DVI vs VGA

fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
edited November 2003 in Hardware
Should I buy a monitor with DVI or VGA inputs? Cause there are not many DVI's out there to choose from(or maybe I somehow missed them all). When comparing a DVI montor to a VGA monitor side-by-side, would there be a considerable difference between the 2? I know all the newer video cards support DVI so theres no point in wasting a feature you payed top dollar for.
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Comments

  • MediaManMediaMan Powered by loose parts.
    edited November 2003
    DVI is more expensive. It really depends on what you are after in the end result. CRT offers bigger screen for the buck and is better in most situations unless you are going for high end DFP (Digital Flat Panel) with DVI which is big bucks.

    It's that simple.
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    I just want to game on it.
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited November 2003
    You try and get DVI if you can, it's the interface of the future, RGB is on its way out. As far as quality is concerned, presuming you understand the fundemental differences between the way the two interfaces work, there isn't much! Except in my experience a TFT monitor using a direct digital connection from the graphics card, requires very little configuring and looks great, out the box. Where as the a TFT, which is obviously digital, using a RGB link to the graphics card, sometimes requires a bit more fiddling before the colours etc etc are the way you want it. But the bottom line is... digital is better than analogue! and it you should be thinking about what the monitor is going to be doing a few years down the line, when DVI is the more dominant standard. Eitherway all TFT's to my knowledge still come with a RGB input, regardless of whether it has a DVI input aswell. So if you can afford it, get one with DVI. Simple as that.
  • LammypieLammypie
    edited November 2003
    I've never been able to understand why manufacturers sell DVI screens for me - just fing stupid.

    A LCD screen with anormal 15pin connector. Has to have built circuitry to convert the analogue signal bak to digital to display.
    (also the graphics card needs the same circuitry (except wired backwards haha) to convert the digital image to analogue for transmission down the wire!

    VERY EXPENSIVE

    On a pure digital system, the graphics card doesn't need all of that sh##, and guess what neither does the lcd screen! (so why do they charge more?)

    WEIRDOs
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited November 2003
    Lammypie had this to say
    I've never been able to understand why manufacturers sell DVI screens for me - just fing stupid.

    A LCD screen with anormal 15pin connector. Has to have built circuitry to convert the analogue signal bak to digital to display.
    (also the graphics card needs the same circuitry (except wired backwards haha) to convert the digital image to analogue for transmission down the wire!

    VERY EXPENSIVE

    On a pure digital system, the graphics card doesn't need all of that sh##, and guess what neither does the lcd screen! (so why do they charge more?)

    WEIRDOs

    Compatibilty. Sad, but true.
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited November 2003
    AFAIK, true Digital DVI-I connections are limited to a maximum resolution of 1280x1024, while Analogue DVI-I connections can go higher.

    If you are going for a high-end CRT, there's nothing better than the Analogue DVI-I -to- 5-Port BNC connector for superb image quality and true-to-life color. There is a very easily noticed image quality difference between standard VGA and Analogue DVI-I to BNC.

    Samsung's SyncMaster 1200 and the upper echelon of CRT's designed for professional use support BNC connectors.
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    I dont want to get an LCD monitor. If the only CRTs that support DVI are the professional ones that cost $600+, then Its out of the question.
  • TemplarTemplar You first.
    edited November 2003
    You can just buy a small VGA -> DVI converter if you have a DVI only card (The AIW series). My 9700 Pro came with a RGB -> DVI converter. Here's an example (Actually took me TWO google queries to find one easily. I'm getting rusty)

    http://store.kayye.com/kayye/dviplugtovga.html
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited November 2003
    AFAIK, there are no CRT's that have DVI-I input support.

    ViewSonic's top-of-the-line P225FB doesn't.
    NEC's top-of-the-line MultiSync FP2141SB doesn't.

    And those monitors are more than $1,000 CDN a piece.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    wait on the lcd and get a great crt ...ask nightshade he and I did some thorough searching and found an absolute awesome crt in 19" if I recall. Iiyama I think if I remember correctly ...I can find out if you like.
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    csimon, what was the montior you thought was great?
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited November 2003
    csimon had this to say
    wait on the lcd and get a great crt ...ask nightshade he and I did some thorough searching and found an absolute awesome crt in 19" if I recall. Iiyama I think if I remember correctly ...I can find out if you like.

    Definately agree. LCD's are over-rated and aren't worth the insanely high price IMHO.

    However, if you are going to invest in a nice CRT monitor, choose very carefully. Try to stick with NEC/Mitsubishi's & Sony's Aperature-Grille CRT-technology, which offer superb color representation and a whole host of customization features (especially custom convergence controls) among other things. Many OEM's (all the way from Dell, HP, Compaq) and retail vendors such as Samsung, Sony, NEC, Mitsubishi, etc.. all carry Aperature-Grille CRT monitors.
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    Simguy, what about viewsonic? I thought they were suppost to be really good?
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited November 2003
    Well, it depends on how much you wish to spend.
    Viewsonic's professional "P Series" monitors all utilize Sony's Aperature Grille tubes (except the P90F), but they are rather pricey.

    For a 19", look no further than the Viewsonic P95F+.
    http://www.viewsonic.com/products/crt_p95fplusb.htm

    0.25ag DP, 1600x1200 @ 87Hz, max res of 2048x1536 @ 68 Hz, available in black & beige and impressive convergence & customization controls.

    Cheapest I can find it for @ PCCanada.com is $365.00 CDN (~$275.00 USD).
    NewEgg carries it for $279.00 USD

    Stay away from their E series. They are cheap, Shadow Mask monitors with very low refresh rates.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    I recomend this 19" crt ...HM903DT Vision Master Pro 454 $395 shipped ...the specs speak for themselves ...now if you can find a video card to put it to it's full potential is another question! lol
    Good article at Tom's Hardware may help you decide.
    Also ...if you see an HM903DTA get this one instead ...it's the newer revision "A".
    widgetsinc has them for $359
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    This was the monitor -

    http://www.ukcomputerparts.com/en-gb/dept_70.html

    IIYAMA 19" VISION MASTER PRO 454 / 0.25DP / HIGH BRIGHTNESS DTRON / 1800 X 1440 / 130 KHz / DVI + USB+ AUDIO

    2048 x 1536 @ 80Hz
    1800 x 1440 @ 85Hz
    1600 x 1200 @ 100Hz
    1280 x 1024 @ 120Hz
    1024 x 768 @ 160Hz

    NS
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    Nightshade, did you actually buy the monitor?
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Not yet, the attic isn't completed yet. But I will be buying it soon..........

    NS
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    In the specs where it says input connector, it says it has D-sub 15 pin x 2. Isnt that VGA?
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Yeah, 2 VGA inputs with a button on the front to switch between the two.

    NS
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    Why does it say DVI then? Dirty English lol
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Dual Video Inputs? Could be a dangerous misuse of acrynoms....

    NS
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    Thats really bad use.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Yeah, it is Dual Video Inputs. Damn asshats :rolleyes2

    Someone should give them a slap for that, could give people the complete wrong idea...

    NS
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    Its too expensive for me anyway. Ill go for that viewsonic SIMGUY mentioned.
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    Simguy, I'm assuming you bought this or have a friend who did. Alot of the reviews on newegg are negative. They complain about blurry text and seeing lines on the screen(I guess they are shadows) What are your opinions on this?
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited November 2003
    Yes, I am a previous owner of the Viewsonic P95+F. Those lines they see on the screen are the aperature grille stabilization lines. There are 2 horizontal lines that run about 1/4 of the way from the top of screen and 1/4 from the bottom of the screen which stabilize the image showing grid on the back of the CRT. While not usually noticable, you will see them on bright colored images (white). They don't bother me the slightest, but it does take a little getting used to.

    As for the blurry text, I was wrong in stating that the P95+F was a completely flat CRT monitor. It uses a "PerfectFlat" CRT, where the outside of the CRT is completely flat, but the inside of the picture tube has a very slight curve to it. With a 0.25 dot pitch at the centre, text is fine, but moving towards the corners, the dot pitch lowers to 0.27, making things slighly blurry.

    How much do you have to spend fudgam? It looks like Viewsonic's website lied about using only "pure flat aperature grille CRT's." Would you consider a 20/21"?
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    I dont want to go over $350. Of course I've considered a 20/21", but they are too expensive.
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited November 2003
    Gimme a couple minutes to dig something up for ~$350.00 USD. :)
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited November 2003
    SimGuy, ur the man :thumbsup:
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