VOGONS


First post, by Nemo1985

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Hello, I read several topics about what is the lcd to use in retro pc, I have the chance to choose between 2 lcd they are both 5:4, since the 4:3 are almost impossible to find and 16:9 feels so weird for such old computers.
I can choose between a 17 inch (https://www.cnet.com/products/asus-vb172t-lcd-monitor-17/) and a 19 inch (https://fetlife.com/users/13527978), they seem pretty much the same, the native resolution is always 1280x1024, which one is it better in your opinion?

Reply 1 of 10, by GigAHerZ

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I would still recommend you to keep your eyes open to find a 1024x768 or 1600x1200 resolution LCD screens. 😀
They do appear here and there time to time.

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!

Reply 2 of 10, by Nemo1985

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GigAHerZ wrote on 2021-09-09, 12:00:

I would still recommend you to keep your eyes open to find a 1024x768 or 1600x1200 resolution LCD screens. 😀
They do appear here and there time to time.

I keep looking on ebay, do you have any particular model to advice which support 1600x1200?

Reply 3 of 10, by GigAHerZ

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Nemo1985 wrote on 2021-09-09, 12:14:
GigAHerZ wrote on 2021-09-09, 12:00:

I would still recommend you to keep your eyes open to find a 1024x768 or 1600x1200 resolution LCD screens. 😀
They do appear here and there time to time.

I keep looking on ebay, do you have any particular model to advice which support 1600x1200?

No, not really.
I have few features, i would love to see on ideal monitor, but can't suggest exact models.

Ideal monitor would have:
* Integer scaling
* 75, maybe 85Hz support
* Composite, S-Video, Component in addition to VGA
* As much contrast and brightness as possible
* As small as possible (in reality, smallest i've seen with 1600x1200 are 20.1")

That's for Retro PC stuff. With amigas and other stuff, you may have few points more to look at.

NB! I haven't yet seen myself such ideal monitor yet. Everything is missing something. And i've never seen integer scaling capability at all...

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!

Reply 4 of 10, by dr_st

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Nemo1985 wrote on 2021-09-09, 12:14:

I keep looking on ebay, do you have any particular model to advice which support 1600x1200?

20" 4:3 LCDs are mostly 1600x1200 (although some lower-end models were 1400x1050).

https://cloakedthargoid.wordpress.com/ - Random content on hardware, software, games and toys

Reply 5 of 10, by kixs

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Look for old LCD TV/monitors like Samsung LE15S51BP - has VGA, SCART, S-Video, Composite and 1024x768 - but it's a TN display.

https://www.eldomcat.com/televisore-samsung-L … /product/333499

Otherwise I used to use the LG M228VA. It's 22" widescreen but has 4:3 support and all the video inputs you'd want.

Requests are also possible... /msg kixs

Reply 8 of 10, by BitWrangler

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Well taking a purely random pick of used LCDs the 4:3 and 5:4 shaped ones were more likely to be optimised for office apps only, and have motion blur when used for video or gaming. So you want to be hunting out the better half of the last half of production for the faster ones. Then also there gets to be high proportion of backlight failures, some badcap period issues (Though anything 10+ years old could have exceeded the design life of good caps anyway) and some lead free solder switchover period issues (Earlier widescreens fall in there too). What I say though is that specs and reviews tell you nothing. Even retro enthusiast recommendations are a bit of a minefield, use them with a different video card and the way it handles the DDC or goes a few khz one way or the other on various screen modes (Which a CRT would have handled fine), even different refresh rates for resolutions, could mean that what works great for them, won't work for you.

In general, I would recommend just grabbing whatever you can pick up for a few bucks locally and trying them, thrift/charity shops, local classifieds, anywhere where you see them going for cheap.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

Reply 9 of 10, by RetroGamer4Ever

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There are 5:4 LED monitors for the business market, with the resolution topped out at 1280 x 1024. The old 1600 x 1200 monitors can occasionally be found, but many old games don't support that resolution, so you shouldn't go for one of those. I often find piles of the old LCD monitors in the thrift stores, but few of them are worth buying and have good, working panels and backlight at this point.

Reply 10 of 10, by GigAHerZ

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RetroGamer4Ever wrote on 2021-09-09, 17:54:

There are 5:4 LED monitors for the business market, with the resolution topped out at 1280 x 1024. The old 1600 x 1200 monitors can occasionally be found, but many old games don't support that resolution, so you shouldn't go for one of those. I often find piles of the old LCD monitors in the thrift stores, but few of them are worth buying and have good, working panels and backlight at this point.

Just saying - 1600x1200 is 800x600 with pixelperfect integer scaling of 2x.

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!