1. Why do the TFT's shine hurt my eyes? 2. For text.

    Hi all,


    1.


    I would be interested to hear from comments or similar experiences on the following.


    A couple of years ago, I bought a Sony SDM-80 (18"). The background shone and hurt my eyes and after a quarter of an hour I could no longer use it. Other people in my office reported the same thing when they came to take a look. No matter how much I fiddled with the controls I could not get rid of the problem. (I then had a fight with the shop, and took it back to them.)


    I am now thinking again of a TFT. But can sombody explain the problem I was having with the Sony above?


    2. I would like to hear recommendations on a TFT for my needs. I am a freelance technical writer, and I need to have a whole page on screen at once with the text large enough to read. In addition I want the text to look as good (or almost) as that of a good quality CRT.


    tia


    Avraham Makeler

    Some people who start using TFTs for the first time complain about this problem of eye strain. It can probably ascribed to using the LCD screen with too high brightness settings in a room that is too dimly lit. Either turn down the brightness of the monitor or turn up the light of the working environment, or best: do both of them. The brightness LCDs can produce is way higher than what CRTs are capable of and can therefore come as quite a shock in the beginning.
    Some TFTs' brightness is still more than sufficient at such low settings as i.e. 20 %. For example, I always run my TFT screen at a brightness of 15 % and it seems just fine.


    If you need large pages to fit on the screen go for a 20 or 21 inch model with 1600x1200 resolution. As for the text to be still large enough, increase the font size settings in case the pixel pitch of the new, higher resolution seems to tiny.


    If money is not an iusse, go for the Eizo 24 inch model (1920x1200). As an alternative, have a look at the Fujitsu Siemens P20-2 (1600x1200).



    greets

    Tetsuo. While were on the subject. Is there any general feeling toward TFT resolution and how it strains the eyes.


    I'm asking because I used rather old 17" TFTs at work for a while. Then they got upgraded to 19" TFT and my eyes started hurting like hell. It didnt go away after two weeks (and alot of tweaking) so I had to go back to the 17".


    Is this common?

    What 19'' LCD monitor are you using?
    Someone (especially dealers and paper magazines) spread the stupid sentence that "all LCDs are good for eyes".
    Nothing is more far from reality.


    All these aspects can condition reading comfort (assuming DVI connection or perfect analog tuning).
    - brightness regulation range
    - viewing angle (color consistence from center to corners)
    - brightness uniformity
    - black color deepness (high contrast)
    - surface clarity (some IPS panel give an hologram-like crystalline feeling).
    - back-light lamps operating frequency

    I used two LG 1930BQ monitors. I had more problems with one of them than the other. I checked and the fabrication model varied slightly. The one I had more problem with was newer.


    I'm fairly convinced that they are probably one of the crappier 19" you can buy at the moment. I know there are some real budget ones out there that are cheaper but not by much.