Chris Pirillo » LED

LED and LCD Monitor Questions and Answers

Chris Pirillo — Thu, 06 May 2010 23:03:39 +0000

Graham Walters has a series of monitor questions (some of which are near impossible for anybody to answer with objectivity):

Do you think Eyefinity will be released for the Mac Pro anytime soon?

I don’t think I can answer that question. You’d have to ask AMD / ATI.

What aspect ratio is best for eyefinity? (two 24in monitors)

According to AMD’s Shane Parfitt: “ATI Eyefinity technology is incredibly flexible in its setup options. We can support a wide variety of aspect ratios and resolutions. For the best experience, we recommend widescreen monitors. For gaming, the most popular display configuration is three widescreen monitors in a 3×1 landscape configuration. In this configuration, we can support individual display resolutions up to 2560×1600, for a total resolution of 7680×1600 (a 48×10 aspect ratio). We’re seeing many people choose 1920×1200 or 1920×1080 displays for budget reasons – this also works very well, and looks great.”

Is $300 – $350 a good price range? (Apple LED Cinema display is $900)

“Good” is relative. Apple’s displays are (indeed) wonderful, but you’d likely be paying ~$100 more for the brand on that particular piece of hardware. It’s more accurate to compare their Cinema Display to something in the $800 range. If your budget is in the $300 range, you’ll still get a decent monitor, but it may not have a high optimal resolution, decent response time, or DPI.

Are LED-backlit displays worth the money? (seem to cost twice as much)

Depends on what you want from a screen. Looking for a wider color gamut, better illumination, longer display life, better power efficiency, etc. – go for an LED backlit display. If your needs are meager, LED-backlit displays aren’t worth the money. If you favor quality, spend the money.

Do you have any other monitors in mind?

I’m looking at one right now. Is that what you mean? :)

Do you have any advice on buying LED monitors? (specs you look for)

Yes. Do your research! Read reviews from a variety of sites, try to observe the exact model in person, and be wary when a sale sounds too good to be true. That, and you know I set up http://coupons.lockergnome.com/ to help you save money on anything you happen to buy online.

I’ve never had the problem of having a dead pixel; how obvious are they?

Sometimes, painfully obvious. Other times, hardly noticeable. Understand that a dead pixel (a point on the screen which will never illuminate) is different from a stuck pixel (a pixel which is stuck on a single color). I suggest reading more about it on the Wikipedia page for defective pixels.

Do you know of any websites which accept returns if there is a dead pixel?

That’ll vary from OEM to OEM, vendor to vendor, etc. Again, do your research. I appreciate you reaching out to me to nudge you in the right direction, but unless you’re going to pay me to be your personal shopper, this is where I tip my hat and send you on your merry way.

Samsung LED TV Review

Chris Pirillo — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:04:28 +0000

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Some people ask what products I choose to buy myself to use in my home. This television is the latest acquisition of mine, and it’s one that I’m seriously happy with. This gorgeous TV is the Samsung 46″ 1080p LED HDTV. The picture is so much better than what this video will show you. It’s seriously crisp, clear and beautiful. This ultra-slim 46-inch LED HDTV boasts full HD 1080p resolution for the sharpest, smoothest picture possible.

This TV is so much more than just a television. It features Samsung’s new Internet@TV online content service. Developed with Yahoo!, Internet@TV uses either a wired or wireless Ethernet connection to access content onscreen from Yahoo!, Flickr, YouTube and more with the push of a button. The widget-based interface and scrollbar run along the bottom of the screen for easy browsing of the latest programs and content.

Samsung’s 1080p panel uses a new high-speed liquid crystal to cut response time to 4ms. The fast response time dramatically reduces motion blur and shudder. There’s a huge difference between seeing a game, and in seeing every single second of it. That’s where the new Auto Motion Plus 240Hz technology comes into play! All of the action – in every single frame – is analyzed and adjusted… nothing will get past you. This quadruples frame rates from 60 to 240 frames per second. No images are ever repeated to make more frames!

You bet your booty that I bought this little baby for myself, and it’s a purchase I could not regret. The price is actually fairly good, I think. It may seem expensive to you. However, do your research on other televisions of this type. You’re likely going to pay a lot more for them, and I honestly don’t think you’ll get a better experience than you would with this Samsung.

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Geek Drinks

Chris Pirillo — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:46:08 +0000

While in Hawaii last week for the [re]Think Hawaii conference, a few of us stopped in to have a drink at Tiki’s Grill. This place makes some amazing drinks, lemme tell ya.

This particular drink is called Sex on the Beach. It includes Peach Schnapps, Vodka, Cranberry juice, Orange juice and Pineapple juice. I swear to you… it glows. I can’t remember, though, if it glowed before or after I drank the first one and had moved on to the second!

Thanks to my new friend Michael for the drink!

[awsbullet:sex on the beach drink hoodie]

LEDs in the Dining Room

Chris Pirillo — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:02:55 +0000

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I’ve always been kind of messy when I eat. There are times I’m in need of a placemat because of this. The one I have is probably the Geekiest placemat you’ve ever seen. There’s LEDs right in it! You can turn it off and on, at your whim.

The placemats use bright white lights with durable LED technology. They twinkle and sparkle to add spice to your tables. They’re fun, bright and festive, so they’re great for entertaining or special nights. There are no wires, since they run off of batteries. Oh – and you don’t have to worry about spills, either. They’re treated with Scotchgard for easy spot-cleaning!

Moving along with the dining theme, you may want to set your drink down. We all know that the glasses will sweat with condensation. Well, then you need a coaster – especially if they have LED lights! These particular ones light up when you set your drink down on it. It illuminates based on pressure.

To brighten up the table even more – and add a romantic touch – why not consider grabbing some LED candles? You won’t have to worry about burning the house down with these pretty little decorations, nor will they ever lose their glow. There’s also a Wand-Activated Candle running amok in the marketplace just in time for your Harry Potter dinner. Of course, the epitome of geek lighting would have to be the Star Trek Chandelier. Need I say more?

You’ll need to make sure you have plenty of geeky dinnerware on hand before the party begins, and keep your cookbook handy!

No gathering or party would be complete without music, right? Consider having friends over for a Tech Karaoke party! TechKaraoke brings the tech community(ies) together – one terrible song at a time!

So there ya go – spice up your next gathering or dinner with these fun LED ideas.

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Des Moines Color Field

Chris Pirillo — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:20:34 +0000

How Does Your Multicolor LED Panel Glow?

Chris Pirillo — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:38:40 +0000

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I am so glad that I’m not any kind of insect or bug. For one, they get horrible Internet access. And two… they are attracted to lights. I am too, actually. If you look in my office at any time, you’ll see tons of lights glowing, in all different colors. Sometimes, I find myself getting up from my desk and walking towards my pretty glowing lights. It’s kind of weird though, since they are sitting on top of my hutch. That’s why I’m glad I’m not a bug, because I’d end up dead. I’m just attracted to lights too much.

Anyway, for years, I’ve been attracted to the Multicolor LED Panel on ThinkGeek. So of course, I finally broke down and bought it. I couldn’t help it! It has twenty-seven different little LED lights going on in there!!! It’s more than a man can take, I tell ya.

Who says geeks are clueless about interior decor? Spice up your next LAN party soirée with this stylish LED lamp. Twenty-seven LEDs divided into 9 different squares slowly fade randomly between all the colors of the rainbow. This large 10 inch panel can stand upright or be mounted on a wall. The bezel free design means you can buy four and stack them seamlessly together to form your own alien spaceship control panel. We recommend you serve Bawls martinis while your party guests frag away basked in the multi-color glow from your futuristic LED mood lighting.

You can mount the panel to a wall if you choose. As I turn it on, you can see what it does… wait for it… it glows!! Seriously! It’s pretty bright, which is very cool. I think I’m going to keep this under my desk when I’m here. Then when I’m away, I’ll pull it out and set it on the desk.

So are you addicted to glowing things, too? Maybe we should join a club or get our own tshirts made!

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What Does Your Doormat Say?

Chris Pirillo — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:02:04 +0000

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Whether you use Windows or not, you likely have a door somewhere in your home. When people walk in your front door, they likely step in onto a doormat. Some people have a plain or boring one, but I found an amazingly cool one! The “Back Off” LED Space Invaders Doormat is sure to be a hit in your home.

Contrary to popular belief, here at ThinkGeek we do sometimes like the company of humans. But frankly we’ve gotten pretty tired of folks knocking at the ThinkGeek secret headquarters of doom during our daily extended gadget play time. Aliens, robots and the UPS guy are welcome anytime, but to deter those other annoying carbon based life forms we’ve installed the Back Off LED Invaders Door Mat. This nifty doormat is imported from France and features a glowing display and motion sensor. Any time someone comes near, a glowing green space invader moves back and forth across the top of the mat. Potential guests, having left their phasers at home, will usually run shrieking in fear.

Apparently, my tastes in doormats is different than many people. However, if you are a Geek like me and/or a Gamer… you’ll love this. Space Invaders rules!!

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Are LED Light Bulbs the Light of Tomorrow?

Chris Pirillo — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 05:45:23 +0000

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If you look closely at the video, you’ll see that my office is lit by a very cool multi-colored LED light bulb. It also has a remote control to change the color scheme. There are several different colors you can choose from in order to set the ambiance you’re looking for.

The Multi-Color LED Lightbulb retails for about $50.00 on ThinkGeek. Using the remote, you can make the light strobe, flash or even fade. Choose from one of 16 different colors, or click a button on the remote to have the bulb automatically switch colors on a rotating pattern for you.

The Multi-Color LED Lightbulb is a super bright LED bulb that can transition through dozens of color and brightness combinations and is compatible with a standard lightbulb socket. The included IR remote can select an individual color or brightness level or choose one of four different transition effects. Great for mood lighting, decorating, parties or special lighting environments. It has multiple brightness level settings and four transition effects (long pause on each color, short pause, slow fade between colors, faster fade). The light is generated from a 5 Watt LED.

This little bulb is a lot of fun, but it’s also really functional. You get a lot of flexibility out of it, and it takes up no energy since it’s an LED. What other neat little gadgets do you have, or do you want? Let’s hear about the best.

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It’s Not Just a Screwdriver

Chris Pirillo — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:41:11 +0000

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Screwdrivers are wonderful tools. The issue I have with some screwdrivers is that I can’t quite get it to fit where it needs to go. This is increasingly frustrating when working in small spaces, especially behind your desk! Well, now you can see a little better using this Spot On Screwdriver from HardToFindTools.com.

The Spot On Screwdriver has an LED light built into the end of it! This is the solution for the professional or hobbyist needing more then the available light to get the job done. Especially when you dont have an extra hand! Push the button and the light shines brightly on this work tool! A long lasting LED spotlight is built into the bit tip permitting you to locate the screw head in dark places. This premium, patent-pending screwdriver also features a contoured sure grip handle for comfort and maximum torque. Hardened and tempered vanadium blade is 4” inches in length. A must tool for automotive, electronic, appliance repair or work with small engines.

For only $24.95, this is a great deal. Having this frees up a hand, by not needing a separate flashlight. Anything that makes life easier for me is something I need, for sure.

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LED Lights

Chris Pirillo — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 05:38:59 +0000

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Ponzi got me the coolest thing for Christmas! They’re the perfect compliment for my Tix Clocks, and really make my office fun to be in… and hopefully fun for you all to look at, as well.

The Cyron HT 1502 Media Highlighter System is a full color spectrum solid-state lighting system. Ideal for accent lighting and ambient lighting for confined areas. Produce any color of light at a push of a button. Six pre-programmed patterns and a music mode. Safe low-voltage, no heat, enery efficient and 50,000-hour life.

I decided to put these on the top of my desk hutch. They use hardly any energy, and don’t put off much heat. They change colors, and put out a heck of a lot of light. These things are way cool looking, aren’t they? If you come by the chat room and type in what is glow, you’ll get the link to this product.

Thanks so much to Ponzi, for always knowing exactly what I want… even if I don’t know it myself.

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Saitek Backlit LED Eclipse II USB Keyboard Review

Chris Pirillo — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 07:25:30 +0000

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I absolutely love gadgets and gizmos that glow. The more of a glow it gives off, the more I enjoy it. This is why I was excited to test out this new keyboard from Saitek.

The new Eclipse II keyboard is backlit. You can change to one of three colors: red, blue or purple. The purple works best in my office with the lights off, and also allows me to admire my Tix above the desk. The backlighting has adjustable brightness. Of course, knowing me… I prefer the brightest setting.

The keyboard itself is very good. The keys mash the way I want them to mash. The Windows key is in the correct place. I could see myself switching over to this keyboard permanently, except for one not-so-small issue.

My desk has a keyboard tray underneath it that pulls out. I know many of you have them, as well. This keyboard is bulky. It’s just too thick on the verticle profile. It doesn’t fit well on my keyboard drawer, and my hands hit the underside of my desk. The lip on the front of the keyboard helps a bit, but just not enough. You should never rest your palms on your keyboard. Practicing good ergonomics is critical to your body’s health.

What keyboard do you use? What is your favorite keyboard of all time? Most importantly, what do you look for in a keyboard when you purchase one? Send me an email to chris@pirillo.com or leave me a comment on this video.

UPDATE:

I saw the review of the keyboard and I was excited because I own, and once used, the Saitek Eclipse II. I say own and used because after about 5 weeks the spacebar key broke. It didn’t break all the way off, just one of the glue-pads that holds it on popped off. So now the spacebar is floppy and when I’m typing and try to hit it with my thumbs it feels like it clicks all the way but it doesn’t and I end up typinglikethis. No spaces, bummer. It also sorta seems pretty cheaply made too… :( Now I use a Logitech wireless and I own it for the simple reason of it is very, very flat. I was hoping to get an Apple wireless keyboard for my PC but it’s bluetooth (my PC isn’t) and the ones my store carries doesn’t say that it works on Windows. :(

Keep up all the good work Chris!
Jim Survak (aka Casan0va)

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