LCD
LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. The difference between a good old fashioned CRT monitor and an LCD is not just the size, LCD's produce a clearer picture and use a digital connection between the computer and the monitor instead of an analog connection. Digital is much better then analog because there is less signal loss. In addition to its picture quality as a main benefit, LCD monitors also consume less power, which saves you money. It won't be much, but the savings will add up and help make up for the cost difference between a CRT and an LCD monitor.
All LCD's are not made equal and the picture quality varies. Compare the contrast ratio of the LCD monitors you are considering. The LCD with the highest contrast ratio will have better picture and color quality. Another factor that determines the picture quality of your LCD monitor is the response time. This basically means how long it takes to transform the liquid crystal to the state that will display the correct color. The higher the response time, the more blurry the images will be, especially images moving on black backgrounds.
The connection between the LCD monitor and the computer also makes a major difference in picture quality. LCD monitors have an analog port just like CRT's do, but they also have another port called DVI. DVI uses a digital signal. Digital connections have less picture and color loss than an analog one. Your video card needs to have a DVI port . If your computer doesn't have one, then you have to buy a new video card that does.
I have used an LCD for the past 2 years and I could never go back to a CRT monitor. The picture quality is better, plus I have gained extra desk space and use less power. I guarantee that once you have an LCD monitor you won't be able to go back to a CRT.
Tips, tweaks, and how-to's that will help you get the most out of your PC hardware and software.
Test Your PC With 10 (Mostly) Free Sites and Tools
Use these super testing tools to test and track practically everything about your PC--including its hard drive, Internet connections, and inside-the-case hardware.
Make Office 2007 More Compatible
Change default file formats so that alternate office software and operating systems can still open your work.
Find Out When a Busted Site is Back Up
Is your favorite site down for some reason? Let Ding It's Up! notify you when it's up and running again.
Manage IT Staff in a Shrinking Economy
A recession means tough times for IT departments everywhere, but particularly for small businesses.
Avoid Typing the Same Text Over and Over
Fab freebie PhraseExpress automatically inserts commonly used words and phrases, saving you countless keystrokes.
Stream Music From Where You Aren't to Where You Are
Perennial favorite Orb still rocks at letting you rock-and-roll when you're away from your music.
On Your Side: Winamp Registration Key Headache
Resolving a vendor's 'invalid registration key' message, phone system's maker doesn't answer, and a recall of TV stands.
Cell-Phone Insurance: A Bet on Bad Luck?
You can insure most handsets against theft, loss, and damage; consider it if you're married to your mobile.
