Widescreen vs Fullscreen

tutu · 30 Jan 2008 at 02:04

I've been using a Samsung 19" 930BF "Full-screen" LCD for the last couple of years and it has performed great. I am now selling my computer to a friend (hence the recent posts) so I am in the lookout for a new monitor.

I used to own a 17" 1280 x 1024 and upgraded to a 19" 1280 x 1024 as it was far more comfortable at this res. I have not seen any widescreen monitors in the flesh - but I'm guessing a 19" Widescreen monitor is quite small vertically.

They all seem to do the same res - 1600 x 1050. What is the most suitable size? 20, 21, 22"? Similiar height to a 19" Full-screen and with decent sized text.

The other pre-requisities is HDCP support. I am not going to be watching any films - just web browsing, programming and some games. It needs HDCP as the same computer is also hooked upto a 42" Plasma (I could probably negate the need with AnyDVD or switching to VGA but seeing as I'm buying something new anyway might as well get HDCP).

Unless of course there are any 19" LCD Full-screens with HDCP? Unlikely I would guess.

fish99 · 30 Jan 2008 at 11:02

22" widescreen is the one you're looking for. On a 20" widescreen the text will be considerably smaller than on your 19" non-widescreen.

TheVoice · 31 Jan 2008 at 15:18

I went from a 19" standard LCD to a 20" widescreen - wouldn't say text is dramatically smaller. Looks a bit sharper and image quality is better overall though, because of the smaller pixels. Really happy with it.

Clarkey · 31 Jan 2008 at 23:29

17" 5:4 and 20.1" 16:10 are equivelent, like 19" and 22". Personally I much prefer the higher dpi ones.

badbob · 31 Jan 2008 at 23:33

It's not "full-screen" as that implies you're seeing all the image, well you are but for widescren movies you're missing anamoprhic resolution, plus either cropping, or keeping OAR which results in tiny tiny image with huge borders.

If you want a similar size (vertically) to your 17" you have to size up. Go into high street store and view 15" widescreen laptops, they look tiny (vertically)a 15" 4:3 is much taller, but obviously not as wide.

I have a 17" 4:3 and 20" 16:10 and vertical height is the same.

Clarkey · 31 Jan 2008 at 23:41

poor example with the laptop, regular 15" are usually 1024x768, much lower than the 1280x800 of the 15.4 widescreens, the widescreen is far superior.

badbob · 31 Jan 2008 at 23:45

poor example with the laptop, regular 15" are usually 1024x768

I meant physically the 15" is too small-physically, vertically. If I was to buy a widescreen laptop, it'll be a 17".

Nitrojan · 1 Feb 2008 at 19:47

I just bought the LG L227WT 22" Widescreen and I love it. It was a big swap from my 15.4" laptop screen haha

22" all the way!

Clarkey · 2 Feb 2008 at 01:31

badbob said:
I meant physically the 15" is too small-physically, vertically. If I was to buy a widescreen laptop, it'll be a 17".

not going to be moving it around much then? Even 15.4's are big heavy and lumbering.

badbob · 2 Feb 2008 at 01:34

Even 15.4's are big heavy and lumbering.

Only if you have stick arms.

PinkPig · 2 Feb 2008 at 02:56

tutu said:
The other pre-requisities is HDCP support. I am not going to be watching any films - just web browsing, programming and some games. It needs HDCP as the same computer is also hooked upto a 42" Plasma (I could probably negate the need with AnyDVD or switching to VGA but seeing as I'm buying something new anyway might as well get HDCP).

Unless of course there are any 19" LCD Full-screens with HDCP? Unlikely I would guess.

I don't really understand what you're saying there - it sounds like you don't want HDCP support at all since you're not going to be watching Blu-Ray / HD-DVD movies on the screen?

TheVoice · 2 Feb 2008 at 08:46

badbob said:
Only if you have stick arms.

Not really, no - once you've taken into account the notebook, the bag, the charger, and any other stuff you're carrying around (as I always am), you'd end up with a lot of heavy, bulky stuff to carry around. Wouldn't want anything bigger than a 14.1" now, and I've just made the move to a 13.3" for the above reasons.

tutu · 2 Feb 2008 at 13:45

PinkPig said:
I don't really understand what you're saying there - it sounds like you don't want HDCP support at all since you're not going to be watching Blu-Ray / HD-DVD movies on the screen?

You're right I wont be watching any movies on it but it's part of a dual configuration and PowerDVD will refuse to play because one monitor isn't HDCP.

PC Output (1) - DVI to LCD Monitor
PC Output (2) - HDMI to Plasma TV.

There are ways around it - to use VGA instead, use AnyDVD or to disable one monitor in display properties. But as I buy my computer gear to last a few years a HDCP through DVI will be preferable.