LCD Monitor Versus CRT

[DarkAngel]

Hi ya'll,

Not sure if this is the place to post this. We just got an LCD monitor, and I'm not sure if I like it yet. I use PSP to edit digital photos (from our digital camera). I'm concerned about color -- would like to get as close to "what you see is what you get" for the prints. I do not use a color printer - I upload the image files to have them professionally printed (chemical processing).

Any color related pros and cons to using an LCD monitor versus a CRT for photo editing/printing would be appreciated. Or if there is another area in here I should post my question...please direct me. Thanks a bunch!

 

[mThomas]

All in all, I'd say that a CRT monitor is still the better option when working with graphics for print or even the web. However, newer LCD monitors can display unlimited colors and have a high nit (brightness) rating approaching 250 nits. Typically a LCD monitor ranges from 70 to 250 nits. Another issue is the Native resolution of a LCD. The native resolution is generally the highest resolution that the LCD can display and this is the display resolution that will appear the crispest/sharpest.

Even with a high end CRT getting the closest color on screen to what you will get in print will require software to color balance (calibrate) your monitor. You can with some very high end CRT monitors calibrate, but the results are most often dissapointing.

hth...mike

 

[DarkAngel]

Thanks for the reply Mike -- I appreciate it. I had to do some digging on the specs of my LCD monitor. The nit rating is 250 nits (psst...don't want to sound like I know what a nit is because I never heard of it until I read your reply <grin>).

Anyways, I looked at some photos that I had edited using our old computer and monitor which were professionally processed at a lab (i.e. WalMart, Eckerd's etc.). They looked fine on our old (or should I say ancient) monitor, but in print some of the colors were a bit off (i.e. yellow was greenish, greens were yellowish). I looked at the same image files I sent to print and they look pretty darn close to the actual print on the new LCD monitor. What all my babble means is I think I am gonna stick with the LCD. My eyes are already thanking me for it.

One last question for you or anyone else who may offer direction (think I'll post this one in the hardware forum too). Sometimes I notice a bit of text blur. If I close the app and reopen the blur is gone. The monitor has a hookup for analog and digital input. Will a digital cable bring more crispness?

 

[mThomas]

I don't think a digital cable will help with the crispness, but please post what you find out.

mike