Print PDF
User Rating: / 11
PoorBest 
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Lesson 1- Monitor component

This is a sample of the full video lesson with written instructions.  The full video, with complete written instruction, is available to members of the website.  A Log-in is Required to play all of the complete videos! Click to Buy

To get full access to all of the video lessons, with written instructions, you will need to purchase a login for the site. Buy Now..

Overview

In lesson 1 we'll cover LCD monitors, what features and specs to look for when shopping, and how much you can expect to pay.

When selecting a monitor for your computer you’re looking for 2 things, picture quality and screen size.
 
Picture quality is determined by 4 factors, resolution, brightness, contrast ratio and response time.

The image you’re looking at now is made up of hundreds of thousands of individual picture elements, or pixels for short. The sharpness or detail comes down to the number and size of the pixels a monitor can display.

Resolution
 
Monitors use lines of resolution to make up the image on screen. Monitors have a native or fixed resolution. 1280x1024 is standard for a regular 19" monitor. Wide screen monitors have more vertical lines to fill their width. 1680x1050 for example.  As screen size increases, so do the lines of resolution.


Brightness
 
Brightness is measured in candles per square meter or cd/m2. 300 cd/m2 is standard. You can find brighter 400 and 500 cd/m2 monitors at a premium price.


Contrast Ratio
 
Contrast Ratio refers to the difference between light and dark a monitor can display. 700 to 1 is a good minimum and as you go up in price, you’ll find 1000 to 1, 2001 to 1 and higher contrast ratios.


Response Time
 
The response time of a monitor comes from how many times a second the screen is updated. If the screen isn’t updated fast enough you will see ghosting in the image.

Response times for monitors run from 2ms to 25ms and lower the better. 5ms is a good minimum.


Screen Size
 
Screen sizes for monitors range from 17 to 30 inches. The larger the screen, the more you’ll pay for the monitor.

When it comes to the size of the screen we recommend at least a 19 inch display. A monitor of this size runs between 120 and 300 dollars, depending on the quality of the display.


Dead Pixels

Dead pixels are a problem common to all monitors. It means that a pixel on the screen is either always off or on and it doesn’t respond to the image being displayed. Most manufactures have a replacement policy for dead pixels. Typically, 5 or more on a display and the monitor will be replaced.


Multiple Monitors
 
Some monitors also have smaller outside boarders making them better for multi monitor set ups where you connect 2 or more monitors to your video card to make your desktop in Windows larger and run programs side by side. You can even mix and match regular and wide screen monitors if you like.

See the video card component lesson for more on connecting multiple monitors.

 
Monitor Warranties

Computer monitors are generally very reliable and will last for many years. That said, it's best to buy a monitor with at least a 3 years parts and labor warranty.

This level of warranty is standard for most manufacturers, but not all. So be sure to check the warranty coverage before buying a monitor.

 

Monitor Reviews

To find more reviews do a search in your favorite search engine (Google, Yahoo) for the model number of the monitor you're interested in.

Buying a Monitor

When you buy a LCD monitor there is no shortage of choices. Below are several sites that will help you find the lowest price from a reputable merchant.


Buy Home PC Builder 2010, for as low as $19.95

alt 

Comments (0)Add Comment
feedSubscribe to this comment's feed

Write comment

busy

Home PC Builder 2010

Members Login

$500 Computer

Tech Specs
Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.6GHz
2GB DDR2 Memory
750GB Hard Drive
24X DVD Burner
22" Widescreen Monitor

Go to Parts List

See other computers

Testimonials

"I just built my very first PC and I could not have done it without your tutorial.  I learned so much about what to do and not do, what to look for and what to avoid.
Your tutorial is very thorough, precise, detailed and easy to understand.
My PC is up and running very well and it is all thanks to your video. 

Check out the computer I built!
Thanks again!
Norman Lao

Online Now