Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with computer and monitor

Big monitor, big monitor, talk about eyestrain, my girl's got 'er

Madamina — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:17:34 -0800

We're a Mac office, and we rotate the computers around when we get new ones. So imagine my delight when I got my weird 15" G4 monitor magically replaced with my boss' 24" iMac! w00t!... except that the giant size really spaces me out. Help! I've seen this question, but I don't think that's the same thing.

The computer is in the corner of my L-shaped desk. I did place it farther back on the desk (it's maybe 18" away now), and that helps, but I still seem to be squinting at it. Which is weird, because it's perfectly clear and I have no problems with high resolutions. I think I just don't really know what to focus on.

I'm mildly nearsighted but still need to wear glasses; with glasses, I'm pretty acute.

I do enjoy having the space to keep multiple windows open. For reference, when I work I typically have maybe two or three Word or Excel windows open with an expanded Firefox window on the side and other stuff minimized or in the background.

Adding to all this is the fact that I have absolutely awful desk posture, and sometimes I end up slumping reeeeeeally far down. I've found myself doing this a lot since I've gotten the new monitor, for whatever reason.

So. What kinds of things should I be doing with this thing? Lower the brightness? Lower the resolution just for kicks? Move it back so it's a full yard from my head? Sit fully upright at all times at the highest level of my chair's extension? Get tinted glasses (are they expensive? do I leave them at work?) Any and all ideas, however wacky, are welcome.

Thanks!

Select a TV for our conference room

namith — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 06:04:16 -0800

Help me select a TV (to be used as a computer monitor) for our conference room. We've got a small conference room at the office. I'm considering buying a used LCD (or plasma?) TV to use as a computer monitor for meetings. I need a little guidance in choosing the right specs. Size: We don't have too much wall space, so I'm thinking a 36" class would work. We will be sitting no more than 6 to 8 feet from the screen.

Input: The TV will likely hook up to an older 2GHz Intel MacBook. I assume most TV made within the past 3 or 4 years have standard inputs for computers (VGA and/or DVI). Should I be looking for something specific in terms of inputs?

Resolution: My biggest unknown is using the TV as a computer monitor. We are generally going to be looking at web stuff using a browser. I obviously want clear text and images. I don't know anything about how TV resolution compares to computer resolution. Most of the websites we'll be visiting are designed to be about 950 pixels wide, I guess to fit properly in 1024px monitor resolutions. For the TV, I want the browser window to roughly fit the screen -- not a very small window and likewise nothing that requires horizontal scrolling. So I guess the questions is, what resolution should I be looking for in selecting a model?

Refresh rate: I assume this is not too important in my case. I understand refresh rate to be important for sports (i.e. rapid changing graphics). We won't be doing any gaming in the conference room.

Type: Plasma vs. LCD?

Brand: Once I figure out what I need, I'll be scouring Craiglist for something that fits the specs you recommend. I know there are 'throw away' brands such as Vizio and Polaroid. In visiting people's homes, I see Sony Bravia and Samsung. Any input on brands would be helpful as well. Honestly I don't expect to use this for a 'lifetime.' I'm just trying to get a few years of reliable service. Keep in mind, that it won't get the usage that a typical TV gets. Maybe a few hours a week at most.

Anything else?

Thanks for your input and guidance. Any details that can help me make a decision are much appreciated.

Mac and eystrain

lsemel — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:21:17 -0800

I've been wanting to switch to a Mac for around a year, but my vision isn't perfect and Macs seem to be designed for designers with 20/20 vision. First I tried a Macbook Pro 15" and everything was too tiny for me (I asked a question about this on this site previously, but couldn't find any good way to enlarge everything, unlike on Windows which is full of options for this). Then I got a Mac desktop and hooked it to my old monitor, which was nice and big (19" 1280x1024) but now the text is big but so fuzzy it immediately gives me a headache and eyestrain looking at it. When I switch to Windows in VMWare this feeling immediately goes away. I am already using DVI, have calibrated the monitor, adjusted the brightness, tried all levels of font smoothing, checked the resolution, toyed with the contrast settings in universal access, and tried every other adjustment I could think of.

So, what's the best super-sharp, high-contrast LCD monitor for a Mac that doesn't make everything look tiny? (Apple's 30" and 23" displays are too high-res for me) Or is there some other solution I've overlooked?

I have around 10 days before I have to return it, and if I don't find a way to use it comfortably, I'll just have to face that the Mac is just not for me and go back to Windows for the foreseeable future.

Ship or sell my computer from Japan?

greasepig — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:27:00 -0800

Is it worth it to ship 2-3 year-old computer components from Japan? In a couple of months, I'll be moving back to San Francisco from Japan. Here I've bought a computer, printer, and monitor (and accessories) that I've been using for the past few years. The printer is a three-year-old heavy and fragile HP copy-scan thing. The monitor is a two year-old but really nice 23 inch LG, and the CPU was used when I bought it a year ago but heavy desktop. Audio is very heavy but sounds great Creative set. I am wondering if it is worth it to try to pack and ship these things back home, or just sell them for cheap and get new versions when I get back to the states. Since I don't have any of the original boxes, packaging would be less than optimal, so I think there would be a chance for damage, especially if I choose the cheapest, slowest freight. Or would it be possible to pack this stuff in luggage? If anyone has a similar experience of shipping similar old items across the ocean like this, I'd be most appreciative of hearing your opinions.

Is my monitor dying or is it something else?

chrisinseoul — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:48:54 -0800

Is my monitor dying or is it something else? So my no-name used desktop computer has been installed and running more or less ok for the last 6 months. Used no-name LCD monitor, the same. Today I go to turn my computer on, and my monitor wouldn't turn on... This isn't the first time it's happened (just unplug and replug) but today it didn't turn on after replugging... After a few more tries, the monitor came on, then the liquid in the LCD seemed to color from normal desktop to black. One more try and it seems to work perfectly now...

So the question's simple: what's going on? No computer trauma, hasn't been moved in months... Is it time to start looking for a new monitor, or is there something I'm missing?

Help me with new screen resolution!

Rad_Boy — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:27:36 -0800

I need to change the screen resolution to 1280x1024 for a new app on my work pc, but my eyes much prefer the lower resolution (1024x768). There are other problems, too! I have a dual monitor setup at work (each 19 inches) and have been happily computing along using Windows XP with my screen resolution set to 1024x768. I mostly use one monitor for my work while the other serves mostly to provide some extra deskspace for Goggle Desktop Apps. In the near future, I expect to use the second one more. But I'm digressing. I like this resolution because it's easier on my eyes. It's just plain easier to see. I wear progressive lense eyeglasses.

Now we are getting a new application for which the screen resolution has to be set to 1280x1024. I have tried changing back and forth between my preferred resolution and 1280x1024 because it is not too hard to do but it jacks up certain things: icon placement and wallpaper location.

I wonder what creative ways others have solved this problem.

Turn a $300 PC into a $1000 tablet?

specialagentwebb — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:44:45 -0800

Is it possible to turn my tablet PC into a secondary monitor and still retain its tablet-y properties? I've pretty much given up on the tablet PC I've got, but I miss being able to write on a screen. I know that I can turn the tablet into a second monitor for my desktop, but I'm looking for a way to use it as a tablet, too (like a Wacom Cintiq, but considerably cheaper).

For the reasons discussed in my previous post (linked above), a software solution like MaxiVista won't work. I'm looking for a way to turn the tablet into what's basically an input/output device, with all (or most of) the processing happening on the desktop, instead of the tablet.

Is such a thing possible?

Is it possible to do it without substantial amounts of deconstruction/soldering/voodoo?

How do I plug an Xbox 360 into a computer setup?

wastelands — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:41:56 -0800

Is integrating an Xbox 360 into an existing computer monitor/speakers setup worth it? Or should I simply get a TV? I want to get an Xbox 360. The easiest thing to do would be to get an LCD TV, because it'll have all the connections I need. But it'd cost extra and take up space in my very small apartment. It'd be cool if I could use my existing 22" LCD computer monitor + my existing computer speakers.

Near as I can tell, though, it'd be a pain:

* Get a VGA cable for the Xbox
* Get an RCA converter/connector for the component audio on that Xbox cable to make it compatible with computer speakers
* Some kind of KVM or VGA switcher, so I don't have to manually plug and unplug cables constantly to switch video signals
* And how would I switch between computer and Xbox audio? No idea on this one other than manual plug/unplug

It seems like such a messy procedure that I'm considering just biting the bullet, spending about $230 on an LCD TV and dealing with the extra clutter in my apartment.

Secondary option: Maybe spend a bit more and get a nice LCD TV (or a computer monitor with extra ports) that would have the ability to switch video signals with a button (my existing one can't)? And then use that as my main display and sell off my existing monitor. Even then, I'm still now sure how audio signal switching would occur without manual plug/unplug.

Sorry for the long question. It's just hard to figure this out without the cables/ports right in front of me, and there's conflicting advice online.

Thanks!

How do I stop my monitor from shaking?

Elminster24 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:06:48 -0800

Help, my CRT keeps shaking and its driving me nuts! I've read the past threads on here but don't know enough about electronics to really test much. Here's the situation...I have a ViewSonic P220f CRT from about 5 years ago. It has worked beautifully all these years and I've taken good care of it.

Now, regardless of whether I have it plugged into my desktop or my laptop there is a slight shaking of the image that is giving me the biggest headache. It is MUCH different from when the refresh rate is too low and in fact the only time the shaking stops is at 60hz which is unusable for long term computing.

On my desk surrounding it I have four speakers (satellites), a speaker control center, two mice, keyboard, my desktop (under my desk) and my laptop (next to the monitor). Also, under the desk I have a subwoofer.

Now, my first thought was magnetic interference. So I tried moving things around and nothing works. Plus, I've been using it in this setup just fine for over half a year with ZERO issues. I frequently switch my monitor cord between my desktop and my laptop depending on which I want to display on the monitor and it was after I switched it to the laptop tonight that I first noticed it (it was fine when I had it on my desktop earlier tonight) although now it does it regardless of what it is on.

I should also mention that the VGA cable goes through a VGA -> DVI converter plug.

Any suggestions on what to test? There's a mess of wires under my desk and lots of electronics on it, but why would that JUST NOW start causing a problem?!

PLEASE HELP METAFILTER! (and please don't get into electrician speak, I'm fairly technical, but don't know electrical engineering at all).

Downsides to using an HTDV as a computer monitor?

ambulatorybird — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 03:53:20 -0800

I'm thinking about getting an HDTV to use as a monitor for my computer, because the versatility and cost/size ratio seem much better. What are the disadvantages? The only disadvantage I've heard is that TVs are much brighter than computer monitors, which would make it necessary to sit farther away to avoid eyestrain. I've also heard speculation that TVs distort colors to make the image appear artificially vivid. Does anyone know of any other drawbacks?

(In case it matters, I plan to do a fair amount of digital art and video.)

So tired of standing on my head...

downing street memo — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:37:37 -0800

I somehow hit a combination of keys on my keyboard that turned the display on my keyboard completely upside down. Restarting didn't fix it. Help! I had my wireless keyboard on my lap, it fell off, and when I tried to retrieve it I accidentally stepped on it. Yes, I'm very klutzy. But when I stepped on it, I must have hit some combination of keys that had the effect of turning everything on my computer upside down. Now I can't figure out how to turn it right side up!

If relevant my OS is Windows XP, its an HP computer and a Logitech keyboard.

Cheap computer to run Spore?

raygan — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:23:12 -0800

What's the cheapest reliable computer I can buy that will play Spore? Challenge: I want to use my 32" HDTV (with VGA) as a monitor. My girlfriend bought Spore and we were both excited to play it, but it won't play on either of our laptops. (She has a newish HP of some kind running Vista and I have a MacBook) Neither of us has a desktop right now. I'm looking for an inexpensive desktop that would be capable of running the game, but it's been a long time since I've bought any computer that wasn't a Mac and I would like some recommendations. Budget is the main controlling factor. CHEAPER THE BETTER! I don't need the game to look great, I just want it to run.
I don't have a spare monitor, but my 32", 720p HDTV has a VGA input and I'm hoping to use that. Would the game be playable on such a monitor? How about routine web-browsing and so on?
My plan has been to get something that could sit under my TV and occasionally double as a video-player and second computer, so quiet would be nice.
Links to Newegg or similar appreciated.
Thanks!

Why won't my computer talk to my monitor?

jeffmshaw — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:33:45 -0800

My monitor stopped talking to my PC. Strangely, the monitor shows the Windows startup screen before going dark. It does this every time I boot up. I built my PC in Japan, and it's served me well for a year. For the entirety of that time, it's been attached to a new Dell monitor.

One night last week, I was playing music with iTunes when the screen went dark. The music continued to play. I rebooted the computer, but after the Windows start screen came up, it went dark again -- never saw my desktop.

So I took the box to work and connected it to other monitors. Oddly, the other monitors work fine with the machine. I haven't tested my monitor with other boxes yet. (I do have the CD that came with the monitor still).

Does this sound like a driver issue? A video card issue? What's my next step? Admin please hope me!

Can you help me Google-Fu a pic of a gamer with a desktop strapped to his back?

perpetualstroll — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:45:03 -0800

Where can I find a picture of a guy with a desktop strapped to his back and a monitor around his front? A long time ago, I remember seeing a picture on the internet of someone with a desktop strapped to their back and a monitor set up in front of them so they could walk around and play computer games (or something to that effect). However, my Google-Fu is failing me. Anyone want to take a whack at this one?

"Maximize" doesn't work as advertised!

DMan — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:47:48 -0800

On my external monitor (dual-monitor setup with a laptop), "maximized" windows do not take up the entire screen. How can I fix this? So I have an Alienware laptop running Windows XP with a Nvidia GeForce Go 7600 graphics card. The laptop's screen is 15" and has a display resolution of 1280 x 800. I also have a 22 inch external monitor hooked up with a resolution of 1680 x 1050. The display mode is set to "dual view", which is basically a normal dual-screen setup.

Strange thing is, when I open a window on the 22" screen and maximize it, the window only fills a certain portion of the monitor screen--I suspect it's only using 1280 x 800 pixels instead of the full 1680 x 1050. I really like having some things fullscreen and it's very annoying to constantly be resizing things to fill the space.

Things have not always been this way; maximizing windows on the external monitor used to work fine. I have no idea what would have changed in the meantime.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and if I've left anything out, feel free to ask and I'll provide as much detail as possible.

19" LCD (1440x900) + (?) + eMachines T2862 = crisp, clear, monitoring

carsonb — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:40:22 -0800

Please help me fit my new monitor to my crappy old computer. I was just gifted a low-end 19" widescreen LCD monitor with a native resolution of 1440x900. My desktop PC is a hills-old eMachines T2862 with an Intel Integrated Graphics Controller that doesn't seem to support that resolution. Having looked over similar questions here and tentatively probed some other boards that cover the topic, I'm under the impression that I need to acquire a video card. Now, I've opened the case on this computer on numerous occasions, and have happily installed various plug'n'play components (2nd hard drive, more RAM), but find myself woefully clueless when it comes to graphics cards.

So, some questions:

1 - Do I really need a new graphics card? I got a vague idea from some other boards that there might be programs available that can alter the resolution options of and IGC. (Power Strip?) I suppose this would be preferable assuming that those programs are free.

2 - OK, so I probably need a new graphics card. Do you know if my computer is capable of accepting one? What should I look for in the guts to check? Which card should I get? I am decidedly not a gamer, do not watch television on my computer, and only occasionally watch DVDs. In other words, I don't need something super-elite and would prefer the bare-bones, cheap option. Please advise.

3 - Finally, should I plug in my old CRT for now? Am I ruining my shiny new LCD monitor by running it at a non-optimal resolution?

Is this CRT monitor dying?

_dario — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 06:48:45 -0800

My old, faithful, color-reliable, flat screen, CRT computer monitor sometimes starts making a strange, extremely high-pitched noise, which - while not ear-piercing, is annoying. I used (and changed) many computer monitors in my career, and I tend to use them a lot, so I'm used to spot signs of malfunction early on, like the hum of a dying power transformer, or the extremely faint horizontal lines that usually precede a failing tube. This, however, is new to me.

An aside, supposing the monitor is leaving for good: how is the lcd monitor market now? Which are some recommendable alternatives (color fidelity has some importance, I am a graphic designer and I saw many bleak or too vivid LCDs out there) at the best q/p ratio?

Question about shipping a computer

Ndwright — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 11:36:34 -0800

Help me get my iMac across the Atlantic ocean On the Apple website under the new iMac's tech specs it gives a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet. I'll soon be traveling over to Europe for a prolonged period of time and intend to take my iMac with me, but because of the altitude restriction, I'm hesitant to just put it in my checked baggage. It's too large to put in my carry-on bag, so I was wondering, does anyone know of a way to safely ship the computer?

A new blue screen of death?

dpx.mfx — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 21:17:28 -0800

Tech help please. I've got a Toshiba Satellite laptop and sometimes the display stops working. The computer (an A105) is just over a year old. It's running Windows XP. As far as I can tell, its also running all the newest drivers.

Sometimes the screen turns completely blue. It's still getting power. The computer is still running - for instance, I can still hear the music from Itunes or the sound from a tv show running in Firefox. It doesn't seem to matter what programs are open, but generally I'm running firefox, Itunes, and gotomypc. Sometimes Word. This happens maybe once a week. Any ideas?

Any hope of repair for my cracked lcd monitor?

mindless progress — Tue, 29 May 2007 18:09:42 -0800

Is there any hope for repairing my girlfriend's cracked monitor? So this morning the cat decided to jump onto my girlfriend's computer desk and in the process knocked over her monitor and now it has an unseemly crack in it. Images.

However, from what I can see it doesn't look like there's anything particularly wrong with the image. It just looks like there's a crack over the top of it. So my question is, is there any chance of getting this repaired for not a whole lot of money? Looking at the other threads about broken laptop screens it seems it would be a pricey endeavor, but since this is a standalone unit I was hoping the price might be more reasonable.

Some information about the monitor:
It's a Sony SDM-V72W.
It was a hand-me-down so I don't believe there's any sort of warranty that would still cover it.

If the monitor is hopeless, maybe you have some tips on not hating pets?

Are two monitors better than one?

googly — Fri, 04 May 2007 08:21:49 -0800

I have ~$1000 to put towards a new monitor(s). Should I get one big one, or two medium-sized ones? I am willing to exceed $1K by a little bit if necessary. I will be using this monitor about 50/50 work and play.

Uses:
- Primarily academic - word processing, powerpoint, excel, etc. I want a lot of screen space because I like to be able to view several documents at the same time.

- But also: moderate photoshopping, in which detail and resolution is useful; some viewing of videos/DVDs, so big screen is attractive; moderate use of music software (Sonar, Fruityloops, etc.) in which screen space is nice but not a necessity.

Question:
Should I get two 20" monitors to use side-by-side, or spring for a single bigger monitor to use as a standalone (I'd use the remainder of the cash for other equipment)? On one hand, the big screen would be really nice for video watching and photoediting; on the other, the two smaller ones seem to make a lot of sense for multiple-document viewing.

Any advice, including personal experiences on dual monitor setup, and insight on factors I haven't taken into account, most appreciated!

CRTphobia

DU — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 08:01:59 -0800

Can my computer kill me without warning? In Cryptonomicon, there's a scene where a hacker sets up someone's computer to overdrive their (CRT) monitor, causing it to explode and send glass shrapnel into their eyes, brain, etc. Ever since then, I can't use a CRT-connected computer without thinking about it. Particularly the monitor I have at home, which makes these loud clunky clicking sounds whenever it switches modes, comes out of screensaver or turns on. Sometimes I even squint and cover my eyes, even though I know this is probably not very likely, if it's even possible.

I haven't been able to find anything about this online and sometimes the absence of evidence IS evidence of absence.

I would like to get an LCD (not just for this reason--I'm far from debilitated by this) but they are still too expensive.

Quick fix iMac as monitor for another Apple.

Bengston — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:16:32 -0800

Is there any way that I can easily use my iMac Desktop (Current Intel Model) monitor as a second or primary monitor for my Powerbook using either the wireless network or a monitor adapter? Would using some sort of remote desktop allow me to utilize all the extra monitor space? I just want to use some software that I have on my 12" Powerbook on my friends much larger monitor that is unfortunately also attached to his iMac. Thanks.

Silver bullet for my nausea-inducing monitor?

Kadin2048 — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 18:37:10 -0800

[DirtyPowerFilter] My CRT monitor has developed a nasty shake/vibration at certain refresh settings, since I moved to a new apartment. I think the problem stems from the old electrical system. Is there anything I can do to "clean" the power and alleviate the problem? Or are all "power conditioning" products bogus? Backstory and more info below the fold. So I just recently moved into a new apartment, in an older (1940s or 50s) building with original wiring. The building has all 2-prong outlets. I got my computer all set up, using a 2-prong to 3-prong grounding adaptor, properly attached to the center screw of the old-style 2-prong outlet.

However, my trusty old 20" CRT monitor isn't happy. When it's set to 75Hz refresh (my preferred setting), it jitters and shakes horribly. At 60Hz, no problem -- it's rock solid (but it gives me headaches). At lower resolutions and higher refresh rates, like 80Hz and above, it also seems stable. Unfortunately, the lower resolutions keep me from using some applications, and really cramp my desktop. I've tried degaussing, to no effect.

I have done some research, including this older AskMe question on shaky CRT images, but I think that my problem stems from the power (and/or bad grounding), and not from nearby electromagnetic fields (since I can turn off everything else in the house and still have the problem, or move the monitor around and not see any difference. The computer is located in the outside corner of the building on the second floor; there's nothing motorized or mechanical nearby, or on the same circuit (at least not inside my apartment). It's possible there's something big and nasty elsewhere on the building's electrical system, but if that's the case it's beyond my control, and I have to figure out how to deal with it.

At the resolution I use my monitor at, the only options are 60Hz or 75Hz. So it's either jitter at 75, or headaches at 60. I'm trying to think of solutions. Obviously, ditching the CRT in favor of an LCD (which we have on other computers, and seem to work fine) is one, but I'd rather not -- first, because it means money, and second, because my CRT monitor is pretty nice, and I don't like the limited color gamut of LCDs for photo and video work. Modifying the wiring in the apartment is probably out, or at least a definite last-resort option (since it would entail going through the landlord, etc.). Similarly, running a separate ground wire would be difficult -- I've thought of getting some heavy copper braid and running it to the CW pipe in the bathroom, but I'm afraid that would just create big loop.

Are there any sort of 'power conditioner' products that might help? Optimally, I'd like something that I could plug in between the wall and the monitor, which would isolate it from whatever junk is coming in, and let it play nice at 75Hz again. I've seen such products aimed at audiophiles with a lot of extra money to spend, but I've always been suspicious that they're nothing but electronic snake oil. Do such things exist at less exorbitant prices, and do they actually work?

Other suggestions would be welcome also, if there's some possibility I haven't thought of.

Help me get the most use out of my new monitor.

matkline — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 19:23:29 -0800

What should I hook up to my 22" widescreen HD monitor? I got this monitor for Christmas, and it looks really awesome, and now I just need some way to use it, preferably to its maximum capabilities.

The way I see it, there are these options:

1. One of my laptops. I have two laptops, one is a Thinkpad R60 the other an HP something or other (3.2 ghz, 128meg video). Problem here is that the HP is broken, and even if it weren't, I'm not sure it has the horsepower to handle HD and it definitely doesn't have DVI out. My thinkpad definitely doesn't have the power for HD.

2. Buy an over the air HD tuner and hook it up somehow. Any ideas about how this would work?

3. Buy a new computer of some sort (with a video card that supports DVI out) and hook it up.

4. Buy an Xbox 360/Playstation 3/Wii. Maybe someone else could explain how this would work. Would I need some sort of DVI adaptor.

Keep in mind I live in a dorm, so I can't get HD cable or anything like that.

So, Mefites, what do you think? Is one of these best? Are there any options I've missed.