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Dell Selling 30" Flat Panels

bling..bling writes "Apple is not the only company selling 30" flat panel monitors. Dell is now offering a 30" flat panel display that has a native resolution of 2560x1600 and sells for $2,199. Just like the apple 30" display you do need a dual link DVI video card to drive this massive beast. This monitor also sports four USB ports and a media card reader. I've been waiting for Dell or someone else to release a 30" display and hopefully bring the prices down. I'm tired of the dual monitor thing, I want one display device on my desk, just make it a very large device. See the details on Dell's web site on the new Dell 3007WFP 30-inch widescreen digital flat panel monitor."

417 comments

  1. Two heads are better than one! by ericspinder · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I'm tired of the dual monitor thing, I want one display device on my desk, just make it a very large device.
    OTOH, the first thing that crossed my mind was: "How much for for two of them", because I'm that much of a dual-monitor 'convert'. If I had to choose between one 30" or my two 19" monitors, I'd choose the pair, rather than just one. Right now, I've got a 21" at work, and I find myself resizing windows, just to find the perfect balance of window size, far more than my dual monitor set up at home. Also, it's great to leave some 'desktop hogs' such as chat windows, the Google desktop, the task bar, and other items which would grab the entire vertical or horizontal axis, in the 'secondary window'.
    --
    The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
    1. Re:Two heads are better than one! by QuaZar666 · · Score: 1

      yeah, but not too many cards have dual-link dvi and even fewer have 2 dual-link dvi connections. The only card off the top of my head that does in the Quadro FX 5400 - 512MB. I am sure there are others that probally cost a little less, but I wouldn't expect to see a lot of them.

    2. Re:Two heads are better than one! by mbadolato · · Score: 1

      I'm the oppoisite actually.

      5 years ago I had dual 19" CRT's at work and loved it, then that company closed and I went back to one monitor at work.

      Last year I got an Apple 23" Cinema which I love love love. At home, I decided to get a second 21" flat panel to go with my current one. I found myself rarely using the second one. Only keeping occasional things there. Maybe it's just because i'm used to the one at home? Maybe it's the angle of the monitors and the border between them.

      2 weeks ago when I got my wife a Mac Mini, I replaced her 17" FP with my 2nd 21", and I'm perfectly fine having the one here again.

      While I would LOVE more room (like a 24" widescreen or the 30") on here, I like the single monitor instead of the duals.

    3. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Two Samsung 214T 21" flat panels will run you about $1500.

    4. Re:Two heads are better than one! by xornor · · Score: 1

      This card does not support dual-link. It has two single-link dvi connectors

    5. Re:Two heads are better than one! by roror · · Score: 2, Interesting

      That is perfectly understandable. If you are used to a 23" GOOD LCD monitor and just add a relatively inferior smaller monitor to its side, you are not going to use it often. But, that does not mean dual monitor is not useful. In fact I don't think any dual monitor user actively uses both the monitors even if they are of same quality. The beauty of the dual monitor setup is the luxury it affords to open myriads of useless (or useful) things and throw it to a SEPARATE view away from the place where you are getting your real work done, while keeping it very much accessible. It's similar in a way to having multiple virtual workspace in any mordern desktop envioronment (KDE, GNOME etc). But, separating them physically enables you (or rather me) to just separate "work and play" in the workspace.

      So, given your set up -- I do still see a big plus of having 21" monitor next to the prime 23" one, assuming that cost is not a big factor. The border "in the middle" is the thing you dislike, but, I really like that. I have seen my colleague jokingly say me .. don't they sell a small 2" lcd to fill that gap in between. Thats a common complain from any one coming from one monitor setup, but, once you are used to the idea of two monitors, you'll love it.

    6. Re:Two heads are better than one! by John+Miles · · Score: 3, Interesting

      If I had to choose between one 30" or my two 19" monitors, I'd choose the pair, rather than just one.

      I was faced with upgrading my Samsung monitor from a 1280x1024 170T to a 1920x1200 243T on my home machine awhile back. I was all set to flash the plastic when I stopped and did the math. I could go from 1.3 to 2.3 megapixels for (at the time) about $1500... or I could keep the 170T as a secondary monitor and buy a 1600x1200 213T instead for about $800.

      1.9 megapixels plus 1.3 megapixels >> 2.3 megapixels.... duh. I've been very happy with the 213T/170T combo.

      Until applications emerge that actually need a contiguous 30" hunk of screen real estate, I think the parent poster has the right idea. Dual monitors have a lot of advantages over buying a single humongous one at the pointy end of the price/pixel curve. Sure, I appreciate a panoramic gaming experience as much as the next guy, but Q4 and HL2 are already choppy when I run them on the 213T with all rendering features cranked up. A 30" display would be like watching King Kong at 12 FPS from the front row.

      --
      Dahlmann tightly grips the knife, which he may have no idea how to use, and steps out into the plain.
    7. Re:Two heads are better than one! by interiot · · Score: 2, Insightful
      just to find the perfect balance of window size, far more than my dual monitor set up at home. Also, it's great to leave some 'desktop hogs' such as chat windows, the Google desktop, the task bar, and other items which would grab the entire vertical or horizontal axis, in the 'secondary window'.
      I have a widescreen at home, and use dual monitors at work, so I know exactly where you're coming from.

      The issues you bring up are window management problems. They're things that should be solved in software, rather than requiring you to spend good money to reconfigure your hardware. Optimally, switch to linux and configure the window manager's behavior until you're happy, possibly start off with a tiling window manager like ratpoison or something.

      Also, widescreen threw me for a bit of a loop... webpages aren't designed to be viewed at 1920 pixels wide, and aren't designed for 16:9 / 16:10, and some of them end up being much harder to read than you'd think they would. I end up wanting software to "halve" the monitor so it acts like a left and a right half. So if you're really really stuck on using hardware to solve the window manager issues, I'd suggest not getting a widescreen.

      Also, widescreen really is the future: if you have a 50" widescreen monitor, and you sit a foot or two away from it, you don't need two of them. A widescreen monitor is shaped to fill your perhipheral vision well. We just need window managers to catch up now (especially Windows, if that's something we'll be forced to use at work).

    8. Re:Two heads are better than one! by cspring007 · · Score: 1

      After Hurricane katrina i had all of my office's equipent at my house which included 2 dell 21" flat panel monitors and one apple cinema display. I managed to hook all three of them up to one of the dell Precision workstations we have. It was pretty cool but the apple display was a WAY higher quality picture than the dell 21'' fp. Also, i had one of the dell fp using an d-sub cable, wich , when sitting next to to monitors hooked up with DVI made a huge difference. I managed to actually use all three when i was writing software (two windows of code and one of the object browser, console, etc..) however, there is no way that it was worth the 5,000 pricetag that i would have had to pay for it if i bought them myself. Eventually, my boss came and took his cinema display and now i have the 2 fp hooked up, which is nice.
      at my job that i work at now (my other office dosent exist anymore) i have three monitors (a CRT a 19'' flatpanel and a 17'' flat panel) which i use to write code. the two bigger ones i use for the ide and the smaller one i use for the client web page preview.
      my point is that id pay for 2 monitors that in total cost half the price of the big one and be happy. really, id like to have 2 of the big ones, but for some reason, my wife wont let me spend 4000 dollars on monitors and 2000 dollars on the video cards to run them. grrr.

    9. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Ed+Avis · · Score: 1

      Can't you buy a single screen and set up some kind of software emulation to split it into two? Certainly this is possible with X Window (eg two xnests).

      --
      -- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
    10. Re:Two heads are better than one! by aelfwyne · · Score: 1

      So you're telling me I'll want to trade my 21" Sony Trinitron G520? I don't think so!

      --
      -- If it ain't broke - overclock it more.
    11. Re:Two heads are better than one! by ericspinder · · Score: 1
      Personally, I think that one the keys of loving a dual monitor set up is to have two monitors of the exact same size, and notching up your mouse speed.

      Really, I'd suggest getting the same model, just for the lack of visual differences. For about a week, as I said in a previous reply, I had my old 6 yo 17' CRT as my secondary, and it didn't even come close to being used. Not only was the color off (I really did need a replacement but was waiting for the 19" LCDs to drop to around $300), but the window sizes didn't transfer well. I quickly realized that the three inch difference was much more of a problem than I had anticipated.

      As for the mouse speed, it was amazing to find that mouse traverse was actually annoying, but once I realized that issue, it was 'quickly' solved. With the wide aspect screens, such as yours, that you'd have even more 'real estate' to cross.

      Many people do all of their work in a single application, and/or manage to keep the number of windowed apps down to a minimum, I am not one of those.

      --
      The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
    12. Re:Two heads are better than one! by RevDobbs · · Score: 1
      Also, widescreen threw me for a bit of a loop... webpages aren't designed to be viewed at 1920 pixels wide, and aren't designed for 16:9 / 16:10, and some of them end up being much harder to read than you'd think they would.

      Stop browsing with a maximized window.

      I end up wanting software to "halve" the monitor so it acts like a left and a right half.

      The software is there: resize your browser window.

      In the "What resolution should I target my webpages to?" post on "Ask Slashdot", it seems that a lot of people run all of their prgrams maximized. Why? You're not in 800x600, you probably have a ton of screen realestate; why are you taking it all up with one window, especially when it is very likely that the program you're using wasn't designed for 16 hojillion x 10 hojillon screens?

    13. Re:Two heads are better than one! by hackstraw · · Score: 1

      Right now, I've got a 21" at work, and I find myself resizing windows, just to find the perfect balance of window size, far more than my dual monitor set up at home.

      If in 2006 your windowing system, applications, or operating system don't remember your window placement from the last time you ran the application, I would suggest upgrading.

      I remember back in 1995 or so when I first started using dual displays, I heard of a usability study that found that 2 smaller displays that had the same real estate of 1 that was twice as large was "easier" or "more productive" or something to use. Its typically much cheaper as well.

      Dual displays in my experience are only good for some applications or workstyles. I gave up on dual displays on my laptop because it was too difficult because I would routinely hook them up in 3 different configurations (2x dual displays with different resolution monitors and just my laptop display), and apps would "remember" where they were supposed to go, but the situation was always different and I had to do the window shuffle like the parent was talking about, and it was not worth the effort.

      In general, I find multi-monitor setups only useful for "read only" data on other displays that are not my primary one. The WIMP interface simply brakes down for interactive use on multiple displays or even a large one like these 30" ones. I feel like "mousing" across thousands of pixels to be a PITA. Especially when doing a DND or a window move across thousands of pixels. For gross movements like this a touch screen would be ideal, but they get too dirty too quickly. If the pointer followed the keyboard shortcuts to switch between applications, that would be much better. To switch apps with a simple Command-Tab press or two, that takes less than a second. Digging up my pointer to now use the application takes additional seconds to do for no reason. To me keyboard and pointer focus should be uniform.

    14. Re:Two heads are better than one! by ericspinder · · Score: 0, Offtopic
      This card does not support dual-link. It has two single-link dvi connectors
      Your absolutely right, I had made the quick mistake that that guy was commenting on my post and was presenting the dual monitor setup as too expensive, rather just using my relevant 1st post to make his own comment appear higher on the page.
      --
      The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
    15. Re:Two heads are better than one! by dr.badass · · Score: 3, Informative

      You're confusing dual connections with dual-link. A dual-link connection is required for any resolution over 2048x1536. If you want to drive two monitors over 2048x1536, you need two separate dual-link DVI connections.

      Most video cards don't support dual-link at all. Those that do tend to support only one dual-link connection, even if they have two DVI connectors. So, you can only have one 30" display and one smaller (2048x1536 or less) display.

      The only current card that I know of that supports two dual-link connections (i.e., can drive two 30" displays) is the nVidia Quattro FX 4500, which costs over $1500.

      --
      Don't become a regular here -- you will become retarded.
    16. Re:Two heads are better than one! by interiot · · Score: 1
      Maximizing windows is used by a wide number of geeks to speed up their interaction with the window manager, particularly by geeks who prefer the keyboard over the mouse for its speed. Spending time resizing the window with the mouse is not a useful way to spend your time when a few keystrokes do the same job in much less time. The solution to 16 hojillion x 10 hojillon screens is not to stop this maximizing habit, but to have window managers better support heavy keyboard users, possibly through tiling rather than the traditional free-floating paradigm.

      Or, to put it another way: a lot of smart geeks do it, and do it for a reason. Saying "just stop doing that" is stupid and doesn't address the reasons why they do it.

    17. Re:Two heads are better than one! by shmlco · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Since you mentioned Apple displays and a mini, I assume you're on a Mac as well. At any rate, Mac OS X has a "feature" that definitely works against multiple monitors, namely the single top-of-the-screen menu bar. As implemented, any application you put in the second monitor will have it's menu all the way back over on the first monitor.

      As such, I'd like an option to "echo" the menu bar onto each monitor, reducing at least half of the problem.

      The other half, however, is inherent in their single shared menu design. Yes, I know about the usability studies, but the majority of those stem from the time when most Apples had a single 9" screen. If you've ever used a Mac with a 30" widescreen display, I think you'll agree that the top menu bar, as with the split screen setup, often seems a long ways away from your current work window. It kills a lot of the benefits of having a huge monitor if you need to cluster most of your work in the top-left corner of the screen.

      --
      Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
    18. Re:Two heads are better than one! by rfunk · · Score: 1

      One thing that helps a lot is to do color-calibration on both monitors. That way you can get the two screens to have close to the same color and brightness.

      Another is to use a trackball instead of a mouse, so just a flick can fling the pointer over to the other screen. (I like Microsoft's Trackball Explorer best.)

      At work I have a 19" CRT and a 17" Dell LCD side by side. Same viewable area, but the LCD has higher resolution and sharper pixels. The CRT is a bit brighter and has slightly better color. I use the LCD for my text editing, command-lines, and email, and I use the CRT for web pages and graphics editing.

      I'm using X11 in old-fashioned dual-screen mode rather than Xinerama mode, so I can switch virtual desktops separately for each screen.

    19. Re:Two heads are better than one! by EvilBudMan · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Exactly..

      Right now her at work I have a 21" CRT & 20.1" LCD which gives me the same aspect ratio of the CRT. Now I can get a 20.1" LCD for about $600. I could even see the use of 4 in a rack.

    20. Re:Two heads are better than one! by gstoddart · · Score: 1
      Also, widescreen really is the future: if you have a 50" widescreen monitor, and you sit a foot or two away from it, you don't need two of them. A widescreen monitor is shaped to fill your perhipheral vision well. We just need window managers to catch up now (especially Windows, if that's something we'll be forced to use at work).

      Man, I can't imagine sitting a few feet from a 50" monitor. That just sounds ... so damned indulgent. My TV is 43", and I sit 7 feet from it. Granted, I'm viewing different stuff with a computer.

      At work I've got dual 19" monitors, and 9 virtual desktops. I always run the same stuff on the same screens, so I can just flip to the correct desktop. It's like having 18 friggin' desktops, it's sweet! No more hunting for windows. I can just imagine it with that kind of real-estate.
      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    21. Re:Two heads are better than one! by peragrin · · Score: 1

      i currently do that with my laptop. of course I have a little 12" laptop which is perfect for on the go, but for web surfing from home i plug in my 18" FP. I then use teh little 12" display for a terminal window, IM client, itunes, etc, and generally leave the large display with a near full sized browser window on it.

      Of course then comes when i want to watch a movie(either file or DVD) and I unplug the 18" and plug in my old 19" tv. It's not great resolution but It allows me to move a more comfortable spot to watch from.

      To each their own. it all depends on how you use the setup. My is all under OSX so it isn't bad about window management during down time, just when changing which physical display is connected.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    22. Re:Two heads are better than one! by shmlco · · Score: 1
      "Also, widescreen threw me for a bit of a loop... webpages aren't designed to be viewed at 1920 pixels wide..."

      Sounds to me like bad habbits. I resize my windows to an optimum size for each and rarely run applications full screen (though there are a few exceptions like Photoshop and Dreamweaver). Since my widescreen system is a Mac, I also use Expose a lot, and I've found it also works better with smaller, non-maximized windows.

      This is in direct contrast to my old Dell laptop, with its 1024x768 screen resolution. There, it was easier to simply maximize every application and use the task bar to switch.

      --
      Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
    23. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Big monitor sizes are in a word awesome. But... as a developer and an uber geek I would never ever return to a single monitor solution even if that monitor was 100" big. Not yet anyways. For me it all boils down to screen management. Yes you can get a software that will kinda, sorta do it for you but it never works as it should, hogs resources and, often freaks out and you throw your mouse at the wall (what you don't do that?). For many of us software solution will never beat the dedicated power and reliability of the hardware. I recently bought the 24" WS Dell and I do absolutely love it especially for video editing work. But I use 3 monitors (20" WS + 24" WS + 20" WS) and nothing wold make me change that to a single 5200x1200 resolution equivallent monitor for "less desk clutter". Desktop clutter is more of the issue for me thank you very much.

      To comment on the new 30" display, of course I went "oohh and aahhh" (until I saw the price at least cause hey, for 2200 you could pretty much get 3! 24" ones, and that wold be the s* ha ha ha) and thought "I wish they came out with that few moths earlier". One crippling factor is no S-Video/Component (at least they do not appear to be in the official specs) inputs which on the 2405 are a great feature. Not an isse now but had I been trying to choose b'ween 24 and the new 30" I would be torn and likely went for the 24" (yea right). Dual-Link DVI is also a bummer of sorts although understandble. I could care less about the USB hub, lord knows I've got too many flash card readers as it is.

      While I think that D* PC's have become the crappiest machines known to man, I must admit their monitors are fantastic both from the working side and design. Maybe not best for gamers as they're fairly slow and have some backlighting issues, but they work, picture is sharp, and the design is awesome in its "industrial look" simplicity. I absolutely despise those artsy looking things with button this and fancy 5" frame that. My only hope is that the new 30" display will bring the 24" price tag even lower (as if ~$850 was too much) and I can swap out the 2 existing 20"-ers.

    24. Re:Two heads are better than one! by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      I personally prefer two square monitors (I don't know if 21" is square or not) of equal resolution. It lets me keep my primary window/application maximized and anythign else out of the way (file browsers, text/image editors (if that is not what I am doing), web browsers, and email. None of those other things will at any point obscrue any of my work. If I had a 30" widescreen i would have far more desktop space, but would probably still prefer 2 monitors (especially on a PC where maximizing on a 30" would be rediculous).

      Part of my preference probably come from the type of work I do, where going above 1024x728 (or whatever it is) causes all sorts of problems.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    25. Re:Two heads are better than one! by greggman · · Score: 1

      I agree 2 are better then 1. 3 are even better. I got 1 24" dell and 2 19"s in September. I think a 30 would be nice but I've notices some issues with my 24". With the screen being so wide it's actually somewhat harder to focus on the edges of the monitor as the further from the center I look the more one eye is closer to the monitor than the other. Argubly a wide monitor should curve to correct that. With more than one monitor you can approximate the needed curve.

    26. Re:Two heads are better than one! by FireFury03 · · Score: 1

      Also, widescreen really is the future: if you have a 50" widescreen monitor, and you sit a foot or two away from it, you don't need two of them.

      If you've got a 50" widescreen monitor you've got way too much money. :)

      The thing that gets me is that 16:9 or 16:10 TFT screens are way more pricey than 4:3 screens of similar resolution. My crumby second monitor is now starting to make really nasty noises and I'm hoping that when it eventually dies I'll be able to get a 21" wide screen TFT at a sane price.

    27. Re:Two heads are better than one! by ericspinder · · Score: 1
      If in 2006 your windowing system, applications, or operating system don't remember your window placement from the last time you ran the application, I would suggest upgrading
      If in 2006 you make wild assumptions/ negitive comments about people's computer setups, in a effort to push your comment to the top of the stack, I'd suggest that you rethink your posting strategy. While some confict does tend to foster discussion, you don't always need to go negitive (In particular, wildly negitive) to start an addition to a discussion.

      I do use systems which remember window position, its just that the last postion/size isn't usually very useful on the single monitor system. On a dual monitor setup a consistant window startup position is very useful.

      --
      The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
    28. Re:Two heads are better than one! by ShagratTheTitleless · · Score: 0

      In Soviet Russia, Chernobyl babies with one head are better than those with two!

      --
      Sometimes at night I imagine the darkness is filled with horrible things with too many teeth, like Julia Roberts.
    29. Re:Two heads are better than one! by dot.solipsist · · Score: 1

      I, unfortunately, haven't had the opportunity to try this out first hand, though I have read good things about DejaMenu as a solution for the single menu bar 'problem' in dual-monitor OS X environments.

      --
      Sig Sig Sputnik
    30. Re:Two heads are better than one! by fossa · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure I understand what keyboard interaction has to do with maximized windows... I assume you're using some keyboard command to switch among windows? Does this not work if the windows are not maximized?

      Anecdote: I find that maximized windows slow me down considerably for the simple fact that I can only see the contents of one window at once... To say "a lot of smart geeks do it" is an argument from authority, and not very helpful.

      On a slightly different note, I've found that poorly designed webpages combined with resolution dependent windowing systems leads to webpages that just look horrible in a windows that are the "wrong" size, whether the window is maximized and too large, or not maximized and too small. Furthermore, I have a widescreen monitor, and it's a chore to read text from a webpage (or any program for that matter) that spans the entire window due to a maximized window... shifting my eyes great distances becomes tedious. Newspapers use multiple columns for a reason. Books purely of text generally aren't 30" wide either. And no, designing webpages that restrict column widths to 600 pixels isn't a good solution. If it is, what should one do with all the blank space on the sides?

      Perhaps tiling window managers are the answer (do you consider the windows to be "maximized" in the case where say, two are tiled side by side? I do not; are we simply disagreeing on terminology?). Sadly many apps [that I use] do not play well with tiling window managers. Nor do I particularly enjoy learning yet another set of keyboard shortcuts and hoping they don't interfere with whatever keyboard shortcuts my app wants... I guess the solution here is better designed apps and window manager.

    31. Re:Two heads are better than one! by ericspinder · · Score: 1
      Yes, you're right of course, as I said before, I made the mistake that someone was actually posting a reply to my message, and stating that it's too expensive to have a dual monitor setup, not just using it to post a higher ranking comment about the price of a dual-link card which is needed by the larger monitor (perhaps it was the "yeah, but", which fooled me).

      Of course someone willing to spend like $4500 on monitors may consider $1500 for a single card to drive the two, relatively 'cheap'.

      --
      The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
    32. Re:Two heads are better than one! by interiot · · Score: 1
      Are you sure 16:9 is more pricey than 4:3? (eg. it's better to computer total number of pixels, or total area of the display, rather than simply the diagonal)

      Nonetheless, even if that were true, if you ever play games or watch movies on the display, the pixels are better used if arranged in 16:9/16:10. See these game screenshot comparisons. What really sticks out to me is that on the 4:3 version, you see a lot more of the sky and the ground. On the 16:10 version, you see a lot more to the left and the right, and that stuff is always way more interesting than the sky or the ground. So the extra pixels to the left/right are more valuable to you than pixels on the top/bottom.

      Unfortunately if you read text very often, the argument is all wrong, newspaper columns aren't very wide for a reason, and A4 paper is taller than it is wide for a reason, because that's the best configuration for reading text. So what you really want is a 16:9/10 display that can be rotated 90 degrees. Unfortunately I also think that computer monitors should be 40-50", and rotating 40" widescreen displays just doesn't happen.

    33. Re:Two heads are better than one! by angrist · · Score: 1

      I find it convenient to rotate one 90 degrees. A 20 inch widescreen turned into a 20 inch portrait makes reading webpages a joy.

    34. Re:Two heads are better than one! by mczak · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually, the limit for single link dvi is 1920x1200 with somewhat "standard" timing (reduced blanking but still 60Hz). It's possible to drive much larger resolutions if you're willing to sacrifice refresh rate, though the problem is a lot of monitors (and possibly graphic drivers as well) won't support it.
      The radeon x1800 series also have dual dual link dvi, not exactly cheap but a lot cheaper than those workstation cards.

    35. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not necessarily. Companies could move their tech support operations from India to Russia and cut their HR costs in half although it might be even harder to understand what the hell *Sam* from "Nebraska" is saying ;)

    36. Re:Two heads are better than one! by interiot · · Score: 1
      Alt tabbing works for both maximized and non-maximized windows. The difference is that to maximize something in Windows, you just alt+space X. If you had a tiling window manager, there might be a couple extra keystrokes to select which sub-section of the screen you want to put the window in, but it's still just a few keys.

      If, instead, you want to manually partition the screen with your mouse, or otherwise get things to overlap, 1) taking the time to position a window with a mouse, and then resize the window with the mouse, generally takes much more time than banging at 2 - 5 keys, and 2) you're never going to be perfectly precise with the mouse, and you'll always be wasting some part of the screen space because windows aren't nudged up next to each other, or otherwise window boundaries will creep over time, or otherwise you'll end up being forced to overlap windows.

      Yeah, webpages are poorly designed, but as far as I know, there's no easy way to make text wrap around in a newspaper-column sort of way. (or if there is, certainly IE won't support it for several more years)

      do you consider the windows to be "maximized" in the case where say, two are tiled side by side? I do not; are we simply disagreeing on terminology
      Maybe "maximized" isn't the right word, but it allows you to quickly and accurately position the windows with a few keystrokes, which, IMHO, is the impetus for the original maximize-everything habit.
    37. Re:Two heads are better than one! by interiot · · Score: 1

      I haven't found a way to rotate 37" widescreen monitors, and I'd really like to move up to 50" at some point. Does anyone know of a mount that lets you rotate large widesceen LCD monitors? One that doesn't attach to the wall so you can use it in an apartment? :(

    38. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Heembo · · Score: 1

      I have found that the optimal monitor experience for programming is 3 computers on 2 20inch Dell LCD monitors.

      I have my Dell 9100 hooked up to both monitors, my dell 9100 hooked to my left monitor (single monitor mode) and my Mac Mini hooked up to my left monitor for testing. A KVM would be nice - but this gives me more flexibility. I can just switch the monitor buttons and via the USB on the monitor, keyboard and mouse switches over automagically. (one set per monitor)

      I think the only think that will beat my current setup is 2 30 inchers! :) :)

      --
      Horns are really just a broken halo.
    39. Re:Two heads are better than one! by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      Unfortunately I also think that computer monitors should be 40-50", and rotating 40" widescreen displays just doesn't happen.

      I have a 19" display that rotates, but it didn't come with drivers. So, I'm left with Windows built-in drivers, which do not allow me to rotate the display 90 degrees. Anyone know of a fix to that? I would really love to be missing something simple.

    40. Re:Two heads are better than one! by hackstraw · · Score: 1

      Mod me down or mod me up, at least I got you thinking, even if your thinking, "man, that guy is an ASS!".

      Well I usually make a real effort not to be a jerk, but it must be my nature.

    41. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      but it is sli

    42. Re:Two heads are better than one! by am+2k · · Score: 2, Interesting
      any application you put in the second monitor will have it's menu all the way back over on the first monitor

      Uhm, there's no such concept as "putting an application on the second monitor" on the Mac, since there isn't anything on screen which you could call "the application".

      I personally use three monitors on my Mac, with the menu bar at the center. I don't have any issues with the menu bar distance, since the center monitor is the only one that's really used for work, the others are like auxiliary monitors for windows I currently don't use for work.

    43. Re:Two heads are better than one! by rts008 · · Score: 0

      The "rotating software" is almost always part of your graphics card drivers, not monitor drivers- it's the graphics card that is having to "rotate" the image. Try this- (Windows OS) right click desktop>left click "prperties" > select "settings" tab > select "advanced" button >look for your settings here to rotate display. :)

      --
      Down With Slashdot BETA!!! I've been around the corner and seen the oliphant; you can only abuse me from your perspecti
    44. Re:Two heads are better than one! by hackstraw · · Score: 1

      Maximizing windows is used by a wide number of geeks to speed up their interaction with the window manager, particularly by geeks who prefer the keyboard over the mouse for its speed.

      In my experience, people maximize windows out of 1) habit 2) they seem to prefer to see one thing at a time.

      I can't read slashdot with a browser over 800 pixels wide or so. If its wider, I cannot follow from the right side to the left on the same line. 800 pixels is roughly the width of an average book page, I guess they will start making widescreen books.

      Maximizing to speed up using the keyboard makes no sense. Alt-tab or the equivalent works at the same speed if the program is maximized, minimized, hidden, or normal.

      Unless your doing a dedicated application that takes up bunches of real estate on your computer like Protools, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, or similar then maximizing make sense. OS X really doesn't have a maximize option and MDI interfaces are basically gone. On OS X programs like Photoshop just have multiple windows for the images and tools that you can put anywhere. There is nothing to "maximize". On something like MS windows, I believe that photoshop is still and MDI where the images and toolboxes are inside of the probably maximized MDI window.

      Personally, I believe that people that maximize everything are simpletons or neat freaks that cannot stand seeing more than one thing on their computer screen.

    45. Re:Two heads are better than one! by hackstraw · · Score: 0, Redundant

      As such, I'd like an option to "echo" the menu bar onto each monitor, reducing at least half of the problem.

      I second the motion.

    46. Re:Two heads are better than one! by ericspinder · · Score: 1
      It might be a surprise to you, but many people on this site take great pride in the computer systems they build, in particular the ones they build for their home. Of course, as a self-admitted 'apple fanboy' you don't know the joys/frustrations of the DIY builder, instead relying on pure purchasing power to buy into what I admit is a generally fine system. I know because I've used them in the past, and I wouldn't make, like you did, wild assumptions about such very basic window behavior.
      Well I usually make a real effort not to be a jerk, but it must be my nature.
      Well, that text certainly does apply to you as well, to bad that you didn't take the time to credit the original author (me).

      Frankly, I believe that you used my words from so long ago (just about 2 years) in a effort to humiliate me. While I regret some conversations, I do take pride in acknowledging that I am not always perfect (even to the point of being clearly 'off-topic'). Perhaps, someday, you'll learn that having a sense of humor and humility, are valuable traits, rather than just mocking such efforts.

      --
      The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
    47. Re:Two heads are better than one! by StikyPad · · Score: 1

      Well, Apple's not alone there. My gripe with dual displays has always been that Windows has a "feature" which they call a "task bar." Unfortunately, for quick-switching of applications using the mouse, you have to navigate back to whichever display the task bar is on. I've always wished there was a way to mirror the task bar as well.

    48. Re:Two heads are better than one! by poopdeville · · Score: 1
      Mod me down or mod me up, at least I got you thinking, even if your thinking, "man, that guy is an ASS!". Well I usually make a real effort not to be a jerk, but it must be my nature.

      Evidently. Why presume we need your help to "get thinking"? Dipshit.

      --
      After all, I am strangely colored.
    49. Re:Two heads are better than one! by RevDobbs · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Or, to put it another way: a lot of smart geeks do it, and do it for a reason.

      A lot of smart geeks have questionable hygene habits and have sex with flowers. What is your point?

      Saying "just stop doing that" is stupid and doesn't address the reasons why they do it.

      Eh, maybe. I think that "smart geeks" (vs all the chicken head eaters out there) learn to use their enviorment to their best advantage -- or they re-code their enviornment. They don't whine about what what is out there and then, when presented with a work around, make some broad appeal to an imagined majority to justify their personal issues.

    50. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      There is: it's a program called Ultramon (there is also a much buggier free program which does the same thing). Most vid cards will also let you stretch the task bar across both monitors.

      It also adds such nice things as an extra button at the top right of the window to send it to the other monitor, and I believe keyboard shortcuts to do the same (and to turn off a monitor).

      Granted, it'd be nice if windows came with such functionality built in and in all honesty I'd probably find having my menu bar on the other monitor much more annoying than my taskbar.

    51. Re:Two heads are better than one! by shmlco · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      That's picking an extremely fine nit. I guess the iTunes window I have up at the moment doesn't represent the iTunes application, even though to get it there I ran iTunes.app. Odd...

      --
      Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
    52. Re:Two heads are better than one! by MacGod · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      OTOH, the first thing that crossed my mind was: "How much for for two of them"

      Um, they're $2199 each, the math isn't that hard. See?

      --
      "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one " -Albert Einstein
    53. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Ian+Bicking · · Score: 1
      Personally I find Ion to be nicer than Ratpoison, though I wasn't that familiar with screen when I tried Ratpoison so that might have been an issue. Ion, though not under extremely active development, seems to be usable for a wider variety of tasks.

      Both are tiled window managers, so you allocate the screen to frames and put apps in frames, rather than arranging your app windows directly.

    54. Re:Two heads are better than one! by am+2k · · Score: 1

      Well, those single-window-apps usually have all of their main functionality available from that one window. I haven't touched iTunes' menu in ages.

    55. Re:Two heads are better than one! by brucehoult · · Score: 1

      The other half, however, is inherent in their single shared menu design. Yes, I know about the usability studies, but the majority of those stem from the time when most Apples had a single 9" screen. If you've ever used a Mac with a 30" widescreen display, I think you'll agree that the top menu bar, as with the split screen setup, often seems a long ways away from your current work window.

      MacOS has always had very nice mouse acceleration that allows you to move the cursor huge distance with a flick of the wrist. Perhaps Windows has caught up now, I'm not sure. The latest KDE seems pretty good.

      But the biggest issue is that even on huge screens Fitt's law still applies.

      I assume that you're going to be making your windows bigger on a big screen. Why else buy it? There can't be too many people buying a 30" screen to put 50 80x24 terminal windows on it. If your application windows are bigger then that makes a Windows-style menu almost as far away as a Mac-style one. But on a huge screen that menu becomes a *tiny* target and harder to hit. The Mac menu remains infinitely tall, and you just whack the cursor up against it. The Mac retains its advantage, and I think maybe even increases it.

    56. Re:Two heads are better than one! by mbadolato · · Score: 1

      Reading my post, I see I caused some confusion.

      Work: Apple 23" Cinema
      Home: 21" LCD

      At home I got a second 21" LCD, so had two, side-by-sied, for 42" worth of LCD. But I didn't like that; I prefer the single 23" display I use at work.

      I'm sure I would love a single 30"; I could always use more real estate. I just didn't adjust (gave it 2 months) well to the dual 21's, even though I loved the dual 19's I used at work years ago.

    57. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Agreed. I have a Dell 24" WS and a dual 17" on my desk top. The latter has a greater display area, but the former is a far more useful work space.

    58. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Lord+Apathy · · Score: 1

      Some people swear by dual displays. Personally I like my Viewsonic 23" LCD. I bought this beast because the ratio better matches the output on my cameras than the old square 19" one did.

      From a Photoshop point of view I can see having dual monitors as a plus. You can put your tool pallets on one monitor and have the photo displayed on the other. Just keeping the monitors calibrated would be a bitch. That is why I prefer a single big ass monitor over dual displays anyway.

      The same thing applies to programming too. I can keep the component pallets, editor, and outputs on one monitor. The application would go on the other.

      --

      Supporting World Peace Through Nuclear Pacification

    59. Re:Two heads are better than one! by kimvette · · Score: 1

      Throw in any kind of development (be it web, software, etc) or authoring (3D modeling, NLE, or even music) and you would view a dual-head setup as a requirement and not as a convenience.

      --
      The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
    60. Re:Two heads are better than one! by kimvette · · Score: 1

      {obligatory comment}
      . . . and if you run Linux you're best off avoiding ATI unless you like headaches

      --
      The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
    61. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Wonko · · Score: 1

      I haven't found a way to rotate 37" widescreen monitors, and I'd really like to move up to 50" at some point. Does anyone know of a mount that lets you rotate large widesceen LCD monitors? One that doesn't attach to the wall so you can use it in an apartment? :(

      What kind of resolution do your 37 inch displays run at? To be usable as a computer monitor I would hope they run at at least 2560x1600, like the 30 inchers they are talking about. Maybe I could survive at 1920x1080 (non interlaced :p)... I doubt it, though.

    62. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Viper_Viper · · Score: 1

      www.ultramon.com solves all your needs. Note, in Vista, you will not have this problem.

    63. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, seconded, most definitely. Ultramon r0xors for multi-monitor Windows setups. You can configure it to duplicate the taskbar on both screens, or to show only those applications that are on that screen. It adds options to Shortcut properties, so that apps can be made to open on one specific monitor; adds buttons to the top-right corner of windows to "snap" the window between screens; and is generally very useful.
      The homepage is here.
      Not affiliated with Realtimesoft, yada yada - just a satisfied Ultramon user!

    64. Re:Two heads are better than one! by shmlco · · Score: 1
      If I have, say Dreamweaver running side-by-side with Safari and Navicat, then when I'm working with one of those applications my cursor already tends to be in that application's "neighborhood". So yes, such a small point would be harder to hit starting from halfway across the screen, but usually I'm starting from just a few inches away. Given those circumstances, such a menu is no harder a target to hit than an application window's toolbar or tabs.

      I might also mention that "whacking" the cursor against the top of the screen is usually a two motion affair. Once to whack it to the top left, and again to move left or right to the desired position.

      I've also seen some interesting UI work done with gradients, where certain UI elements like menus and buttons seem to "attract" a cursor decelerating into their area.

      --
      Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
    65. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL supports 2 30" displays. My wallet, however does not.

    66. Re:Two heads are better than one! by brucehoult · · Score: 1

      If I have, say Dreamweaver running side-by-side with Safari and Navicat, then when I'm working with one of those applications my cursor already tends to be in that application's "neighborhood". So yes, such a small point would be harder to hit starting from halfway across the screen, but usually I'm starting from just a few inches away. Given those circumstances, such a menu is no harder a target to hit than an application window's toolbar or tabs.

      That's very true.

      Those things are hard to hit too.

      I might also mention that "whacking" the cursor against the top of the screen is usually a two motion affair. Once to whack it to the top left, and again to move left or right to the desired position.

      I honestly don't find that, although that's a valid technique and quite likely a pretty good one if the angle of movement is acute. But usually I find that moveing the cursor in the right direction to hit the menu I want is easy. You can see how you're doing on the way and unconsciously correct midcourse -- I think this plays to our primative hunter ability to catch balls etc.

    67. Re:Two heads are better than one! by dbodner · · Score: 1

      I agree. I'm MUCH more of a dual monitor person myself. a 30" monitor at a ridiculous price doesn't entice me all that much.

    68. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oddly enough, although the Dell 30" is listed as $2,199 in the US, the Dell.ca site currently has it listed for $1,999 Cdn ($1,713 US). Kind of odd...

    69. Re:Two heads are better than one! by toddestan · · Score: 1

      Atleast with Windows you can easily switch tasks with Alt-Tab. Besides, I tend to put things on the second monitor like Winamp, task manager, and IM windows that need little or no mouse interaction anyway.

    70. Re:Two heads are better than one! by interiot · · Score: 1

      Mine's 1920x1080p (the westinghouse 37"). It's more than adequate. The pixel-density isn't really a big deal for computers; you can always move closer or further away to suit personal needs. At some level, the size is there mainly so it can double as a proper television. Also, 1920x1080 is way more than most people are used to running. 21" CRT's can't touch that kind of resolution (you can send a high 4:3 signal to like that to them, but if you run test patterns, you discover that much of the detail can't be displayed). You need a fairly expensive system to run games in 1080p. For desktop apps, it's good, depending on what you use it for. Photoshop and photo viewing are spectacular.

    71. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      The other half, however, is inherent in their single shared menu design. Yes, I know about the usability studies, but the majority of those stem from the time when most Apples had a single 9" screen.

      I can't speak to "the majority", but I've never heard of any studies done on a 9" screen.

      In "Tog on Interface" (p.202), he mentions some user testing he did do:
      - first, on a 12" screen
      - then, on a 21" screen to the left of a 13" screen that the actual app is on

      In the second test, users had to change the color of 10 folders, one at a time, by selecting it on the right display, and choosing a menuitem from the menubar on the left display. And this was *not* "pull-down menus from a single menubar, vs pull-down menus in the window". This test compared pull-down menus in a single menubar (on the wrong display) to pop-up menus directly under the mouse pointer! (Spoiler: the menubar won.)

      His results were similar to those reported by Walker and Smelcer, CHI'89.

      As such, I'd like an option to "echo" the menu bar onto each monitor, reducing at least half of the problem.

      The problem with solutions of this type is that when presented with two ways to do something, people tend to take longer deciding which one to use, than if they'd simply used the slower of the two methods.

      As somebody who's done a decent amount of user testing, yes, this is weird, but it's also quite true: adding a second, faster way to do something often slows people down. (Amateur psych: maybe it's because people think if there are two, there must be a difference, so one is right and one is wrong.)

    72. Re:Two heads are better than one! by santiago · · Score: 1

      Well, it doesn't represent the application itself. Close the window. Note that iTunes is still running. Hence, the window is not the application, just its primary manifestation and the means with which you typically interact with iTunes's most commonly-used features (though most of them have keyboard shorcuts as well).

    73. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      On Windows, my ATI Raedon 9600 only support 1 video overlay on the primary display. Result: older applications can only play video on the primary monitor. Newer applications seems to be able to switch the overlay to the other monitor, but that still means that you cannot straddle the video window across 2 displays without half of it being blank.

      I've heard there are some limitations on Nvidia cards also, could anybody share his/her experience on that?

    74. Re:Two heads are better than one! by shmlco · · Score: 1
      The iTunes window doesn't represent the iTunes application? Huh. I guess it represents Microsoft Word then, but then how does Word know about my music collection? That's Microsoft for you, always sneaking around where they don't belong.

      Or would you feel better if I said Dictionary or Backup or System Preferences or DVD Player? All of those applications in the Applications folder terminate the app when the window is closed. I guess those windows don't represent those applications either. Pity. My poor Mac is in the midde of an identity crisis and I never knew it.

      --
      Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
    75. Re:Two heads are better than one! by jp10558 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Keyboard shortcuts must really shine here... Once you know the shortcuts, keyboard based computing can be a lot faster than messing with the mouse in a lot of situations.

      --
      Opera, Proxomitron-Grypen,GPG 0x0A1C6EE3
    76. Re:Two heads are better than one! by mdarksbane · · Score: 1

      Just so you have an easier time next time you're on a mac, you can cmd+tab on them, too. Or cmd+~ to switch windows within a single app.

    77. Re:Two heads are better than one! by jp10558 · · Score: 1

      See, the thing that is odd for me is that while I like running more than one thing at once, I usually like to *focus* on one thing at a time. I also like having a predictible size window when I open an app - IDK why, but I find that windows seems to occasionally lose the size you had a window at if not maximized, and it's hell to get it back to the right size.

      A lot of it is habit - I have no problem not using Notepad maximized, as I never have. OTOH, Opera just seems like it ought to be maximized - it's a big help with having more tabs and room for toolbar buttons - but many websites seem to be designed with 1024x768 or even 800x600 in mind, and don't support reflowing to 1280x1024 - I realize for those of you with 1600x1200 or whatever, you pretty much *could not* maximize the web browser without ludicrous spaces on the sides of many pages.

      So, maybe I'll finally start using panels, or not maximizing Opera, but habits are hard to break lol.

      --
      Opera, Proxomitron-Grypen,GPG 0x0A1C6EE3
    78. Re:Two heads are better than one! by jp10558 · · Score: 1

      What's odd in that is that 19" is a proper television to me... the size of the first "big" television I ever had. In fact, the largest TV I have access to is 27" IIRC. I really can't imagine a monitor as big as that, much less larger. I can't see all of my new 19" at once, much less something that size at computer distances.

      --
      Opera, Proxomitron-Grypen,GPG 0x0A1C6EE3
    79. Re:Two heads are better than one! by rjstanford · · Score: 1

      Er, yeah. Check your graphics card. All major modern cards, I believe, come with Windows drivers that allow you to rotate the screen. Your monitor "drivers" are basically color information only, unless there's a smart-switch in there that rotates the image automatically or something. On my monitor (Dell 23") I can rotate it, then click the adapter button to change orientation. I never do, but I could.

      --
      You're special forces then? That's great! I just love your olympics!
    80. Re:Two heads are better than one! by kundor · · Score: 2, Insightful

      He IS replying to your message. he is stating that there are no cards on the market that can drive a dual-monitor setup of two dual-link monitors; which is what you suggested in your first post.

      Of course the solution is to use two separate dual-link cards, but that doesn't seem to have crossed his mind.

    81. Re:Two heads are better than one! by drew · · Score: 1

      I guess I still don't understand the motivation to maximize. I don't have to hit any keys at all to get my web browser to be the size that I want. When I open a new browser window, it is automatically set at the same size as the last time I opened a browser window. I tend to keep my browser about 800-900 pixels wide and just a little shorter than the height of my screen. Depending on which computer I'm using, this takes up about 1/2 (home), 2/3 (work), or 3/4 (laptop) of my screen. If I open up multiple windows, each one gets offset slightly from the previous one. When I run other programs, they usually (but not always) open in the empty space on the right. In all of this, there is no mouse involved, and no keyboard combinations. The only time I have to use the mouse is if I have to move one of the non-browser programs so that it sits next to one of the browsers without covering something I want to see, but that is not even an option if you do everything maximized. So how is hitting Alt+Space, x every time you open a window easier?

      --
      If I don't put anything here, will anyone recognize me anymore?
    82. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      At home I got a second 21" LCD, so had two, side-by-sied, for 42" worth of LCD.

      Wrong. That's only 35.88" worth of LCD.

    83. Re:Two heads are better than one! by 10Ghz · · Score: 1

      I have never understood that particular braind-dead design-decision in OS X. So the window is not the app, it's just a window? And if I close the window, the app doesn't really close, just the window closes? What's the benefit there? I mean, if I have a web-browser open, and I'm in a middle of filling out a textbox in the browser (like this textbox in Slashdot). Now, if I happen to close the window when I'm typing the text, no harm is done, right? I just closed the window, the app is running, so I can continue where I left off, right? WRONG! When I re-open the browser-window, I'm right back where I started! The content of the window was not saved, and I have to re-type the text! Where is the benefit of this marvellous design-decision?

      Really, what is the logic behind this? What benefit does this bring? Why doesn't closing the window also close the app, why are the two separate actions? I might understand this if I could close the app-window, and then re-open it, and continue where I left off. But it doesn't seem to work that way.

      --
      Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
    84. Re:Two heads are better than one! by NeMon'ess · · Score: 1

      Except I'd rather eventually watch King Kong on HD-DVD on a 30" than a 19" monitor. Before you tell me to get an HDTV, I'll point out that most of the lower-end models don't actually do true 1080i, let alone 1080p. Furthermore, I don't have the budget to buy a 1080p HDTV and two 19" LCDs. So the sweet spot in the middle could be the Dell 30".

    85. Re:Two heads are better than one! by mlyle · · Score: 1

      More like 30" worth of LCD.

      21 * sqrt(2) = 29.6984848

      That is, the same area as a 30" LCD of the same aspect ratio.

      If you're talking about the new diagonal measurement if you put them side by side, it depends on the aspect ratio of the 21" LCDs, and which way you put them next to each other.

    86. Re:Two heads are better than one! by hackstraw · · Score: 1

      Uhm, there's no such concept as "putting an application on the second monitor" on the Mac, since there isn't anything on screen which you could call "the application". ...others are like auxiliary monitors for windows I currently don't use for work.

      In my experience, the "auxiliary monitors" are only useful for "read only" data, which I guess you are alluding to, and the reason for that is twofold. 1) The menu is on the other monitor and 2) It takes too much time and effort to move my pointer to the other screens. And this to me, make multi-monitor setups basically useless.

      If I had a realtime stock ticker or weather updating or TV that I never have to change the volume or channel on the other monitors that seems to almost make sense. But I can at any time, hit Command-Tab, or click on the dock icon and within less than one second, without refocusing my eyes, I can see the other application's data.

      I used to have a second copy of Terminal.app on another monitor that was for email, but I just found it more efficient to have one copy of Terminal running and if I have bunches of them running or if the window is obscured by other windows, I can either click on the window or use the window list from the menu to bring it to the top. Being that my mailer is a non-gui one, I don't need the mouse much for it, except for cut and paste to and from it and the other apps, and then I have to drag the mouse multiple times back and forth between thousands of pixels, and its just a waste of time vs having the windows overlapping where my pointer is already.

      I've suggested before with no agreement from anybody that the screens should be discrete and not a continuum. Meaning that if I only have my email app on the second monitor and I Command-Tab to that app, then the menu should either be on the other monitor already or switch to it, and so should the pointer. Moving windows or doing a DND is almost impossible. I see no benefit of having a window span two screens, and I have never seen anybody do that, but there is no way just to slam the window onto the other screen, I have to drag it like a dead body across there.

      Like I've said, the WIMP interface breaks down with very large monitors and multi-monitor setups. The W is too far away from other W's and I's and the M, and the P is always in the wrong place.

      WIMPs were made when there were only one very small monitors at the time, times have changed, but WIMPs have not.

    87. Re:Two heads are better than one! by MojoStan · · Score: 1
      but Q4 and HL2 are already choppy when I run them on the 213T with all rendering features cranked up. A 30" display would be like watching King Kong at 12 FPS from the front row.

      A quick google shows that both Q4 and HL2 support widescreen 16:10 resolutions. What would be so bad about playing them at 960x600 (exactly half the resolution, no ugly scaling) on the 30" 1920x1200 LCD? Also, on your 1600x1200 213T, wouldn't it be better to run those games at 800x600 (again, a "clean" scale) with AA and/or AF?

      --
      TO START
      PRESS ANY KEY

      Where's the 'ANY' key? I see Esk, Kitarl, and Pig-Up...

    88. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Breakfast+Pants · · Score: 1

      It would only be a "clean" scale if the monitors did linear scaling, which they don't.

      --

      --

      WHO ATE MY BREAKFAST PANTS?
    89. Re:Two heads are better than one! by burnstone · · Score: 1

      it's a shame i don't have modpoints...

    90. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree. In fact, the solution is (or was) so obvious that I don't understand why Apple did not offer it as an option: NextStep's menu system.

      It has vertical menus (much more space-efficient than horizontal -- you could have a dozen menu items on there, and it still takes up only a little space), they can be positioned anywhere on screen, and you can "tear off" submenus and place them anywhere on the screen. That last feature is especially convenient if you access a particular menu often -- drag it off, and it is like another toolbar. You can stick it right beside the window on which you are working.

      Given the heritage of OS X, I can't understand why they forced the traditional Mac menu system *only*, given how silly it gets with large or multiple displays. A "NextStep menus" option would be great.

    91. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Tsujigiri · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure what you mean. At least under the MS Windows system, resizing and moving windows using keyboard only is quite easy, just as easy as maximizing. You just hit alt-space then "s" for resize or alt-space then "m" for moving. Then you just use the direction keys to set the size or position of the window and when you're happy with it, hit enter and you're back into your application. Seems rather easy to me. I seem to remember KDE being equally easy, though it's been a little while since I've used KDE. Can't comment on other X Window Managers.

      --

      "I'll take the red pill. No! Blue! AAAaaaahhhhhhhhh"
      - Monty Python meets the Matrix

    92. Re:Two heads are better than one! by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1
      there are no cards on the market that can drive a dual-monitor setup of two dual-link monitors

      From the Apple web site:

      Note: The NVIDIA GeForce FX 4500 is required to drive two 30" displays from one graphics card.
      It may just be the Mac version of the card, but such configurations are possible with a single graphics card.
      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    93. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Pope · · Score: 1

      Because it's an document-centric design rather than an application-centric one, and one that works with the common menu bar. It's something I vastly prefer over Windows' (and others') app-centric design, having used many different systems over the years.

      Open up Word in Windows, for example, with no document. Why is there a big grey empty space blocking the desktop?

      --
      It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
    94. Re:Two heads are better than one! by 10Ghz · · Score: 1
      Because it's an document-centric design rather than an application-centric one, and one that works with the common menu bar. It's something I vastly prefer over Windows' (and others') app-centric design, having used many different systems over the years.


      Where is the "document-centric" design? If I'm working on some content in web-browser, and I close the browser-window (not the app), is the content saved? No. Can I continue from where I left off? No. When I reopen the window, I'm right back where I started. Where is the DOCUMENT I just worked on? Where are the marvellous benefits of this ingenious approach? You talked how "this is a document centric approach, and it's therefore better", without actually mentioning ANY benefits! And I don't see that "document-centric" approach here, since the application nukes the content the moment I close the window! The ONLY difference seems to be that in OS X, the app is left running in the background. But that doesn't really provide any benefits, apart from re-starting the app a bit faster perhaps. The content is nuked along with the window.

      And like it or not, OS X is app-centric as well. What are those things in the Dock? Applications. Not contents, not music, not folders, not documents, but APPLICATIONS. If OS X was REALLY "document-centric", it would offer the user with content, and not applications. How do I access the content in OS X? Well, I start by loading this APPLICATION here.... Bzzzzt! If it's REALLY "document-centric", why do I have to use applications in order to access that content? Why do I have to load iTunes to access me music? Why is iPhoto the portal to my pictures? What are these apps doing in this "document-centric" design?
      --
      Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
    95. Re:Two heads are better than one! by jovlinger · · Score: 1

      Does refresh really matter for flat panels?

      You'd want as many hz as your intended frame-rate, but movies at 30hz seem ok, so that should do fine, I thought.

    96. Re:Two heads are better than one! by mikefe · · Score: 1

      The Mac menu remains infinitely tall, and you just whack the cursor up against it.

      I think there are valid arguments that this motion is worse from a RSI perspective.

      --
      There: Something at a specific location.
      Their: Owned by someone.
      Please make sure your english compiles.
    97. Re:Two heads are better than one! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, GeForce 7 already comes with a dual link DVI transmitter, just not as well advertised as ATI.

  2. Dead Pixels Worries by Freexe · · Score: 2, Informative
    Dell monitors are designed and built to our highest standards, helping ensure the quality and reliability you expect when you see the Dell logo. Like all our products, the 3007WFP has been exhaustively tested under true-to-life circumstances and then some, and it comes backed by a Dell Limited Warranty1, so you can rest assured your investment is protected.

    Can't thet cut to the chase, how many dead pixels can i get stuck with? as their policy only seems to state:

    A QVGA (240x320) or VGA (640x480) display with up to 2 fixed pixels is within industry standards and is therefore considered an acceptable display.

    And 2560x1600 is alot bigger than640x480

    Plus for that price, I think i prefer 2 samsung high quality 19" flat panels with no dead pixels

    --
    "In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
    1. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by chris_eineke · · Score: 2, Funny
      Are you too lazy to do the math?
      2560 * 1600
      ----------- = 13.333... as many dead pixels on a 2560x1600 display as on a 640x480
      640 * 480
      Given that it's Dell who is selling those display, I say we round that number and get 14.

      So two dead pixels times fourteen equals, what, 28? 28 dead pixels. Sounds like a blockbuster to me.
      --
      "All you have to do is be fragile and grateful. So stay the underdog." Chuck Palahniuk, Choke
    2. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by harlows_monkeys · · Score: 1
      Can't thet cut to the chase, how many dead pixels can i get stuck with?

      People have reported returning monitors that had dead pixels, but not enough to fall under the dead pixel policy allowance, under Dell's general "money back if you aren't satisfied for any reason policy".

      I haven't had a chance to try this, as my 24" was perfect.

    3. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by posterlogo · · Score: 1

      I think this is a standard disclaimer. I have the little brother to this guy, the Dell 24". That must be one of the best reviewed LCDs out there, and I have been extremely thrilled with it. No dead pixels. Although dead pixels are a very valid concern, certain brands have better reputations than others. IMHO, the maker of Dell's screens is quite good.

    4. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      "Dead" pixels aren't that annoying. It's those darned ALWAYS ON ("fixed"?) pixels that suck.

    5. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by heli0 · · Score: 1

      "how many dead pixels can i get stuck with?"

      I returned 2 of their 24" LCDs before I received one without backlight bleeding. They paid all shipping, both ways.

      --
      Whenever the offence inspires less horror than the punishment, the rigour of penal law is obliged to give way...
    6. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by Pii · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I don't know if this is still the case, but Dell used to use Samsung manufactured panels in their monitors. Samsung makes the best LCDs on the market.

      --
      For those that would die defending it, Freedom
      has a sweet taste that the protected will never know.
    7. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by pipingguy · · Score: 1


      Two 930Bs here, no dead pixels yet. I like it less than my old 19" Mitsubishi CRTs but I had little choice.

      I really like the extra space of two monitors, but to be honest, I'm not sure if it's worth it at home. I like being able to peripherally see what's going on to the left and not have to tab screens though.

      When I've done process plant design checking, one giant monitor would be better. Even better than that would be a monster projection of the models for the flythroughs and on-demand detail closeups, but that typically only gets used when impressing clients.

    8. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 1

      Plus for that price, I think i prefer 2 samsung high quality 19" flat panels with no dead pixels

      ref: http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/ 01/1440201&tid=196&tid=152&tid=1

      you didn't read your whole ref. its only for s. korea - the rest of the world (US included) gets the imperfect displays.

      still no one has internationally stepped up to the plate to ensure the buyer will get a defect-free product. for such a high price, I would really demand a defect-free one, myself.

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    9. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by adisakp · · Score: 1

      FWIW, I own the Dell 24" LCD and mine has no dead or stuck pixels.

    10. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by RzUpAnmsCwrds · · Score: 1

      When I recieved my 2005fpw, it had one dead subpixel. Dell replaced it without question, they cross-shipped, and they even paid for the return shipping.

      I am no fan of Dell's crapware-loaded computers, but their LCDs rock - I got an LG Philips (same as the Cinema 20" Display) in an LG-designed and manufactured monitor (check the UL cert number) for $380.

      If you are looking for a new monitor, the 2005fpw is one of the best buys on the market. 1680x1050, USB 2.0 ports, S-Video/DVI/VGA/Composite in, PIP, and a great picture.

    11. Re:Dead Pixels Worries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I bought a 2405FPW (24" WS)

      It's absolutely stunning.

      But, when I first powered it up, there was a noticable black dot about 5 lines from the top of the screen and just off centre. To be honest, I didn't see it as a problem.

      Then one day, I sneezed, and it was gone.

      Stupid dust. :(

      I'd prefer to have two, as I had 2x21" CRT's before. I'm thinking of bringing one back as my IM/winamp/extra browser/etc. But after having a flat, dumping a VERY heavy, and very deep 21" CRT on my desk is gonna be kinda wierd.

  3. I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    From Dell. That'd only cost you about $1600, and you could spend the other $600 on a good video card. You'd get a resolution of 2400x1920.

    1. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by mbadolato · · Score: 1

      Or watch Slickdeals.net and wait til they say that the dell 24" widescreens are under $1000 again. A lot of people I know have waited for those and got smokin deals. I think one got one for around $850 or so.

    2. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      That'd only cost you about $1600

      Oh, is that all?

    3. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I just looked and right now they're $879. I'm sure with some coupons, etc, you can get it under $850 and down close to $800 (about what I paid).

    4. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, when we're talking about a $2200 monitor, yes, $1600 is quite an improvement.

    5. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by JonahLee · · Score: 1

      Yea mine was somewhere around $800. And damn do I love it, and still use a 19" CRT for my second monitor. After Effects is a totally different program with this big of a display.

    6. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by Comatose51 · · Score: 1

      Through Dell Premier you can get this new 30" for $1500-1600. They seriously overcharge their retail customers.

      --
      EvilCON - Made Famous by /.
    7. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by kfg · · Score: 0, Troll

      I think one got one for around $850 or so.

      And twice $800 is. . .?

      KFG

    8. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by Firehed · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Indeed. And unlike the new 30" beasts which only have DVI, the 24" have five different video inputs. And as the four on my 20" Dell widescreen aren't enough for me, I'm thinking a pair of 24" LCDs would fill my desktop nicely.

      --
      How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
    9. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by SIGFPE · · Score: 1

      Yeah - but that wouldn't leave you with enough money to pay for the retinal surgery to give you a blind spot along the right edge of the left monitor and the left edge of the right monitor.

      --
      -- SIGFPE
    10. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Some of us actually write software and charge money for it so yes we can afford things like this.

    11. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by clearcache · · Score: 1

      I agree - I'm a coder and actually think I would much prefer the natural definition of multiple panels to help me organize my workspace.

    12. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd rather use my three 21" monitors, which cost me under $150 each, for a total resolution of 4800x1200. That leaves me $2750 to spend on buying a workstation, server, gateway, LAN gear, broadband kit, spare workstation, spare scratch boxes, spare monitors, spare video cards, wireless gear, laptop, printer...

    13. Re:I'd rather have dual 24" monitors by Phae · · Score: 2, Informative

      Each 24" monitor has a resolution of 1920x1200, so it would actually be 3840x1200... which wouldn't be to shabby.

  4. Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple's? by Spazntwich · · Score: 1

    I can't imagine there's a large group of manufacturers for 30" LCDs, so what even differentiates this from Apple's monitor besides price? Backlight?

  5. "No Dead Pixels" (In South Korea) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Are you in South Korea? If not, that policy doesn't apply to you. I have a Dell 24" widescreen and it has no dead pixels. I'm quite happy.

    1. Re:"No Dead Pixels" (In South Korea) by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 1

      I have a Dell 24" widescreen and it has no dead pixels.

      yet

      --
      "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
    2. Re:"No Dead Pixels" (In South Korea) by cnettel · · Score: 1

      Isn't the backlight actually more likely to go before any individual pixel dies/gets stuck? I have to admit that I have seen pixels die after a while, but the user has generally admitted that he accidentally dropped the whole screen or applied direct force on the panel. In the few cases where they didn't admit it, you could see the physical damage on the frame, so I still consider it happening without mistreatment as very rare. I would be interested in the experiences of other readers...

    3. Re:"No Dead Pixels" (In South Korea) by dal20402 · · Score: 1
      Never had a pixel die on me after the monitor was in my possession. (I've never dropped a monitor -- how do you do that, when it's just sitting on the desk? -- so YMMV.)

      2 Apple 23" Cinemas - no dead pixels on either
      1 Apple 15" PowerBook (1280x800) - no dead pixels
      1 Apple 12" PowerBook (1024x768) - no dead pixels
      1 Dell 14" (1280x1024) notebook - no dead pixels
      1 old NEC 14" 1024x768 panel - no dead pixels, and backlight works after 9 years of everyday use
      1 Samsung 193p (1280x1024) - 1 pixel with red element stuck off
      1 POS Sony 17" panel (1280x1024) - 3 dead pixels, 1 with red element stuck on, 1 with blue element stuck off

      ... and a few others I no longer own, none as bad as that Sony.

  6. or... by User+956 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm tired of the dual monitor thing, I want one display device on my desk, just make it a very large device.

    that's great, except the human field of vision is wide, not tall. So the multi-monitor setup is more efficient.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    1. Re:or... by cnettel · · Score: 1
      OTOH, this is a widescreen. It will not have the nice aspect ratio of 8:3, but the 8:3 setup carries the slight disadvantage of a thick, or thin, bezel right in the middle of the field of vision. I've actually decided to avoid triple-mon just because the bezels have distracted me even more on the few configurations I've actually seen of that sort.

      (3200 * 1200 rocks, so does 1920*1200 laptops)

    2. Re:or... by ClamIAm · · Score: 1

      Um, dude. W I D E S C R E E N. caps caps caps...

    3. Re:or... by evilviper · · Score: 1
      that's great, except the human field of vision is wide, not tall. So the multi-monitor setup is more efficient.

      Not if the single monitor is a WIDESCREEN. 16:9 works just fine.

      --
      Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
  7. 4, 19 inch screens by mtenhagen · · Score: 2, Insightful

    For the same money you can buy 4 (or even more) 19 inch screens.

    Having several monitors gives you the ability to focus on the central screen while some applications (monitoring,chat,email, etc...) or on the side.
    These monitors can be moved placed on top of eachother turned to a collega, etc.. so they provide you much more flexibility.

    Also when one of the 4 screens dies thats not a big deal when your massive 30inch screen dies you have nothing.

    --
    200GB/2TB $7.95 Coupon: SAVE90DOLLAR
    1. Re:4, 19 inch screens by FinestLittleSpace · · Score: 1

      I agree with a lot of the views here on dual. Dual monitors isn't just about space, it's also about the phsycology of "putting this" on "that screen". It's a tidy way to work, although I'm currently battling with video in Combustion and wouldn't mind a 30 inch to work on...!

    2. Re:4, 19 inch screens by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Does anyone else find that these large LCD's are getting less and less comfortable to view? I have a 15" and a 17" panel here, and they're not too bad. The viewing angle works out well so that if I'm basically in front of them I get to see pretty even lighting.

      But a friend's 24" dell panel looks a little dark at the corners when I'm right in front of it, and moving my head side to side lets me see one side or another a bit better, but not both at the same time. The one Apple 30" panel I've managed to look at was so huge that the viewing angle problems were really apparent.

      Is this just me seeing this, or are all those people with 30" panels just happy to be using massive amounts of screen area and not worrying about the light falloff near the corners? I don't consider myself a monitor snob but I really don't find those large panels acceptable when it comes to displaying a nice even picture from side to side.

    3. Re:4, 19 inch screens by cnettel · · Score: 1
      One issue that's still bugging me is the fact that even when you buy the monitors at the same time, it can be non-trivial to get the color reproduction identical enough at all times. Even if they look good in the beginning, and there are no huge differences in the total running time, individual backlights/panels seem to age at different rates. That would be one reason for me to go back to a single display.

      Maybe I should just get some real calibration equipment and to that once in a while...

    4. Re:4, 19 inch screens by sinucus · · Score: 1

      Absolutely, go with dual, trip or quad monitor setups. I still to this day refuse to use LCD, if only for the fact that I can't get an LCD monitor with 1600x1200 res. I bought 2 19" CRT's with 1600x1200 res for $60 each. That's cheaper than a 15" Dell LCD that does 1024x768 and I got 3200x1600 res AND the ability to throw things on 2 different monitors which increased my productivity many times. Since I also have dual at work and at home I can remotely login to each and get my full desktop real estate on both computers.

    5. Re:4, 19 inch screens by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Note that LCD viewing angle is a wank. You might buy any LCD with a quoted 170 degree plus viewing angle, but any idiot can see that viewing the panel from just forty degrees off perpendicular which is within an 80 degree viewing arc will give brightness or colour shift. It's like those cheap $20 stereo systems advertising 400watts of peak music power. It's a number that sounds good but is meaningless in reality.

    6. Re:4, 19 inch screens by Glonoinha · · Score: 1

      The Dell 2001fp does 1600x1200 native and you can get them somewhere in the $450 price range. Granted that's not $120, but given the differences between LCD and CRT you might want to look into it.

      I use a 21" CRT at work at 1600x1200 all day, and my 20" LCD at 1600x1200 at home all night and the difference is, well, like day and night.

      Want the easiest way to see the difference between CRT and LCD? Go somewhere you can see both. Stand back about 10 feet or so, chomp your teeth.
      The CRT display will bounce all over and make a general mess of uberFlicker, and the LCD will remain rock solid. Once you see it, you will realize what you are subjecting yourself to all day. If I could get a 20" LCD at work (they will get me a 19, but it will only do 1280x1024 and I need the additional real estate) I would do it in a heart beat. I have considered buying myself a 20" LCD and walking it in the front door, the benefit far outweighing the cost.

      --
      Glonoinha the MebiByte Slayer
    7. Re:4, 19 inch screens by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Want the easiest way to see the difference between CRT and LCD? Go somewhere you can see both. Stand back about 10 feet or so, chomp your teeth.
      The CRT display will bounce all over and make a general mess of uberFlicker, and the LCD will remain rock solid. Once you see it, you will realize what you are subjecting yourself to all day.


      Depending on your own eyes, that is. Problem is for me is I'll step back and see what you say. Then I'll sit closer about 2ft away from each monitor, and the CRT will be a nice even brightness across the screen, where the LCD won't be.

      Since I work 2ft away from the monitors and not 10 feet, that's what keeps me on CRTs until LCDs fix their woeful unevenness.

    8. Re:4, 19 inch screens by pintomp3 · · Score: 1

      although blowing up a picture in photoshop across 4 screens won't be as useful as having it on one big screen. same goes for watching video. i have a dell 2001fp that doubles as a tv monitor. i have it hooked up via s-video to my cable box. it's not as nice as a real lcd tv (no remote), but hell of a lot cheaper and wastes less space in my bedroom. the dell 30 has component inputs making it even better for this purpose.

  8. Is this the same LCD as the Apple 30"? by un1xl0ser · · Score: 1

    I know that one of Dell's 24" display is the same as Apple's studio display.

    Is this the same technology as Apple's?

    --
    v4sw6PU$hw6ln6pr4F$ck 4/6$ma3+6u7LNS$w2m4l7U$i2e4+7en6a2X h
    1. Re:Is this the same LCD as the Apple 30"? by Charcharodon · · Score: 1

      Their 24" inch display is made by Samsung, not Apple. I've been looking into those for a bit, they are down below $900 if you look hard enough. Course who makes Apple's display, heck if I know.

    2. Re:Is this the same LCD as the Apple 30"? by iotaborg · · Score: 1

      If you look at the specifications, the brightness and contrast ratio is higher on the Dell screen than the Apple (unless they are exaggerated). So they could be different.

    3. Re:Is this the same LCD as the Apple 30"? by QuaZar666 · · Score: 1

      I would imagine that it would use the same LCD panel as apple's, but someone will confirm or deny that sooner or later.

    4. Re:Is this the same LCD as the Apple 30"? by JonahLee · · Score: 1

      I heard the HP is the same technology, but not the Dell. The Dell is 24" versus Apple's which is 23", but supposedly is viewable from a bigger angle, though I have a Dell and love it.

  9. Well too bad for the rest of us by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I don't know for you, but flat panels make my head hurt. Literally. I know they're the latest craze and all, but I get one big headache after 1 or 2 hours AutoCADing with one. I can go a lot longer with my 10 year old 21" CRTs without headaches. I guess it's the light source or something, because I tend to get headaches with neon lighting as well.

    Too bad, because I really like the form factor (big tubes are space wasters) but unless they improve whatever it is that makes me sick, I'll stick with good ole CRTs.

    --
    "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
    1. Re:Well too bad for the rest of us by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Try turning down the brightness - My Dell 2405 gave me headaches until I turned the brightness to 0 and even brought the gamma down via the display properties on my system. I suppose my contrast ratio took a hit, but I'd much rather work (and play) without the pain...

    2. Re:Well too bad for the rest of us by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      Your not the only one! I hate LCDs with the white-hot passion of a thousand suns!!! Because the color is not uniform at all viewing angles, the phase shift can be different for each eye. As such, it gives me a headache.

      A more extreme example would be like wearing those old 50s 3D glasses in a movie theater where one eye sees blue and the other red. Same effect with an LCD screen, but far more subtile.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    3. Re:Well too bad for the rest of us by Chanc_Gorkon · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I have found the completely opposite. I stared at a CRT for about 8 years and when I got my LCD display at work and have all LCD's at home, wow. My eyes are not near as tired and I am one of the ones who usually have the backlight cranked up. When on the CRT, even when it was running between 85 and 100 Hz, my eyes would really bother me. When I use someone's computer and see the refresh is set to 60 or 75 Hz, I instantly ramp it up to as high as the videocard and monitor can go. The people ask me how I made the monitor stop flickering.....grin. LCD's are simply awesome. No, I don't care what you say! :D Now for watching TV/Movies.....CRT's are king. Every LCD based HDTV I have seen looked like hell.

      --

      Gorkman

    4. Re:Well too bad for the rest of us by rljohnson2 · · Score: 1

      I switched from 2 19" crts to 2 19" lcds. I couldnt sit at the computer for over an hour
      before getting a headache. I spent hrs searching on the web for answers. Tried all
      the suggestions. Nothing worked.. After about 2 weeks it started getting better.
      Now im about 4 months into it and have no problems at all (using default settings).

      Just give your eyes time to get used to the difference.

    5. Re:Well too bad for the rest of us by bhima · · Score: 1

      In my experience, with modern displays, it is predominatly the ambient lighting interacting with the refresh rate of the display. The flourescent lighting commonly used in US businesses is so unbeleivably poor as to be criminal.

      I use two of the Apple 30 inch cinema displays and sometimes sit before them for well over 12 hours, to no ill effects.

      --
      Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
    6. Re:Well too bad for the rest of us by Ruie · · Score: 2, Insightful
      I don't know for you, but flat panels make my head hurt. Literally. I know they're the latest craze and all, but I get one big headache after 1 or 2 hours AutoCADing with one. I can go a lot longer with my 10 year old 21" CRTs without headaches. I guess it's the light source or something, because I tend to get headaches with neon lighting as well

      One possible reason for such a headache is if your vision is slightly off. As you concentrate on the screen your eyes try to focus, but since they cannot do it fully the tension persists. The effect is pretty sensitive, so some people can read screens fine and are not aware their vision is in any way off, but get a headache if they do it for several hours.

      So I would suggest trying a new pair of glasses or lenses.

    7. Re:Well too bad for the rest of us by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      the two things that cause headaches on LCD's are brightness and contrast ratio. Too brigth = headache, as does too little contrast.

      getting a monitor with a very high contrast ratio and decreasing the brightness to where it is not painful should help.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    8. Re:Well too bad for the rest of us by ACMENEWSLLC · · Score: 1

      I use a 19" CRT at home with incandescent lighting.

      I recently switched from a 19" CRT at work to a 17" LCD.

      At work they have crappy 60hz fluorescent lighting. It took me a month to adjust, but now insted of headaches every day at work, I have them about once a week - and not usually all day long as before.

      I did have to do a lot of tuning to get the LCD where I wanted it. I swiched the resolution to 1280x1024 so it wasn't fuzzy. I turned on large fonts and used the Microsoft truetype tuner powertool. I turned the brightness down.

      After running this way for some time I must say I am a convert at work., however my home situation calls for a CRT. I don't want the ghosting that comes with the cheap LCD's and a 19" CRT cost less than $100US. Gaming and photograph work is what I do at home, and that calls for a CRT.

      That being said, when do we thing the LCD/PLASMA monitor pricing will settle down? CRT's got to a certain price point and didn't move for many years. LCD/PLASMA seems to be falling from the sky. I don't want to spend several grand on a good screen for my theatre today to find it for $500 a year later.

    9. Re:Well too bad for the rest of us by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've similar experience. My low budget LCD was a lifesaver when I got it. I initially bought it to save desk space, but the difference to my eyes are equal to trying to stare at a strobe light for 2 hours (CRT at 85Hz and even 100Hz) and having a look through the morning newspaper (LCD at 60Hz) for equal amount of time. My constant headaches are gone. Now I can use the computer for how long as I like.

      I do notice though that the default "contrast" setting on the LCD are too bright, especially with white backgrounds, so turning it down from the initial 70% down to 50% make quite a big difference as well if I'm not working with colours that demand the correct "contrast". OR:

      Tip: If you're on a LCD, change the default window background colour in Firefox, Abiword, Rox, xterm and others from white to light-gray. That way you can still use a high contrast to get nice colours and still avoid looking into that beautiful, bright, LCD light.

    10. Re:Well too bad for the rest of us by dangitman · · Score: 1

      The biggest problem i have seen is the manufacturers of cheap panels who boost the backlight way too bright (maybe to inflate some specification or other). you should try looking at different types of panel, such as IPS vs. PVA.

      --
      ... and then they built the supercollider.
  10. point of comparison by Schlemphfer · · Score: 3, Informative
    After all that space in the write-up mentioning that Apple also has a 30" monitor, I was waiting for Apple price. It's $2499, shipping included -- $300 more than what the Dell lists at.

    http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/A ppleStore?family=AppleDisplays

    --
    I'm generally "Interesting," "Insightful," and even "Funny" here. What the hell happens to me at parties?
    1. Re:point of comparison by prator · · Score: 1

      And you would be insane to pay list price for the Dell. There are always deals to be found.

    2. Re:point of comparison by Duncan3 · · Score: 1

      People that NEED displays that big all have access to the education or developer discount. Most people can build a dual monitor system cheaper, and get the same pixels.

      So all Dell did was match Apples prices - and add shitty quality, tech support in some place far far away, and a "don't-give-a-damn" attitude about anyone that's not gov or large business account. Oh and a $5 USB hub - ooooooooo, big spenders.

      Anyone with any sense will go with the Apple.

      --
      - Adam L. Beberg - The Cosm Project - http://www.mithral.com/
    3. Re:point of comparison by MKalus · · Score: 2, Interesting

      A while ago people where pointing out that Dell was selling "the same" display as the Apple for the 20" but sooo much cheaper.

      Yeah, it seemed to be using the same Panel but the backlight is different and I had a chance to compare both the Apple and the Dell and the Apple IMO looked better, brighter (I am writing it on that one right now).

      Michael

      --
      If you want to e-mail me, use my PGP Key.
    4. Re:point of comparison by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      The Dell version also has better response time, brightness, and contrast ratio. It might be an updated version of the panel used in the Apple display.

    5. Re:point of comparison by hackstraw · · Score: 2, Informative

      Yeah, I am an Apple fanboy, but Apple displays are better than Dell's and probably most others too. I've seen a comparison between an Apple and a Dell that used the same LCD panel, but the Apple looked better in terms of brightness and color. The test was cool because it had both displays hooked up to the same computer with images spanning across both of them.

      $300 for a luxury purchase like this is only a 13% difference. If your looking at quality and saving a buck, keep looking at Apple's refurbished equipment page http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/A ppleStore.woa/70507/wo/Bza6pLFRfdLh24gquUX1i6iw2QS /1.0.19.1.0.8.63.0.0.0.0.0.0.3.1.1.0?78,67. They don't have 30" ones at this time, but they do and they are cheaper than Dells and often 1/2 of the regular Apple retail price.

    6. Re:point of comparison by DocSavage64109 · · Score: 1

      I would only trust a comparison between two monitors if I set it up my self. It would be trivial to set the Apple display to look worse than the Dell display.

    7. Re:point of comparison by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's $2499, shipping included -- $300 more than what the Dell lists at.

      Expect the price to drop and/or the specs to go up after Tuesday's MacWorld Expo.

    8. Re:point of comparison by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      I'm an Apple fanboy, but the Apple Displays are among their worst products. The casing looks great, but there have been numerous issues with them including pink hues, bad backlighting, weird lines streaking across them, and more. And that's not getting into the problems with dead pixels and always on pixels that every LCD has. The Apple 23" has been of particular worry.

      The Apple Support forums (discussion.apple.com) is filled with complaints. Obviously, most people who don't have issues would not visit, but just go to an Apple store and look at the ADCs there for pink hues, and I think you'll find more displays with problems than without.

    9. Re:point of comparison by jcr · · Score: 1

      If you were able use the ColorSync profile that the Apple display was using, and apply it to the Dell display, you'd probably find them far more closely matched.

      -jcr

      --
      The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
    10. Re:point of comparison by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > I've seen a comparison between an Apple and a Dell that used the same LCD panel, but the Apple looked better in terms of brightness and color.

      You mean something like this? Their conclusion is that the Dell is better.

    11. Re:point of comparison by Joe+Decker · · Score: 1
      People that NEED displays that big all have access to the education or developer discount.

      Oh?

    12. Re:point of comparison by pintomp3 · · Score: 1

      you are right. you are a fanboy. you should do some research before making blanket statements like "apple displays are better than dell's". i'm guessing you haven't read this: http://www.anandtech.com/displays/showdoc.aspx?i=2 400&p=11 you are also advocating buying an apple refurb vs a new dell. not only is that a lame comparison (this used honda is cheaper than this new toyota), but goes down the tubes when you factor in a beefy dell coupon. if you want to buy apple out of principle, buy apple. but don't try to justify it by kidding ur'self.

    13. Re:point of comparison by Duncan3 · · Score: 1

      And you dont know anyone in college?

      --
      - Adam L. Beberg - The Cosm Project - http://www.mithral.com/
    14. Re:point of comparison by 2nd+Post! · · Score: 1

      Apple's is also 18 months older. Where were you when it was first announced? You couldn't get a Dell 30" LCD two months ago!

      Of course Apple is going to be having a Macworld Expo this week too, so I wouldn't expect Apple's LCD to be more expensive much longer either.

    15. Re:point of comparison by RzUpAnmsCwrds · · Score: 1


      A while ago people where pointing out that Dell was selling "the same" display as the Apple for the 20" but sooo much cheaper.

      Yeah, it seemed to be using the same Panel but the backlight is different and I had a chance to compare both the Apple and the Dell and the Apple IMO looked better, brighter (I am writing it on that one right now).


      Actually, AnandTech found the color rendition on the 2005fpw to be slightly better than the 20" Cinema display. I looked at both side-by-side and found the difference to be negligable.

      The Apple display certainly looks cooler. But the 2005fpw is height-adjustable, can do portrait mode, has VGA/S-Video/Composite inputs in addition to DVI, does PIP and POP, and costs $300+ less.

    16. Re:point of comparison by MKalus · · Score: 1

      Price in Canada wasn't the deal. I got the Apple for 919 and the Dell was 899, not a lot of savings. And I had them sitting side by side because a collegue had bought the Dell.

      I guess it's all personal what "looks good".

      --
      If you want to e-mail me, use my PGP Key.
  11. Is it ever worth it? by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

    I see someone's already mentioned the issue of dead pixels, particularly in light of other vendors offering comparable screen space with no-dead-pixel guarantees. I think this is the example of a more general problem: no matter how fantastic a large screen like this may be, it's a single point of failure. Apple's cinema displays look gorgeous... until the infamous back light failure kicks in, and Apple's equally infamous denials/poor customer support leave you with a very expensive piece of useless hardware that's almost beyond economic repair. (I'm told the situation with that particular example may have improved, but there's nothing to stop another problem of similar magnitude occurring instead.)

    I've never actually used a monitor this big, but I'm guessing it's of most value to people who are displaying large images with lots of screen-wasting toolboxes etc. (or using Visual Studio, which seems to waste well over 50% of the available screen space on things other than code these days). In that case, given the near-universal support for multiple desktops/monitors with modern graphics cards and drivers, choosing two smaller monitors seem like a safer and more flexible option to me, not to mention probably cheaper and more upgrade-friendly.

    I suppose it could be worth it to professional staff working on double-page spreads who can see a spread at full size, in which case having some competition for Apple's 30" cinema display must surely be good for the market.

    --
    If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    1. Re:Is it ever worth it? by gumbi+west · · Score: 1

      eh, I can see two full pages great on Apples 20", you don't need to go to the 23" even.

    2. Re:Is it ever worth it? by dangitman · · Score: 1
      But you have to zoom in to see detail. Trust me, it's worth having a system that can either rotate to portrait orientation - or is big enough to display DTP documents at a larger magnification. Or at least dual monitors so you can get your toolboxes off the layout area and have a clear view.

      Even using a single 23" gets annoying when dealing with larger documents.

      --
      ... and then they built the supercollider.
    3. Re:Is it ever worth it? by gumbi+west · · Score: 1

      I don't have to zoom, but others may have to, it's true. I also typically edit text when looking at so much and text dosn't require any toolboxes or what not. The only time I want more space is when using an IDE because they burn screen space like it grew on trees.

  12. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by User+956 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can't imagine there's a large group of manufacturers for 30" LCDs, so what even differentiates this from Apple's monitor besides price?

    Apple 400:1 Contrast Ratio
    DELL 700:1 Contract Ratio


    Oh, and the apple one has a fancier bezel.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  13. First Prime Factorization Post by 2*2*3*75011 · · Score: 0, Funny

    Apple is not the only company selling 2*3*5" flat panel monitors. Dell is now offering a 2*3*5" flat panel display that has a native resolution of 2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*5x2*2*2*2*2*2*5*5 and sells for $3*733 Just like the apple 2*3*5" display you do need a dual link DVI video card to drive this massive beast. This monitor also sports four USB ports and a media card reader. I've been waiting for Dell or someone else to release a 2*3*5" display and hopefully improve factorizations. I'm tired of the dual monitor thing, I want one display device on my desk, just make it a very large device. See the details on Dell's web site on the new Dell 31*97WFP 2*3*5-inch widescreen digital flat panel monitor.

    1. Re:First Prime Factorization Post by AndreiK · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Is this some new meme I missed out on?

  14. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by cnettel · · Score: 2, Informative
    Anandtech says it's a newer panel with higher contrast ratio* and lower response times.

    * A higher contrast ratio is of course also possible if you get a different backlight and chooses the measuring point to give you that number, but if the response times are indeed lower, or different, it seems they realyy have a different panel. On the other hand, one could technically squeeze a bit of response time difference from using a different signal chip in the monitor.

  15. Re:This is news? by bling..bling · · Score: 1

    No in fact they haven't... Apple has been the only company that has produced such a display. I would have mentioned any manuf. that released a 30" display just happened to be that Dell released it. I'm not really a fan of Dell anyways... But that monitor is sweet. Dell plug site, ha they mention stuff from all kinds of companies, why not mention Dell, they talk about Apple, IBM, HP, Samsung, Sun, etc.

    --
    My Sig is better than your Sig, because my Sig is Mine!
  16. smaller resolution by sinucus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why is it that except for the very large 20"+ LCD monitors it's impossible to get 1600x1200 res or better? I bought a laptop 6 years ago that had UXGA+ 1600x1200 res but I can't find an LCD monitor anywhere on the planet under 20" with that res or better. Anyone know of one? Or, anyone know how to disassemble old UXGA+ laptop screens and reframe them with new adapaters so they can plug into a vid card? I just can't seem to understand the companies that sell these things, I know that 1280x1024 is the size they seem to sell but you take one look around the office of any company and you'll see 90% of the office has resized their screens to 800x600 or 1024x768. It seems silly of them to stop at 1280x1024.

    1. Re:smaller resolution by bling..bling · · Score: 1

      I think that because most people would find 1600x1200 way to small and hard to read if they put it on a 17" display, etc. You might like your text that small but most people don't, and manufacturer's have to find 'lots' of people to buy products. I think people put up with the small size on the laptops because they have to, and because I would guess that people sit closer to their laptop screens than their desktop monitors. ...just a guess.

      --
      My Sig is better than your Sig, because my Sig is Mine!
    2. Re:smaller resolution by toybuilder · · Score: 1

      It's too expensive for monitor makers to tool up for a UXGA+ desktop display that most people wouldn't buy.

      Outside of specialty applications, most people wouldn't want such a high native-resolution display on a desktop monitor.

      That said, if you want to convert a notebook panel to be a desktop monitor, you can find custom monitor makers out there that'll do whatever you want... It just won't be cheap!

    3. Re:smaller resolution by Kijori · · Score: 1

      They're rare, but they do exist. The Liyama Prolite can support 1600*1200 as long as you use DVI, but you're going to pay around £500 for it. For that kinda of money, why not go 20.1" at least, and get the higher res as standard?
      For what it's worth, high resolutions seem to be the norm for laptop displays these days, so it is a bit odd that desktop TFTs aren't keeping up.

    4. Re:smaller resolution by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

      I'm guessing it's a combination of native resolution and poor support in OSes for high resolution displays. On a typical machine today, most OS widgets will be pretty tiny on something like a 17" TFT running at 1600x1200, and I'm not sure any of the big name OSes has yet reached the point where simple things like icons and widgets scale nicely (and don't even mention fonts and dialog box layouts). If you're using a CRT, this isn't such a problem, because CRTs can scale to different resolutions with relatively little loss of image quality, so you can always use high res for detail work and switch to a lower resolution for other things. On TFTs, however, using anything other than the native resolution typically results in a dramatic reduction in image quality, to the point where most users would rather have a lower, native resolution than a higher but poorly scaled one.

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      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    5. Re:smaller resolution by prichardson · · Score: 2, Insightful

      HIgher resolution != Smaller text

      Any decent OS or web browser will let you scale up font sizes. The end result is that your text is the same size, but smoother. The only problem occurs when sites do stupid things like make navigation bars images of text.

      Images, I admit, are another matter. I suppose the best thing here is to switch to all vector graphics that can be scaled up smoothly just like fonts.

      --
      Help I'm a rock.
    6. Re:smaller resolution by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Downscaled, it will look like shit!

    7. Re:smaller resolution by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your favorite print magazine is probably imageset at 2400 dpi. Shouldn't that cause the text be infinitesimally and unreadably small? No, because your assumptions about resolution and readability are wrong.

      When you use applications the right way, adjusting the display magnification as you can in any browser, or Word, Excel, etc., higher resolution doesn't mean smaller text, it means same size text with more detail and smoother edges. And I for one would like to see monitors catch up to print. Bring on the pixels!

    8. Re:smaller resolution by nxtw · · Score: 1
      You can set up large fonts in the applications you use or in the OS, but this becomes a difficulty if you want to use dual monitors. Companies like Dell make laptops with 17" widescreen 1900x1200 LCDs. If you wanted to connect a 19" CRT at 1280x960 (on mine, the highest resolution supporting 85Hz), or a 19" LCD at 1280x1024, everything will either be too big or too small on one of the monitors.

      Running in a non-native resolution on an LCD is miserable, which is why I'm going for a 1200x800 15.4" widescreen laptop LCD.

    9. Re:smaller resolution by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Images, I admit, are another matter. I suppose the best thing here is to switch to all vector graphics that can be scaled up smoothly just like fonts.

      Yes, I will start taking all photos with my vector-graphics-camera. :-)

    10. Re:smaller resolution by WMD_88 · · Score: 1

      The reason is because you sit closer to a laptop display than a desktop one. Or at least that's my experience. For example, my laptop is 12" 1024x768, and when I sit at a desktop 15" 1024x768, I don't notice a size difference.

    11. Re:smaller resolution by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In other words, everything could work just fine if you were living in an imaginary world where everything was standards-compliant and well-designed. That's just not reality though.

    12. Re:smaller resolution by brucehoult · · Score: 3, Interesting

      HIgher resolution != Smaller text

      Any decent OS or web browser will let you scale up font sizes. The end result is that your text is the same size, but smoother.


      I *hate* OSes that do that! If I'm paying top dollar for lots of pixels it's because I want to put lots of text on that screen. If you feel that you need more pixels in each character in order to make them readable then I suggest you're using the wrong fonts.

      The *right* fonts, by and large, are the twenty year old ones that came with the original Macintosh, especially Monaco (and Geneva for variable width). Monaco 9 is still today very hard to beat as a font for terminals or programming. And it's not just Mac-heads who think so -- I know lots of Windows and Linux people who swear by it (or close clones) as well.

      Just make sure you remember to turn anti-aliasing *off* for those fonts. They're perfect already, and hand-optimized pixel by pixel by the best in the world (Susan Kare) in a way that a smoothing engine can never match.

    13. Re:smaller resolution by prichardson · · Score: 1

      I know you were joking.

      To be fair, those images can be 'converted'. IIRC, this is how Photoshop interpolates when you scale up bit-map images.

      --
      Help I'm a rock.
    14. Re:smaller resolution by prichardson · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Why shouldn't everything be well designed. The very fact that people settle for mediocrity guarantees that they will receive no better. Do you really think Microsoft would still be around of people demanded more? Do you think Linux would still be in its sorry state? Do you think Apple would be starting to show bloat?

      --
      Help I'm a rock.
    15. Re:smaller resolution by prichardson · · Score: 1

      You know, I thought it went without saying that any decent OS lets you turn off things like that, too.

      --
      Help I'm a rock.
    16. Re:smaller resolution by prichardson · · Score: 1

      Have different settings for different monitors? I'm not sure of any OSs currently let you do this. However, perhaps as more and more dual video cards come out there will be a demand for this sort of thing. I can't image it would be particularly hard for an OS that already supported dual monitors and GUI size-changing.

      --
      Help I'm a rock.
    17. Re:smaller resolution by WuphonsReach · · Score: 1

      I *hate* OSes that do that! If I'm paying top dollar for lots of pixels it's because I want to put lots of text on that screen. If you feel that you need more pixels in each character in order to make them readable then I suggest you're using the wrong fonts.

      1) It's an option in those OSs.

      2) Wait until you get older and your sight starts to fail. Being able to have more pixels per letter really helps with readability.

      (Typing this on a 15" 1400x1050 display around 120ppi with large fonts.)

      --
      Wolde you bothe eate your cake, and have your cake?
    18. Re:smaller resolution by brucehoult · · Score: 1

      1) It's an option in those OSs.

      It is? The only way I've found on Windows and X is to lie about the DPI.

      2) Wait until you get older and your sight starts to fail.

      It's ok so far at 43.

  17. Re:yawn ... by bling..bling · · Score: 1

    ... I posted this article yesterday, Slashdot seems to be a bit slow in publishing postings.

    --
    My Sig is better than your Sig, because my Sig is Mine!
  18. Perhaps you need to adapt? by toybuilder · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The refresh methods of CRT's differ greatly from that of LCD's. Your eyes (or, rather, your eyes and your brain) are probably tuned to the CRT since you've been using that setup for a decade... Also, try adjusting the backlight intensity -- the LCD might actually be too bright for you!

    Also, the geometry of the screen may be an issue too. I remember when the first generation of "flat" CRT televisions came out, people used to curved monitors thought that the image looked inwardly curved...

    You may not have much of a choice -- CRT's are getting much more difficult to source these days, and when your current one dies, you may not even be able to buy a CRT that suits you!

    1. Re:Perhaps you need to adapt? by evilviper · · Score: 1
      Your eyes (or, rather, your eyes and your brain) are probably tuned to the CRT since you've been using that setup for a decade...

      Can't speak for the poster, but I can assure you that it goes much deeper than that in my case. I tried exclusively using an LCD for well-over a year, before I gave up and switch back to my nice, soft, warm, CRT. LCDs are really intolerable.

      You may not have much of a choice -- CRT's are getting much more difficult to source these days, and when your current one dies, you may not even be able to buy a CRT that suits you!

      Now that's just crazy. Sure, fewer companies are making CRTs, but they're guaranteed to be around for decades and decades to come. LCDs aren't even remotely close to competing with them on response time and contrast ratio. Then there are things like viewing angles, multiple "native" resolutions, price, etc. Projection HDTVs are mostly CRTs. Inexpensive HDTVs are direct-view CRTs (and a 1920x1080 res is plenty good enough for use as a computer monitor).
      --
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  19. I've ordered one... by Jerrith · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've ordered one, and it's set to arrive in a day or two. One interesting detail about the process is that Dell's website seems to consider it a system, rather than a monitor. This added some odd things (which were later stripped) such as a 7 day delay in shipping for "build" time.

    I've been using dual 20" CRTs at home for a long time, but at work, I got a Dell LCD about 6 month ago. Having used it as my primary monitor for half a year I decided I was going to upgrade my home setup for Christmas. While looking for coupons for the 2405 though, I heard about the 3007, and decided to wait and get just one of those instead.

    1. Re:I've ordered one... by Strolls · · Score: 1
      I've ordered one, and... Dell's website seems to consider it a system... a 7 day delay in shipping for "build" time.

      That's because they have to nail together two 15" displays. Enjoy your monitor, sucker!
    2. Re:I've ordered one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have a 2405FPW - it shipped with the power cable in a seperate box. Monitor and Power Cable were listed as two seperate items on the invoice. Could be why they consider it a 'system' and require build time.

  20. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by hattig · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Apple's been selling their 30" for god knows how long now. Dell has now joined the game.

    I expect that if Dell are using a more modern panel, then Apple will soon have an updated 30" product, not to compete but just because their 30" is due for an update... then again we are talking about Apple, who seem to forget about products once they're launched.

    It'd be nice if both had more inputs though. I don't need that many 30" displays in the house, and considering my TV is a 24" widescreen CRT I think I'd switch entirely to the 30" computer display for everything. As a high end product I'd understand if it only offered, say, two HDMI inputs alongside the dual-link DVI. An svideo/SCART would be nice too though.

  21. Maybe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Currently I have dual Apple 30" Cinema setup and I feel no urge to upgrade. Maybe once something with massively more resolution comes up, I'll consider, thank you very much.

    1. Re:Maybe by vmardian · · Score: 1

      That's superb. Please keep us all informed!

      --
      PowerLevel.com - A next generation marketplace for virtual items and services
  22. [O/T] Lighting and monitors by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

    We've had a few problems at work with lighting issues, as several of us people are quite sensitive either to typical office lighting or to particular types of monitor.

    At the risk of asking the obvious, have you tried rearranging your workspace? I have quite a nice Dell 19" CRT at work, which was almost unusable when I first started due to screen flicker. (I'm the kind of guy who can tell the difference between 85Hz and 100Hz, never mind 75 and 85.) I have two desks in an L-shape, and shifting the PC to the other desk so the monitor was in a different position fixed everything. It later turned out that there's a fairly major power source on the floor below, which we figure might have been interfering before, so the solution is simple but effective.

    We also tend to leave the overhead strip lights off, and use uplighters and desk lamps instead. It's not as bright, but it's also not susceptible to the kinds of flickering effects you can get from typical office lighting, and doesn't cause problems for the guys who have overhead lights just behind them that can glare off the screen.

    Despite dealing with an unusally high number of vision-sensitive guys at work, I think you're the first person I've ever come across who actually prefers CRTs to a good flat panel unit, so I wonder whether something simple like the suggestions above might allow you to benefit from a flat panel. YMMV, of course, but maybe that'll help.

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  23. You guys are all pussies by User+956 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm tired of the dual monitor thing, I want one display device on my desk, just make it a very large device.

    Everyone knows the real display technology of the day is Toshiba's Surface-conduction electron-emitter display.

    It's 100,000:1 contrast ratio, 1ms response time, and you can get it in 55".

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    1. Re:You guys are all pussies by AndreiK · · Score: 3, Informative

      55'' minimum - This is a plasma tv replacement, not a replacement for the LCD sitting on your desk.

    2. Re:You guys are all pussies by User+956 · · Score: 1

      55'' minimum - This is a plasma tv replacement, not a replacement for the LCD sitting on your desk.

      That's what you think.

      --
      The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    3. Re:You guys are all pussies by StikyPad · · Score: 1

      55" would be the minimum if you didn't count the 42" model...

      Point taken though.

    4. Re:You guys are all pussies by AndreiK · · Score: 1

      In the article: "Meanwhile, the 42" SEDs we saw will be axed in favor of a base size that begins at 55", Toshiba promises."

    5. Re:You guys are all pussies by StikyPad · · Score: 0, Redundant

      Well it was disappointing being completely wrong, but at least I can look forward to even more expensive TVs.

    6. Re:You guys are all pussies by md81544 · · Score: 1

      I could cope with 55" as a monitor... imagine, if you could have it in a gentle wrap-around semicirle. Immersive! Imagine games on something like that.

    7. Re:You guys are all pussies by AndreiK · · Score: 1

      Could you imagine the resolution you'd need to make that work?

    8. Re:You guys are all pussies by kimvette · · Score: 1

      What will the lifetime of the phosphors on that be? Will it be as bad as first generation plasma televisions where the brightness is decreased by 50% long before 10,000 hours has gone by? (Yeah I know, current plasma screens have half-lives similar to CRT now)

      --
      The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
    9. Re:You guys are all pussies by ranton · · Score: 1

      I know that you are only kidding, but that would be a rediculous thing to use as a monitor. It says that it has 62208000 electron emitters (1 for each color for each pixel). That means 2073600 pixels for an RGB monitor. On a widescreen monitor, that is roughly an 1800x1150 resolution. That is worse than a 24" widescreen.

      Clearly this is for television, and wouldnt want to be used as a monitor by even the most excessive geek. Multiple 30" displays would be much better.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    10. Re:You guys are all pussies by MojoStan · · Score: 1
      55'' minimum - This is a plasma tv replacement, not a replacement for the LCD sitting on your desk.

      That reminds me an interesting part of Extremetech's review of Dell's new 30" LCD:

      Having the ability to open lots of windows and being able to see most of them was a real productivity enhancer. On the other hand, we did occasionally suffer from the "tennis game spectator" effect--you have to move your head sometimes to take in the entirety of the display.
      I haven't used a 30" LCD, but apparently 30" is starting to get "too big" for some desktop use. Heck, I view my 27" 4:3 television from pretty far away. LCDs at 30" and above seem more appropriate for television and presentations.
      --
      TO START
      PRESS ANY KEY

      Where's the 'ANY' key? I see Esk, Kitarl, and Pig-Up...

    11. Re:You guys are all pussies by AndreiK · · Score: 1

      I am perfectly fine using a 17 inch, but I despise auto-hide, and like having lots of helper panels - google desktop for email, weather, and iTunes, then the taskbar and gAIM. I'm thinking of getting a second monitor to shift all that junk to, just so I can concentrate on my work.

  24. Same price as 4 Gateway FPD2185W by DAldredge · · Score: 3, Informative

    One of these monitors costs the same as 4 of Gateways FPD2185W widescreens. I know that it is a larger monitor, but would not 3-4 rotatable 20 inch wide screens be a better, more useful investment for most people?

    1. Re:Same price as 4 Gateway FPD2185W by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For $2200, I'm planning on buying 18 of these 15" monitors - I figure I'll have 14 megapixels vs. Dell's puny 4. And the screen area? Let's just say that, depending on how I arrange the screens, I can view lots of things at life size.

    2. Re:Same price as 4 Gateway FPD2185W by popeye44 · · Score: 1

      I have one ofthe FPD2185W at work, with dvi in it's an incredibly nice display. I've used composite in and vga so far.. PiP is nice for testing videos without having them full screen. It's a fair deal at it's price but I'm having a hard time justifying the price for a home one.

      --
      Inane Comments are Generously Disregarded
    3. Re:Same price as 4 Gateway FPD2185W by ClamIAm · · Score: 1

      Personally, I think that four 21" displays would make your desk look much more bad-ass than one 30" display. You could probably fit the entire internet on that much real-estate.

  25. Some Times Dual Monitors Are a Pain... by bling..bling · · Score: 1

    It's still plenty wide. For some users dual monitor stuff is the best option, when I'm doing sysadmin work, etc. and have lots of windows open the dual monitor thing isn't a problem. Where it does become a problem (for me) is that I'm really getting into photography and the split space between the screens is highly annoying. When I'm working in Photoshop, I want just a huge open space to work, not one that has a big space down the middle of it. I use two 19" Sony Trinitron's right now, but am likely to upgrade in a few months. My CRT's are harder on my eyes than my flat panel at my office, and so I was going to switch to dual LCD's, now I think I will likely switch to one large LCD (even through it will cost a preimum).

    --
    My Sig is better than your Sig, because my Sig is Mine!
  26. Probably because the rays kill your braincells by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 1
    Nah, I am kidding. I have heard this before. The light from a LCD is "different". It is rarely entirely smooth and since a lot of apps, like this website seem to delight in making a pure white background you are essentially staring in a lamp. CRT's tend to be smoother and have less of the discoulering.

    I don't know if it is the backlight, the uneven coloring, the fact that you can almost but not quite focus on the raster. Perhaps it is just to bright. Or maybe I am just getting old and should no longer spend hours staring at a glow tube. Eh glow panel.

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

  27. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by John+Nowak · · Score: 1

    Yes, because as we all know, the spec sheet is everything.

    I assume you also decide what speakers to buy after looking at specs in a book?

  28. Re:flash: oracle selling database software by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I know you created the site (CmdrTaco), so all much respect goes out to you and this rather large accomplishment, but lately you've been posting lots of dupes and fluff like this... what's going on?

    There's not that much exciting stuff happening at the bleeding edge this time of year, so they're spending more editorial space on general interest issues where formerly bleeding edge things are going mainstream, which might be of interest to anyone looking to buy in the near future?

    --
    If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
  29. height by TheSHAD0W · · Score: 1

    My personal opinion is that, while I'd rather have a single monitor than the dual 20" display setup I'm using now, that 30" monitor would tend to annoy me because it would be much taller than my current displays and more difficult to scan. I'd much prefer a display with a 2:1 (or wider) width-to-height ratio.

  30. well, the new Apple display rumor for tuesday..... by johnpaul191 · · Score: 1

    implies they will updating their displays.
    read the interesting story that PowerPage posted just the other day.....

    http://www.powerpage.org/archives/2006/01/exclusiv e_apple_plasma_displays_to_rock_mwsf_updated.html# 008526

    the key points being (as put by macrumors):
    Apple would be releasing 42inch and 50inch Plasma Displays at Macworld San Francisco.
    the new plasma displays will be powered by Intel's recently announced Viiv multimedia platform running Mac OS X 10.4.4 for x86 (Intel).
    Prices for the displays/computers are reportedly $2599 and $3299.

  31. lies and damned specifications by SuperBanana · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Apple 400:1 Contrast Ratio
    DELL 700:1 Contract Ratio

    The difference is that Dell is claiming figures based on smoking crack, and Apple's is actually somewhat reasonable. The first thing I did when I got my 20" from Dell, was calibrate it.

    According to the calibration device (Eye-one Display2), none of the specs were even close. I think the "true" contrast ratio turned out to be more like 1:250, and when I did brightness testing- brightness on the panel actually went DOWN with time at any setting over "75"; Dell's design pretty clearly overdrives the backlight(probably damaging it), and it is probably to be able to brag an extra 30-40cd over "the competition". Which is hilarious, since the thing is so damn bright, I have to keep it on the lowest brightness setting.

    Maybe I'll re-run the calibration right now and get actual numbers and post them as a follow-up, so you can see how lousy true specs are compared to what is claimed on paper.

    1. Re:lies and damned specifications by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      and Apple's is actually somewhat reasonable.

      That would be a first. But there is probably a G4 "supercomputer" in there..

    2. Re:lies and damned specifications by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The difference is that Dell is claiming figures based on smoking crack, and Apple's is actually somewhat reasonable. The first thing I did when I got my 20" from Dell, was calibrate it.

      See, the first thing I did was smoke crack. I was much happier for it.

  32. Ouch by ddx+Christ · · Score: 1
    Talk about a hefty price tag. I think I'll stick with my 19" LCD. Until it becomes cheaper, there doesn't seem to be too much of a point in buying this monitor. Purchasing a combination of two monitors is more economical and, depending on your choices, would leave you with some cash for a better video card.

    By all means, however, if you have the money and the requirements, go ahead and get this if user reviews are good. It looks sheerly massive. One thing for sure, though, is that it certainly isn't a necessity.

    As an aside, any word on dead-pixels? My friend that has a fairly large Dell LCD hasn't had any problems in that department, but it never hurts to ask around.

    1. Re:Ouch by game+kid · · Score: 2, Interesting

      No dead pixels on my Dell 24", thank &deity;. No idea how reliable the 30" is there (I don't plan on getting it anyhow).

      I wonder how ATI takes it when Dell only recommends five specific nVidia cards for the screen.

      (Interestingly, nothing on TV inputs, if any; actually seems to pass the "no HDCP to pay companies to restrict how I see video in full quality" test.)

      --
      You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
  33. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by CaptSnuffy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dell's offer also comes with a 4-port USB hub and a 9-in-2 card reader. Apple's display has 2 firewire ports and 2 USB ports. A lot of people have said Dell is inflating their monitor's specs since both monitors use the same LCD panel. Either way saving $300 over some silver plastic is a good deal.

  34. Here's one reasons to buy the Dell over Apple... by OnarGrindlewald · · Score: 1

    Unless I'm missing something, Apple's 30" doesn't have HDCP, while Dell's does. If I'm going to drop this kind of cash on a monitor, I'm going to want it ready for Vista...

  35. tired of the dual monitor thing by BadassJesus · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm tired of the dual monitor thing

    Multimonitor setup is more sensitive to your eyes. With the two monitors you need to refocus when you look the other monitor, this "exercise" saves the eyes from the strain caused by staring into one monitor from fixed distance for a long time. The best setup so far (that i tested) is 1600x1200 (left) 1920x1200 (center) 1600x1200 (right) with a TV display far behind so i can focus my eyes to distant display as well as near displays giving my eyes lot of exercise. I've found that my eyes keep refocusing on the other displays when it is no longer confortable to stare into one for too long. I have no eye sight problems since.

  36. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by Rew190 · · Score: 1

    Someone asked if there were any differences between Dell's and Apple's panel, and someone responded. Calm down.

  37. 30" is better than dual-monitor for certain apps by xornor · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I have a 30" cinema display at home and two 23" cinema displays at work. I do an equal amount of programming from each. I like the dual-display setup better for programming. For programming it seems to be easier to arrange the windows (IDE,firefox,terminals,etc) in the most efficient way. When using programs like autocad and photoshop though, the 30" is much better.

  38. This is ridiculous by AutopsyReport · · Score: 3, Informative

    Why would anyone want to spend $2000 on a monitor? For half the cost (and this isn't even a great example), I'd sooner buy a projector that gives me up to 300inches of view space. Not to mention I can watch movies on it, too.

    --

    For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.

    1. Re:This is ridiculous by bling..bling · · Score: 1

      You going to put that projector behind your desktop and get a big screen on your desk? This is a computer monitor designed to be connected to a computer, not a TV... The link you provided to a projector only display's a 800x600 resolution, which isn't even that great by projector standards. So if you wanted to use this you would have your icon's be the size of basketball on a 300" screen. Very practical for a desktop monitor...

      --
      My Sig is better than your Sig, because my Sig is Mine!
    2. Re:This is ridiculous by pe1chl · · Score: 1

      That won't give you 2560x1600 pixels of resolution...

    3. Re:This is ridiculous by suwain_2 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Resolution. To me, it's more important than display size. I was looking at LCDs, and ended up getting a 17" that did 1280x1024, even though there was a 19" of the same resolution for only slightly more. I want a huge resolution, but not a huge monitor. (Not that 1280x1024 is a "huge" resolution.)

      Unless you're spending the same $2,000+ on a projector, I doubt you could exceed 1280x1024. (Though I haven't looked too closely at pricing lately.)

      --
      ________________________________________________
      suwain_2 :: quality slashdot p
    4. Re:This is ridiculous by zlogic · · Score: 1

      It would have a lower resolution, worse picture quality, need lots of room (or the picture will be too small), not to mention that you'll have to switch the lights off.

    5. Re:This is ridiculous by imsabbel · · Score: 1

      Plus it costs about 2$ or so per hour runtime for new bulbs....

      --
      HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
    6. Re:This is ridiculous by dangitman · · Score: 1

      People who do graphics work? people who don't want to sit 10 feet away from their display? People who want high resolution? People who don't want shadows falling over their work when the cat gets in the way. People who don't want to sit in the semi-dark to do their work.

      --
      ... and then they built the supercollider.
  39. everyone could use one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    hell everthing about windows is all about making the best of limited screen space. its all a work around for our limited screen space...all the tiling..minimizing..windows crud. bigger screen = better

  40. Re:flash: oracle selling database software by bling..bling · · Score: 2, Informative

    Seriously what the heck are you talking about? HP doesn't make a 30" display the biggest LCD flat panel monitor they sell is the HP L2335 which is a 23" widescreen display. As for Apple they have only been selling the 30" monitor for about a year now. So in terms of the technology being commercially available, yeah it's kind of new. With Dell just releasing the second 30" flat panel monitor on the market. So it's news... Not seriously big news in the grand world of computing, but news none the less.

    --
    My Sig is better than your Sig, because my Sig is Mine!
  41. USB on a display by pe1chl · · Score: 5, Informative

    This monitor also sports four USB ports and a media card reader.

    Be careful, there is a problem with that!
    I have a Dell 2405FPW and it has the same ports and readers. When the monitor is switched off, the power supply to this subsystem is cut as well (and apparently it is not powered from the PC USB bus).

    I leave my PC switched on all the time, and switch off the monitor when I am not using it. The PC continues to perform server functions.
    The result is that every switch off and on of the display it will go through the USB hardware discovery cycle, find all the cardreaders, and try to read all card types. This results in a massive amount of log messages and a very slow PC for 5-10 seconds.

    The manual tells about this, but I think many users would not think about it when reading the feature list.
    Fortunately, the monitor has multiple inputs (VGA, DVI, S-Video, Composite, Component) and when switching to one of the TV inputs it goes to standby mode when no signal is present. So as a workaround, I switch it off by setting S-Video input and back on by selecting DVI again. Not as convenient, as it needs multiple button clicks to do so.

    1. Re:USB on a display by User+956 · · Score: 1

      I leave my PC switched on all the time, and switch off the monitor when I am not using it. The PC continues to perform server functions. The result is that every switch off and on of the display it will go through the USB hardware discovery cycle, find all the cardreaders, and try to read all card types. This results in a massive amount of log messages and a very slow PC for 5-10 seconds.

      Solution: Buy a $5 cardreader/usb hub. Plug said hub into your computer. Plug all permanently-connected devices/cards into that hub.

      The USB ports and cardreader on the side of the monitor are for convenience (i.e. plugging in ThumbDrives, getting photos from your camera, etc). Obviously, using them as a full-time solution is not optimal.

      --
      The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    2. Re:USB on a display by Chyeld · · Score: 1

      I agree that's something to be aware of, and I'm assuming you are using Windows given the description of the hardware discovery routine, however why don't you simply setup your powermanagment to switch the monitor to standby after a certain number of minutes of idle time?

      I have my Windows machine setup to go to screensaver after 5 min, and to shut the monitor off after 20 min.

      Even if this isn't a Windows machine, I have a hard time believing that Linux doesn't have SOMETHING that could do that for you.

    3. Re:USB on a display by pe1chl · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I have powermanagement enabled, but only after 45 minutes as I find it a nuisance when the screen shuts off while I am watching something or doing other work.
      Also, when I leave I want the display to blank immediately. I have tried to use the "activate screensaver when moving mousepointer to screen corner" function, but it seems it can only activate a screensaver, not the powermanagement.
      Furthermore, leaving the system in inactivity time-out powersaving is somewhat unreliable. Sometimes it wakes up because it believes the mouse has moved.

      This is a Linux system. But my experience at work with Windows systems shows the detection time and system slowdown for USB is similar, so it is probably caused by USB design defects, rather than operating systems.

      Well, with my workaround the display is usable. But the 3007FPW does not allow this workaround (I believe), so I thought one better be warned.

    4. Re:USB on a display by pe1chl · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Obviously, using them as a full-time solution is not optimal.

      There is nothing plugged in to these slots and connectors normally. I use them for my USB key and would use them for cards if I had those.
      The problem still occurs when everything is empty because there still is a hub and a couple of cardreader USB devices that are being detected, and an eager "hwscand" process that likes to find out what exciting new hardware there is to be found, automount cards, etc.

      In this, Linux is becoming more like Windows. By default, it is doing things that you don't want it to, and you have to find out how to make it stop doing that.

    5. Re:USB on a display by User+956 · · Score: 1

      The problem still occurs when everything is empty because there still is a hub and a couple of cardreader USB devices that are being detected, and an eager "hwscand" process that likes to find out what exciting new hardware there is to be found, automount cards, etc.

      What about just leaving the monitor on? Just set the OS to blank the display after a set period of time.

      You're not going to get tremendous power savings turning the monitor off anyway, since the AC adapter is sucking power as long as it's plugged in (that's why it's always warm). If you have a Kill-a-watt, it might be worth 5 minutes to see how much power the monitor draws with the screen on, with the screen blanked, and with the screen off.

      --
      The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    6. Re:USB on a display by pe1chl · · Score: 3, Informative

      This monitor does not have an external AC adapter.
      It uses about 59W when running normally, 3W in standby, 1W when "powered off" using the frontpanel button.
      Of course the powerconsumption does not drop merely by blanking the display, as with a CRT monitor. Powermanagement can set it to standby.

      These numbers are consistent with observation: it gets moderately warm when normally operating, and is cold when it is in standby.

    7. Re:USB on a display by User+956 · · Score: 1

      It uses about 59W when running normally, 3W in standby, 1W when "powered off" using the frontpanel button. Of course the powerconsumption does not drop merely by blanking the display, as with a CRT monitor. Powermanagement can set it to standby.

      Then at $0.125 per Kw/h, you're saving a maximum of 18 cents per month by turning the monitor off (1w), versus letting the OS put it in standby (3w).

      Doesn't sound worth it to me. Does the USB autodiscovery still happen when coming out of standby?

      --
      The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    8. Re:USB on a display by Briareos · · Score: 1

      Well, ATI Tray Tools allows you to set a hotkey for sending the monitor into standby, and if you don't have an ATI card there's always this and a shortcut...

      np: The Orb - Edelgrün (Pop Ambient 2006)

      --

      "I'm not anti-anything, I'm anti-everything, it fits better." - Sole

    9. Re:USB on a display by makomk · · Score: 1

      If you were using Windows, I'd suggest Wizmo, which can supposedly do what you want (and various other things) - including setting the amount of mouse movement at which it turns the monitors back on afterwards - but I'm not aware of a Linux equivalent.

    10. Re:USB on a display by neuroking · · Score: 1

      I have the same monitor and don't have the rediscovery problem. I even have teh same set up (turn off monitor when not in use), and no problems. I would contact Dell and get a replacement.

    11. Re:USB on a display by pe1chl · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Fortunately not. That is why the use of the input select switch is a workaround for the problem.
      It is merely a convenience issue now. The input select needs 5 presses for a complete cycle (5 inputs), and it reacts slowly when the monitor is in standby.

    12. Re:USB on a display by pe1chl · · Score: 1

      Well, it is a Linux system but now that I have paid some attention again, I have been able to create an icon that shuts down the display when I click on it.

      Unfortunately the problem remains that the tiniest motion of the mouse will turn it back on. Apparently Steve (grc.com) has recognized this, but in Linux I don't see a way to work around it (yet).

    13. Re:USB on a display by Celandine · · Score: 1

      See man xscreensaver and the pointerhysteresis option. xscreensaver-command is your friend for binding to a `turn monitor off' icon.

    14. Re:USB on a display by pe1chl · · Score: 1

      Thanks for the tip, until now I am using the "xset" command to control things (e.g. "xset dpms force off").

      Unfortunately it looks like the version of xscreensaver on this system (SuSE 9.2) does not have a pointerhysteresis option, so I'll see if a more recent version is in SuSE 10 (which I intend to install anyway).

    15. Re:USB on a display by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The 2045FPWs built in USB does not support high speed 480 mbps transfer. It runs at the slower 12 mbps and is completely worthless in my opinion when you consider the other flaw the parent post discussed.

    16. Re:USB on a display by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
      Just in case anyone reads the above:
      The 2045FPWs built in USB does not support high speed 480 mbps transfer. It runs at the slower 12 mbps

      not to worry, this is false. I have a 2045FPW in front of me, and I use its USB ports and the builtin card reader a lot. Depending on the actual card or USB stick used the speeds are different, but always ABOVE 12 Mbps. My MP3 player gives ~ 3MBytes/sec both ways, which is the same it gives on any of my other USB ports (and above 12 Mbps).

      The parent may have a USB1.1 device on the same USB header (mouse, keyboard,...), which kills the speed for all devices connected to it. It's easy to do that if you don't know your motherboard layout well, as different external USB ports may go to the same internal controller.

      So don't worry, the 2405FPW is gorgeous, and the USB support is fantastic: 4 card readers and 4 open ports.

    17. Re:USB on a display by evilviper · · Score: 1
      but only after 45 minutes as I find it a nuisance when the screen shuts off while I am watching something

      Video players like MPlayer disable DPMS/Xscreensaver during playback, and re-enable it when they exit.

      when I leave I want the display to blank immediately.

      "xset dpms force off"
      Make it a menu option, or bind the command to a keyboard shortcut. See, now you have a purpose for that "Windows" key...

      Sometimes it wakes up because it believes the mouse has moved.

      You can change the threshold for that.
      --
      Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
    18. Re:USB on a display by RzUpAnmsCwrds · · Score: 1

      When the monitor is switched off, the power supply to this subsystem is cut as well (and apparently it is not powered from the PC USB bus).

      I have a Dell 2005fpw and the USB ports continue to function (and have power) when the monitor is off. Perhaps the new 30" monitor will function correctly.

    19. Re:USB on a display by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      From experimentation the 2405FPW's onboard USB is substantially slower for me. A single USB device transfers data much faster if it is directly connected to the motherboard's USB 2.0 port than if it is daisy chained through the monitor. Maybe I have an older version of the monitor or something... beats me.

    20. Re:USB on a display by Sax+Maniac · · Score: 1

      I have the same monitor but have never noticed any delay-- probably because I always leave the monitor on during the day. I then set it to automatically power down the monitor after 1/2 hour or so. This is easy in Windows (change your power settings) and works fine in X too.

      I only ever switch it off at night.

      If you insist on powering it down, you could probably just disconnect the USB cable permanently! Unless you use the card reader all the time, it will probably save you time.

      --
      I can explanate how to administrate your network. You must configurate and segmentate it, so it can computate.
    21. Re:USB on a display by pe1chl · · Score: 1

      Maybe not all versions of this display have this characteristic?

      You could try this: when using Linux, poweroff the monitor, wait maybe 30 seconds, and switch it back on.
      Then look at the end of /var/log/messages. Do you see a lot of messages about new USB hardware, new diskdrives, read errors on these diskdrives, etc?

      This would indicate it has lost and re-discovered all this USB hardware.
      Maybe not all distributions have this autodetect-and-try-to-automount-everything behaviour. I am using SuSE Linux.

  42. Connectivity by Nitroflames · · Score: 1

    I have the 2005FPW and I love it. I have two computers connected through the DVI and VGA ports and my Xbox hooked up to the composite. This just has a media reader and a DVI port. For that much money, I want a full array of connections.

  43. Brand important only to monitors and HDs by Douglas+Simmons · · Score: 1

    Because everything else inside a computer is measurable in pretty much just speeds and dimensions, not counting cooling systems, would it be reasonable to say that the hard drives and monitors, which die relatively quickly, are unpredictable in that sense and it is important to have a company make a quality product that they can "stand behind" to defend their brand (even if they're just being choosey with Korean OEMs?

  44. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Apple 400:1 Contrast Ratio
    DELL 700:1 Contract Ratio


    Uh, as the parent stated, there aren't many sources (read: one) for 30" panels. So in all probability, Dell is using the same bullshit specs they use everywhere else. Any real-world comparison will show this to be true.

  45. Dual vs Large Single Monitor by mchawi · · Score: 1

    For me I have a single monitor at home that I use for browsing/gaming/etc - and I have no real need for a second monitor.

    At work though I do lots of testing of patches, scripts and other administration duties. I open up my administration or editing program in one window and the target system in the other window. With one monitor I sometimes missed any quick messages or weird update issues - with two I can catch everything. I also know a lot of people that use two monitors for the same reason. More real estate would not help, it is literally being able to see two separate things at once that helps.

    It could be argued that with a 30 inch you could open up two windows side by side, but in my personal experience it is always easier to use two monitors because it is easier to just expand an application to take up one monitor rather than trying to manually resize programs every time.

    So I think the whole debate about which is better depends completely upon what your goals are and how you work.

  46. Re:How much did Dell pay for this? by bling..bling · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Dell didn't pay me squat to post this... If they did pay me the check hasn't arrived. I actually don't like Dell at all and refuse to buy their PowerEdge servers. Bringing out a 30" monitor which supports HDCP is news...

    --
    My Sig is better than your Sig, because my Sig is Mine!
  47. Don't buy it for $2199 by __aailob1448 · · Score: 4, Informative

    You can get this monitor for $1800 or less if you claim you are a small business (they don't check) and speak to one of the reps in the small business department of Dell. More importantly, If you wait a bit, some great deal will show up. Wait until a $1500 or less deal and grab it then. I got my 2001FP for 860 when it used to cost $1200 and my 2405FPW for $915 when it used to cost $1500 so I'm familiar with Dell deals.

    This price is ridiculous for a Dell, you can get the apple 30" for $100 more with student discount. And we all know the kinds of margins Apple has.

    1. Re:Don't buy it for $2199 by pe1chl · · Score: 1

      That is very true, I easily got about 20% off my Dell 2405FPW just by ordering it from work (calling our Dell contact person and asking for a better deal, he set up a new account so it was billed to me personally).

    2. Re:Don't buy it for $2199 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      You can get this monitor for $1800 or less if you claim you are a small business

      $60 an inch ... that's more like it!

      Instead of waiting for the Dell 3007WFP to drop some more, I'm gonna wait for the Gateway 4200WTF.

  48. Dell overpriced by canuck57 · · Score: 1

    For the same money you can buy 4 (or even more) 19 inch screens.

    No arguement there, Dell has overpriced this at $2,199 (I presume USD).

    Me, I went to the local Canadian Costco and picked up a Viewsonic 27" widescreen N2750W that has DVI, VGA, TV tuner, speakers, PIP etc. all inside. Sure, the resultion is 1280x720 but I don't need to see 10 pt fonts at 1/32". My stock NVIDIA AGP DVI card drives it nicely. The kicker is it is $899 Canadian, but I paid $999 a year earlier. Thinking of buying another one as my wife wants it as a TV. And no dead pixels that I can find.

    What is really cool about this is watching TV in PIP, no ATI blunder software to crash.

    1. Re:Dell overpriced by generic-man · · Score: 1

      Dell has a history of providing a whole host of coupons, especially at their small business store, that bring monitor prices way down. Their 24" displays have fallen below $1000 many times. I'd expect many people to buy a Dell 30" monitor for far less than $2200.

      --
      For more information, click here.
  49. $100 for the cheapest cable from Dell? $699 card! by objekt · · Score: 1

    http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx ?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=W3007&s=dhs

    There's more expensive cables and cards from Dell, too.

    I'd rather buy the Apple with my educational discount (just $2,299 with the cable) and works with my Powerbook's graphics card.

    --
    -- Boycott Shell
  50. Lame! by emptycorp · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Not only is this not tech news, but the last thing the tech world needs is free advertising for dell on Slashdot of all places.

    dell can gain some respect from me and other true computer users/builders when they leave the trifecta from hell (dell, intel, microsoft) and stop manufacturing their own crappy parts and stick in quality products like antec and corsair.

    Flaimbait? Not if you're a true computer tech.

    1. Re:Lame! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Now wait just a minute here! I work for Dell and.. Uh.. Carry on.

  51. Design... by aAronN322 · · Score: 2

    I think that a large monitor would work very nicely for people who do design work though. It is nice to have a larger view of the image or project you are working on while still having it zoomed in enough to see what you are doing. Then of course you can always have another little monitor becide it to hold your toolbars and such.

  52. Probably should wait until after MacWorld by Twid · · Score: 1

    Well, before any /.'er compares the price and specs with the Apple display and rushes out to order one from Dell, I should point out the obvious and mention that Macworld is coming up next week. It's probably worth a few days of waiting to see if Apple has a price or feature response to Dell.

    Unless you REALLY have over two grand burning a hole in your pocket...

    --
    - "When you want something with all your heart, the entire universe conspires to give it to you" -Paulo Coelho
  53. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by shawnce · · Score: 1

    Oh, and the apple one has a fancier bezel. ...and of course built in 2 port Firewire (400) hub in addition to 2 port USB (2.0). Also the firewire, USB, power and Dual-DVI all come to the monitor via a single cabel, this makes thing a lot cleaner on your desktop or when mounting on a wall.

  54. UltraSharp technology? by noidentity · · Score: 1

    "Color and detail have never looked better or bigger thanks to the brilliantly bright display and Dell's UltraSharp technology."

    Is UltraSharp Dell's way of saying "it's an LCD screen"?

    1. Re:UltraSharp technology? by zlogic · · Score: 1

      It's saying that it has DVI. Or VGA. Or a backlight. Or (my favorite) a power cable.

    2. Re:UltraSharp technology? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      'UltraSharp Technology' means the display supports DVI. Some of the cheaper Dell LCDs are not 'Ultrasharp', and only use a standard 15 port VGA connector.

  55. Calibrator vs Dell vs Apple (sorta) by SuperBanana · · Score: 4, Informative
    Maybe I'll re-run the calibration right now and get actual numbers and post them

    Done. Here are the results for my 2 month old Dell 2005FPW, which has been on for about 2 hours before calibration.

    Max brightness: 250 cd/m^2 at 100, but dropped 1 cd/m^2 EVERY SECOND I left it at that setting(and oddly enough, when I brought the setting back to 0, luminance climbed slightly over 5-10 seconds, then dropped back to 178-179). 0 is anywhere from 178.2-180.

    Guess what? 250cd/m^2, or 250 lumens, is run of the mill. Dell claims an additional 50 lumens. To put that in perspective, that's as if the display had a brightness setting of around "200"(well, a little less, but you get the idea.)

    Dell also claims a 600:1 contrast ratio. Except the calibration device measured a minimum luminance of .4 cd/m^2. 180 divided by .4 = 450:1 contrast ratio.

    Apple claims a contrast ratio of 400:1 and a max luminance of 250cd/m2 on the Cinema 20", which is supposedly the same exact screen (but different front "glass" and backlight, I believe). How 'bout that.

    1. Re:Calibrator vs Dell vs Apple (sorta) by Alain+Williams · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Well, I suppose that you had better report it to Dell as being out of spec and still in Warranty -- ask them to replace it.

    2. Re:Calibrator vs Dell vs Apple (sorta) by pz · · Score: 1

      Max brightness: 250 cd/m^2 at 100, but dropped 1 cd/m^2 EVERY SECOND I left it at that setting(and oddly enough, when I brought the setting back to 0, luminance climbed slightly over 5-10 seconds, then dropped back to 178-179). 0 is anywhere from 178.2-180.

      Not so odd, you're seeing temperature effects, where hotter bulbs produce lower output. When you set it to the highest level, it takes a while to stabilize at the new, higher, temperature. When you brought it back to 0, it took a while to stabilize again.

      --

      Put my fist through my alarm clock with its ding-dong death inside my ear. - The Blackjacks.
    3. Re:Calibrator vs Dell vs Apple (sorta) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Dell can probably cheat more and Apple less. I suspect a higher percentage of Mac users (being in markets where color matters) have access to the hardware to measure these things.

    4. Re:Calibrator vs Dell vs Apple (sorta) by sam_doshi · · Score: 2, Interesting

      What did the Eye-One software report the native white point of the Dell display at? My cinema display comes out at 6400K native, which is pretty damn good (I think).

    5. Re:Calibrator vs Dell vs Apple (sorta) by 8-Track · · Score: 2, Interesting

      My 23" Cinema Display defaulted at 6700K, measured with an EyeOne. From what I understand, a difference of 300 Kelvin is impercievable.

    6. Re:Calibrator vs Dell vs Apple (sorta) by dangitman · · Score: 1
      When you set it to the highest level, it takes a while to stabilize at the new, higher, temperature. When you brought it back to 0, it took a while to stabilize again.

      So, why don't they design it to mitigate that effect?

      --
      ... and then they built the supercollider.
  56. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by dr.badass · · Score: 1

    Either way saving $300 over some silver plastic is a good deal.

    The Apple display is made of aluminum, not plastic.

    --
    Don't become a regular here -- you will become retarded.
  57. Re:$100 for the cheapest cable from Dell? $699 car by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your Powerbook has duallink DVI? What makes the apple display so special that it works with your powerbook, and the dell won't?

  58. Good points by other people but... by dazzla_2000 · · Score: 1

    If there is demand for high resolution displays on laptops why not desktop LCD's?

    Also why are both 17" and 19" desktop LCD's stuck at the same 1280x1024 resolution?

  59. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by User+956 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Also the firewire, USB, power and Dual-DVI all come to the monitor via a single cabel, this makes thing a lot cleaner on your desktop or when mounting on a wall.

    Who the fuck mounts a computer monitor on a wall?

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  60. It's about pixels not inches by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's the number of pixels not the number of inches. A projection system simply doesn't have the resolution of pixels that a 30 inch lcd panel does. Besides a projected image would be on a wall or too large to put on a desk if it's rear projection. I suppose you could mount it on a wall... ick...

    Another factor to consider is the clarity of the pixels which is very important for preserving you eyes and for detailed work.

    A friend bought on of the Apple 30 inch monsters for her home computer simply because she loved it so much. It barely fits on her desk but it's simply an awesome experience to use a computer with one of these.

    I'd like at least three of them...

  61. Re:Here's one reasons to buy the Dell over Apple.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "If I'm going to drop this kind of cash on a monitor, I'm going to want it ready for Vista..."

    If that's the case, you have about 2 more years to work on your purchase...

  62. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Heh, actually it's aluminum, not silver plastic. And I'd prefer 2 firewire ports and 2 USB ports to 4 USB ports and a card reader. Then again, I don't like those ports on monitors anyway and saving $300 dollars is certainly good.

  63. Re:Here's one reasons to buy the Dell over Apple.. by suwain_2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I, on the other hand, would like to not have DRM in my computer monitor.

    Imagine if no one bought HDCP monitors. When Vista came out, it would blow up massively--people would be furious at having to either use really crappy video or buy a new monitor.

    --
    ________________________________________________
    suwain_2 :: quality slashdot p
  64. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by CaptSnuffy · · Score: 1

    Okay you got me there, but you still save $300!

  65. Re:smaller resolution - Res, not Size folks by unclejose · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I hope that manufactures continue to embrace higher resolutions as I have loved the 1920x1200 (WUXGA) screen on my Inspiron 8500 (another Dell plug) for three years now and have considered replacing the computer, but have not becuase I love the screen so much. I understand that manufactures have a lack of incentives for making such high resolution desktop panels, but if you use a WUXGA laptop display you'll realize how beautiful it is. The reason I am such a fan of these laptop panels is that, as previously mentioned today, the human field of vision is far wider than tall. Furthermore, it is much easier for the eye to collect information in as short an arc of eye displacement as possible. When I am writing GUI's and scripts for my engineering classes, being able to see all the information very quickly is hugely valuable and efficient. Still, I don't know why so many people care about screen SIZE so much more than resolution. I truly wish there was some way of getting my WUXGA resolution on a stand alone flat panel, but doing so would require a screen 23" or larger and costing more than I can afford. If Dell makes twin WUXGA's, I'll be sold.

  66. Input by suwain_2 · · Score: 1

    With these mammoth LCDs that require dual DVI inputs... Is it possible to hook them up to a lower-end video card (eg, my laptop) and run them at a lower resolution?

    I'd love one of these things, but I don't want to build a new computer to use it.

    --
    ________________________________________________
    suwain_2 :: quality slashdot p
    1. Re:Input by karnal · · Score: 1

      You'd spend 2000$+ on a new monitor, and not toss 200-300$ on a decent card to drive it?

      Wow. Can I have some of your money?

      --
      Karnal
    2. Re:Input by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      With these mammoth LCDs that require dual DVI inputs... Is it possible to hook them up to a lower-end video card (eg, my laptop) and run them at a lower resolution?

      I recently went to an Apple store and asked the fellow behind the Genius Bar the same question, and we did some in-store experimentation. So my experience has been:

      1) It doesn't require "dual DVI inputs", it requires a single "dual-link DVI input". The difference is basically that the DVI bus can actually have two transmitters running over a single line, which allows it to pump way more pixels. So instead of taking a dual-head DVI video card and hooking up both connectors to this monitor, you take a recent, powerful DVI card and hook up only one connector to this monitor. (I was under this misconception for a while, so I post this in order to clarify for others...) You can find out more detailed information about the DVI analog and digital, single- and dual-link configurations here.

      2) As long as you have a genuinely digital DVI feed (rather than, e.g., an analog one generated by a VGA-DVI converter-- again, see the DataPro link above for details)... yes you can hook up a card using a single-link DVI transmitter to such a monitor. The Apple Cinema Display scales up the resolution as necessary, so that your 1600x1024 will in fact fill the entire screen; I can't speak for the Dell, but I imagine the behavior's the same. However, the final effect looks pretty terrible.

      The upshot: I used to have two machines hooked up to a single 20" CRT, and both were managed by KVM. When I buy a 30" Cinema HD display from Apple sometime in the next few weeks, I'm going to hook it up to the G5 and operate the PC in a window through Remote Desktop, or VNC when I have it booted from a Linux drive. But since I write Windows drivers for a hobby (that's loadable kernel modules to you Linux folk :) I have the potential to periodically turn my computer into a non-booting doorstop. For those times when I'm in such a pinch, I'm going to buy a cheap $50 single-link DVI card to hook up to the big-ass monitor for troubleshooting. I'm sure the BIOS and boot disk video will look horrible, but then I hope I won't have to spend much time at all in there anyway :)

      *snort* Today's captcha == "optical" :)

    3. Re:Input by dangitman · · Score: 1
      I'd love one of these things, but I don't want to build a new computer to use it.

      I'm afraid that's the price you have to pay. In this case the system should be designed around the display, it's not something you just want to "add on." It also makes sense to invest in mounting hardware like articulated arms.

      Dual-display is much more economical and easier for most users. But if you want huge displays, then you have to pay for it. If you are going to cut corners on such a system, you are really wasting money that would be spent upgrading other components, or reconfiguring your work room.

      --
      ... and then they built the supercollider.
  67. Too large? by mobby_6kl · · Score: 1

    I don't have any experience using >20" monitors, but wouldn't 30" be a little to much, for the same reason sitting in the front row at the cinema sucks?

    The resolution surely is nice though...

    1. Re:Too large? by NerveGas · · Score: 1

      It depends. If you're trying to play a video game 18" from the monitor, probably. If you're working on a large, high-resolution photo, then it wouldn't be.

      steve

      --
      Oh, you're not stuck, you're just unable to let go of the onion rings.
    2. Re:Too large? by dangitman · · Score: 1

      Depends how far away you mount it. And what you are using it for.

      --
      ... and then they built the supercollider.
  68. Viewing distances by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

    FWIW, I've been looking into buying a widescreen TV recently, and the usual recommendation seems to be that you want to sit about 3x the screen diagonal away (i.e., about 10-11' away for your screen). My more responsible friends and other half have talked me out of buying a stunning Sagem 45" DLP TV on this basis; while the image is fantastic and wold be great for movie nights, it's simply too big to fit in my lounge, and something more modest like a 32" LCD is a much better fit.

    --
    If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    1. Re:Viewing distances by interiot · · Score: 1
      the usual recommendation seems to be that you want to sit about 3x the screen diagonal away

      I've heard those arguments often, but I think they're rediculous. Maybe they apply for movies, I don't know. For my computer, I sit 2' away from a 37" monitor, and it doesn't fill my entire view. Sitting 1' away almost fills my view, but alas I only have 1920x1080, which is a fairly low pixel density for a computer monitor. I really honestly think that 40-50" computer monitors that are something like 5120x3200 are what we'll be using in 20 years.

    2. Re:Viewing distances by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

      The point isn't what fills your view. On the contrary, using too large a monitor can be dangerous. You have to keep turning your head to see the outer areas, which can lead to all sorts of problems if you're maintaining a funny angle in the neck for extended periods. If you're using a very wide window, you may also have to scan long lines of text, which again can cause discomfort quickly and long-term problems.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    3. Re:Viewing distances by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My more responsible friends and other half have talked me out of buying a stunning Sagem 45" DLP TV on this basis; while the image is fantastic and wold be great for movie nights, it's simply too big to fit in my lounge, and something more modest like a 32" LCD is a much better fit.

      What the hell do they know? They're just jealous.

      Knock out the back wall. Sit in the laundry.

    4. Re:Viewing distances by tigersha · · Score: 1

      I have to admit, I am curious about this 37" monitor of yours??

      --
      The dangers of excessive individualism are nothing compared to the oppressiveness of excessive collectivism
  69. Re:Here's one reasons to buy the Dell over Apple.. by OnarGrindlewald · · Score: 1

    Of course, DVD video will be available, which by most people's accounts here, is "good enough"... ... look, like it or not, HDCP (especially married with HDMI) is now a staple of the HDTV world and isn't going anywhere. I'm just saying, having the option of watching HD movies (in whatever format) in a few years time vs. not having the option on a $2000 monitor (which, by most accounts and at that price point, should last at least a few years) seems to be a selling point to me. It seems silly that Apple isn't offering it, though as we all know, Apple really hasn't made any anouncemnts about HD video and Macs... though by most all accoutns they are going to have to....

  70. Why not to maximise everything by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1
    In the "What resolution should I target my webpages to?" post on "Ask Slashdot", it seems that a lot of people run all of their prgrams maximized. Why?

    Because:

    • it makes the positions of widgets predictable, so you can interact with your software much faster using a mouse once you learn where things are
    • using the physical limits of screen edges has advantages for usability, e.g., I know that I can throw my mouse point to top-right and click and I'll get the close button for the current window
    • using non-maximised windows adds even more window dressing
    • it's annoying if you keep accidentally moving or resizing a window, e.g., when trying to select text near the end of a line in an editor
    • personally, I find overlapping windows to be confusing and unhelpful, transparency effects to be really distracting
    • switching the active window based on where the mouse pointer is on most UNIX systems rates among my top-ten most annoying UI mistakes ever
    and that's just off the top of my head.

    As another poster mentioned, a window manager that could let you have some of these advantages while using a non-maximised window would be a great help, but I know of no platform today that will, e.g., slow the mouse down as it nears the edge of a window to emulate the hard edge of the screen. It would be interesting to measure the usabilty of such features, but intuitively I'd guess it would help a lot once people got used to it.

    --
    If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    1. Re:Why not to maximise everything by rossifer · · Score: 1

      it makes the positions of widgets predictable, so you can interact with your software much faster using a mouse once you learn where things are

      Apple's argument for the menu bar at the top of the screen. I find that my mouse skills seem to have developed to compensate for the variable location of widgets. I may be slightly faster on a Mac than on Win XP or Linux, but it's not enough to notice.

      using the physical limits of screen edges has advantages for usability, e.g., I know that I can throw my mouse point to top-right and click and I'll get the close button for the current window

      Interesting. I'd never noticed that before.

      using non-maximised windows adds even more window dressing

      Yeah, but I've got a 1600 x 1200 display on this laptop. The window dressing isn't getting in the way of anything I'm trying to see or do so... On lower resolution screens, I can see your point. I've got an older laptop with an 800x600 display that use as a Subversion server. I feel very cramped when using it, and the Gnome/Enlightenment window dressing does feel like a waste of valuable screen area.

      it's annoying if you keep accidentally moving or resizing a window, e.g., when trying to select text near the end of a line in an editor

      I find that my mouse skills have developed in such a way that this almost never happens. If you're really used to the scrollbar being on the right screen border (so that your movement to grab the scrollbar doesn't need left-right precision), I can understand your frustration.

      personally, I find overlapping windows to be confusing and unhelpful

      This is the point that has real merit. But it's a highly subjective criteria and all it really tells me is that it's silly to pretend that there's "One Right Way" for everyone to use their computer screens.

      Personally, I find overlapping windows to be highly informative and not at all confusing. I can start a build (and keep an eye on it), monitor some other process, and read slashdot all at the same time.

      switching the active window based on where the mouse pointer is on most UNIX systems rates among my top-ten most annoying UI mistakes ever

      Change the setting from "focus follows mouse" to "click to focus". I haven't used a *nix window manager in ten years that didn't offer that option. Actually, do any of the Gnome integrated window managers even offer "focus follows mouse" any more? I can't remember seeing it the last few times I was screwing around with the settings...

      Regards,
      Ross

    2. Re:Why not to maximise everything by drew · · Score: 1

      Actually, do any of the Gnome integrated window managers even offer "focus follows mouse" any more? I can't remember seeing it the last few times I was screwing around with the settings...

      Yes, It's still an option, but you have to go well out of your way to change it. I think pretty much all of the common window managers default to "click to focus" these days, at the ones I've used in the last year or so.

      --
      If I don't put anything here, will anyone recognize me anymore?
  71. Re:well, the new Apple display rumor for tuesday.. by jcr · · Score: 1

    The Cinema 30" has been out long enough now that I would place the odds of a product revision at MacWorld over 50%. Whether it's a bigger panel, or and increase in the DPI will be interesting to see. Tiger is already capable of going fully resolution-independent.

    I'd love to have a 30" display that bumped the resolution up to 250 DPI or so.. That would be sweet.

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  72. The difference between one big and two smaller by Kopretinka · · Score: 1

    I also thought initially that I'd prefer two smaller displays to one big, but then I thought about it and wasn't so sure any more:

    1. Two displays force the boundary on you, so you (even subconsciously) think about where your windows should be and don't make such mess of them.
    2. One display allows more flexibility, like main stuff in the center and then bunch of things on both sides - so it's like triple-head, not dual head, because here you have two side areas.
    3. On the other hand, dual-head means that the displays are both turned towards you, i.e. they are not parallel, but at an angle. This means better visibility.
    4. For watching movies from your couch, one big honking display clearly wins over two smaller, even if the smaller ones may have bigger total area.

    So unless you make a mess of it, one display should probably be preferable to two, as long as it doesn't get so big, that the side areas are just too far from you. Or triple-head. Or one huge thing and two smaller ones on the sides. Oh if I had the money. 8-)

    Ultimately, though, a foldable big honking display would be best, I'd wager.

    --
    Yesterday was the time to do it right. Are we having a REVOLUTION yet?
    1. Re:The difference between one big and two smaller by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't think most of the readers here have actually seen the Apple 30" live, in person. It's so stoopid big that you laugh inside when you first see it. I messed with one at CompUSA and it was completely amazing. It has the power to convert geeks just by it's presence alone.

  73. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by Jupix · · Score: 1

    I can't imagine there's a large group of manufacturers for 30" LCD

    If I'm not mistaken, Samsung released their 30" LCD yesterday (or today). It should have similar specs, but be a bit cheaper. I didn't find any good links at samsung.com though. Does anyone have more info?

  74. Linux support by pjrc · · Score: 1

    Has anyone actually used one of these 30 inch displays with Linux, NOT using closed-source drivers?

    1. Re:Linux support by Strolls · · Score: 4, Funny
      Has anyone actually used one of these 30 inch displays with Linux, NOT using closed-source drivers?
      Yes! The 800 x 600 scales great to fit this monitor (with only 8" black bars at each side) and the little VGA penguin is SO cute when he's 6" high.
  75. Will this work on a powerbook? (Dual Head) by PMcGovern · · Score: 1

    As crazy as it sounds, today I power my Apple 30" monitor with my 15" powerbook. Full Resolution (dual head). New powerbooks that have 128megs of VRAM can do it. It's a great setup....and actually almost too much screen real estate, not that I'm complaining. ;-)

    I wonder if this new Dell 30" monitor will work with a powerbook (though the DVI port) as well.. Apple must support dual link in the Powerbook's DVI port, otherwise it wouldn't work in the current setup.

    Pat-

  76. Too much money for too few pixels by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Let's see... 2 19" (18" viewable) Viewsonic G90FB CRTs will cost me about $450 for both and I'll then have 3200x1200 space to work with. 2 21" (20" viewable) G225FB CRTs around $850 for both to get 4096x1536. Nope, I can't justify $2200 for a flat panel that gives me less "real estate".

  77. 1600x1200 res on 20.1inch desktop LCD - great! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The 20.1inch Iiyama Prolite E511S supports 1600x1200 for both DVI and analog inputs. I have used one and I think it is an excellent display -- no dead or stuck pixels. The Iiyama Prolite H2010B has one additional DVI input, and support for PAL/NTSC input via an (optional) video adapter.

  78. Re:How much did Dell pay for this? by Kazzahdrane · · Score: 1

    News for Nerds - check.
    Stuff that matters - check.

    This is interesting news to me.

  79. Color calibration on two montiors by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1
    One thing that helps a lot is to do color-calibration on both monitors

    My understanding is that Windows XP will only allow a single icm profile for a dual display unless the video card has a dual LUT (Look Up Table).

    Anyone know the True Answer?

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    1. Re:Color calibration on two montiors by rfunk · · Score: 1

      You can still use the controls on the monitors to calibrate them visually, given the right images on screen.

  80. See? Apple isn't terribly overpriced.... by ShyGuy91284 · · Score: 1

    Apple has a reputation for being terribly overpriced. A bit behind w/ some hardware (like memory/FSB speed in my iBook), but there prices aren't as bad as some make it seem. $1000 for a decent notebook is reasonable (iBook again). They just get unrealistically expensive with some of their fully loaded systems. Back on topic though. That's not too much cheaper then Apple's 30" display. With education discount, it's only $100 cheaper. And if you are spending $2000+ on a display, I don't think a couple hundred dollars is a huge deal. And I've heard Apple's displays are some of the best for accurate reproduction of color (although that might just be propaganda affecting me). I found there mid-sized display to be pretty competitive with newegg's displays of that size, even cheaper then many of the better known brands with the educational discount. It's good to see some competition though. Someday I will have one.........

    --
    In undeveloped countries, the consumer controls the market. In capitalist America, the market controls you.
  81. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Spoken like a true Apple whore.

    Keep repeating after me - 'It does not matter what a device can do so long as it is expensive and looks nice.'

  82. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by shawnce · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Ummm some folks?... Think a wall arm mount so you have zero foot print on your desk and a movable display.

  83. Re:Will this work on a powerbook? (Dual Head) by Psykechan · · Score: 1

    Yes. This should technically work.

    Here is Apple's page that lists dual link DVI as how their 30" displays work.

    Be warned that not all 128MB VRAM powerbooks support DL-DVI. Most do but there was a build-to-order option on the late 2004 systems that would give it 128MB of VRAM but not DL-DVI.

  84. How are DPI and a Monitor's Resolution Related? by bling..bling · · Score: 1

    What in the world does dots per inch have to do with a monitors native resolution? If you have two 19" monitors with the same physically sized display area, one having a native display resolution of 1024x768 and the other is 1280x1024 running the same desktop/apps, etc. (all with the same fonts/sizes), which one will have physically smaller sized type, images, etc.? Obviously the 1280x1024 will have the smaller sized type, images, etc. that's because are fitting more pixels in the same physical space, so everything appears smaller. While true you can adjust the text size in some applications this can cause those applications to look goofy, weird, etc. There is a big difference between print resolution/image quality and the image quality on a monitor/display. My friends who are pro photograhers print almost everything at 300 DPI. It sounds as if you are equating DPI and pixels? DPI doesn't give you higher image quality... "The Myth of DPI" http://www.rideau-info.com/photos/mythdpi.html ... I'm not an expert on print stuff, etc. but it sounds like you have some misconceptions and are intermixing terminology.

    --
    My Sig is better than your Sig, because my Sig is Mine!
  85. duallink powerbook by mbaudis · · Score: 2, Informative

    all the new 15 and 17in powerbooks have duallink; so works with both apple and dell.

    but even with some small difference in price ($100-300 is small as fraction of the total), i definitely would prefer the apple. 30in monster with black plastic frame and dell logo? and with apple, i know about their rather helpful policy if problems appear.

  86. Re:Here's one reasons to buy the Dell over Apple.. by HoneyBunchesOfGoats · · Score: 1

    Yes, I agree, Apple should totally change their screen so that it works with an arbitrary restriction imposed by a competitor on that competitor's own users.

  87. Worst of all by rbanffy · · Score: 1
    1. Re:Worst of all by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      what is your point?, in the links the apple costs $2499 and the dell $2199, so the more expensive is the apple. and... for the ugliness factor, well, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. and for me 300 bucks are prettier than an apple logo.

    2. Re:Worst of all by pintomp3 · · Score: 1

      that $300 savings looks pretty good to me. i guess green isn't your color. nor is math your strength.

    3. Re:Worst of all by ad0gg · · Score: 1
      what is your point?, in the links the apple costs $2499 and the dell $2199, so the more expensive is the apple. and... for the ugliness factor, well, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. and for me 300 bucks are prettier than an apple logo.

      Not to mention Dell usually has sales for 25% to 30% off the retail price. I picked up a 2001FWP 20" wide LCD for $380. I've seen the 24" dell go for $850.

      --

      Have you ever been to a turkish prison?

    4. Re:Worst of all by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh you guys are missing the point! On the apple page there is a pretty blue background and the dell one has just a black screen!!!! How ugly!!!!

  88. You might check out my review... by cassius2002 · · Score: 3, Informative
    Well, you might checkk out my review.

    It's a nice unit. No embedded controls, except for brightness, so you need to use your graphics card control panel to make adjustments. Some minor uniformity problems with the backlight, but good D6500 color temperature tracking.

    Oh, and Civ4 looks great at 2560x1600 ;-)

  89. Re:See? Apple isn't terribly overpriced.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you are comparing prices from apple with discount VS dell prices without discount. which are the prices from apple without discount?.

  90. It's cheaper in Canada! by medazinol · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I'm really surprised that nobody has noticed this: The Dell Canada site has the sane thing for $1999 Canadian which works out to be about $1700 US!!

    http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/products/productde tails.aspx/monitor_3007wfp?c=ca&cs=CABSDT1&l=en&s= bsd

    1. Re:It's cheaper in Canada! by ambrosine10 · · Score: 1

      Damn you and your socialized health care system!

    2. Re:It's cheaper in Canada! by Deliveranc3 · · Score: 1

      Don't tell the Americans about our cheap electronics.

      They'll start foaming.

  91. Re:See? Apple isn't terribly overpriced.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "There" is a place. "Their" is something owned by other people.

    Just because "I" and "eye" sound the same doesn't mean you would use the first to mean the second, does it?

    TWW

  92. Math Fix by KrackHouse · · Score: 1

    I have a 24" Dell, they're 1920X1200 which would give you 3840x1200 in a dual setup.

    --
    What if Digg added local news and a Slashdot inspired comment karma system? ---
    http://houndwire.com
    1. Re:Math Fix by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That would be one option, but I think most people would prefer to turn them and run them at 2400x1920.

  93. Context and psychology by typical · · Score: 1

    And if you are spending $2000+ on a display, I don't think a couple hundred dollars is a huge deal.

    One of the best human fallacies marketers love to exploit is that of context. People will drive across town to save $10 on a $30 toaster purchase, but not to save $50 -- five times as much -- on a $20,000 car purchase.

    --
    Any program relying on (nontrivial) preemptive multithreading will be buggy.
    1. Re:Context and psychology by Budenny · · Score: 1

      Of course its true that buying the Dell for $200, or even $500 less is not a big savings. But what is interesting is that the OP said that the Apple screen was cheaper, and cited two links, when it was actually more expensive, and the links proved the exact opposite of what he asserted. This is very common on forums where Macs are discussed. People simply post barefaced...misrepresentations...of the facts.

      The only comparable cases seem to be political. You still find peopel denying that historical events ever occurred - the Ukraine famine, for instance. The Inquisition.

      Still, for the casual reader, the lesson is simple. You can believe nothing that the Apple lobby posts in a public, non-Mac, forum until you have verified it personally. If you want to know the real story, read the Mac forums. It is wonderful how different they are.

  94. Re:Here's one reasons to buy the Dell over Apple.. by The+Step+Child · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It is a pleasant thought, but I'm sure MS's plan is to just dominate through OEMs first. Force the OEMS to sell systems with only DRM monitors, and wham - in 3 years tops, you have market domination and acceptance of DRM monitors. Retail OS buyers are forced to follow.

  95. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by laffer1 · · Score: 1

    Yes, we have lcd displays mounted on wall mounts at work in the server room. Its quite helpful.

    I wouldn't mind it at home actually. Then again, an LCD display would be a start. My 19 inch crt takes a lot of desktop room.

  96. Re:30" is better than dual-monitor for certain app by Enonu · · Score: 1

    This sounds like the window manager you are using (Windows itself) needs a feature where you can can partition programs to certain areas of your display easily. Snap to grid perhaps? I doubt anybody has thought of creating "zones" in large display areas because such high res hasn't been available till recently.

  97. Small thoughts come from small minds by dbdweeb · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Everyone is still thinking way too small. I've been thinking that I want something like HDTV on a computer with a 60 inch screen but that's still too small. So now I'm thinking about an interface consisting of a ceiling mounted projector with images on the wall from floor to ceiling. I want to be able to walk around and still see images no matter where I am in the room so I guess that means the projector needs to be on the other side of the wall in a closet. At work we have a 6 monitor solution that displays the status of servers in datacenters around the world so now I'm thinking a 6 monitor solution is barely an acceptable minimum.

    My human machine interface should be something like my home theatre... A big screen, a powerful 7.1 surround sound system and a comfortable recliner. I don't want to be bothered with a mouse, pointing my finger and uttering a few sounds should be sufficient. Waving my empty 12 oz bottle at the screen should be enough for my computing assistant to know that a refill is in order.

    Though I make a living working with machines I maintain that computers and robots are here to serve me and answer my every beck and call.

    D. B. Dweeb

  98. Too much mousework by fluor2 · · Score: 1

    What I encounter is that at these high resolutions windows are getting smaller, you move your head more, and you go nuts on your mouse since you have to drag the pointer everywhere... Increase mouse-speed you say? well the windows and everything is smaller, so you have to point exact thus you need pretty much normal speed..

    1. Re:Too much mousework by sinewalker · · Score: 1

      Yes, I found the same issue with dual screen -- until I turned on the automatic mouse pointer movement options (I found them under the Accesibility stuff in Winblows, for Linux, it depends on your window manager). One of the advantages I hope to see from a single, large display, is that Window's habit of poping up new windows on the wrong screen will be solved. I'd also love to have a touch-screen option, reverting to a mouse or trackpad/ball/sketchpad for precision pointing only. But all the touch-screens I've seen end up with paw prints all over them, unless you wear kidgloves or something... :-)

      --
      “Our opponent is an alien starship packed with nuclear bombs. We have a protractor.” — Neal Stepnenso
  99. One small display is best, IMHO by typical · · Score: 1

    The only reason that we spend vast amounts of money (which translates to man-hours) of production on huge monitors is because the mass-market windowing systems, Windows and Mac OS X, lack the ability to deal with a sizeable number of windows simultaneously.

    Both have improved somewhat recently. These days, Windows can at least group windows, and Mac OS X is somewhat better off, with Expose. However, both pale in comparison to even a rudimentary multiple-viewport window manager.

    I have three monitors easily to hand, including 21" monitors. I instead use a single 19" monitor (though running at 1600x1200) on my Linux box. I could easily have a larger, dual monitor setup, but choose not to do so. Because I want to keep my work in my most comfortable viewing position. I use sawfish (which switches viewports extremely quickly), and have bindings to switch viewports on my keyboard. I have zero delay edge flipping with the mouse -- it hits the edge of the screen, I go to the next viewport in that direction. As a result, I can snap between viewports instantly -- as quickly as a dual-monitor user might look between two monitors.

    And here's the great thing about a single, smaller monitor -- Everything that you're working on is right where you want it to be -- directly in front of you. I have twin 20" monitors on my Windows box at work -- I have to look off to the side then look back to the other side. Even on a single 21" monitor, it becomes awkward to work with two things on opposite corners.

    Now, I'll grant that it takes you a while to learn a setup like this effectively -- anyone that tries the thing has gotten used to Windows and Mac OS X-style solid edges, and tends to just throw their mouse off to the edge. Also, with such a large desktop, you probably want a very high mouse sensitivity -- when moving my mouse quickly, it probably takes about a centimeter of mouse movement to move my cursor all the way across one viewport. However, once you are comfortable with such an approach, it is far faster than a dual monitor setup.

    Also, if you have something like this, you can expand your desktop as much as you want. I normally use 12 viewports (I used to use 9, and finally decided that I needed a bit more space). Now, you could always get dual monitors and *then* use viewports, granted, but then you have the above drawbacks.

    My largest concern is for resolution. I don't want to have individual pixels identifiable as such. Now, 1600x1200 is a minimum for such a requirement -- if I could get an even higher resolution display, I might go for that.

    If you sit very far back from your monitor, you might want to get a larger monitor, granted, so that the same visual arc is provided by your monitor. If I sat further away from my monitor, I'd want the thing to be progressively larger and able to throw off more light to compensate for the greater distance.

    --
    Any program relying on (nontrivial) preemptive multithreading will be buggy.
  100. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    On this topic- are there any good monitor arms for a 30" display?

    The ones I've tried so far:
    Ergotron (LX series): Isn't expensive and is generally pretty nice, but it can barely hold a 23" display (the last "tilt" joint just isn't strong enough).

    I've tried one from www.lcdarms.com, and it'll hold the 23" fine, but it just doesn't feel as polished - the two joints next to the screen are exceedingly stiff (good for keeping the monitor tilted), but they don't move smoothly ("slip-stick" with lots of vibration) - and it doesn't have the range of the Ergotron one.

  101. The 24" isn't the same by denjin · · Score: 1

    Apple has a 23" IPS panel, while dell uses a 24" PVA panel.

    As for the 30", the Dell has a newer panel, but I bet the Apples get a new rev soon.

  102. How can Visual Studio developers work? by typical · · Score: 1

    I've never actually used a monitor this big, but I'm guessing it's of most value to people who are displaying large images with lots of screen-wasting toolboxes etc. (or using Visual Studio, which seems to waste well over 50% of the available screen space on things other than code these days).

    Seriously, every time I see someone using Visual Studio, they have eight million tearable panes and toolbars slapped on their monitor, and a tiny portal in the middle -- about 25% of their screen, at best -- to actually see their code. And most of the toolbars are for ridiculous things that they almost *never* use -- who on earth uses a toolbar button to copy text or save?

    All the people that use emacs at work, on the other hand, have an emacs window that's stretches the entire vertical size of the monitor (and in my case, probably a second emacs window next to it).

    Normally, I'd say something snide about software flaws being fixed by better/more expensive hardware -- but Visual Studio doesn't *force* you keep all that stuff on your screen. Most of it is just noise, dead space, basically useless pixels, but people still leave it up there. So people choose to do this.

    On the same note -- one thing that Win/Mac OS X boxes should really have, IMHO (I believe that both have accessability software that can do at least a limited version of this, granted), is the ability to kick into a "magnified" mode. I can do this with Ctrl-Alt-KP+ and Ctrl-Alt-KP- on my Linux box, and it's useful for showing someone across the room something quickly or examining fine detail on something. It's really frusterating that there isn't a quick way to do this under Windows. Every time I see two people with their noses scrunched up against their monitor, pointing at some artsy website, and saying "no, I'm pretty sure that that's an 'i'", I wish that Windows had a full-screen magnifier that you could get at from a simple keystroke.

    --
    Any program relying on (nontrivial) preemptive multithreading will be buggy.
    1. Re:How can Visual Studio developers work? by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

      I occasionally use the toolbar for open/save/save all (particularly the latter) if I happen to be shifting things around with the mouse already. I also use the various find tools quite frequently, again if I happen to be using the mouse at the time. I can't say I ever use much else on the toolbar, and I remove things like the clipboard stuff as soon as I install VS.

      As for the panels thing, yes, you certainly can turn most of them off. I have most set to auto-hide during normal editing. However, if you're doing reasonably thorough investigation so you have a couple of windows open showing find results, the solution explorer, etc. then it adds up fast. More to the point, if you're debugging then you might well want several of the windows open simultaneously as well as the code view; I use the call stack, several of the variable examination windows, breakpoints, and more quite routinely, and often in combination.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    2. Re:How can Visual Studio developers work? by SlamMan · · Score: 1

      I don't spend enough time in XP to know it there, but in OS X, its in the Universal Access System Pane.

      Key strokes are Command-Option-8 to enable/disbale the feature, and Command Option = and Command Option - for zoom in and out.

      --
      Mod point free since 2001
  103. Re:30" is better than dual-monitor for certain app by xornor · · Score: 1

    I use Mac OS primarily in both setups. You are correct that the window manager does not have enough features to help the organization of the windows. A virtual dual monitor setup would be great. I think part of the problem also is the shear height of the 30" display. As someone else posted, I think a wider aspect ratio would make the 30" display better for programming.

  104. Re:30" is better than dual-monitor for certain app by Defiler · · Score: 1

    Actually, on Windows with nVidia cards, you can use the nView software to do just this. You drag gridlines wherever you want them, and windows snap to them as you move them. Pretty cool.

  105. Trackball. by Cyno01 · · Score: 1

    Trackballs are nice for this. I still use a mouse for gaming, but for everything else, i use my trackball, i can just kind of spin it to throw my pointer all the way across the desktop. I've got a 20" ACD and a 15" to the right of it.

    --
    "Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
  106. Watching Vids? by evilninjax · · Score: 1
    Does anyone use the ACD or this new 30" Dell for watching vids? I've got the 24" Dell on my Alienware with the ATI X1800XT and use it to watch Xvids all the time and I love it. The card has built in h.264 decoding and watching 720p and 1080p vids on teh 24 incher is great. I'm thinking about sticking the 30" on also and using that to primarily watch vids of HD stuff until BluRay and HD-DVD war gets worked out.

    -goro-

  107. Re:30" is better than dual-monitor for certain app by opspin · · Score: 0

    Couldn't we just agree that two 30" monitors would be the sweetest?

  108. Re:30" is better than dual-monitor for certain app by pipingguy · · Score: 1


    What flavour of AutoCAD are you using? Any add-on programs?

    As an old-skool draftsman, I want a 34"x48" active table. Until that happens, I'll be working in tiny little 21" monitor windows and zooming around.

    Yes, this causes a perspective change, and it is manageable, but we seem to be working more and more towards compartmentalization for workers.

    That's good for the interchangeability of tasks, but in the long run we will end up with the fat end of the bell curve only.

  109. Dual Monitors?? Try Three by danhirsch · · Score: 1

    "I'm tired of the dual monitor thing, I want one display device on my desk, just make it a very large device."

    Though I understand the posters desire to have a single device...I love having two or even my current three monitors because it allows me to "full screen" three different things I am working on at once. For instance, I can have my database management software up in one (lets say the left monitor), my development environment (read coding) on the middle monitor, with whatever else I need on the right monitor. Usually when building web apps, I keep the live version in the right monitor then just refresh when I make a change, save, and upload. My efficiency is much greater when using a three monitor system to do what I do over having a single or even dual monitors and continually switching screens to reference or view something.

  110. So I get the dimensions of this to be by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So if I do the math correctly (and I've double-checked), I get the size to be approximately 15.9 inches high by 25.44 inches wide (with the result sqrt(15.9*15.9 + 25.44*25.44)=30.00006 inches diagonally. Now my current monitor is a 17 inch panel (Samsung 172N). It has a razor-thin bezel, and it's real easy to put these side-by-side. If I bought 4 of these, it would cost $1716 (if I don't consider that prices have dropped since I bought mine for $429 a few years ago). I would get 34 inches diagonally and would be able to go to resolutions up to 2560x2048, although I usually only run the single one at 1024x768, so I would probably run the four at 2048x1536. If I removed the bezel and made a custom one, all four panels would make one big seamless screen, I would have a higher resolution, and only pay 4/5 of what they are asking. Economics of scale surely have not kicked into these big panels yet. I would expect to pay 5% for a premium size panel, but 20%? No.

    1. Re:So I get the dimensions of this to be by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What an ignorant rant. You'll get nothing and like it!

      You'd need to add dual monitor supporting dual graphics cards to your rig to get what you suggest to work. Good luck finding the mother board to support your little fantasy four monitor system.

  111. Headaches by mrscott · · Score: 1

    I have a Dell 24" both at home and on my desk at work, but even before that, I was getting headaches working on computers, which I do... way too much! At my last eye doctor appointment, he told me to use reading glasses while I'm working at the computer. I'm only 32, but thought I'd give it a go even though I was a little skeptical. Since I started using reading glasses, no more headaches.

  112. Cheaper in Canada by muyshiny · · Score: 3, Informative
  113. why not buy the 30" Phillips model,,, by ruiner5000 · · Score: 1

    that Dull is rebadging? It has higher contrast, and hopefully will show up in the US.

    --
    ignorance is bliss. googlefiberatx.com
  114. Re:30" is better than dual-monitor for certain app by Brianech · · Score: 1

    agreed. 30" would be ok for some things, but really when it comes to programming, life is made much easier with two SEPERATE screens, so your not having to resize and all that jazz, simple drag and drop from window to window (using ultramon). Also anyone that debugs GUIs would know on a single screen is quite the headache, but when you can have your code on one screen, GUI on the other, it makes it much simpler to step through the program and see the results without minimizing/maximizing/ect I think really the only reason I would enjoy a 30" would be for media and gaming.

  115. Re:Here's one reasons to buy the Dell over Apple.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If by "restriction" you mean "will be able to watch high def DVDs", then yeah, sure.

    The simple fact is that you will *not* be able to watch DVDs without that, so it hardly makes it a restriction in the eyes of most consumers. It's displays without it which will be perceived as having restictions.

    Mark my words...

  116. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by dangitman · · Score: 1

    More likely that the Dell display looks like crap in the real-world, while the Apple display lookis stunning. I haven't seen any realistic alternative to Apple's Cinema Display quality in its price-range. Apple uses a different type of screen technology to most vendors. I can't recall what it is called off the top of my head. but I know what looks good, and the vast majority of LCD displays look like utter shit.

    --
    ... and then they built the supercollider.
  117. Re:Isn't it the same liquid crystal panel as Apple by dangitman · · Score: 1

    i do. I have twin 23" Cinema displays mounted on wall-mounted articulated arms. I can change the position and orientation of either or both monitors, and it consumes no desk space. So i can have my video cameras and other firewire devices sitting under the displays, with the FW cable going directly up to the displays. I can use both monitors (or one) in portrait (vertical) orientation for things like laying out magazine pages or reading web-pages.

    --
    ... and then they built the supercollider.
  118. Re:Here's one reasons to buy the Dell over Apple.. by dangitman · · Score: 1
    If by "restriction" you mean "will be able to watch high def DVDs", then yeah, sure.

    "High Def DVDs" as currently planned, should be rejected by the market and scrapped, anyway. I don't see how they are going to stop people from playing their existing DVDs. Not enough people care about HD to cause people to buy them instead of SD DVDs.

    --
    ... and then they built the supercollider.
  119. Re:30" is better than dual-monitor for certain app by John.P.Jones · · Score: 1

    I never got into dual-headed setups, I think I could go for a 3-head display, but I just don't like the idea of the middle of my workspace being a break between two monitors. Does anyone else feel this way?

  120. Re:30" is better than dual-monitor for certain app by Zemrec · · Score: 1

    When I used to have a dual display setup (PowerBook G4 and a 19" LCD), I'd have the big display be my main screen, centered visually, with the 'book on the side as an extra.

  121. Re:30" is better than dual-monitor for certain app by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    just find a utility that manages two seperate portions of the screen, or write one. I think all you need is for maximize in one half of the screen to maximize there, and vice versa for the other monitor.

  122. Square monitor? by dusik · · Score: 1

    There aren't any square monitors. You probably mean a 4:3 width:height ratio. You see that as a square (because human brains are fsked up like that). A real square you'd see as a tall rectangle :)

    1. Re:Square monitor? by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      Actually I couldn't remember the exact ratio, and 17" LCDs are slightly different. I was just trying to destinguish from wide.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    2. Re:Square monitor? by dusik · · Score: 1

      Yes, quite a few LCDs for some reason came out in 5:4 ratio. And then people wonder why their 1024x758 backgrounds don't look quite right ;)

  123. Re:This is news? by Durandal64 · · Score: 1

    True enough. I'm not knocking Dell monitors or anything (I'm the very happy owner of a 2005fpw), but it just kind of seemed out of the blue that there was a "Hey Dell has a 30" monitor too!" post.

  124. Re:30" is better than dual-monitor for certain app by psycho8me · · Score: 1

    Switch to ion and press MOD1+S to split the screen vertically.
    http://modeemi.cs.tut.fi/~tuomov/ion/

  125. Re:Here's one reasons to buy the Dell over Apple.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well I hope you are right, but I'm not optimistic. If they start only releasing movies in that format, consumers will lap it up.

  126. HDCP by dreemernj · · Score: 1

    Its good to see this 30" dell at least supports HDCP. It still miffs me that the 30" Apple one doesn't. It seems like a waste not to include it since most HD TVs do. Its been a while since I've seen an update on HDCP but last I checked support for it in consumer hardware was widespread and the format was pretty well developed.

    --
    1 (short ton / firkin) = 89.1432354 slugs / keg
  127. Re:$100 for the cheapest cable from Dell? $699 car by mduell · · Score: 1

    The Dell display includes a ~4 ft cable... you only have to buy a cable if you want 8-12 feet, something Apple doesn't offer at all.

  128. Fanless? Rotate 90 degrees? Cheaper video cards by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting
    First, a bit of information: much cheaper dual link DVI video cards (cards that transmit on both digital channels of a single DVI connector) are coming onto the market. Look for cards like "ATI Radeon PC and Mac Edition" for discussions of such cards under $200.

    Now, I have a couple of questions about the Dell monitor, in case anyone knows the answer, as I'm considering requested these monitors at work.

    1. Is it fanless? I have been told that the Apple monitor in its aluminum case is fanless. If I get one of these monitors, I would like it to be fanless and then disconnect the fan in the video card. I don't intend to run games that exercise the GPU, and I'm willing to replace a burned out $200 video card occasionally in exchange for more quiet.

    2. Can this monitor rotate 90 degress like the other larger Dell flat panels? From the pictures, it looks like the margins around this monitor are thinner than on the Apple monitor. I would be nice to be able to rotate this monitor 90 degress and be able to set up a wall of them on my desk without any special mounting hardware. Unfortunately, I do not see any mention on the Dell web pages about being able to rotate this monitor, and its mounting assembly looks like it might not be able to do so, although this is not clear. At least the Apple display uses some kind of industry standard removable mounting bracket, so there is more hope that someone will make a 90 degree rotating bracket for it.

  129. its HDCP, beware HDCP by irritating+environme · · Score: 1

    Hardware Device Content Protection. Downsamples to DVD. Bad. Bad. Bad. Do Not Buy.

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    Hey, I'm just your average shit and piss factory.
    1. Re:its HDCP, beware HDCP by Slashcrap · · Score: 1

      Hardware Device Content Protection. Downsamples to DVD. Bad. Bad. Bad. Do Not Buy.

      Don't you have that entirely backwards? I thought that HD got downsampled to DVD res if the display didn't support HDCP. Since this does it won't.

  130. Quality by MarkoNo5 · · Score: 1

    The reason is quality. For the same price, the higher the resolution for a given surface, the lower the quality. Every laptop LCD looks like junk compared to my apple 20" cinema display (at work) or the equivalent dell LCD (at home). The compromise is accepted for laptops, but nobody would buy a higher-res with low quality, or a high quality model that is almost as expensive as a bigger monitor with the same resolution.

  131. Dell 3007fpw cannot pivot 90 degrees by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
    I wrote: "2. Can this monitor rotate 90 degress like the other larger Dell flat panels?".

    No, according to this chart. It also lacks the picture-in-a-picture feature that I did not realize that the less huge Dell monitors have.

    Still, it's a really cool product, and I am still leaning toward requesting one.

  132. But the 3007fpw does have a VESA wall mount by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Again following up my own posting, according to the same chart, the Dell 3007fpw does have a VESA wall mount, which I believe means that if somebody makes a 90 degrees rotating mount for the Apple 30 inch panel, it should also work with the Dell.

  133. What Nvidia cards can do perfect 1080p? by Yeechang+Lee · · Score: 1
    Except I'd rather eventually watch King Kong on HD-DVD on a 30" than a 19" monitor. Before you tell me to get an HDTV, I'll point out that most of the lower-end models don't actually do true 1080i, let alone 1080p. Furthermore, I don't have the budget to buy a 1080p HDTV and two 19" LCDs. So the sweet spot in the middle could be the Dell 30".


    As Interiot writes elsewhere, the display you should snap up is the Westinghouse 37" 1080p LCD. It's a monitor (so no ATSC tuner; use a cable or over-the-air set-top box instead, or a computer), but otherwise it's absolutely ideal as an HDTV and, for those inclined, a monitor (I'm doing both, in a sense, by hooking it up to my new MythTV box). Of course, be sure to first read the lengthy AVSForum thread. When ready, go to J&R to buy it for $1570 including shipping anywhere in the 48 states outside New York state.

    While on the subject of 1080p, an issue I'm facing now that I have a true 1080p display is that my video card--an eVGA Nvidia 6200 TC--is just a little too slow to deliver a perfect 1080p image without a portion of the screen refreshing behind the rest in certain cases. When I asked about this on AVSForum I was told that the 6600GT is is fast enough to do this right; thoughts?
    1. Re:What Nvidia cards can do perfect 1080p? by NeMon'ess · · Score: 1

      Okay, that screen is really cool. Thanks for the tip.

  134. dot pitch -- 0.29mm vs. 0.25mm displays by MMHere · · Score: 1

    I've grown pretty used to eyeballing dots that are spaced on a 0.29mm grid, the original dot pitch of a 21" monitor showing a 1280x1024 image [viewable area on such monitors was about 19".].

    Presently, I use dual 19" flat panels whose native resolution [combined] is 2560x1024. Each individual display is native 1280x1024, and so has that same dot pitch (0.29mm) as the classic 21" monitor with 1280x1024 setting.

    This 30" display, if I calculate correctly, has a dot pitch of about 0.25mm.

    This is finer than my aging eyes like to see for text and coding, which is mostly what I do. Sure I could bump up the text size a bit, but then I would essentially waste many of those extra pixels I would have paid dearly for with this 30" display.

    Many of the current crop of flat panels also have finer than the 'classic' 0.29mm dot pitch.

    Is this a trend that is unlikely to stop?

    Will I be able to find high pixel-count displays with no smaller than 0.29mm dot pitch in future?

  135. Re:$100 for the cheapest cable from Dell? $699 car by objekt · · Score: 1

    What makes the apple display so special that it works with your powerbook, and the dell won't?

    Wow, um....I never said the dull wouldn't work, I said the apple display would be way less expensive for me. READ WHAT I WROTE!

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    -- Boycott Shell