I see the discussion has been on flatpanels lately. I know Sean is basically unimpressed with them. Until recently I agreed with him, that is until I saw the new flatpanel from SGI at Comdex. This is what I posted here a couple of months ago. You really should check it out, even though it is a pricey solution.
While we are on the monitor topic I'll comment on my Comdex findings. I spent alot of my time during the week looking at monitors, both conventional and the new flatscreens. In the CRT arena the only manufacturer that really seemed like they had something that was a marked improvement was Sony. Their new FD series 19" and 21" monitors are awesome. They are absolutely flat, incredibly sharp and very clear. I sat and played with a 21" at 1200 x 1600 for quite a while. Even though they are expensive, if I were buying a new 21" I would find a way to buy one of these. They also said it is a .22 pitch all the way across so it is just as sharp on the edges as the middle. Best price on shopper.com is $1615 for the 21" GDM-F500. Not bad for this monitor as good as it is.
I then had the good fortune to run across Silicon Graphics upstairs in a small conference room. They opted not to be on the show floor, as did many vendors. They were displaying their 1600SW flat panel. This thing is unbelievable! Without seeing it, it is going to be hard to imagine how good it is. Check out the specs on sgi.com 16:10 aspect ratio, 1600x1024 with 24 bit color,110 dpi!
For those of you that are familiar with the photography or advertising business, the best description I have is that it looks like you are viewing a full size color transparency on a color calibrated light box. And if you have ever seen an 8x10 or better yet an 11x14 full color original transparency, you know what I mean. The image looks backlit. Unlike anything I have ever seen, including the very best Barco monitors. I will have one of these one day soon. After seeing the SGI I don't think I would even buy the Sony. The monitor comes packaged with a brand new digital (not analog) video card from number nine, which is where alot of the great look comes from. This thing is really new, the best price on shopper.com is $2321 for both the card and flat screen.
Good Luck
Dan |
