They do not seem to make 4:3 monitors any more, only widescreen monitors. I
was wondering what I was missing and bought a 22" widescreen which has about
the name number of usable square inches as a 19" 4:3 monitor.
What I found was that most websites, by far, do not fill the wide screen, no
matter what resolution you set the computer for. There is usually an empty
strip on both sides, ranging from 2 to 4 inches. If I use the "native
resolution" of 1680x1050 (1.6 ratio) the text gets intolerably small.
If I use another 1.6 ratio, like 1280x800, everything gets better, I can
even read the text, but there is still a lot of wasted space because most
web sites were built for 4:3 monitors. There are only a very few websites ,
like Google, Wikipedia and Yahoo, that actually provide a visual benefit (a
full width display).
When I watched Das Boot, the actual screen display was 39cm on the
widescreen and 36cm on the 4:3. Only a small advantage.
When I use MS Word, I get quite a few more lines on my 19" screen than on
the 22" widescreen, even using 1280x800 resolution. I also have to reduce
the line-width by 10% to make the text come out to normal page width.
So, why on earth, is everybody switching to widescreen monitors ?? I can
only see disadvantages. Takes up more desk space, too.
--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-
The widescreen will accommodate movie playing better and gives more space to
put more windows.
Instead of running everything full screen, resize the windows and take
advantages of the fact that you can still see part of your desktop and/or
other active windows..
--
Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/
As to some of you other questions.
More desktop real-estate when using multiple windows/apps
which I like. I choose a resolution that was comfortable for me
which is not the default.
As for MS Word the "Line Width" is predetermined by the
'Page Setup' options.
"Walter R." <w...@example.com> wrote in message
news:eiooFIt4...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> > So, why on earth, is everybody switching to widescreen monitors ?? I can
> > only see disadvantages. Takes up more desk space, too.
"Mike Hall - MVP" <mike...@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:eBj%23mMt4J...@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> The widescreen will accommodate movie playing better and gives more space
to
> put more windows.
This point states but underemphasizes the way the PC
hardware industry interacts with two quite different markets,
business employers (who buy hardware for N hundred
employees) and buyers of computer games (who buy
hardware and software as individuals.) One reason
quality graphics and large hard drives are so cheap is
that business now buys them (and constitutes the bulk
of the market.) Bill Gates announced before 2000 he
wanted Windows PCs to become "Media Machines."
Letterbox format (as used in modern movie theatres)
makes this explicit -- and will tempt business employees
to watch TV on the web instead of doing productive work.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)
"Walter R." <w...@example.com> wrote in message
news:eiooFIt4...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
"Walter R." <w...@example.com> wrote in message news:eiooFIt4...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> When I watched Das Boot, the actual screen display was 39cm on the widescreen and 36cm on the 4:3. Only a small advantage.
...
>
> So, why on earth, is everybody switching to widescreen monitors ?? I can only see disadvantages. Takes up more desk space, too.
BTW, here comes 32:10 monitor:
http://gizmodo.com/5277667/stunning-nec-crv43-43+inch-curved-monitor-is-stunningly-expensive
It will be great for movies like HTWWW ... :)
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?id=742&show=review
"features a version optimized for 2.89:1 aspect ratio"
Cheers, Roman
There are two advantages for business users. The first is that more of
a spreadsheet can be displayed at a time, and the other is that one can
have a window open with information you need while working in another
window and don't have to keep switching windows while you work.
>
> So, why on earth, is everybody switching to widescreen monitors ?? I can
> only see disadvantages. Takes up more desk space, too.
>
I have a widescreen field of vision, therefore I have a widescreen telly and
monitor at home. At work my monitor is 4:3 but 4:3 has *always* seemed
unnatural to me.
Keith.
www.keithwilby.co.uk
I have 22" at home and love it, but what I really want is 24" or above.
"Walter R." <w...@example.com> wrote in message
news:eiooFIt4...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
<it was old, not quoted completely, so...>
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware/browse_frm/thread/222b89bbdfe94ce/
</end quote of entire conversation>
TD wrote:
> I still use my 15 inch square. WS is too big for close up work,
> IMHO.
And everything can be explained with the last acronym in that response...
"IMHO" <- in my humble opinion.
OPINION.
That's what it is about widescreen monitors, that is the 'mania'. I like
them, fills my range of vision happily and fully. My dual 24" widescreen
setup and my single 30" widescreen setup work great *for me*. Might not for
someone else - or they might not see the point in such large monitors, such
flat monitors, such bright monitors, such wide-format monitors. So be it.
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
I moved from 2 x 21" Glass Monitors to 2 x 24" LCD wide-screen panels.
I have MUCH MORE DESK SPACE NOW and I now sit about 30" from the screens.
I find that the dual 24" screens give me a lot more area to work with,
since I often have 5-7 apps on my desktop at a time.
The older square LCD's/Monitors required me to work in a vertical mode
while the wide screen units let me work left-right, as I would normally.
I run both screens at 1680x1050 on DVI connections for a clear image.
--
You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little
voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.
Trust yourself.
spam9...@rrohio.com (remove 999 for proper email address)
"unknown" wrote:
>
What you want is likely a few things...
- Really large. 22-24" is where most people start, it's a price-break point
right now. If you can afford it - go with a 30" monitor.
- Lowered resolution. You want to get a monitor that *does not* have to be
put in its native resolution to have a clear picture. I know the Dell and
Samsung monitors have been good at this. I have several customers who have
bought 30" Dell monitors and run them at half the native resolution (native:
2560x1600, they use them at 1280x800) and they love them because they can
see everything easily and have plenty of space still.
- Brightness - you want a good monitor with an excellent contrast ratio.
If you don't want to use a lower resolution (really is the best way with the
larger monitors to get large text and keep everything proportional/easy to
read) - then you can change the DPI to a larger number, use large text and
icons and so on.
The widescreen is just the way of things now - nothing more. Think of it
like the warnings at the beginning of the VHS movies you could rent at one
time or of some TV stations: This movie has been formatted to fit your
screen. With the widescreen monitor - no need, but also you don't gain any
size on the movie (unless they happen to have a letterbox version or the
widescreen version and no choice of 4:3 formatted.)
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
"lbabus" <lba...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:83E9AE4E-1792-4869...@microsoft.com...
Have the person with the vision problem, accompany you to a local computer
store. Visit the Best Buy and look at monitors together. What is the
cheapest screen, that this person can see in comfort ? That will
give you some idea how much money it'll cost to get them a monitor.
As Shenan points out, the 30" LCD computer monitor is about the best you
can buy. With a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels in native resolution,
it gives you 100 dot per inch resolution across a screen which is
over 2 feet wide. The monitor requires a video card with "dual link DVI"
output, to get the best image quality (without the distortions of VGA).
On Newegg, I can see one for $1160 that has good reviews. But
whether that expense is required, really depends on how bad
the legally blind person's sight is.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005115
Paul
Windows comes with a magnifier tool but it is kind of annoying to use it.
BTW, it is not a mania to want widescreen or bigger monitors. When people
have eyesight problems it is a basic necessity.
"Gary Gary" <bl...@blah.blah> wrote in message
news:op.u76ewphlu4oxh7@----------.wp.shawcable.net...