CRT / LCD / LED - eyestrain

inogen · 9 Sep 2010 at 18:59

Hiya,

I'm thinking about replacing my two trusty iiyama vision master pro 451 CRTs - maybe with some LED backlits.

I've been searching about the web for some info about eystrain / headaches (I spend a LOT of time sat in front of 2 monitors -(10/14 hours a day) So I'm looking for monitors that are least testing my eyeballs. I've not really come across much.

Except that LEDs maybe have some problem with flicker at low brightness?

Anyone got any opinions?

pastymuncher · 9 Sep 2010 at 19:08

I used to suffer from headaches with my old 21" CRT but they stopped when i got a 19" LCD and now i have a 27.5" LCD with no problems.

kylew · 9 Sep 2010 at 19:11

I can't use CRTs for much longer than 10 minutes as they give me a crippling headache, LCDs, I'm perfectly fine with, I'd expect LED LCD monitors to be exactly the same.

PCM2 · 9 Sep 2010 at 19:17

If you set an LED-backlit or CCFL-backlit screen (so any current LCD) to a relatively low brightness setting you should have no problems at all. LED backlighting can actually reduce flicker of high-brightness shades but this is only the case if you set the brightness to pretty high levels (which you won't be doing). At lower brightness values it's probably the voltage control that can produce a flickering effect. I believe some older LED-backlit screens had real problems in this regard but newer ones not so much. Once OLED screens are out the viewing experience should be even more natural (there is no backlight or flickering from plasma gasses) but I think you should be fine with a decent LCD.

inogen · 9 Sep 2010 at 19:18

These are nice CRTs though. 0.22mm dot pitch, 120hz.

Although they're now only running at 100hz because my 4870 GPU only does 100hz (bonkers) when my 10 year old AGP matrox does 120hz. AAAnnyway...

They're nice on the eyes for CRTs- but they use 'lectrickery like there's no tomorrow and they take up half my desk...

inogen · 9 Sep 2010 at 19:22

PCM2 said:
If you set an LED-backlit or CCFL-backlit screen (so any current LCD) to a relatively low brightness setting you should have no problems at all. LED backlighting can actually reduce flicker of high-brightness shades but this is only the case if you set the brightness to pretty high levels (which you won't be doing). At lower brightness values it's probably the voltage control that can produce a flickering effect. I believe some older LED-backlit screens had real problems in this regard but newer ones not so much. It's often referred to as "pixel walk" and certain shades and patterns affect any LCD out there. Once OLED screens are out the viewing experience should be even more natural (there is no backlight or flickering from plasma gasses) but I think you should be fine with a decent LCD.

So is the LED thing a bit of a red herring?

I read somewhere that dimming backlight LEDs causes them to flicker - not noticeably - but enough to cause strain over a period.

PCM2 · 9 Sep 2010 at 20:05

I've tested many LED-backlit panels and it's not something I or my collegues have had trouble with. When I was reviewing the Samsung BX2350 recently I tested various brightness settings for hours on end and had no problems. My partner is particularly sensitive to that sort of thing too and didn't have any problems either.

inogen · 14 Sep 2010 at 13:32

I pulled the plug on two iiyama E2472HDDs. They're only available pre-order on overclockers but they are about...

They seem pretty good so far. Had them for about 24 hours and I must say - my eyes do feel a little less strained. IF not less strained, then less dry / cooked!

I'm still getting used to having 3820 pixels spread over 1m of screen width though. I've actually got to move my head to look at stuff! Neck strain here I come

I wonder if 2 22" might have been more sensible!

What should be quite different is the lecky bills. These only use 13W each.

arknor · 14 Sep 2010 at 14:56

kylew said:
I can't use CRTs for much longer than 10 minutes as they give me a crippling headache, LCDs, I'm perfectly fine with, I'd expect LED LCD monitors to be exactly the same.

CRT's arent a problem unless you have the refresh rate set low and your brain realises its a flickering image.

100hz looks complelty solid anything under seems to flicker (hz on crt is different to hrz on an lcd)

on crt the actual monitor screen updates 100times for 100hz etc

inogen · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:37

Aye, (or eye!)

Good CRTs are good. No flicker at 100hz or so - too fast for the muscles in your eye to react to it. It's the tiny movement of the muscles in your eye reacting to a flicker, even if you can't consciously see it that can give eye strain.

I wasn't really suffering from that - but was probably suffering from sitting too close to them - even though I've got a big desk and the tube was mostly sitting off the back of it - the screens were a foot or so closer to my keyboard.

I hate to think what I've done to my eyesight over the last 10 years or so with them!