LCD Monitor

[Seedler]

I just bought a 17-inch BenQ 705 LCD yesterday, for only $215+SH which ended up being $230. Who cares if they only last a couple of years when they cost less than $250 Canadian?

[maebach]

I just bought a 17-inch BenQ 705 LCD yesterday, for only $215+SH which ended up being $230. Who cares if they only last a couple of years when they cost less than $250 Canadian?

I wish I could buy an LCD, I tihnk I'll stick to my KDS Visual Sensation for now

[silent h3ro]

too expensive.

Also LCD are great. I got mine last year, no dead pixels and just like the day i got it.

Actually that monitor can be found under $800 and it has tons of Dell coupons, but still thats a ton of money to spend on a LCD.

[Barbarossa]

I am more then sure that LCD monitors as well as TV’s are designed with a 3-5 year life in mind. This does not mean that after 5 years they will just quit. It just means that while testing the Displays in the Lab before production they where tested based on a 3-5 year life.

Surely it's got to boil down to how much you use it?

Or is that 3-5 years of continuous use...?

[Gripper]

I know you shouldn't spray cleaner on them like on a normal monitor or rub them to hard as you end up with a "scratched" screen..Oh well you live and learn

[harrycary]

It's already known that running an LCD screen 24/7 will decrease the life span substantially. Just take a look at the screens of the cash registers of your local department store. I've also seen this in bar and restaurant registers.

That being said, the average user will easily get 3-5 years or more with today's designs and manufacturing methods.

btw, the true reason LCD prices are dropping is due to the manufacturing sector. Up until just a few years ago there just weren't as many plants producing the LCD screens themselves. The vast majority only came online 1-2 years ago. This has produced a plentiful supply, of which, we consumers have benefited. I didn't mind buying a nice 19" one for a mere $299(6 months ago), and they're even cheaper now. (widescreens are the next trend tho)

Finally, cleaning them with a 50/50 mix of isopropyl acohol and water works just fine. (no ammonia!)

cheers

[3RA1N1AC]

btw, the true reason LCD prices are dropping is due to the manufacturing sector. Up until just a few years ago there just weren't as many plants producing the LCD screens themselves. The vast majority only came online 1-2 years ago. This has produced a plentiful supply, of which, we consumers have benefited. I didn't mind buying a nice 19" one for a mere $299(6 months ago), and they're even cheaper now. (widescreens are the next trend tho)

how is that some kind of revelation, compared to spokespersons for the companies saying "yeah prices are dropping because we fell short of expected sales"?

there's a too-much-supply too-little-demand disparity. you seem be implying that the prices are dropping just because the manufacturers prefer to sell the product at a lower price as soon as more factories are running so that the consumer can benefit. uh. no they don't. when demand is high, it's a "seller's market" and the price stays high. when demand is low, it's a "buyer's market" and the price drops. if they could meet their sales goals and keep the prices high, they'd be thrilled. the low demand is forcing the prices down.

in fact, personal computers & consumer electronics has been a buyer's market for a few years, now, to the disappointment of manufacturers. there are pretty much 2 hot items that they could charge as much as they want to charge, and people would still buy: playstation and ipod. anything else, the sales numbers are going to suck, if it doesn't get dirt cheap a.s.a.p.

[harrycary]

I'm not implying anything with regard to supply and demand. That was never my point.

I'm just stating what I've read in the trade magazines.

It's simply true. There weren't many manufacturers producing LCD screens. (to supply Dell, Samsung, Viewsonic, et al) And due to quality control issues, it has taken up until recently for more plants to reach full production.

Interpret that as you wish.

[Seedler]

To the hell with LCDs, flat screen CRTs' is the way to go, if you have enough space that is.

[3RA1N1AC]

To the hell with LCDs, flat screen CRTs' is the way to go, if you have enough space that is.

if you're talking about image quality, brightness, resistance to glare & ambient light, etc, then yes absolutely. problem is that CRT is only viable/affordable up to a certain screen size... and as you said, the tube takes up a lot of space.