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LCD Overtaking CRT

prostoalex writes "IDC has a new report out, claiming that revenues for LCDs by the end of this year will top the CRT revenues. The only market not susceptible to the shift will be gaming and graphics-intensive applications, where the refresh rates of LCDs are not satisfactory yet."

32 of 280 comments (clear)

  1. of course by jonnyfivealive · · Score: 5, Insightful

    well, sure revenues are going to be more, they cost a helluva lot more

  2. not only reason... by st0rmcold · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The price is still a bit overwhelming, so I don't think it's only the gaming community refraining.

    I'd love to have one, but not for the price of a P4 3ghz.

    --
    Posting useless rant since 2003.
    1. Re:not only reason... by Rick+the+Red · · Score: 4, Insightful
      I'm hoping they get to commodity pricing quickly, so that I can afford an LCD (or OLED or whatever) television. I'm sick and tired of the overscanning on CRT television. Just as I was going to get a Heathkit TV so I could adjust the overscanning myself, they stopped making TVs (oops, I'm dating myself). And yes, I did try asking my local TV repair shop if they could adjust mine; modern TVs aren't adjustable that way (I guess they save money by leaving off the potentiometers).

      In fact, modern electronics aren't repairable at all; once somethings out of warranty it's more cost effective to throw it away and buy a new one. On the other hand, as long as it's working there's little better on the market, so there's no reason to "upgrade."

      So, on another topic, any MTBF figures on CRT monitors? Are they built with planned obsolesence in mind, or is it "the last monitor you'll ever own"?

      --
      If all this should have a reason, we would be the last to know.
    2. Re:not only reason... by Doppler00 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You'd rather have a P4 GHz and a cheap monitor than an LCD that is easier on the eyes? I for one am planning to buy an LCD long before I upgrade my "slow" 1.2GHz CPU. Most consumers can't see the difference between CPU speeds but they can see the difference between a CRT and an LCD even if they don't understand things like resolution or refresh rate.

      I do a lot of programming, and having a good quality screen for text would help quite a bit.

  3. Makes sense by Galvatron · · Score: 4, Insightful
    First of all, LCDs are more expensive, so it takes a smaller volume to achieve the same level of revenue. Second, all laptops use LCDs, and you need to buy a new LCD for every new laptop, whereas desktops can reuse old CRTs. Finally, this is only looking at new sales, and doesn't really say anything about how fast people are replacing existing CRTs with LCDs.

    Despite this statistic, I think it'll be a long time before CRTs become an uncommon sight on a desktop machine.

    --
    "The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
    1. Re:Makes sense by stratjakt · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Despite this statistic, I think it'll be a long time before CRTs become an uncommon sight on a desktop machine

      It'll happen about the time you can get a LCD screen of a comparable quality to a CRT, for the same price.

      I was checking out LCDs. I'd love to have one, but for the 800 bucks I'd shell out for a decent 15" LCD, I could get a top of the line 19" CRT, and a bigger desk to fit it on.

      I'm no fan of CRTs, they're big, hot, and annoying. But I just dont have the cheese for a good LCD.

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
    2. Re:Makes sense by Pxtl · · Score: 4, Informative

      While I agree with you (I only use an LCD because I won it in a draw) keep in mind that LCD screens of the same recorded dimension are actually larger then CRT's. LCD's are not larger then the viewable screen, while CRT's measure the total size of the picture tube, which is substantially larger then the viewable screen. Therefore, add at least an inch (2 is better) to the size of the LCD when comparing them to a CRT.

      That being said, I hate the lack of variable resolution on LCD's. Can't have everything, I guess.

    3. Re:Makes sense by oznet · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I don't know. The statistics may very well be off for the reasons you mentioned. However, I think we will be seeing much cheaper LCD's very soon as the market gains momentum (as it already is).

      The thing is, once you use an LCD screen for any length of time, you just can't go back to a CRT. A CRT feels like it's burning your retinas out compared to a good LCD screen. At least for me the LCD produces much less eye strain. My Latitude's UXGA 1600x1200 screen is simply stunning.

      What I'm really waiting for is more screens with at least 1600x1200 resolution. I can't believe my tiny 15" laptop screen supports it but you can't buy a 18" or 19" LCD that will do 1600x1200 for less than the price of my whole laptop. I don't understand that. Who would buy a 19" or even 20" LCD that only does 1280x1024? Ugh. A 19" LCD's screen size is pretty close to what a 21" CRT monitor offers.

    4. Re:Makes sense by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 4, Insightful

      CRT's measure the total size of the picture tube, which is substantially larger then the viewable screen.

      For the past 5 years at least, CRT vendors have usually included the measurements of both the entire picture tube and the viewable area.

      So a 19" CRT (17.1" viewable) still has more usable screen area than a 17" LCD, and at 1/2 to 1/3 of the purchase price.

    5. Re:Makes sense by niko9 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Check out IBM's new L200p 21" LCD. 1600x1200 native, 400:1 brightness, and only 1349 USD w/ 3yr warranty.

      This baby just came out last week.

  4. The article mentions total sales by Rev.LoveJoy · · Score: 4, Insightful
    not total units shipped. LCDs are typically 2X the cost of a CRT (roughly). This means that CRTs are still outselling LCDs on a volume basis.

    Cheers,
    -- RLJ

  5. Ah ! by bain_online · · Score: 5, Funny

    With these narrow angle displays being standard i can expect to surf porn at work and still get away with it

    --
    BAIN http://www.devslashzero.com
  6. Graphics Design by Keighvin · · Score: 4, Informative

    In the graphics design realm it's rarely about refresh rates (unless you're working specifically with animation or motion media production). The color calibration just isn't there yet, the level threshold dropps off at the bottom (reducing the low luminosity contrast) and turns to glare far too low in the histogram (almost eliminating useful high-luminosity contrast).

    They're also sensitive to heat, both from the operating environment and duration of use causing further shifts in appreciable color and (perceived) refresh.

    OLED display's promise to eliminate the contrast and color calibration issues, but until those are more viable in cost and lifetime graphics design will still rely alost solely on CRT's.

    --
    Any spoon would be too big.
    1. Re:Graphics Design by Visigothe · · Score: 5, Informative

      While what you say is true, it seems that there are some companies that are trying to do something about colour accuracy. Apple for instance sells SWAP certified LCDs. The monitors that are SWAP certified are *quite* good, and the technology will only improve, get cheaper, and trickle down to the smaller LCDs.

      I've proofed on one of the SWAP monitors, and *damn* Quite nice. Of course, all ouput is different, YMMV, etc.

  7. Exciting, because by AEton · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Higher revenue leads to companies thinking this is a viable (desktop) technology. That will stimulate more research, more development, and more production.
    And that means that one day they'll be cheap enough for me to own; a simple pricewatch check shows that I could get a 17-inch LCD monitor for $333 OR spend $329 on a 21-inch CRT monitor. Which do you think (given only $350) I'd rather do?
    Also, this article makes an interesting claim that LCDs haven't done as well as they might've because "the human eye needs to see 25 frames per second to be tricked into thinking that motion is continuous, and LCD monitors have often failed to meet this specification". Um, my laptop LCD has a fixed 60Hz refresh rate. If that's what Computerworld is talking about, they're full of it.

    --
    We recently had heard in the office over one of the Yellow Machine that's made by Anthology Solutions.
  8. refresh rates by syle · · Score: 5, Insightful
    It was my understand that the notion of 'refresh rates' doesn't really apply to LCDs. So, while your CRT monitor may redraw its screen anywhere from 60-85 times a second, the limiting factor in LCDs is the speed at which each individual pixel can change color.

    Am I misunderstanding something, or was the article author just intending a more generic meaning of refresh rates?

    --

    /syle

    1. Re:refresh rates by redgren · · Score: 5, Informative

      Refresh rates don't make sense on an LCD... The parameter you need to look at is the Rise/Fall time of the pixels (also known as response time). The pixels don't change unless they need to, whereas for CRTs, every pixel on the screen is being redrawn (60 times a second at 60Hz, obviously)

      The response times are getting faster and cheaper, but still leave a bit to be desired.

      The total response time of a pixel can be (typically) anywhere from 15ms to 40ms for an LCD monitor. Most are between 25 and 35. 30ms response time is pretty much average. If the whole screen is changing quickly (think fast FPS gaming), you would only be getting the equivalant of 33Hz or so. At 15ms (for considerably more $$), you are looking at an analogous 66Hz refresh.

      Most of the hardcore gamers I know don't like less than 85Hz on their CRTs, so still lots of room for improvement on the LCDs.

    2. Re:refresh rates by CTho9305 · · Score: 4, Informative

      The 85Hz on a CRT is different. This is because the CRT flickers - and many people can perceive this flicker at 60Hz. However, 60fps is as smooth as it gets. An LCD has a constant light, so it doesn't flicker. All you need is 60 updates per second to redraw all the pixels, and then you get a smooth, flicker-free image.

  9. My LCD Experance by YokuYakuYoukai · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Recently my 21 inch CRT failed and I had the need to get a new monitor. I checked out a lot of different options but as it turns out i ended up with a 19 inch lcd and i think its just wonderful. The ghosting in FPS games is small but noticable but its not so hard to adjust to and i dont see any ghosting in any other apps, including viewing divx movies and watching DVDs. before you pass judgement on LCDs you should check out this latest generation. With each new series the problems become smaller and less annoying. Also i no longer need a fan in my window to cool my office off, my old crt threw a lot of heat.

  10. Re:Burned out pixels suck by aksansai · · Score: 5, Informative

    The performance and reliability of LCDs compared with CRTs is a big factor in bolstering revenue for the LCD market. Sure, LCD screens are more expensive - but the benefits of LCD screens over CRTs, in my opinion, are worth the additional money (savings in energy, ease of long-term viewing on the eyes, etc.)

    Many manufacturers guarantee their LCDs from burned out pixels with a pixel defect policy. The policies will differ as to the amount of defect will warrant a free replacement, and you should check to see the duration of terms of the policy prior to making a decision.

    In fact, Tom's Hardware Guide posted a recent article with regards to pixel displays. You can find the article here: http://www17.tomshardware.com/display/20030319/lcd _pixels-01.html

    --
    Ayup
  11. Re:Burned out pixels suck by tchuladdiass · · Score: 5, Informative

    Check out tomshardware.com, they have an article on manufactures replacement policies for burned out pixels. Basically, the policies are all accross the board. Also, they make a distinction between an "unlit" pixel (black), and a "stuck" pixel (always on). Personally, I can put up with an unlit pixel at the edge of a screen, but I had a laptop once that had a couple of red pixels towards the middle, and it drove me bonkers.

  12. CRT Disposal by asv108 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    One of the big questions is where are all these CRT's going to end up? I have no problem finding takers for old computers, but nobody wants to take 15in and soon 17in CRT monitors. Selling them on eBay doesn't work because usually the shipping is 3x more than the monitor itself. 21in CRT's that cost $1500 three years ago are going for under $100. I've seen quite a few companies with closets full of old CRT's.

    1. Re:CRT Disposal by stratjakt · · Score: 4, Interesting

      21in CRT's that cost $1500 three years ago are going for under $100.

      Where? I'll take 3.

      But seriously, that's how tech is. Your $700 LCD you buy today will be worth jack-squat in 3 years.

      I havent bought a 'new' CRT in a few years, I found a guy who reconditions them and resells 'em on the cheap with a 3 year parts and labor guarantee. His work is top-notch, and I've grabbed some really choice Diamondtron monitors from him.

      Though I still havent found a (decent) 21" for under 100 bucks.

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
  13. But the lines are blurring.. by Xzzy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Ha-ha, yes it was intended. Anyways.

    > gaming and graphics-intensive applications, where
    > the refresh rates of LCDs are not satisfactory yet

    It's getting harder and harder these days to complain about refresh on an LCD. Granted it's not as good as a tried and true CRT, but the point is that LCD's running at native resolution are doing quite well. To the point that an average person won't notice any difference between a CRT and an LCD.

    My better half owns a recent LCD. She plays plenty of games on it, from everquest to the latest sim city title to crappy web based flash games. I haven't yet taken the chance to "stress test" with a round of quake but for the most part I've been pleasantly surprised to how well the LCD responds to modern games. The images are bright, reasonably crisp, and it does all this over a crappy legacy analog vga port.

    Maybe a "videophile" will find stuff to complain about, but I've found myself quite impressed by the performance an LCD can offer. These days I consider them equal to a CRT.

  14. My resolution gripe by swb · · Score: 4, Informative

    ...with LCDs is that they're generally lower res at a given size than I'd run an equivilent-sized CRT at. In other words, I can crank a CRT to a higher display resolution than an LCD can.

    To get the res I'm used to on a 21" CRT (1920x1440), I need some $3k 24" LCD display.

    1. Re:My resolution gripe by captaineo · · Score: 4, Informative

      Low- and mid-range CRTs aren't usually capable of resolving pixels at their maximum rated resolution, whereas LCDs by definition always draw perfect pixels at their nominal resolution. (even my top-of-the-line 21" Sony CRT works great at 1280x1024 but the pixels go to fuzz at 1600x1200).

      From a signal-processing standpoint, it might actually be preferable to have pixels drawn as overlapping blobs rather than perfect squares, but squares will always look sharper to most viewers than blobs.

  15. Refresh rates != response time by Comrade+Brightski · · Score: 5, Informative

    "...where the refresh rates of LCDs are not satisfactory yet."

    I believe the poster is mistakenly trying to apply CRT terminology to LCDs. The refresh rate of a CRT, which is the number of times an image is painted on the screen per second, doesn't quite apply to LCDs. What does apply, however, is the response time. This is usually measured in ms and refers to the time period for a pixel to completely change its state. Response times are typically around 25 ms, but are often slower for black -> white transitions. Slow response gives the effect known as ghosting and makes these panels undesirable to gamers.

    As for the graphics artists, it's kind of a mixed bag. They get perfect geometries as a trade off for true color. Most modern LCDs operate at only 24 bit color.

    The office user/casual gamer makes up the vast majority of the population and won't notice any of these downfalls. Thus, despite the price, these things are selling like hotcakes due to the easiness on the eyes and uber-coolness. Besides, chicks dig em. ;)

    --
    "Software is like sex. It's better when it's free." -Linus Torvalds
  16. Large companies are already adopting LCDs by aksansai · · Score: 4, Interesting

    CRTs take a large amount of real-estate when it comes to the desk in which an employee has to work. In the long term, a farm of CRT cubicals versus a farm of LCD cubicals will consume a much larger portion of energy costs (considered company overhead). Display costs alone are appropriated from a specific budget. However, rarely does a department ever worry about the higher cost of energy until the overhead budget continues to swell. This does indeed turn the heads of bean counters.

    Cheap CRTs have the notoriety of having short "brightness" spans so much that a company would rather purchase a more expensive brand name just to ensure that the longevity of the display device will be sufficient.

    The company I work for alone has begun the mass upgrade of computers throughout the building. So far, it's about a 8:2 ratio of LCDs to CRTs. Even so, the CRT purchases are for individuals who require 21" screens. The average LCD purchase is for a 17" screen.

    The banks in the city I work in have begun adopting LCD screens over the small CRT monitors to reduce the amount of breaks necessary by tellers to relieve eye-stress, theoretically increasing productivity.

    Hospitals (a big corporate customer base) have begun the mass adoption of LCD screens because they take much less space than their CRT counterparts and produce a much smaller amount of electrical interface when turned on or off.

    These are just a few examples of how LCDs are more practical and efficient - spearheading the adoption of LCDs as the display of choice.

    --
    Ayup
  17. Re:I should get one by molarmass192 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Dude, to me that high pitch is a sign of impending death. I've had 2 monitors die on me (CRT) and the sound was the thing I noticed both times. I won't place a bet on WHEN but I'd guess you have about 6 months after the point it gets REALLY annoying.

    I love my LCD but reality is that ghosting (blurring of moving images) is very noticeable on LCDs. They are nowhere near CRTs for watching movies and such. However, for text work (99% of my time) I love it. The decision boils down to WHAT you do with your PC. If you game or do a lot of multimedia, it's not as good as a CRT. In my case, I couldn't go back to CRTs since I'd lose the "crispness" of text on an LCD.

    --

    Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws-Plato
  18. Re:But Do They Run Linux? by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Funny

    I hear that LCD displays don't work with Linux. Anyone know if that is just a specific distro?

    You are correct, if your linux kernel doesn't have the LCD patch rolled into it very bad things happen when you install a LCD monitor on a linux machine.. Side effects such as a distortion field being generated that scratches all CD's within a 4 meter radius have been reported as well as users actually being blinded as the linux kernel allows the LCD to generate intense light that is near that of the sun's output.

    I strongly reccomend that you stay away from linux and LCD's in general. they are very dangerous and can kill you easily.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  19. Re:Burned out pixels suck by istartedi · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Losing a pixel on a CRT is bad too. No, it doesn't happen as often, but I am typing this on a machine that uses a Philips CRT (model 107s 17 inch). The first unit I got had a missing pixel. I took it back to CompUSA and they replaced it. The next unit I got mysteriously went black after a month. Fortunately, I kept my old 15 inch as a backup, and the RMA process went very smoothly. Interesting to note is that the monitor I got via RMA was made in USA. You never see that in the store... so I guess if you have to sit through RMA, they make sure you get the best quality. I was able to put up with this, BTW, because at the time 17 inch CRTs were expensive and this one was a bargain. My Philips has now provided me with 5 years of uninterupted service under conditions including no A/C and daily power cycling (sometimes twice a day).

    The point? Both technologies have their problems. What matters is the support. A good manufacturer won't leave you "stuck with an annoying glitch".

    --
    For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  20. Re:Burned out pixels suck by SirTwitchALot · · Score: 4, Informative

    Not terribly difficult,

    If something (a speck of dust perhaps) was blocking the aperature grille, the electron beam would never reach the Phosphor to illuminate it. Dirty manufacturing facilities could be to blame. You don't see this often because manufacturers check for this sort of thing, and don't generally let defective CRT's leave the factory.

    --
    Go away, or I will replace you with a very small shell script.