found it on sale for $249. after rebate (I need to replace my viewsonic VG175). You can email me at jjsmitty at gmail dot com.

jeff
dmakogon wrote on 1/27/2005, 11:10 AM
I currently have two LCD monitors: an NEC 1860NX (on my software dev machine) and a Dell 2001FP (on my video editing machine). On both of them, I can occasionally see some horizontal streaking on the screen in analog mode. It's more pronounced on the Dell, which has a superior picture when using the DVI input (I've done A/B compares. I also occasionally use the analog input when I'm working on my laptop and want an external display).

In my opinion, it's always worth going for the DVI input, espcially with falling LCD monitor prices (if you get a good coupon, for instance, you can get the Dell 2001 or 2005 (widescreen 20") for about $500-550.

Regards,
David