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CTX PV 720 17” LCD Monitor

I recently put this monitor through it’s paces in search of answers to several questions, and learned some interesting things. In the broadest terms, I wanted to find out if it was time for people to start seriously considering spending the extra cash on LCD technology. In short, the answer is a (qualified, but resounding) yes. Furthermore, I wondered if this technology was sufficiently capable to be used in a professional digital imaging environment. My preliminary results are encouraging.

A new definition

I haven’t found quite the right metaphor to describe it, but the image on a modern LCD monitor has its own unique quality. This quality is largely due to the extreme sharpness and stability of the image, along with vibrant backlit color. You might compare it to the sonic differences between a digital audio CD and an analog vinyl LP of the same program. One can argue the virtues of either, but the difference is obvious. Similarly, I believe most people will favor the clear, crisp and visually stunning LCD.

Features
Info
  • Active Matrix TFT LCD
  • 17" viewable
  • True 1280x1024
  • 0.264 x 0.264mm Dot Pitch
  • 350:1 Contrast Ratio (Typical)
  • 120° Horizontal, 115° Vertical Viewing Angel
  • Analog input
  • Pivot option



CTX USA
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8/10

Some not-so-obvious advantages

LCD panels are lightweight and require much less space on the desktop than traditional CRTs – this much we know. They also consume less than half as much electricity, which in an office with more than a couple of monitors can add up to a significant savings. They don’t give off as much radiation or heat as a CRT, either. But there is another aspect I haven’t heard mentioned – they’re “safe” to mail order.

Hundreds of thousands of monitors have been shipped by mail order companies over the past decade or so with apparent success, but I have always warned people to buy them locally, for a number of reasons. First, CRT monitors are fragile, and quite vulnerable to damage from rough handling. While the LCD panel’s surface itself must be treated gently, a safely packaged LCD display should be far less susceptible to damage in transport.


Second, CRT monitor quality can vary widely from unit to unit. Even buying monitors locally, I’ve unpacked a couple of fresh units that I’ve had to exchange for one defect or another. If the inventory is accessible to customers, I always try to find the box in the best condition, and look for dates stamped on the cartons in case I might find one that’s newer than the others. Still, I have encountered problems such as one highly-rated model with a horrible discoloration that I could not exorcise out of it, and another with some geometry problems that nearly made me seasick while scrolling up and down the screen.


When you discover the cost of return shipping on a 19” or larger CRT monitor is when you realize the value of shopping locally. Add the fragile nature and somewhat inconsistent performance of these beasts into the equation, and it’s obvious why mail order can be a gamble. One return can easily cost you what you saved – and it takes several days to get another, unless you’re willing to break the bank for next-day shipping of a 80 lb. package. Then you may as well has ordered an expensive LCD display in the first place.

Aside from the occasional dead or ‘stuck’ pixels, LCD monitors are much more rugged than CRTs. Note that laptop torture tests routinely include a 2 ˝ foot drop onto a hard surface, and that the displays are seldom affected. Try that with a 100 lb. 21” CRT.

This 17” CTX display came in a box similar in size to that which a scanner comes in, with a commensurately affordable shipping fee. It arrived in perfect condition, and you could tote it from lan party to lan party all night long without breaking a sweat (just be sure to protect the screen).












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