[Tygr]

I'm going to buy a new Mac system this spring, I've been looking around for a good monitor, preferably a LCD (because of the desktop footprint), but they are all crippled resolution wise. Used to my peecee laptop with a 15,3” 1400*1050 screen, a 15” with 1024*768 isn't enough. Current stack of 17” LCD seems to have a resolution of 1280*1024, ok a little better not really using the extended area…

What I would like to find is a 15” with 1280*1024 or 17” with 1600*1200, unfortunately money is an issue, so try to keep recommendations below 1500$

cheers
tygr

[AirSluf]

The closest fit I know of is the SGI 1600SW. 17.3" 1600x1024 ultra wide screen. Sometimes on sale as low as 1295, usually a couple hundred more. Pixel size is really small though. Very sharp but I found it hard on the eyes unless I got my face really close.

[Tygr]

Thanks for the tip, the 1600Sw seems like a great monitor, maybe its getting a bit old (it won awards in 1999)?

Currently it seems to go for 1495 with the ProFormance 3 PCI digital video card. I'm getting a bit puzzled here...

I'm planning to get the 533DP with an Nvidia GF3 card, do I need to buy the Multilink Adapter Box (approx. 500$) to hook it up to any other card than the ProFormance? The Apple release of the GF3 card should be able to display 1600*1024 as that is optimum resolution on the Cinema display? Wouldn't make any sense otherwise...

Cheers
tygr

[AirSluf]

Yes, you need the Multi-link for that setup, SGI uses a connector that is not DVI or VGA compatible. You don't need the Formac card, and you can get 1600SW's with the Multi-link instead of the Formac card. You can still keep all the rocking good 3D from the Nvidia card that way too. Someone else on the PowerMac forum says he can't play DVD's with his Formac card driven 1600SW.

When I was researching my monitor purchase I ran across all kinds of little potential stumbling blocks unless the Multi-link was used. I eventually went cinema display though because of pixel size and I hadn't run across anyone who could absolutely confirm that there wouldn't be any conflicts, just "I don't see why it wouldn't work." Okay, I chickened out...

[rambo47]

Take a look at the Samsung SyncMaster 770TFT. It's a 17" flat panel and resolution is killer. The dot pitch is rated at 0.264 which is much better than all the others I've seen, mostly 0.28. Cost is about $1150 and it's available almost everywhere. I swear by mine.

------------------
"There is no spoon."
iDisk: rseijas
Homepage: homepage.mac.com/rseijas

[Tygr]

Originally posted by AirSluf:
Yes, you need the Multi-link for that setup,
...
and you can get 1600SW's with the Multi-link instead of the Formac card.

Ok, haven't seen it listed without the card tho. I'll keep looking

I eventually went cinema display though because of pixel size

Wish I had the cash :-(

Thanks for sharing!!


Just read about some rumors att www.mosr.com, wich states that the big A is boosting the cinema to 24" and introducing a 20" and a 17.8", nothing about resolutions though.

Cheers
tygr

[Tygr]

Originally posted by rambo47:
Take a look at the Samsung SyncMaster 770TFT. It's a 17" flat panel and resolution is killer. The dot pitch is rated at 0.264 which is much better than all the others I've seen, mostly 0.28. Cost is about $1150 and it's available almost everywhere. I swear by mine.

Yep the Samsung is one of my contenders, but I still would like to get a bit higher than 1280*1024

cheers
tygr

[spicyjeff]

I recently just completed the LCD shopping experience by getting a Princeton SENergy 750 17.4" LCD. I wanted 1280x1024, if I had wanted a higher resolution I would have gotten the ViewSonic VP181 which is an 18.1" 1600x1200 LCD. I got the Princeton for around $1300 and I just couldn't justify the extra $800-900 it would have cost to get the ViewSonic for an extra .7" and a higher native resolution.

Note: The ViewSonic VG181 and the ViewSonic VP181 are different, the VG is cheaper and 1280x1024 and lacks some of the nice features of the VP series.

[AirSluf]

Tygr,

You can find the 1600 SW at SGI.com with the multi-link. I forgot about the Princeton SENergy monitors, interesting and I think they did the pivot thing, I believe they were analog connectors only though. I wanted digital for the flat panel.

My bust on the SYNergy, so much for my research notes...
(see spicyjeff below)


[This message has been edited by AirSluf (edited 03-06-2001).]

[spicyjeff]

The Princeton SENergy series do portrait and landscape mode, you just rotate the screen 90 degrees and presto. Any they all contain both analog and digital inputs. I would not have gotten it if it did not have a digital DVI interface since that defeats half the reason for an LCD in the first place.