Finally moving to an LCD monitor. Do I have to do anything?

"PW" wrote in message
...
Ha! That can happen if you don't set it to match the aspect ratio

I just watched The Fantastic Four, and Jessica Albas bottom looked
*very* nice indeed
McG.



I just played Unreal Tournament before setting the aspect ratio. The
game automatically set itself to my native resolution. Things didn't
look right. So I set the display to Aspect Ratio and to 1280x1024 and
you are right on McG - it looked much better! I was running it at
1600x1200 but that resolution is no longer offered in any game (and
the refresh rate max is at 60mhz where with my CRT it was 85mhz).

Now, if I can only get the games I have tried so far to not be so
bright and colourful. I have tried both the MagicTune and the NVidia
control panel and the buttons on the monitor.

-paulw

If the game set itself to the native res, then did it stretch the image,
did it look too wide? You can use video card scaling and have it center
the 1280x1024 image on your monitor, if the game doesn't actually have
the correct dimension setting.
My 204B's native res IS 1600x1200, so no problem at all here with that.
McG.

"PW" wrote in message
...
Sorry to keep bombarding you McG but..

I just played Half-Life2: Episode One with my new Samsung 225BW LCD
monitor and all I can say is WOW! Drop dead gorgeous!

-paulw

Yeah, I know! :-D LOL! I'm playing HL2 through again right now, and
with all the fixing Valve have done with the Source engine and the new
monitors with higher res; it's *really* great looking. The zombies
never looked this nasty before

Enjoy!

McG.

"PW" wrote in message
...
McG - I am REALLY loving this monitor now! Sure, like an LCD the text
could be clearer but it's fine. Between using the NVidia CP and
MagicTune (talk about broken English!) everything is looking great. I
have started playing Half-Life 2 Episode One and boy does it look
fantastic (and no "streaking/delay" whatsoever with this monitor.
Everything is so clear and bright I don't think I could go back to a
CRT now. Love the extra width too.

Thanks for your help.

-pw

I wonder how you get non-clear text with a razor sharp display? This
isn't a CRT with scan lines or grille. It's a flat panel with razor
edged perfectly rectangular pixels. If you have font smoothing turned
off the text should show 'jaggies'. THAT is sharp. After you SEE that,
you might turn smoothing back on if you like. I don't use font
smoothing. With high enough resolution, your eyes won't resolve the
jaggies anyway
McG.

On Sat, 10 Mar 2007 23:49:01 -0600, "McG."
wrote:


"PW" wrote in message
.. .

Nice!! I am not sure I could get used to multiple monitors though,
especially when playing games. I see all the brokers at work have
two
or three so they must love them.

I pick which monitor to use when gaming. For the 3D games I play,
it's
either SLI on one or Single Display Acceleration on one. It's doing
everything else I use multiple monitors. Once you get used to having
more real estate to work on, you find it hard to give it up
McG.



Okay, that makes sense. I am using my new Samsung 225BW right now.
Just got it this afternoon. Still not sure of this LCD thing/fad. I
do like it. I installed the MagicTune and went through some
optimizations, and also the NVidia CP (I did install the drivers from
the CD) but like every LCD monitor I've seen, the text is grainy (I
even went to the MS ClearType site and ran the utility) and the view
is bright! It is like looking into the sun and when I leave, I am
disoriented. Don't really realize it when I'm working with it.

The only game I've tried with it so far is Far Cry and only for a
couple minutes. I had to turn brightness, Gamma, Contrast down. It
is a bright game anyway.

I guess I just have to get used to being mainstreamed now bg.

Love the extra space so far though!

-pw

If you want, hook up that NEC CRT to that system also. There is no
problem to using two different types of monitors in DualView.

"Magic Tune" and the Nvidia control panels Color control tab can either
be used; but the NV Color controls can create presets you can save/load
as you wish, instantly. Last one applied is loaded at startup.
It sounds like you're running the Samsung at 100% brightness and 100%
contrast. Nice monitor, just looked it up. It's the widescreen
version of my Samsung 204B's. I run these in native res for everything,
1600x1200.
When you get your color/bright/contrast set, you may see that one major
difference between using CRT's and LCD's is that with a CRT, you must be
at least a certain distance from the screen for it to look good. With
the LCD you have, you can keep your face right in it, or be across the
room. It still looks good.
With the LCD, you may notice 'muddy' darks that you don't see with a
CRT. That is the nature of the TFT/TN type LCD panels. You will have
backlight bleedthrough you can see in a darkened room. You won't
likely see this at all in a well lit room.
The one type of LCD panel that doesn't show either characteristic is a
TFT/PVA panel. They cost more though :-D Just like HIGH end CRT's.

I keep the LCD monitors at 100% brightness, 80% contrast, on the
monitors themselves. In the Nvidia Color Correction tab, my normal
preset is 82% brightness 95% contrast and .88 gamma. Digital Vibrance
and Sharpness are at 0. My 204B's match well for color. I use them
primarily for photography editing. A better choice for serious
image/color work would be a good PVA panel, as it responds to a wider
color gamut than any TFT/TN panel.
Your games should look great, and be very smooth. Your 225 has a fast
response time. And yes, for pure claritys sake, I'd say run that panel
in its native resolution for EVERYthing.
McG.



Thanks McG! Great stuff!

-pw

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 00:33:27 -0600, "McG."
wrote:


"PW" wrote in message
.. .
McG - I am REALLY loving this monitor now! Sure, like an LCD the text
could be clearer but it's fine. Between using the NVidia CP and
MagicTune (talk about broken English!) everything is looking great. I
have started playing Half-Life 2 Episode One and boy does it look
fantastic (and no "streaking/delay" whatsoever with this monitor.
Everything is so clear and bright I don't think I could go back to a
CRT now. Love the extra width too.

Thanks for your help.

-pw

I wonder how you get non-clear text with a razor sharp display? This
isn't a CRT with scan lines or grille. It's a flat panel with razor
edged perfectly rectangular pixels. If you have font smoothing turned
off the text should show 'jaggies'. THAT is sharp. After you SEE that,
you might turn smoothing back on if you like. I don't use font
smoothing. With high enough resolution, your eyes won't resolve the
jaggies anyway
McG.


The Clear type option does make a big difference. I just turned the
setting off to standard and put it back right away.

-pw

"PW" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 00:33:27 -0600, "McG."
wrote:


"PW" wrote in message
. ..
McG - I am REALLY loving this monitor now! Sure, like an LCD the
text
could be clearer but it's fine. Between using the NVidia CP and
MagicTune (talk about broken English!) everything is looking great.
I
have started playing Half-Life 2 Episode One and boy does it look
fantastic (and no "streaking/delay" whatsoever with this monitor.
Everything is so clear and bright I don't think I could go back to a
CRT now. Love the extra width too.

Thanks for your help.

-pw

I wonder how you get non-clear text with a razor sharp display? This
isn't a CRT with scan lines or grille. It's a flat panel with razor
edged perfectly rectangular pixels. If you have font smoothing turned
off the text should show 'jaggies'. THAT is sharp. After you SEE
that,
you might turn smoothing back on if you like. I don't use font
smoothing. With high enough resolution, your eyes won't resolve the
jaggies anyway
McG.


The Clear type option does make a big difference. I just turned the
setting off to standard and put it back right away.

-pw

Yeah, been there done that already I keep that turned off on my
desktop, I prefer that razor sharp look, even if the fonts look a bit
jaggy. Glad you're enjoying your new monitor now! You have a great
picture, more desk real estate, more screen real estate. Good stuff!
McG.