Choosing the Best Monitor for Gaming

This article takes a look at the important things to consider when choosing the best monitor for gaming.

Are you looking to buy a monitor to be used for gaming? The monitor is one of the most expensive parts of a computer, so you should learn some basic information before going out and spending your money on a crappy monitor. This article will help you buy the best monitor for gaming.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is whether you want a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitor or a newer LCD flat-screen monitor. CRT monitors are old and bulky, and we don't recommend them. LCD monitors are the standard these days.

LCD monitors have many advantages over the old style CRT monitors. They are slim, light and compact, and won't take up as much space on your desk. LCD screens are also easier on the eyes and use less power than CRT monitors.

Response Rate

The response rate of a monitor is perhaps one of the most important specifications you need to consider if you will be gaming. The response rate simply refers to how fast the LCD monitor updates its display. Monitors with a slower response rate will suffer what is known as 'ghosting'.

The ghosting effect will be noticeable if you play high-paced games, such as a first person shooter. It's when the previous image displayed on-screen can still be seen as a blur for a split second after the image has updated. Don't worry if that doesn't make sense to you, all you need to know is that the lower the response rate of a monitor, the less 'ghosting' you will experience.

I would recommend buying a monitor with a response rate of 8ms (8 milliseconds) or lower. The lower the better. The best monitors on the market offer very good response rates such as 4ms or even 2ms. With a monitor like this, you would completely avoid the 'ghosting' effect altogether.

What Size Monitor is Best?

Buy the biggest monitor you can afford, it's as simple as that. With a bigger screen, you will enjoy a more surreal gaming experience. Playing a high-end 3D game on a large 22" widescreen LCD monitor is a totally different experience than playing on a small 17" screen. Sizes for monitors range from 15 inches all the way up to 22 inches and above.

Read more about how to choose the best gaming monitor. Julien's website How to Build Gaming Computers will help you learn all about building a custom gaming PC.

By Julien David

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LCD TV Protection - Indoor and Outdoor

There can't more than a handful of people around who don't watch or use a TV, and not just for entertainment, either. Modern TVs such as LCDs and plasmas are frequently used as computer monitors.
Flatscreen TVs like this are far more versatile than their CRT predecessors. They are lighter, flatter and cheaper to produce, the result being that TVs are now being used in many unusual locations.

Excluding the recent explosion in digital signage and outdoor digital signage, there are other out of home locations where LCD screens are to be found - but operating them in these conditions can be quite challenging.

Outdoor TVs are becoming a popular commodity. They are commonly used by bars and pubs to entertain their customers but are increasingly becoming popular with householders who are installing them in patio, barbecue and other outdoor and backyard areas.

Weatherproofing is an essential aspect of being able to use TVs outdoors. Not just rainfall either as all sorts of weather elements from snow to hail can permanently disable a TV left outdoors. Temperature too, especially when it peaks in the summer and winter, needs to be countered.

Outdoor LCD enclosures are used for outdoor TV use as they allow standard devices to be taken outside and ran indefinitely. They are not only waterproof but also prevent any other elements such as dust from entering the enclosure and ensure the temperature inside is always at the optimum.
Another need for LCD enclosures is in the TV use in prisons, offender's institutes, homes for vulnerable adults and mental health wards. These locations also require the LCD to be protected but for totally different reasons.

In these locations the screen has to be defended against impacts and objects being thrown but more importantly LCD enclosures are used in these locations to protect people from the TV.
Where vulnerable adults and children are concerned, it is essential to ensure that they can't harm themselves or be harmed by the TV.

LCD enclosures prevent objects including fingers from being inserted into the device, prevents the device from being taken from the wall and makes it difficult for it to be used as something to attach ligatures too.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

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Difference Between a Plasma TV and LCD TV

If you have recently started looking for a new TV, you know that choosing the right TV that meets your needs can be a difficult decision. Plasma TV and LCD TV are the two main choices in the TV market. Before you select one of these types of large, slim, and flat display TVs, it is important to understand the difference between the two so you do not regret your purchase.

Plasma TV
Plasma TV technology is loosely based on the fluorescent light bulb. Between the plates of glass there are very small cells where such gases as ionized neon, argon, and xenon are injected and preserved in plasma form. When the ionized (electrically charged) gas is in its sealed plasma form, they produce the colored images green, blue phosphors, and red. When the Plasma TV set is being used, the gas is electrically charged at specific intervals which then hit the colors (each group of red, green, and blue phosphors is called a pixel) and produces the image on the television. Plasma TV technology make use of the burning of phosphors to produce the image. Plasma TV advantages include: high quality image, better contrast ratio, color accuracy, and color saturation, the display of the color black is quite vivid, and viewers are able to clearly view the television image at different angles. Plasma TVs are available in a larger screen size than the LCD TVs. Plasma TV disadvantages include: screen burn of static images, excessive heat production, and the glass screens are fragile.

LCD TV
LCD TVs use different technology than plasma televisions. LCD panels consist of 2 layers of clear material, which are polarized and then 'glued' together. One layer has been coated with a specific polymer that holds the individual liquid crystals. An electrical current passes through each crystal which permits the crystals to allow light in or block the light in order to produce and display the television images. LCD crystals require an external light source for the image to be created by the LCD so that it is visible to the person watching the television. LCD TVs are not as good at tracking motion as Plasma. They have poorer contrast ratio and individual pixels can burn out resulting in small, visible, black or white dots to appear on the screen. The big screen sizes are not as common as with the plasma. The advantages of LCD TVs include: less power is needed, less heat is needed and generated, they do not emit radiation, they have increased image brightness over plasma, perform better at higher altitudes, they are lighter in weight, and they have a longer display life.

For many people, it is essential that they have the right television. Today, Plasmas and LCDs are used all over the world When you understand the differences between the LCD TV and Plasma TV which includes the advantages and disadvantages of each one, you will be in a better position to get a TV that meets your personal needs and preferences.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

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Buying The Perfect TV

Going shopping for a TV is no easy task. You have to keep a variety of factors in mind before making your decision final. This guide will help you in deciding how to buy the perfect Television that meets your lifestyle.

The first thing to note is the amount of money that you are willing to spend on buying your television. Various TV's come in different prices. The more money that you are willing to spend, the better your television will be. Unfortunately, even the simplest of televisions can cost a lot of money and people go all out and over budget when purchasing their TV and because of this, they usually end up in some sort of financial debt or a loan that they cannot pay off. Always set a budget for yourself that you can spend. Do not go overboard. You can purchase a reasonable TV while you are on a budget.

The next factor to consider when you are purchasing a TV is the type of TV that you would like to purchase. Currently, the market offers six types of TVs. There is a standard CRT TV, an LCD TV, a plasma TV, a DLP TV, a projection TV and a 3D plasma TV. All these TV's cost different prices with the standard CRT TV costing the least amount of money and the 3D plasma TV costing the most. If you live in a small home or have little children in your home, it would be wise if you get a simple LCD TV. A plasma TV for example is not advised for small homes or homes with small children as a plasma TV is usually mounted on the wall and because of the proximity of the surroundings, the television can be knocked over and damaged.

Once you have decided on these 2 main factors, it is time to go out and actually buy the perfect television that suits you and your lifestyle. By following this guide, you are able to make your decision to buy a television much more much easier.

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