Chris Pirillo » lcd http://chris.pirillo.com News and Reviews! Geek, Internet Entrepreneur, Hardware Addict, Software Junkie, Book Author, Once TV Show Host, Technology Enthusiast, Shameless Self-Promoter, Tech Conference Coordinator, Early Adopter, Idea Evangelist, Tech Support Blogger, Bootstrapper, Media Personality, Technology Consultant, Thicker Quicker Picker Upper. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:25:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 © chris@pirillo.com () chris@pirillo.com() Geek, Internet Entrepreneur, Hardware Addict, Software Junkie, Book Author, Once TV Show Host, Technology Enthusiast, Shameless Self-Promoter, Tech Conference Coordinator, Early Adopter, Idea Evangelist, Tech Support Blogger, Bootstrapper, Media Personality, Technology Consultant, Thicker Quicker Picker Upper. chris@pirillo.com No no http://chris.pirillo.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpgChris Pirillohttp://chris.pirillo.com 144 144 Tips for Buying the Best LCD Monitorhttp://chris.pirillo.com/tips-for-buying-the-best-lcd-monitor/ http://chris.pirillo.com/tips-for-buying-the-best-lcd-monitor/#comments Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:35:10 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=12827 Tips for Buying the Best LCD Monitor is a post from Chris Pirillo

This post was actually written by Jeroen De Mol, another intelligent community member-at-large. If you have any further tips about hardware or software, feel free to send ‘em in!

After looking at some of your videos on YouTube, I came across: “I want to buy a monitor. This video has some great tips, but it was missing something that might be important to the people who are considering buying a new monitor.

The only real tip missing in the video is the one about different LCD Panel Technology. At the moment there are 3 different technologies used in LCD displays: (1) TN Panel; (2) VA Panel; (3) IPS Panel. When buying a monitor, it is pretty important to know what technology you want, and what is the best for you.

TN (Twisted Nematic) is the technology that is used the most. Monitors using this technology are cheap and have a great response time. The low response time is great for gamers. However, they do have a downside. Color reproduction, viewing angles, and contrast ratios on these panels are the worst of all the LCD panel technology. They are unable to display the full 16.7 million colors that 24-bit has to offer. They can gimmick it, but the result is not the same when you use an 8-bit VA or IPS. TN only offers 6-bit. Pro: cheap. Con: lesser-quality display.

VA (Vertical Alignment) is better than TN, but not as good as IPS. They have beter color reproduction and better viewing angles than TN panels, but the response time is often terrible. They are almost the same as IPS, but the response time is holding them back. The contrast ratios are better than any other panel technology, and because
of that, they are the leaders when it comes down to levels of black. The biggest problem these panels have is color shifting. When you view from an angle, the image looks to have different brightness levels across the screen. Cheaper than IPS, more expensive than TN.

IPS (In Plane Switching) are considered to be the best of the best when it comes down to image quality, color accuracy, and viewing angles. However, all of this beauty comes with a price. These panels are the best for graphic designers. Gamers might not be so fond of them, since the response time is slower than TN panels.

]]> Tips for Buying the Best LCD Monitor is a post from Chris Pirillo

This post was actually written by Jeroen De Mol, another intelligent community member-at-large. If you have any further tips about hardware or software, feel free to send ‘em in!

After looking at some of your videos on YouTube, I came across: “I want to buy a monitor. This video has some great tips, but it was missing something that might be important to the people who are considering buying a new monitor.

The only real tip missing in the video is the one about different LCD Panel Technology. At the moment there are 3 different technologies used in LCD displays: (1) TN Panel; (2) VA Panel; (3) IPS Panel. When buying a monitor, it is pretty important to know what technology you want, and what is the best for you.

TN (Twisted Nematic) is the technology that is used the most. Monitors using this technology are cheap and have a great response time. The low response time is great for gamers. However, they do have a downside. Color reproduction, viewing angles, and contrast ratios on these panels are the worst of all the LCD panel technology. They are unable to display the full 16.7 million colors that 24-bit has to offer. They can gimmick it, but the result is not the same when you use an 8-bit VA or IPS. TN only offers 6-bit. Pro: cheap. Con: lesser-quality display.

VA (Vertical Alignment) is better than TN, but not as good as IPS. They have beter color reproduction and better viewing angles than TN panels, but the response time is often terrible. They are almost the same as IPS, but the response time is holding them back. The contrast ratios are better than any other panel technology, and because
of that, they are the leaders when it comes down to levels of black. The biggest problem these panels have is color shifting. When you view from an angle, the image looks to have different brightness levels across the screen. Cheaper than IPS, more expensive than TN.

IPS (In Plane Switching) are considered to be the best of the best when it comes down to image quality, color accuracy, and viewing angles. However, all of this beauty comes with a price. These panels are the best for graphic designers. Gamers might not be so fond of them, since the response time is slower than TN panels.

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/tips-for-buying-the-best-lcd-monitor/feed/ 1 How to Fix a Laptop LCD Screenhttp://chris.pirillo.com/how-to-fix-a-laptop-lcd-screen/ http://chris.pirillo.com/how-to-fix-a-laptop-lcd-screen/#comments Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:12:01 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2008/12/08/how-to-fix-a-laptop-lcd-screen/ How to Fix a Laptop LCD Screen is a post from Chris Pirillo

Geek!This is Sarah’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

There can be many difficulties when fixing a laptop. Problems can arise with a laptop at any time, including with the screen. People simply buy a new computer when the screen burns out because it is too expensive to replace the screen. What people don’t realize is that fixing a laptop screen can be quite simple. In order to perform such a task as fixing a laptop screen, you have to be somewhat familiar with circuitry. Any electronic hobbyist can learn how to fix the backlight of a laptop screen.

First, you must gather the necessary equipment and hardware to perform this task successfully. You will need solder and a soldering iron with the soldering station to be able to properly set the temperature of the iron. Also needed is desoldering braid to remove excess solder; you will need an open area such as a kitchen table or workbench to be able to spread out the parts. Be sure that you are not worried about damage to the area you are working on because hot solder can damage work areas. The final equipment needed is an anti-static wrist band to prevent damage to the circuitry, screwdrivers to disassemble and reassemble the screen, and a micrometer or caliper to measure the backlight.

Second, power down the laptop and remove any power supply from the laptop; this would include the power cord and battery. Connect the grounding wrist strap to a grounding point. A grounding point may consist of metal pipes in the house or even a metal window sill; wearing this strap prevents any static damage to the circuitry of the laptop. You will now need to take the bezel or plastic piece off the front of the laptop screen. In many cases, the screws holding the bezel together are covered with rubber feet on the front of the bezel; in order to remove the rubber feet, simply take a flat head screwdriver and pry lightly underneath the rubber foot; the rubber feet are magnetically attached to the screws. Once the rubber feet are removed you can start to remove the screws from the bezel. Once the screws are removed from the bezel, take a flat head screw driver and gently pry the front of the bezel from the back panel of the screen.

Third, you will need to remove the cover plate above the keyboard. This cover plate will sometimes have the power button mounted to it as well. In order to remove the plate, you will need a flat head screw driver. On one side of the plate, there will be a small cutout next to it; this is where you place the screw driver to pry it from the laptop. Remember to be gentle; not a lot of force is needed. With some laptops, you will need to tilt the screen all the way back to remove the plate. Once this is removed, you can proceed to unplug the screen from the motherboard. In order to unplug the screen, the keyboard will have to be removed; remember that this depends on the brand and type of laptop. To remove the keyboard, you can remove several screws located at the top of the keyboard. After the screws are removed, you can gently pull the keyboard away from the motherboard which is under the keyboard. You can now proceed to trace the screen cable to the appropriate connector and remove the connector from the motherboard; some additional screws may need to be removed.

Fourth, you can remove the screen from the back panel of the laptop. Depending on brand and type of the laptop, some screens will be attached to the back panel with a few screws. If the screen is attached to the back panel, remove the screws before removing the screen. Once all the screws holding the screen into place have been removed, you can proceed to remove the screen from the back panel.

Next, you will need to disassemble the screen itself, a laptop screen, also called a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), consists of several layers within a housing. The housing consists of a metal or plastic frame with a plastic plane located on the back of the LCD. This plane also holds the backlight control circuitry. Proceed to remove the screws from the side of the frame in order to gain access to the internal parts of the LCD. When the screws are finally removed from the side, you may have to cut the tape from the top or bottom of the LCD and frame. Be careful not to cut the wires that lead to the LCD; if these are cut, the LCD will be irrepairable and a replacement will need to be purchased. After the screws and tape are removed, proceed to find the backlight, which is located on the top and bottom of most LCDs. The backlight will have a metal casing to protect it and this can be simply pulled out without having to remove any attachment methods.

Now you will have to determine the type of backlight used. Many laptops have Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps or CCFLs. A CCFL looks like a miniature straight fluorescent light used in ballasts in houses and office buildings. The CCFLs are attached by a couple of wires. Turn on the soldering station to approximately 500 degrees. You will also need the desoldering braid. Use the solder iron to heat up the solder on the cable and backlight. Hold the braid to the solder on the cable to remove it. Once the backlight is completely removed from the cables, use a caliper or micrometer to measure the diameter as well as the length of the CCFL; the measurement must be taken in millimeters. You must find a company that sells CCFL backlights. One company that distributes CCFLs is Digikey Corporation. Find a CCFL that matches the length and diameter of your previous CCFL; you cannot order the new CCF until the measurements are taken. Wait for your order to arrive. Once the order has arrived, proceed to replace the old CCFL by soldering the new CCFL to the cables and place it back into the metal casing.

Finally, you can start to reassemble the screen. Place the metal or plastic frame back onto the screen; attach the screws. Before reassembling the laptop screen with the bezel, plug the screen into the connector and plug the laptop into power and power up the laptop to verify that the CCFL works. Once you have verified that the CCFL works, turn the laptop off and reattach the screen into the back panel with the proper screws. Once the screen is on the back panel, snap the bezel to the screen and back panel and insert the appropriate screws and then attach the rubber feet onto the screws. Reattach the keyboard with the appropriate screws and attach the cover plate. Now your laptop is ready to have the battery installed and power applied. Start up your laptop and enjoy your new and bright screen.

]]> How to Fix a Laptop LCD Screen is a post from Chris Pirillo

Geek!This is Sarah’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

There can be many difficulties when fixing a laptop. Problems can arise with a laptop at any time, including with the screen. People simply buy a new computer when the screen burns out because it is too expensive to replace the screen. What people don’t realize is that fixing a laptop screen can be quite simple. In order to perform such a task as fixing a laptop screen, you have to be somewhat familiar with circuitry. Any electronic hobbyist can learn how to fix the backlight of a laptop screen.

First, you must gather the necessary equipment and hardware to perform this task successfully. You will need solder and a soldering iron with the soldering station to be able to properly set the temperature of the iron. Also needed is desoldering braid to remove excess solder; you will need an open area such as a kitchen table or workbench to be able to spread out the parts. Be sure that you are not worried about damage to the area you are working on because hot solder can damage work areas. The final equipment needed is an anti-static wrist band to prevent damage to the circuitry, screwdrivers to disassemble and reassemble the screen, and a micrometer or caliper to measure the backlight.

Second, power down the laptop and remove any power supply from the laptop; this would include the power cord and battery. Connect the grounding wrist strap to a grounding point. A grounding point may consist of metal pipes in the house or even a metal window sill; wearing this strap prevents any static damage to the circuitry of the laptop. You will now need to take the bezel or plastic piece off the front of the laptop screen. In many cases, the screws holding the bezel together are covered with rubber feet on the front of the bezel; in order to remove the rubber feet, simply take a flat head screwdriver and pry lightly underneath the rubber foot; the rubber feet are magnetically attached to the screws. Once the rubber feet are removed you can start to remove the screws from the bezel. Once the screws are removed from the bezel, take a flat head screw driver and gently pry the front of the bezel from the back panel of the screen.

Third, you will need to remove the cover plate above the keyboard. This cover plate will sometimes have the power button mounted to it as well. In order to remove the plate, you will need a flat head screw driver. On one side of the plate, there will be a small cutout next to it; this is where you place the screw driver to pry it from the laptop. Remember to be gentle; not a lot of force is needed. With some laptops, you will need to tilt the screen all the way back to remove the plate. Once this is removed, you can proceed to unplug the screen from the motherboard. In order to unplug the screen, the keyboard will have to be removed; remember that this depends on the brand and type of laptop. To remove the keyboard, you can remove several screws located at the top of the keyboard. After the screws are removed, you can gently pull the keyboard away from the motherboard which is under the keyboard. You can now proceed to trace the screen cable to the appropriate connector and remove the connector from the motherboard; some additional screws may need to be removed.

Fourth, you can remove the screen from the back panel of the laptop. Depending on brand and type of the laptop, some screens will be attached to the back panel with a few screws. If the screen is attached to the back panel, remove the screws before removing the screen. Once all the screws holding the screen into place have been removed, you can proceed to remove the screen from the back panel.

Next, you will need to disassemble the screen itself, a laptop screen, also called a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), consists of several layers within a housing. The housing consists of a metal or plastic frame with a plastic plane located on the back of the LCD. This plane also holds the backlight control circuitry. Proceed to remove the screws from the side of the frame in order to gain access to the internal parts of the LCD. When the screws are finally removed from the side, you may have to cut the tape from the top or bottom of the LCD and frame. Be careful not to cut the wires that lead to the LCD; if these are cut, the LCD will be irrepairable and a replacement will need to be purchased. After the screws and tape are removed, proceed to find the backlight, which is located on the top and bottom of most LCDs. The backlight will have a metal casing to protect it and this can be simply pulled out without having to remove any attachment methods.

Now you will have to determine the type of backlight used. Many laptops have Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps or CCFLs. A CCFL looks like a miniature straight fluorescent light used in ballasts in houses and office buildings. The CCFLs are attached by a couple of wires. Turn on the soldering station to approximately 500 degrees. You will also need the desoldering braid. Use the solder iron to heat up the solder on the cable and backlight. Hold the braid to the solder on the cable to remove it. Once the backlight is completely removed from the cables, use a caliper or micrometer to measure the diameter as well as the length of the CCFL; the measurement must be taken in millimeters. You must find a company that sells CCFL backlights. One company that distributes CCFLs is Digikey Corporation. Find a CCFL that matches the length and diameter of your previous CCFL; you cannot order the new CCF until the measurements are taken. Wait for your order to arrive. Once the order has arrived, proceed to replace the old CCFL by soldering the new CCFL to the cables and place it back into the metal casing.

Finally, you can start to reassemble the screen. Place the metal or plastic frame back onto the screen; attach the screws. Before reassembling the laptop screen with the bezel, plug the screen into the connector and plug the laptop into power and power up the laptop to verify that the CCFL works. Once you have verified that the CCFL works, turn the laptop off and reattach the screen into the back panel with the proper screws. Once the screen is on the back panel, snap the bezel to the screen and back panel and insert the appropriate screws and then attach the rubber feet onto the screws. Reattach the keyboard with the appropriate screws and attach the cover plate. Now your laptop is ready to have the battery installed and power applied. Start up your laptop and enjoy your new and bright screen.

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/how-to-fix-a-laptop-lcd-screen/feed/ 9 Reasons to Have a Second Monitorhttp://chris.pirillo.com/reasons-to-have-a-second-monitor/ http://chris.pirillo.com/reasons-to-have-a-second-monitor/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:59:06 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2008/12/04/reasons-to-have-a-second-monitor/ Reasons to Have a Second Monitor is a post from Chris Pirillo

Geek!This is Taylor Brazelton’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

  1. A second monitor is a way to expand your desktop interactivity. You can work faster and you’ll be able to see more than one application (in a maximized mode) at the same time. This insures the most enjoyable desktop experience.
  2. Are you a professional video editor? You don’t have to be one to enjoy the use of a second monitor (or more, if you wish). A second monitor is almost essential to a video editor, as it allows you the best work environment for your editing by allowing you to expand your video editor software’s timeline across both screens. This gives you the most workspace – so that you can easily see the spot at which you are editing in a more detailed position.
  3. What about web designers? Well, don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten you – for I am one, too. The second monitor might sound like a stretch, but it is actually a good thing. You know when you’re developing and you have to switch back and forth between your source editor, your web browser and maybe even your database tools? Well, with a second monitor it is simple to switch between your web browser and your source editor. Using the second screen you can put your source editor on one screen and your web browser on the other screen. That way your OS doesn’t have to re-draw the GUI for the applications each time you want to switch windows. This gives you more time to work on your project instead of waiting for the GUI to load. Assuming your computer is as slow as mine. ;)

Now that we’ve talked about the top 4 reasons on why you should have a second monitor, I think it is time we talk about why you shouldn’t or why you can’t.

  1. A second monitor is a great thing to have, but what if you have a slow computer? How will this give you a better experience? Well, the hard reality of it is… it doesn’t truly help THAT much. If you want to use a second monitor to it’s fullest extent, I would suggest you buckle down and buy yourself a new computer. I know times are tight right now, but when I was a 13 year-old, there was always a lawn that needed mowing.
  2. What if you don’t have enough room for a second monitor? There is always the option of getting a new desk or cramming a monitor on the desk you already have. This isn’t really the ideal place to have a second monitor. If your desk is always cluttered and messy then this is probably not a good option for you (if don’t want your monitor to fall off your desk). I have seen this before, and it’s not a good thing. It took my friend and me about two months to clean up all the shattered pieces of broken monitor! Every time you walked in with bare feet, you’d get a small piece of glass or a different part of the monitor stuck in your foot. :P
  3. “Okay, so I have enough room for a second monitor but what about money? I don’t have enough.” This is a common problem for everyone today, although there is always a way. Try doing odd jobs for your friends, family, or around town. Maybe mowing the lawn for a friend or helping the computer illiterate fix a problem with their computers. You can find a job just about anywhere you are, just find one that suits you and what you can do. Also, remember when saving for a big item like a monitor, that you do not spend / waste all the money before you’ve reached your goal. I suggest that you put away 90% of your earnings and then carry around the other 10%.

Don’t forget that no matter what you want, you always have to work for it. Nothing in life is totally free, so be sure to save every penny you can because somewhere down the road you may want to use it. Like… if you were to buy a second monitor for your computer.

]]> Reasons to Have a Second Monitor is a post from Chris Pirillo

Geek!This is Taylor Brazelton’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

  1. A second monitor is a way to expand your desktop interactivity. You can work faster and you’ll be able to see more than one application (in a maximized mode) at the same time. This insures the most enjoyable desktop experience.
  2. Are you a professional video editor? You don’t have to be one to enjoy the use of a second monitor (or more, if you wish). A second monitor is almost essential to a video editor, as it allows you the best work environment for your editing by allowing you to expand your video editor software’s timeline across both screens. This gives you the most workspace – so that you can easily see the spot at which you are editing in a more detailed position.
  3. What about web designers? Well, don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten you – for I am one, too. The second monitor might sound like a stretch, but it is actually a good thing. You know when you’re developing and you have to switch back and forth between your source editor, your web browser and maybe even your database tools? Well, with a second monitor it is simple to switch between your web browser and your source editor. Using the second screen you can put your source editor on one screen and your web browser on the other screen. That way your OS doesn’t have to re-draw the GUI for the applications each time you want to switch windows. This gives you more time to work on your project instead of waiting for the GUI to load. Assuming your computer is as slow as mine. ;)

Now that we’ve talked about the top 4 reasons on why you should have a second monitor, I think it is time we talk about why you shouldn’t or why you can’t.

  1. A second monitor is a great thing to have, but what if you have a slow computer? How will this give you a better experience? Well, the hard reality of it is… it doesn’t truly help THAT much. If you want to use a second monitor to it’s fullest extent, I would suggest you buckle down and buy yourself a new computer. I know times are tight right now, but when I was a 13 year-old, there was always a lawn that needed mowing.
  2. What if you don’t have enough room for a second monitor? There is always the option of getting a new desk or cramming a monitor on the desk you already have. This isn’t really the ideal place to have a second monitor. If your desk is always cluttered and messy then this is probably not a good option for you (if don’t want your monitor to fall off your desk). I have seen this before, and it’s not a good thing. It took my friend and me about two months to clean up all the shattered pieces of broken monitor! Every time you walked in with bare feet, you’d get a small piece of glass or a different part of the monitor stuck in your foot. :P
  3. “Okay, so I have enough room for a second monitor but what about money? I don’t have enough.” This is a common problem for everyone today, although there is always a way. Try doing odd jobs for your friends, family, or around town. Maybe mowing the lawn for a friend or helping the computer illiterate fix a problem with their computers. You can find a job just about anywhere you are, just find one that suits you and what you can do. Also, remember when saving for a big item like a monitor, that you do not spend / waste all the money before you’ve reached your goal. I suggest that you put away 90% of your earnings and then carry around the other 10%.

Don’t forget that no matter what you want, you always have to work for it. Nothing in life is totally free, so be sure to save every penny you can because somewhere down the road you may want to use it. Like… if you were to buy a second monitor for your computer.

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/reasons-to-have-a-second-monitor/feed/ 71 How Do You Clean Your LCD Screens?http://chris.pirillo.com/how-do-you-clean-your-lcd-screens/ http://chris.pirillo.com/how-do-you-clean-your-lcd-screens/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2008 03:23:45 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=8246 How Do You Clean Your LCD Screens? is a post from Chris Pirillo


Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Spit-shining is probably not the best way to clean your monitor. That would be disgusting. How often, if at all, do you clean your screen? What do you use to clean your LCD screen? If you’re looking for something different that works well, I have found something for you. The La Fresh Tech Pack is a great way to clean all of your gear.

Users beware. These ain’t your average geek-approved tech accessories. The Tech Pack by La Fresh contains 3 types of on-the-goer-worthy road-tested products that are designed to enhance your performance while working on your digital gadgets.

No, they will not make your computers roll any faster. We are talking about a more basic and practical solution to help you focus on added productivity.

Instantly take care of cleaning needs for all your gadgets, glasses, and hands with the Tech Pack!

I’ve used several different types of screen wipes in the past. What I love the most about this Pack is the fact that it comes with gadget wipes, hand wipes and glasses wipes. It works really well, and you’ll end up needing each of those at some point. They worked so well on my glasses, I saw things in my office that I didn’t even know were there!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> How Do You Clean Your LCD Screens? is a post from Chris Pirillo


Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Spit-shining is probably not the best way to clean your monitor. That would be disgusting. How often, if at all, do you clean your screen? What do you use to clean your LCD screen? If you’re looking for something different that works well, I have found something for you. The La Fresh Tech Pack is a great way to clean all of your gear.

Users beware. These ain’t your average geek-approved tech accessories. The Tech Pack by La Fresh contains 3 types of on-the-goer-worthy road-tested products that are designed to enhance your performance while working on your digital gadgets.

No, they will not make your computers roll any faster. We are talking about a more basic and practical solution to help you focus on added productivity.

Instantly take care of cleaning needs for all your gadgets, glasses, and hands with the Tech Pack!

I’ve used several different types of screen wipes in the past. What I love the most about this Pack is the fact that it comes with gadget wipes, hand wipes and glasses wipes. It works really well, and you’ll end up needing each of those at some point. They worked so well on my glasses, I saw things in my office that I didn’t even know were there!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/how-do-you-clean-your-lcd-screens/feed/ 7 One Big Monitor or Two Smaller Screenshttp://chris.pirillo.com/one-big-monitor-or-two-smaller-screens/ http://chris.pirillo.com/one-big-monitor-or-two-smaller-screens/#comments Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:36:42 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2008/02/21/one-big-monitor-or-two-smaller-screens/ One Big Monitor or Two Smaller Screens is a post from Chris Pirillo

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The first time I ever plugged a second monitor into my system, it was interesting. Of course, issues arose… as is usually the case with anything new. Having two monitors in many cases is better than one. I had an email the other day, asking me if I would suggest using one large monitor… or two smaller ones.

I would go with two separate monitors any day, over one large one. Having two monitors can cause issues, as I said. Some of your software may run differently. Your computer may need to have minor configurations made to it. It can be a headache to get correct… but it’s well worth it. On one monitor, I have my email and work open. On the other monitor, I have all my “widgets”… for IRC, IMs, RSS feeds, etc. It makes it a lot easier for me to keep things organized, and be more efficient with my work.

You’ll actually have more “screen real estate” within two 17″ monitors side-by-side than what you would have with one huge screen. As I said, this can help you stay much more organized. Having one monitor made things too cramped, and too jumbled. I had to search for things, or keep them hidden when running.

What do you all think? Is dual cool? Or is it better to stick with one monitor?

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> One Big Monitor or Two Smaller Screens is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

The first time I ever plugged a second monitor into my system, it was interesting. Of course, issues arose… as is usually the case with anything new. Having two monitors in many cases is better than one. I had an email the other day, asking me if I would suggest using one large monitor… or two smaller ones.

I would go with two separate monitors any day, over one large one. Having two monitors can cause issues, as I said. Some of your software may run differently. Your computer may need to have minor configurations made to it. It can be a headache to get correct… but it’s well worth it. On one monitor, I have my email and work open. On the other monitor, I have all my “widgets”… for IRC, IMs, RSS feeds, etc. It makes it a lot easier for me to keep things organized, and be more efficient with my work.

You’ll actually have more “screen real estate” within two 17″ monitors side-by-side than what you would have with one huge screen. As I said, this can help you stay much more organized. Having one monitor made things too cramped, and too jumbled. I had to search for things, or keep them hidden when running.

What do you all think? Is dual cool? Or is it better to stick with one monitor?

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]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/one-big-monitor-or-two-smaller-screens/feed/ 127 Should you buy an LCD or Plasma HDTV?http://chris.pirillo.com/should-you-buy-an-lcd-or-plasma-hdtv/ http://chris.pirillo.com/should-you-buy-an-lcd-or-plasma-hdtv/#comments Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:16:22 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/12/20/should-you-buy-an-lcd-or-plasma-hdtv/ Should you buy an LCD or Plasma HDTV? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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It’s really a matter of personal preference when choosing one of these over the other. I personally prefer the Plasma screens, but I know many people who like the LCD more. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between the two.

With an LCD screen television, it has a much thinner screen and a smaller footprint. This means that it takes up less space generally on a tabletop or in an entertainment center. The Plasma screen tv’s tend to be much bigger. Be sure to keep the size of the space available in mind when shopping.

I feel that the image colors are much sharper and natural on the Plasma screens. With the LCD, they seem to be just not as realistic. They are either too saturated, or not saturated enough. I could never seem to find a balance that I liked.

Budget is a huge concern for most people. Always stick with what you can afford. Try to never go with “payment plans” for these items. Wait until you have enough money saved up to just go out and purchase one.

Most importantly, do your research. If you primarily watch sports, try watching a bit of sports on one of each of these televisions before deciding yourself which one is better. What’s best to your eyes, may not be best to mine, and vice versa. Never take my word for it, or anyone else’s. Make up your own mind, based on your likes, needs and budget.

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]]> Should you buy an LCD or Plasma HDTV? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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It’s really a matter of personal preference when choosing one of these over the other. I personally prefer the Plasma screens, but I know many people who like the LCD more. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between the two.

With an LCD screen television, it has a much thinner screen and a smaller footprint. This means that it takes up less space generally on a tabletop or in an entertainment center. The Plasma screen tv’s tend to be much bigger. Be sure to keep the size of the space available in mind when shopping.

I feel that the image colors are much sharper and natural on the Plasma screens. With the LCD, they seem to be just not as realistic. They are either too saturated, or not saturated enough. I could never seem to find a balance that I liked.

Budget is a huge concern for most people. Always stick with what you can afford. Try to never go with “payment plans” for these items. Wait until you have enough money saved up to just go out and purchase one.

Most importantly, do your research. If you primarily watch sports, try watching a bit of sports on one of each of these televisions before deciding yourself which one is better. What’s best to your eyes, may not be best to mine, and vice versa. Never take my word for it, or anyone else’s. Make up your own mind, based on your likes, needs and budget.

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]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/should-you-buy-an-lcd-or-plasma-hdtv/feed/ 61 Tips for Buying a Monitorhttp://chris.pirillo.com/tips-for-buying-a-monitor/ http://chris.pirillo.com/tips-for-buying-a-monitor/#comments Fri, 12 Oct 2007 06:30:33 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/10/11/tips-for-buying-a-monitor/ Tips for Buying a Monitor is a post from Chris Pirillo


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A couple of my friends joined me to discuss their tips and tricks when looking to purchase a new monitor. Size is important, yes. However, there are several other things you should keep in mind.

Jason is a gamer, so he is more interested in the response time of a particular monitor. The formal definition characterizes response time as the time it takes for an LCD pixel to change from completely active black to inactive white then back again. For now, to view your games at their best, look for a monitor with the fastest time possible; it does matter. Keep in mind that display quality is also important, so look for a high contrast ratio and small dot pitch coupled with a powerful graphics card to give you the best view possible.

Kat has something different in mind. She has serious trouble with her eyes, despite wearing glasses. Since she works from home on her computer, and does a lot of volunteer work online, she spends many hours a day in front of her monitor. For Kat, it’s all about size. Good contrast is also important to her to help prevent eye strain.

For me, there are a few things I look for in a monitor:

  • Color of the Bezel The Bezel is the plastic case that surrounds the actual monitor. If all of your components are silver, you aren’t going to want a green Bezel on your monitor.
  • Type of connection availableI lucked out when I bought Ponzi’s new monitor. It happened to have a VGA connection. Thankfully, Ponzi’s computer also had one. Do your research, and make sure you know what kind of connections are available on your computer for the monitor to plug into.
  • Be aware of your desktop footprint. Make sure you have room on your desk or workspace for the monitor you are wanting to buy. This is especially important when looking for a second monitor, such as I have.

What things are important to you when buying a new monitor? Leave me a comment, or send me an email to chris@pirillo.com to let us know!

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]]> Tips for Buying a Monitor is a post from Chris Pirillo


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A couple of my friends joined me to discuss their tips and tricks when looking to purchase a new monitor. Size is important, yes. However, there are several other things you should keep in mind.

Jason is a gamer, so he is more interested in the response time of a particular monitor. The formal definition characterizes response time as the time it takes for an LCD pixel to change from completely active black to inactive white then back again. For now, to view your games at their best, look for a monitor with the fastest time possible; it does matter. Keep in mind that display quality is also important, so look for a high contrast ratio and small dot pitch coupled with a powerful graphics card to give you the best view possible.

Kat has something different in mind. She has serious trouble with her eyes, despite wearing glasses. Since she works from home on her computer, and does a lot of volunteer work online, she spends many hours a day in front of her monitor. For Kat, it’s all about size. Good contrast is also important to her to help prevent eye strain.

For me, there are a few things I look for in a monitor:

  • Color of the Bezel The Bezel is the plastic case that surrounds the actual monitor. If all of your components are silver, you aren’t going to want a green Bezel on your monitor.
  • Type of connection availableI lucked out when I bought Ponzi’s new monitor. It happened to have a VGA connection. Thankfully, Ponzi’s computer also had one. Do your research, and make sure you know what kind of connections are available on your computer for the monitor to plug into.
  • Be aware of your desktop footprint. Make sure you have room on your desk or workspace for the monitor you are wanting to buy. This is especially important when looking for a second monitor, such as I have.

What things are important to you when buying a new monitor? Leave me a comment, or send me an email to chris@pirillo.com to let us know!

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]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/tips-for-buying-a-monitor/feed/ 56 Using HDTV as PC Monitorhttp://chris.pirillo.com/using-hdtv-as-pc-monitor/ http://chris.pirillo.com/using-hdtv-as-pc-monitor/#comments Sat, 22 Sep 2007 23:24:53 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/09/22/using-hdtv-as-pc-monitor/ Using HDTV as PC Monitor is a post from Chris Pirillo

I have my HDTV (a plasma screen) set up as the monitor for my Mac Mini in my home office and it works quite well. “Velislide” contacted me this afternoon with issues related to his LCD HDTV connected to his PC, however:

I recently bought a 32″ LCD HDTV (Panasonic Viera Black) to replace my 17″ Dell LCD that I’ve been using. This beast has 2x HDMI In so Im using one with a DVI to HDMI cable that connects to my Geforce XFX 8600GT. Now if I look at text @ 720p resolution, with Sharpness at the middle point or turned up, the text looks VERY pixelated, and VERY hard to read, almost unreadable. I can also see like 3 or 4 mouse “shadows” around the mouse, overlapping each other. Basicly I have to turn down the Sharpness to -30 and it kinda of cleans up the pixelated crap, and makes it readable but not near what my friends 32″ LCD HDTV looks, and his is a VERY cheap one.

From what I understand from lots of reading and research, it has something to do with my Horizontal and Vertical refresh rates, and setting the Video card to match up to my TVs to get a HD quality picture. My xbox 360 looks about 100x better hooked up with Component, but sadly my video card doesnt have the Component out feature. I’ll take a high resolution picture of my screen sometime and see if I can get what the stuff looks like in the picture to give you a better Idea.

Also I read that the current drivers from Nvidia for the Geforce 8 series cards dont allow you to change the Vert/Horiz refresh rates w/ software? Not sure if this is true, but I’m all out of Ideas and have been trying steady for 3 days now to get this thing to come in clear.

I’m hoping I can get my 900$ 32″ LCD to looks at good as my friends 500$ LCD, otherwise I’m going to go insane.

Jake (Ludington) suggests: “Turn off any noise reduction built into the TV. Noise reduction does nasty things to text and is meant for use with video content only (if at all). Make sure the video card and television are both set to 1366×768, which is the recommended resolution from the manufacturer. Having either or both set incorrectly will result in nasty image quality.”

HDTV Deals:

]]> Using HDTV as PC Monitor is a post from Chris Pirillo

I have my HDTV (a plasma screen) set up as the monitor for my Mac Mini in my home office and it works quite well. “Velislide” contacted me this afternoon with issues related to his LCD HDTV connected to his PC, however:

I recently bought a 32″ LCD HDTV (Panasonic Viera Black) to replace my 17″ Dell LCD that I’ve been using. This beast has 2x HDMI In so Im using one with a DVI to HDMI cable that connects to my Geforce XFX 8600GT. Now if I look at text @ 720p resolution, with Sharpness at the middle point or turned up, the text looks VERY pixelated, and VERY hard to read, almost unreadable. I can also see like 3 or 4 mouse “shadows” around the mouse, overlapping each other. Basicly I have to turn down the Sharpness to -30 and it kinda of cleans up the pixelated crap, and makes it readable but not near what my friends 32″ LCD HDTV looks, and his is a VERY cheap one.

From what I understand from lots of reading and research, it has something to do with my Horizontal and Vertical refresh rates, and setting the Video card to match up to my TVs to get a HD quality picture. My xbox 360 looks about 100x better hooked up with Component, but sadly my video card doesnt have the Component out feature. I’ll take a high resolution picture of my screen sometime and see if I can get what the stuff looks like in the picture to give you a better Idea.

Also I read that the current drivers from Nvidia for the Geforce 8 series cards dont allow you to change the Vert/Horiz refresh rates w/ software? Not sure if this is true, but I’m all out of Ideas and have been trying steady for 3 days now to get this thing to come in clear.

I’m hoping I can get my 900$ 32″ LCD to looks at good as my friends 500$ LCD, otherwise I’m going to go insane.

Jake (Ludington) suggests: “Turn off any noise reduction built into the TV. Noise reduction does nasty things to text and is meant for use with video content only (if at all). Make sure the video card and television are both set to 1366×768, which is the recommended resolution from the manufacturer. Having either or both set incorrectly will result in nasty image quality.”

HDTV Deals:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/using-hdtv-as-pc-monitor/feed/ 21 LCD Monitor Problemshttp://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-monitor-problems/ http://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-monitor-problems/#comments Tue, 28 Aug 2007 03:47:43 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/08/27/lcd-monitor-problems/ LCD Monitor Problems is a post from Chris Pirillo


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http://live.pirillo.com/ – Vince has a 17″ wide screen LCD monitor, and an NVIDIA graphics card. Windows update detected a graphics card update and installed it. Suddenly, Vince no longer has his native resolution option for his monitor.

Vince normally ran at a 1280×720 resolution. For some odd reason, this is no longer available. He’s wondering whether he should just stay with the lower resolution, or roll back the driver to the earlier version. Dude, don’t stay with it! LCD monitors were designed to run at one resolution… and one only. If you run them at anything lower, your picture won’t be as clear. There are a couple of things you can try:

1. Check the Gateway site to see if there are any newer updates for your monitor. Yes… I said your monitor. Not your graphics card. The information needed to detect your resolution comes from the monitor’s .inf files, not from your graphics card. Those are two separate things. Now, I’m not saying it could NOT have happened, and I’m not saying that the updates or Vista aren’t to blame. It’s hard to tell at this point.

2. If you have the CD for the monitor that came with the computer, try reinstalling that. The needed .inf files could somehow be corrupted or missing.

3. If neither of these work, then I would definitely try rolling back the update. Your monitor needs to be running at the resolution it was designed for.

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – Vince has a 17″ wide screen LCD monitor, and an NVIDIA graphics card. Windows update detected a graphics card update and installed it. Suddenly, Vince no longer has his native resolution option for his monitor.

Vince normally ran at a 1280×720 resolution. For some odd reason, this is no longer available. He’s wondering whether he should just stay with the lower resolution, or roll back the driver to the earlier version. Dude, don’t stay with it! LCD monitors were designed to run at one resolution… and one only. If you run them at anything lower, your picture won’t be as clear. There are a couple of things you can try:

1. Check the Gateway site to see if there are any newer updates for your monitor. Yes… I said your monitor. Not your graphics card. The information needed to detect your resolution comes from the monitor’s .inf files, not from your graphics card. Those are two separate things. Now, I’m not saying it could NOT have happened, and I’m not saying that the updates or Vista aren’t to blame. It’s hard to tell at this point.

2. If you have the CD for the monitor that came with the computer, try reinstalling that. The needed .inf files could somehow be corrupted or missing.

3. If neither of these work, then I would definitely try rolling back the update. Your monitor needs to be running at the resolution it was designed for.

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]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-monitor-problems/feed/ 1 Glossy vs Matte LCD Monitorshttp://chris.pirillo.com/glossy-vs-matte-lcd-monitors/ http://chris.pirillo.com/glossy-vs-matte-lcd-monitors/#comments Sat, 18 Aug 2007 04:15:49 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/08/17/glossy-vs-matte-lcd-monitors/ Glossy vs Matte LCD Monitors is a post from Chris Pirillo


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http://live.pirillo.com/ – The decision whether to buy a glossy or matte LCD monitor is subjective. Every person will have their likes and dislikes, and you should buy whatever you are most comfortable with.

There are pros and cons to both a glossy LCD monitor, and a matte one. The cons for each type are not negative enough to sway your decision to one over another.

I prefer a matte screen for one main reason. I detest looking at dirt specs and smudges. I don’t want to have to clean my monitor every day… or several times a day. Glossy screens are bad about that. They show *everything*! However, the colors are more vibrant on a glossy screen, and the blacks are richer. A matte screen is non-reflective, but that can be a pro OR a con. It depends on your preference, again.

Thanks to Ustream, I have the capability to do a live poll via my stream. I asked our viewers and chatters which type of monitor they prefer. 65% chose matte, while only 35% chose glossy.

Thanks for validating my opinion, guys. It’s a matte screen FTW.

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]]> Glossy vs Matte LCD Monitors is a post from Chris Pirillo


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http://live.pirillo.com/ – The decision whether to buy a glossy or matte LCD monitor is subjective. Every person will have their likes and dislikes, and you should buy whatever you are most comfortable with.

There are pros and cons to both a glossy LCD monitor, and a matte one. The cons for each type are not negative enough to sway your decision to one over another.

I prefer a matte screen for one main reason. I detest looking at dirt specs and smudges. I don’t want to have to clean my monitor every day… or several times a day. Glossy screens are bad about that. They show *everything*! However, the colors are more vibrant on a glossy screen, and the blacks are richer. A matte screen is non-reflective, but that can be a pro OR a con. It depends on your preference, again.

Thanks to Ustream, I have the capability to do a live poll via my stream. I asked our viewers and chatters which type of monitor they prefer. 65% chose matte, while only 35% chose glossy.

Thanks for validating my opinion, guys. It’s a matte screen FTW.

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]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/glossy-vs-matte-lcd-monitors/feed/ 21 LCD Brightnesshttp://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-brightness/ http://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-brightness/#comments Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:29:02 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/08/15/lcd-brightness/ LCD Brightness is a post from Chris Pirillo


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http://live.pirillo.com/ – Chris discusses LCD screen brightness, and ways to preserve the life of your screen. Apparently, he’s also had too much Peet’s coffee.

One of our chatters in the live.pirillo.com channel asked about the differences in LCD screen brightness. The question was whether it’s normal for their 15″ screen to be brighter than their friends’ 17″ screen. There really isn’t a concrete answer for this. The brightness level is determined by many factors: age of laptop, lamp used in manufacturing, settings enabled by the user, etc. Even though I can’t manage to spit out what I wanted to say tonight, I think you’ll understand what I MEANT when you watch the video.

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]]> LCD Brightness is a post from Chris Pirillo


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http://live.pirillo.com/ – Chris discusses LCD screen brightness, and ways to preserve the life of your screen. Apparently, he’s also had too much Peet’s coffee.

One of our chatters in the live.pirillo.com channel asked about the differences in LCD screen brightness. The question was whether it’s normal for their 15″ screen to be brighter than their friends’ 17″ screen. There really isn’t a concrete answer for this. The brightness level is determined by many factors: age of laptop, lamp used in manufacturing, settings enabled by the user, etc. Even though I can’t manage to spit out what I wanted to say tonight, I think you’ll understand what I MEANT when you watch the video.

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]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-brightness/feed/ 3 LCD Screen Brightnesshttp://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-screen-brightness/ http://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-screen-brightness/#comments Wed, 01 Aug 2007 02:23:46 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/07/31/lcd-screen-brightness/ LCD Screen Brightness is a post from Chris Pirillo

http://live.pirillo.com/ – Every day brings new viewers to our live chat. A recent visitor asked about her new laptop screen not being bright enough. She has reportedly changed her settings in the laptop control panel, with no luck. She wrote in to ask my advice, so let’s see what we can do to help Tifferz!

Every laptop brand is different in some ways from the other. They may have different hardware, they could have slightly different configurations. Just as they vary in these ways, they also can have different levels of brightness to the screen.

There are unfortunately only a couple of things you can do to adjust the brightness on your laptop. One method is discussed in this video, and again on Yahoo! Answers. Each laptop should have a small button with the letters fn. The letters on that key can vary by manufacturer. Usually you can find this button on the lower left corner of your keyboard. Pushing this button along with the one that has a picture of a small screen and an up arrow (found on the F4 key usually) simultaneously will adjust your brightness.

Another nifty little trick is to simply plug the laptop in to a power source. Many laptop screens will become a bit brighter when the machine is plugged in. If these two options fail you, make sure your video drivers are updated, and try moving the screen to a different angle.

There are several tips and tricks found right on Lockergnome.com that can help you get your LCD monitor adjusted to your comfort and convenience.

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]]> LCD Screen Brightness is a post from Chris Pirillo

http://live.pirillo.com/ – Every day brings new viewers to our live chat. A recent visitor asked about her new laptop screen not being bright enough. She has reportedly changed her settings in the laptop control panel, with no luck. She wrote in to ask my advice, so let’s see what we can do to help Tifferz!

Every laptop brand is different in some ways from the other. They may have different hardware, they could have slightly different configurations. Just as they vary in these ways, they also can have different levels of brightness to the screen.

There are unfortunately only a couple of things you can do to adjust the brightness on your laptop. One method is discussed in this video, and again on Yahoo! Answers. Each laptop should have a small button with the letters fn. The letters on that key can vary by manufacturer. Usually you can find this button on the lower left corner of your keyboard. Pushing this button along with the one that has a picture of a small screen and an up arrow (found on the F4 key usually) simultaneously will adjust your brightness.

Another nifty little trick is to simply plug the laptop in to a power source. Many laptop screens will become a bit brighter when the machine is plugged in. If these two options fail you, make sure your video drivers are updated, and try moving the screen to a different angle.

There are several tips and tricks found right on Lockergnome.com that can help you get your LCD monitor adjusted to your comfort and convenience.

Want to embed our LCD Screen Brightness into your blog? Use this code:

Formats Available: MPEG4 Video (.mp4) , Flash Video (.flv)

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-screen-brightness/feed/ 2 Dual Monitor Duel: DVI Divinityhttp://chris.pirillo.com/dual-monitor-duel-dvi-divinity/ http://chris.pirillo.com/dual-monitor-duel-dvi-divinity/#comments Tue, 10 Apr 2007 18:45:41 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/04/10/dual-monitor-duel-dvi-divinity/ Dual Monitor Duel: DVI Divinity is a post from Chris Pirillo

My love affair with resolution started with my first 14″ CRT monitor – I pushed that sucker to 1024×768 (interlaced) with 256 colors in Windows 3.11. Anything less than that was simply uncivilized. It took years for most users to catch up to that screen size, but I’ve been flying higher than that for quite some time. I only tolerated resolutions smaller than 1600×1200 on laptops.

My desktop is finally alive with a perfect amount of pixels. You might remember a few weeks ago, I was debating LCD monitor choices. Most people informally “voted” for the latest Dell series (3007WFP-HC), which seemed like it would fit the bill (especially with the USB hub and integrated removable media bay).

Given that my readership was largely impressed with what Dell had to offer in terms of LCD screens, I approached them to see if they’d sponsor that part of my videos moving forward. Hey, if we’re going to be filming a high definition tech show in my home office, it’s gotta look the part – right? :) They obliged, and that makes at least three relatively large sponsors for our produced media moving forward: AMD, GoDaddy, and Dell. I’d like to convert TechSmith and Microsoft to an ongoing series, too (but haven’t yet perfected the pitch).

Don't Question My Productivity - 2560x1600 x2

You have no idea what this looks like in real life. Ponzi says: “You have to sit in front of them for it to have total impact. You look like a 2yr old when you sit in front of those screens!” She’s right. These things are larger than life:

If you do the math, that’s 2560×1600 times two. Depending on how we set up the cameras, I may have to move the secondary screen to the left of my primary one (which I may end up doing, anyway – if only for better balance). I’ll have to update this post after Ponzi picks up the video camera to film my graphical giddiness. Thank you, Dell, for supporting our cause!

]]> Dual Monitor Duel: DVI Divinity is a post from Chris Pirillo

My love affair with resolution started with my first 14″ CRT monitor – I pushed that sucker to 1024×768 (interlaced) with 256 colors in Windows 3.11. Anything less than that was simply uncivilized. It took years for most users to catch up to that screen size, but I’ve been flying higher than that for quite some time. I only tolerated resolutions smaller than 1600×1200 on laptops.

My desktop is finally alive with a perfect amount of pixels. You might remember a few weeks ago, I was debating LCD monitor choices. Most people informally “voted” for the latest Dell series (3007WFP-HC), which seemed like it would fit the bill (especially with the USB hub and integrated removable media bay).

Given that my readership was largely impressed with what Dell had to offer in terms of LCD screens, I approached them to see if they’d sponsor that part of my videos moving forward. Hey, if we’re going to be filming a high definition tech show in my home office, it’s gotta look the part – right? :) They obliged, and that makes at least three relatively large sponsors for our produced media moving forward: AMD, GoDaddy, and Dell. I’d like to convert TechSmith and Microsoft to an ongoing series, too (but haven’t yet perfected the pitch).

Don't Question My Productivity - 2560x1600 x2

You have no idea what this looks like in real life. Ponzi says: “You have to sit in front of them for it to have total impact. You look like a 2yr old when you sit in front of those screens!” She’s right. These things are larger than life:

If you do the math, that’s 2560×1600 times two. Depending on how we set up the cameras, I may have to move the secondary screen to the left of my primary one (which I may end up doing, anyway – if only for better balance). I’ll have to update this post after Ponzi picks up the video camera to film my graphical giddiness. Thank you, Dell, for supporting our cause!

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/dual-monitor-duel-dvi-divinity/feed/ 31 LCD Monitor Reviews and Opinionshttp://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-monitor-reviews-and-opinions/ http://chris.pirillo.com/lcd-monitor-reviews-and-opinions/#comments Sat, 03 Feb 2007 03:27:18 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/02/02/lcd-monitor-reviews-and-opinions/ LCD Monitor Reviews and Opinions is a post from Chris Pirillo

I have two monitors plugged into my system right now – a 1600×1200 SyncMaster 213T, and a 1680×1050 Gateway. I like the Gateway as a secondary monitor, “largely” because of its various input options – and the integrated USB hub is a wonderful bonus. However, there are a few windows I’d much rather rearrange on my primary screen – and so I’m thinking about one of the following, and am largely interested in everybody’s experiences with them (if you have one):

  • Dell’s 3007WFP-HC
  • HP’s LP3065
  • Samsung’s SyncMaster 305T
  • Apple’s 30″ Cinema HD

2560×1600 plus the 1680×1050 sounds nice, but (then again) I might wind up doing two Gateway FPD2485W’s (2x 1920×1200 for 3840×1200^2) for cheaper, and wind up getting more desktop real estate. It boils down to price and options, I think. I could get the HP LP3065 for ~$1,600, the Dell 3007WFP-HC for $1,699, the Samsung 305T for $1,999, or Apple’s Cinema HD for $1,999. Or, again, two Gateway monitors for $680 apiece.

I sit in front of the computer screen for a living. There’s nothing wrong with what’s here now, mind you – but I could certainly go for more vertical and horizontal playspace. The second monitor is great for IM conversations, extra windows I need open but can’t pay attention to, etc. Decisions, decisions!

]]> LCD Monitor Reviews and Opinions is a post from Chris Pirillo

I have two monitors plugged into my system right now – a 1600×1200 SyncMaster 213T, and a 1680×1050 Gateway. I like the Gateway as a secondary monitor, “largely” because of its various input options – and the integrated USB hub is a wonderful bonus. However, there are a few windows I’d much rather rearrange on my primary screen – and so I’m thinking about one of the following, and am largely interested in everybody’s experiences with them (if you have one):

  • Dell’s 3007WFP-HC
  • HP’s LP3065
  • Samsung’s SyncMaster 305T
  • Apple’s 30″ Cinema HD

2560×1600 plus the 1680×1050 sounds nice, but (then again) I might wind up doing two Gateway FPD2485W’s (2x 1920×1200 for 3840×1200^2) for cheaper, and wind up getting more desktop real estate. It boils down to price and options, I think. I could get the HP LP3065 for ~$1,600, the Dell 3007WFP-HC for $1,699, the Samsung 305T for $1,999, or Apple’s Cinema HD for $1,999. Or, again, two Gateway monitors for $680 apiece.

I sit in front of the computer screen for a living. There’s nothing wrong with what’s here now, mind you – but I could certainly go for more vertical and horizontal playspace. The second monitor is great for IM conversations, extra windows I need open but can’t pay attention to, etc. Decisions, decisions!

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