So what is it exactly that differentiates a $200 and $500 monitor of the same size?
That’s where some important factors come into play.

When it comes to choosing the right monitor, there are ten factors to consider:

• Price
• Size
• Resolution
• Viewing Angles
• Contrast Ratio
• Color Quality & Color Gamut
• Brightness
• Response Time & Processing Lag
• Video Inputs
• Monitor Stand and Adjustments

The first nine have very much to do with the panel technology used in the display, which I’ll discuss.

Price
If consumers are buying panels based on their needs, then the truth is that most people are out to get the biggest display for price. For most consumers, size does matter and big monitors are no exception. Many people can’t tell the difference in picture quality if the monitors aren’t side by side. That being said, if picture quality doesn’t matter as much as size, which is what the market is geared to deliver based on demand, then you can expect to pay the prices below. Monitors at these prices will suffice for most people and will meet their expectations for quality and features. And if you’re buying retail as opposed to online, expect to pay a more.

Size and Resolution
These often go hand in hand and there are a number of common resolutions for the various monitor sizes offered. All LCD panels are measured diagonally from corner to corner, which consists of the entire viewing space. This is different from CRTs which are measured by the size of their tube, which is partially obscured by the bezel. That’s why a 32″ CRT television display only measures about 30″ diagonally … but you probably don’t have to worry about that anymore.

While physical size plays a bigger factor in televisions, resolution is more critical when it comes to monitors due to the very close viewing distance. Resolution, with  regards to LCD monitors refers to the fixed number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical dimensions. For example, a resolution of 1280×1024 means there are 1280 pixels in width and 1024 pixels in height for a total of 1,310,720 pixels. A pixel is the smallest physical unit that displays color that make up the resolution of a display. This differs from image pixel size, which isn’t related to the panel’s physical pixel count or size.

Given our two monitor examples, while both of these are 24″ displays, they have different resolutions. The Samsung 2494SW has a resolution of 1920×1080 and the HP LP2475w is 1920×1200. That respectively equates to 2,073,600 and 2,304,000 pixels, with the HP LP2475w having 10% more. This is where pixel density comes into play, which is the number of pixels per square area; in other words, the physical size of the pixels. A higher pixel density equates to a sharper picture. The change in resolution also changes the aspect ratio of a monitor. Previously, widescreen monitors differed from widescreen televisions in that the aspect ratio of a widescreen monitor was commonly 16:10, while widescreen televisions are 16:9. This changed with the advent of 16:9 monitors, marketing a 1920×1080 resolution as “True HD”, the same resolution as 1080p televisions. Since both of these monitors have a width of 1920 pixels, they will both display 1080p video at native resolution, the only difference being that there will be a gap of (1200-1080)=120 pixels or 60 pixels on the top and bottom of the clip. Don’t let marketing confuse you on “Full HD” monitors, the only advantage a resolution of 1920×1080 has over 1920×1200 is the lower cost usually associated with 1920×1080 panels. A 16:9 panel of the same [diagonal] size will have slightly wider horizontal and shorter vertical physical dimensions than its 16:10 cousin, at the cost of a lower pixel density.

Back to the topic of resolution. A higher screen resolution is desirable due to the increase in screen real estate, giving the user more workspace–more windows, icons, etc. Certain resolutions are common to particular sizes of monitors.

Common Resolutions and Monitor Sizes

Note that there’s some overlap in screen sizes. The screen size doesn’t necessarily determine the resolution and vice versa. As an example of this, 21.5″ monitors are typically 1920×1080, giving them the same screen real estate as 1920×1080 24″ monitors and a higher pixel density. This brings up the question of what is a high enough pixel density, to which I’d answer that panels are built such that they have an acceptable resolution for their size. The only recent complaints I’ve heard are about the 1024×600 resolution of 10.1″ netbooks, to which some companies have responded by offering models with 10.1″ 1366×768 panels, over a 40% increase in pixel count.

Viewing Angles
These are the horizontal and vertical fields of view where the display’s image appears acceptable. Typically viewing angles are poor with twisted nematic (TN) panels, which make up the majority of monitor panels. 160/170 degree horizontal and 160 degree vertical viewing angles are typical with TN panels, whereas 178 degrees horizontal and vertical can be found in nearly all in-plane switching (IPS), multi-domain vertical alignment (MVA) and patterned vertical alignment (PVA) panels. TN panels are bottom barrel and mediocre viewing angles are just one of  their weaknesses. TN technology’s greatest success is that it’s cheap, and since the market is driven by the demand for dime-a-dozen monitors with little regard to quality, TN displays are plentiful.

Contrast Ratio
Contrast ratio refers to the ratio of the lightest color (white) to the darkest color (black) that the monitor is capable of displaying. Traditionally panels were rated based on their static contrast (the ratio above), but the recent implementation of dynamic contrast has created some confusion for the consumer. Dynamic contrast (DC) used in LCD displays is a method to artificially increase the contrast by lowering the backlight when a dark image is displayed on the screen. We end up with an LCD panel that’s marketed as having a 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, but has a much lower static contrast, around 500-1000:1. This is exactly the case for our two example monitors. The Samsung 2494SW is listed as having a 50,000:1 DC while the HP LP2475w has a contrast of 1000:1, yet their static contrasts are both 1000:1. While dynamic contrast works well when the panel displays darker images, the highlights and bright areas of the darker images may appear blown out or overexposed. All in all, an LCD with a 50,000:1 dynamic contrast and 1000:1 static contrast has an inferior contrast ratio to a plasma panel with a 3000:1 static contrast. The higher the static contrast, the better. While 500-1000:1 is common for LCD panels, organic LED (OLED) displays are able to naturally achieve much higher contrast ratios along the lines of 3000:1 static and 1,000,000:1 DC. Currently, OLED displays are only available in a few very expensive TV models, but monitors should be commercially available in the not-so-far future. It’s definitely a tech to keep your eye on and there should be some interesting OLED advances shown at CES next month.

Brightness
All modern monitors have more than enough brightness for all indoor lighting conditions, which is why this shouldn’t be a deciding factor. LCD panels are typically backlit with fluorescent tubes called cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL).  Over the past few years, manufacturers have introduced panels backlit with LEDs, which results in a better picture for a number of reasons. Brightness is measured in candelas per square meter (cd/m2). Older LCD monitors can usually be found with a brightness of around 250 cd/m2, whereas newer ones are anywhere from 300-500 cd/m2.  For indoor use, a properly calibrated monitor will be set around 80-120 cd/m2, low levels that cheaper monitors won’t adjust down to without a loss in picture quality.  Only laptops really require higher levels of brightness for outdoor use.  In fact, most of you probably have your monitor brightness set much higher than it should be.  Think of brightness as the “black level”. The ideal brightness setting will display the darkest black while still being able to differentiate between as many shades of grey as possible between pure black and pure white.  You’ll need to calibrate using a colorimeter for the best results, but you may have some luck with a grey scale test chart.  This is the same for the contrast setting–it’s likely set too high, turning many shades of a color into fewer shades by crushing similar colors together.

On a properly calibrated monitor, you should be able to differentiate between shades

There’s a growing consumer trend that high brightness and saturation equate to a better image, driving the production of extremely bright backlighting and stuff like glossy screens. (eww!) In actuality, these end up oversaturating and overexposing the image. While monitor standards are vital for people doing color corrective work, such as photographers, having a properly adjusted monitor will display a wider range of colors and thus a better image.

Color Quality and Color Gamut
A monitor’s color gamut is the range of colors that it can display accurately and is largely dependent on the backlighting. NTSC and Adobe RGB 1998 color gamuts are common profiles used to rate a monitor’s color gamut in the coverage of a color space chromaticity.

As a wide gamut prosumer monitor, the HP LP2475w has a rated 102% NTSC color gamut, while most TN panels are around 82%. You’d be hard pressed to find color gamut coverage for many of the TN panels out there since they’re marketed as bang for your buck monitors, not necessarily for their quality color ranges. Generally, TN monitors have a poor color gamut and color accuracy. This is because TN panels represent colors using only 6-bits per color as opposed to 8-bits and therefore cannot display 24-bit truecolor (16.7 million colors). Instead, TN panels use dithering and interpolation to simulate the desired colors. While the color simulation is noticeable, most people aren’t aware of the differences as they’ve only ever been exposed to TN panels. Almost always, monitors using IPS, MVA and PVA LCD technologies will have superior color representation over TN, but you’ll pay for the difference. The cost is sometimes significant, as seen in the price between the $209.99 Samsung 2494SW, which uses a TN panel, and the $549.99 HP LP2475w, using an H-IPS panel, one of the IPS technology variants.

Processing Lag and Response Time
I’m going to make this brief as you only have to be concerned with an excessive amount of lag in PVA panels. These both relate to the time it takes the monitor to respond and change its image–namely in regards to image persistence as it refreshes each frame at 60hz, aside from the few 120hz NVIDIA 3D Vision rated monitors available. Neither of these will likely have any effect on your viewing experience on non-PVA monitors. If you’re in the market for a high-end S-PVA panel, it’s likely that you’ll do your homework on whether it will fit your needs. Since color correction work won’t be affected by slight lag, trading a slower response time for improved color accuracy and other features is acceptable.

Video Inputs
There are a number of inputs commonly found on LCD monitors and almost all will be equipped with a DVI input and often a VGA input as well. There are some outliers that only have an HDMI input, for example, so keep your eye out. While you likely only need a DVI port, more inputs will give your monitor versatility when connecting to different devices.

On this HP LP2475w we have two DVI ports, S-video, composite, and component inputs, HDMI and DisplayPort support, SPDIF out and six USB 2.0 ports. Short of having a built-in TV tuner with a coaxial connector, this monitor has everything. The addition of DisplayPort support is a nice touch, particularly useful to those looking to take advantage of ATI’s Eyefinity multiple display technology. With HDMI and s-video/composite/component support, this monitor can also be used with any number of gaming consoles or can be attached directly to a DVD/Blu-ray/HD-DVD player, effectively doubling as a 24″ 1080p television that can function independently of a computer. In comparison, the Samsung 2494SW only has one DVI and VGA port, as you would expect from a 24″ monitor at the $200-250 price point.

Monitor Stand & Adjustments
Would you buy a car without adjustable seats? Well, maybe if it saved you some cash. A stand with proper monitor adjustments can make the difference between viewing the screen comfortably and well … not. The HP LP2475w has it all; height, tilt, swivel, and 90-degree pivot rotation.

The Samsung 2494SW just has vertical tilt, the only adjustment that couldn’t be removed without making it non-functional. While the monitor is still very usable with only having a tilt adjustment, you might have to stack a couple of books underneath to bring it to the proper height. While cheaper monitors can skimp on stand adjustments, a prosumer monitor like the HP LP2475w is expected to fully adjust, which is one of my complaints about Apple monitors.

The Big Question
So what’s the best monitor? That’s for you to decide. I know, it’s a pretty lame answer. I’d say the best monitor is the one that fits your needs (or wants) at the lowest price. While this article didn’t delve into brand quality, you may be surprised to find out that many of the monitor and television brands use panels from only a handful of panel manufactures. An example of this that stirred up some controversy a few years ago was that the higher priced Apple 20″ cinema display used the same LG panel as Dell’s UltraSharp 2005FPW. Lastly, take the manufacturer’s warranty into account, it can make the difference between a monitor continuing to work years down the road or not. Now that you know what to look for, go out and do some research before you purchase your next monitor. If your needs are few and you have a tight budget, it’s a fairly easy decision. But if you’re a gamer with some fun money or a professional looking for a high end monitor, you have a lot of options.

Editor Note: Please welcome Josh Shapiro to the Skatter Tech team as the new Hardware Expert. More articles like these are on there way! Follow us on Twitter (@skattertech) or on Facebook.

Things To Consider When Buying HDTV:

• Browse for TVs online using Amazon.com and NewEgg.com.
  Use the filters they offer to narrow down by price and size.
• Bigger isn’t necessarily better.
  Consider viewing distances when purchasing a TV.
• Which resolution? 720p vs 1080p?
  If it’s over 50 inches, get 1080p for sure. If under, consider 720p.
• What kind? Plasma, LCD, or LED?
  Skip to the bottom for more details!

Samsung PN42B450 Plasma HDTV 42-inch 720p

I am a student, so when I bought this TV for only $625, I was ecstatic. Now, this Samsung is once again around that price on Amazon, so I advise you to buy it! I love the quality when watching anything on this plasma. It does not have any internet connectivity such as the other two models listed below, but I can connect it to my laptop easily through either a VGA or HDMI cable and stream HD fine. If on a budget, pick up this TV!

Buy: Samsung PN42B450

Sony BRAVIA Z Series KDL-46Z5100 LCD HDTV 46-Inch 1080p (240Hz)

The quality of this Sony impressed me from the start. In addition to its great quality, this TV features several HD inputs, internet connectivity, as well as online widgets to make your entertainment experience better. You can also connect your camera, USB storage device, or a mp3 player to the TV via USB ports.

Buy: Sony BRAVIA 46Z5100

Samsung UN46B8000 LED HDTV 46-Inch 1080p (240Hz)

Although this TV comes with a hefty price tag, no one can debate its quality. At Fry’s, when I saw this LED, the picture I saw amazed me. Even though I knew that the salesmen purposely set its settings to their best, it was beautiful. It includes everything the Sony features and more. Also, the 1.2″ depth and light weight definitely impressed me.

Buy: Samsung UN46B8000

My piece of advice:
Articles from different sources concerning the differences between 720p vs. 1080p sometimes give contrasting advice. Here are my 2-cents on the issue: after going into several stores and researching online, I found that unless I sat two to three feet away from the screen, I found little to no differences between 720p and 1080p on screens smaller than 50 inches. I bought the first Samsung on the list below, and the quality, when watching HD satellite, looks almost the same when comparing it to my other 46 inch 1080p Sony Bravia back at home. But again, go into stores and see for yourself.

Watch out for salesmen being bias, they might try to mislead you! Quick story- I bought my TV at Fry’s Electronics. When I went into Fry’s, I already knew that I wanted to buy this TV, but I browsed around anyway to see other comparable TVs. I bought this TV on a budget, so I did not want to spend anymore money than what I already allocated. Anyways, as I am browsing around, I notice that my TV looked terrible when compared to the other ones in the store. I began talking to a salesman about the differences between 720p and 1080p, but he only talked about 1080p and gave me cons to 720p TVs. As I moved in closer, I noticed that my TV and the other ones in that section (all of which were 720p) looked dusty and poorly lit. In addition, unlike the other 1080p HDTVs, the ones in this section hooked up to DVD players and not Blu-ray players. I asked the clerk why they did this, to which he responded “Oh, well, uh…the building wasn’t set up properly for it.” Okay, seriously? Do you really expect me to believe that? (I did not say that, but I should have!)

When it comes to plasma versus LCD, again, check it out at a store! In the TVs I saw, plasma’s give deeper black levels and provide better viewing angles. However, LCDs can be found in larger sizes, weigh less, and do not have the “burn in” issue that some older plasma TVs have. With the newer plasmas, burn in is not really an issue. What about plasma vs. LED? LED TVs usually come with internet accessible features, a good number of HD inputs, and incredibly thin widths. LED, a relatively new technology, performs better in some respects to plasma, such as depth perception and brightness, but for the most part when comparing a 1080p plasma and 1080p LED, the difference between the quality is not worth the price paid. But then again, I am a college student, so I tend to be very frugal with my money. Don’t get me wrong- LEDs are beautiful and great for anything, whether it be movies or gaming, but I feel that the current prices are too high.

This Gift Guide is a part of our ongoing Skatter Tech Holiday Gift Guide.

While retaining the same slim size, it now has a new LCD display with a better contrast ratio and can produce more vibrant colors. One major problem with the previous PSPs was reflectiveness of the glossy screen. Seeing anything out doors was almost impossible. The PSP-3000 now has “anti-reflection” technology to make it easier to view under direct sunlight. The other hardware feature that’s been added is the built-in microphone. Previously you had to purchase an accessory to be able to speak to others when using Skype or in a game. With this upgrade, you’ll have a fully functioning VoIP device at all times without any extra cables or headsets. (Just waiting on the webcam at this point!)

It is also expected that Sony will be rolling out some new firmware upgrades with new features in the near future. Unfortunately some new features will probably not be entirely backwards compatible. Sony has officially stated that the the price of the new version will be kept the same, $169 (MSRP). Some new PSP Entertainment Packs with a movie, a game, and a 1GB Memory Stick will become available later this year. This isn’t really that great of an upgrade, but it’s worth mentioning since it’s retaining the same price!

Links: US PlayStation Portable
Related: PSP-2000 Info

The iPod Touch might be the “king” of all portable media players, but isn’t exactly the most robust device. If you are a iPod Touch owner, pay attention, this is an essential accessory. The enormous touch screen display has been left unprotected and is bound to easily gather scratches with everyday use. To protect the touch screen, Proporta offers a high quality “advance screen protector”. The protective sheet isn’t permanent, but it grips onto the iPod Touch with enough strength so it won’t slide off. If necessary it can be easily removed without any remnants. In fact the protective sheet can be washed when it collects too much dust and then reapplied. In addition, unlike Proporta’s Universal Screen Overlay, which we reviewed a few months ago, this overlay sheet has been pre-cut specifically for the iPod Touch. All you’ll have to do is clean the iPod’s screen using the included lint-free cloth, apply it, and smooth out any air pockets with the application card. (The touch screen’s responsiveness remains about the same.)

The overlay sheet normally costs $9.95, but with the coupon code “SKATTERTECH” (no quotes), you’ll receive a 10% discount! It’s a good price considering that the iPod Touch costs nearly $300 or $400 depending on whether you’ve got the 8GB or 16GB model. We highly recommend purchasing some sort of protection for your screen if own an iPod Touch, whether it’s from Proporta or from another vendor. In addition the overlay reduces screen glare and Proporta even offers lifetime warranty if it were to become damaged. It’s available for purchase on Proporta’s website, follow the link below to get one.

Links: Proporta Advance Screen Protector for iPod Touch
Discount Code: SKATTERTECH

Sony NWZ-A810 & NWZ-S610:
Both of the two new video Walkmans sport the new user interface to browse through music, photos, and videos. Both units feature a QVGA 320 x 240 pixel LCD display running at up to 30fps. And both units can playback music for up to 33 hours, however the S610 can play video for up to 9.5 hours while the A810 runs short at 8 hours. Also since the new Sony Walkmans are “open platform” they now support non-secure AAC and MP3, secure WMA, plus JPEG for pics, and MP4/H.264/AVC video codecs.

The A810 comes with a high-quality set of Sony ear-buds (MDR-EX082), while the S610 includes a built-in FM tuner with custom presets. Both models are available in three capacities: 8GB, 4GB, & 2GB.

Sony NWZ-B100:
For those who just want a music player, the B100 packs a 3-line color LCD display and a FM tuner. In addition the entire unit can be plugged right into a USB port to charge, transfer music, and even copy other documents. In addition, the B100 can even record FM radio in addition to capturing voice notes with its built-in microphone. Since this walkman is also “open platform” it can also play any non-DRM music file. This Walkman is available in 1GB and 2GB capacities and offers up to 12 hours of playback.

All three players is available online at SonyStyle.com/walkman for pre-order and will become available in retail stores starting in September. Pricing is as follows. A810 Series: 2GB $140, 4GB $180, and 8GB $230. S610 Series: 2GB $120, 4GB $160, and 8GB $210. B100 Series: 1GB $60 and 2GB $80.

Links: SonyStyle.com

Sony has launched yet another two portable Cyber-Shot cameras, just about 5 months after launching their 2007 lineup. This year’s goal for Sony seems to be placing the largest and brightest LCD display humanly possible. Both models include the new features that were implemented into their lineup earlier this including: face tracking and output to 1080p HDTV sets.

The DSC-T200 features a 8-megapixel camera, 3.5-inch LCD touch screen, and a 5x optical zoom, while the cheaper DSC-T70 sports a 8-megapixel camera, 3-inch LCD touch screen, and a 3x optical zoom. (T200 will be available in silver/black/red and the T70 in silver/black/white/pink) The set-up procedure and all options/settings are performed through the new touch screen. Other than the power and playback button, the only hard-keys remaining are the capture button and the zoom controls. Although it may seem neat to have such a large touch screen, it will for sure be very difficult to maintain as the display begins to collect dust and fingerprints.

One of the best features implemented is face tracking, which automatically track faces and focuses the lens to right distance, when snapping an image. In addition Sony has added another technology called “smile shutter,” which automatically detects and captures an image as soon as everyone in the photo smiles! Although I haven’t yet tried the smile technology, I can testify that Sony’s face detection does indeed work amazingly well especially after taking a few hundred photos all of which were clear & crisp.

These features are great for average consumers who want to quickly and easily snap photos without hassling through settings. If you do however want to take much higher quality images, you should consider purchasing a higher-end camera with manual settings. Anyways the DSC-T200 and DSC-T70 are available next month (September 07) with a price tag of $400 and $300, respectively. If you’re eager to get either camera as soon as it becomes available, Amazon is now taking pre-orders.

Pre-Order: DSC-T200 | DSC-T70
Links: SonyStyle.com | Retail
Related: Sony’s 2007 Cameras LineUp

While LCD displays are getting larger and larger on portable devices, it is only getting easier and easier to scratch and damage them. We recently picked up a Sony DSC-T100 Digital Camera, which had one of the largest displays we had seen. While we were on the search for a screen protector, Proporta just happened to launch their new “Universal Screen Overlay” and they were kind enough to provide us a few samples.

Applying the screen protector was quite easy. We just took a few measurements and cut the screen overlay to the right size. We then cleaned up the dust and fingerprints on the LCD display using the included cloth. The screen overlay stuck right on and luckily there were no air bubbles. It has been about a month since we first applied the screen overlay and we’ve been quite impressed. The protector never fell off, slid, or even budget for that matter. The only problem we had was that the display was harder to see especially in sunlight. And despite the fact that the camera was handled roughly, being thrown in different backpacks, and placed in pockets it managed to protect the display a 100%!

As we had never purchased a screen protector for our previous gadgets, which usually got scratched up quickly, we definitely thing buying one is a good investment now that we’ve seen how well these work. Proporta offers screen overlays for just about any product including iPods (video/nano) and Sony PSPs. The universal screen overlays are available from Proporta’s website and costs $9.95. As a bonus if you use the code “skattertech” during checkout you will receive a 10% discount!

Buy: Proporta Univeral – Screen Overlay
Overlays for: iPhone | PSP | iPod Video | Nano
Coupon Code: “skattertech” (no quotes)

Despite all the articles of defective Mac Book Pros, we decided to order one. We were disappointed when we saw how many problems the unit had. The first problem encountered was the loud hissing sound, which occurs when the LCD’s brightness was turned up all the way and the CPU wasn’t being put to work. The sounds didn’t seem too bothersome at first, but became extremely irritating after working with it for about 30 minutes. The biggest problem we ran into was with the touchpad. The touchpad on the unit we received was smashed in the top and was pushed off to the right. It wasn’t noticeable at first glance, but after working with it awkwardly for a few minutes we could tell that something was wrong.

With all the reports on its awesome performance, it was hard to believe how slow our 2.0GHz Dual Core Processor with 1GB of ram was running. For some reason it took us over 10 seconds just to launch iTunes with no other programs running. Apple’s new Front Row application was also quite slow and buggy. After pressing the “menu” button on the remote a few times, nothing happened. But after about five minutes it suddenly started to take in all the previous actions we had given it, making it go crazy. The computer also kept saying the DVDs we put in were corrupt until the 3rd time we restarted the machine. Apple has a lot of work to do with this.

With so many issues, I suggest that to anyone who plans to purchase a MacBook to wait until a “rev. b” is released. A new version soon should be expected soon if too many units are running into these problems. Note: Apple may have some big announcements on April 1, 2006, which is their 30th anniversary.

Links: MacBook Pro | TUAW Report
Recent: A Faster MacBook Pro