A Guide for Online Information About:

Flattend Displays

by Rick Prescott

Apple Cinema Display

Flat panel displays are becoming increasingly important in today's society. With the demand for portability in such applications as laptop computers, automobiles, cellular telephones, pagers, and so on, the market for flat panel displays is growing rapidly. A couple years ago, flat-panel displays faced an unclear future. Desktop models were based directly on their laptop counterparts, with more backlighting but basically the same technology. Flat panels also depended on cumbersome analog-to-digital converters so they could be connected to standard analog video cards.

Three major changes in the last season of peripherals design have dramatically improved flat-panel display technology. For the first time, consumer-grade flat panel displays are being constructed with new, desktop-specific LCD screens that are not inherited from laptops. These larger displays run from 18" to 22" diagonally, offering resolutions of 1280 x 1024 pixels, or even 1600 x 1200. These higher resolutions allow the displays to support more video modes without resampling, making them more useful for games or video.

The second major change is the addition of new direct-to-digital video capabilities in consumer video cards. Using a "Digital Flat Panel" (DFP) standardized connector, new video cards output digital video data directly to the flat-panel display, without any of the sharpness-robbing digital-analog-digital conversion steps required by older technology. These new video cards also support popular new features like 3-D acceleration, TV tuners, and DVD decoding, which were lacking in previous digital-to-digital solutions.

Finally, new displays have a new sense of style. Traditional cathode-ray-tube displays had a standardized form factor, owing to the required shape of the heavy vacuum tube. Free from the bulky shape of the CRT, today's flat panel vendors are letting their imaginations run free with monitors that are colored and shaped to match a design concept. Below one can find links to information on flat displays, as well as venders and manufactures. Also included is a list of popular displays and their consumer reviews.

Information

OGI Flat Panel Display Research Group is an academic department with an interesting introduction to flat-panel displays.

ZDNet: CRT or LCD? will help you understand the differences between the two technologies.
ZDNet: Flat-Panel Monitors Guide: This is a find and review site of flat panels.

Computers.com: Flat Panel LCD Displays is a huge list of reviews and product information from Computers.com.

Manufactures and Vendors

Acer F51, F31e: When Korean heavyweight Acer gets in the game, you know that technology has entered the mainstream. Their F51 is a solid flat-panel entry. And for a real bargain, check out the smaller F31e.

Apple Cinema Display: This best-of-class display comes at a hefty price, but look at what you get: 22" diagonal measure, 1600 x 1200 resolution, and direct-to-digital connections.
Apple Studio Display is a small but technically solid LCD flat panel that is still popular, particularly among the users of Apple's Blue & White G3 systems.

Compaq TFT5000: Compaq's follow-up to their popular TFT500 display includes a pivoting touch-sensitive screen. If you don't want the touch-sensitive screen, get the budget TFT5000S.

CTX PanoView: CTX has been a player in the low-end CRT game for a long time, and now they're trying to compete in the flat-panel market. They've got an excellent new large-screen product in the PanoView 880.

Eizo Nanao provides top-quality LCD monitors. The L66 is reputed to be the finest flat-panel you can buy.

Fujitsu Plasmavision is a gigantic Plasmavision 42" diagonal flat panel display that will only cost you in the range of $20k. And for that, you get 852 x 480 resolution.

Hewlett-Packard L1800: HP enters the flat-panel market with this jumbo entry.

IBM Flat-Panel Monitors: Big Blue has entered the building with flat-panels in a variety of sizes.

NEC LCD Monitors: NEC's LCD2000 has reached the critical 1280 x 960 resolution requirement, which allows the display of 640 x 480 and 320 x 240 screens without resampling. Also, check out the new LCD1810 series.

Pixelvision aims their monitors at the financial services industry, where cubicle space is at a premium.

Sanyo LCD Monitors: Several 15" and 18" flat-panel monitors.

Sony L-Series Displays: Sony's entrants in the furious desktop LCD game are well-reviewed. Unfortunately, all their product information requires PDF files, so make sure you've got Acrobat Reader installed.

Viewsonic's LCD panels are within the realm of affordability, and well-reviewed too. Now featuring new 18" panels like the VP181.

Individual Product Reviews

Acer AcerView FP855
PC compatible, 18.1" monitor, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Apple Studio Display (15-" flat panel)
Mac compatible, 15" monitor, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Eizo FlexScan L360
15" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

HP L1800 LCD
PC, Mac compatible, 18.1" display, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

KDS VS-F14
PC, Mac, 14" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

LG Electronics Flatron 795FT Plus
PC, Mac, Unix, Sun compatible, 17" display, 1600 x 1200 max. resolution

miro Radius Artica (AGP Card)
17.3" display, PC, Mac, 1640 x 1024 max. resolution

Mitsubishi LCD52 (Black)
15" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Nokia 800XA
18.1" display, PC, Mac, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Pacom SlimWin 15R LCD
PC, Mac compatible, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Philips Brilliance 151AX
15.1" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Philips Brilliance 181AS
18.1" display, PC, Mac, Unix, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Samsung SyncMaster 570p plus LCD
15" display, PC, Mac, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Silicon Graphics 1600SW (AGP Card)
17.3" display, PC, MacOS 8.0 or later, Silicon Graphics, 1600 x 1024 max. resolution

ViewSonic VPD180
18.1" display, PC, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Compaq FP700
15" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Compaq TFT500
15" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Mag Innovision LT530C
15" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Princeton DPP 500 PowerPanel (AGP graphics card)
14" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Sceptre BT15D Plus
PC, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Sony Multiscan CPD-L150
PC, Mac compatible, 15" display, 1376 x 768 max. resolution

Acer AcerView F31 LCD Monitor (Charcoal)
13.3" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Acer AcerView F31 LCD Monitor (Grey)
13.3" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Acer AcerView F51 LCD Monitor
15" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Acer F51 LCD Monitor
15" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Apple Cinema Display
22" display, Mac, 1600 x 1024 max. resolution

Apple Cinema Display (22-inch flat panel)
Mac compatible, 22" monitor, 1600 x 1024 max. resolution

Compaq 450R RM
PC compatible, 15" monitor, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Compaq 5000S TFT (CTO ONLY)
PC compatible, 15" monitor, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Compaq FP720
15" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Compaq TFT5000
PC compatible, 15" monitor, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Compaq TFT5000
PC, Mac, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Cornerstone F1800 LCD
18.1" display, PC, Mac, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Cornerstone F825 LCD
18.1" display, PC, Mac, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

CTX PanoView 745
14.5" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

CTX PanoView 751
15.1" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

CTX PV511S (15" LCD)
PC, Mac compatible, 15.1" monitor, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Eizo FlexScan L350
PC compatible, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Hitachi SuperScan LC150
PC, Mac compatible, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

HP Pavilion FX70
15" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

IBM 9483 Flat Panel LCD (Black)
PC compatible, 15.1" monitor, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

IBM 9495-AG1 (Black)
PC compatible, 17-inch display, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

IBM T55D (black)
15" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

KDS Radius S-3F (with speakers)
PC, Mac compatible, 15" monitor, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

KDS VS-F15
15" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

LG Electronics 880LC
18.1" display, PC, Mac, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Mag Innovision LT541C
15" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

miro Radius Artica (Mac Card)
17.3" display, PC, Mac, 1640 x 1024 max. resolution

Mitsubishi LCD40
14" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Mitsubishi LCD80
PC, Mac, Unix compatible, 18.1" display, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Mitsubishi Leonardo
PC, Mac, 40" display, 640 x 480 (and other digital/virtual resolutions) max. resolution

NEC MultiSync 1500M LCD
15" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

NEC MultiSync LCD1810 (Black)
PC, Mac compatible, 18.1" display, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

NEC MultiSync LCD2010
PC compatible, 20.1" display, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

NEC MultiSync LCD2010
PC compatible, 20.1" display, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

NEC PlasmaSync 3300
33" display, PC, Mac, 800 x 600 max. resolution

NEC PlasmaSync 5000W
50" display, PC, Mac, 1365 x 768 max. resolution

Nokia 500Xa
15.1" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Nokia 800xi
18.1" display, PC, Mac, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Pacom SlimWin 13D LCD
PC, Mac compatible, 13.3" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Panasonic PanaFlat LC50S
15" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Philips Brilliance 151AX
PC, Mac compatible, 15" monitor, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Princeton APP520
15" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Princeton APP520 (black)
15" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Princeton APP800
PC compatible, 18.1" display, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Princeton DPP 500 PowerPanel
14" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Princeton DPP 560 PowerPanel (AGP graphics card)
15" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Princeton DPP800
PC, Mac compatible, 18.1" display, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Princeton DPP800
18.1" display, 18.1", 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Samsung SyncMaster 320 LCD
13.3" display, PC, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Samsung SyncMaster 520 LCD
15" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Samsung SyncMaster 530 LCD
15" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Samsung SyncMaster 700 LCD
17" display, PC, Mac, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Sceptre BT15 Plus
PC, Mac, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Sceptre BT15G Plus
PC, Mac, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Sceptre ST14G
PC, 14.1" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Sceptre ST15B
PC, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Sceptre ST15G
PC, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

Silicon Graphics 1600SW (Mac Card)
17.3" display, PC, MacOS 8.0 or later, Silicon Graphics, 1600 x 1024 max. resolution

Silicon Graphics 1600SW (PCI Card)
PC, MacOS 8.0 or later, Silicon Graphics, 17.3" display, 1600 x 1024 max. resolution

Sony KL-W7000
37" display, PC, Mac, 1376 x 768 max. resolution

Sony MultiScan CPD-L181
PC, Mac compatible, 18.1" monitor, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

Sony MultiScan X9200
50" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

ViewSonic VE150 Flat Panel
PC, Mac compatible, 15" monitor, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

ViewSonic VG150 LCD ViewPanel
PC, Mac compatible, 14.5" monitor, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

ViewSonic VG180 ViewPanel
18.1" display, PC, Mac, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

ViewSonic VP150 ViewPanel
PC, Mac, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

ViewSonic VP151 LCD
PC, Mac compatible, 15" monitor, 1280 x 1024 max. resolution

ViewSonic VPA150 ViewPanel
15" display, PC, Mac, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

ViewSonic VPD150
PC compatible, 15" display, 1024 x 768 max. resolution

ViewSonic VPW420 Plasma Display (DIRECT SHIP ONLY)
PC, Mac compatible, 42" display, 852 x 480 max. resolution

I am always looking for more material on interesting subjects. If anyone would like to share information on the subject above or would like to see a Resource Page on a particular topic contact me, Rick Prescott.

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