LCD Monitor Question
 

i should have asked this when I got it but i was actually kind of embarassed to. i got a new computer awhile ago with a good 21" LCD monitor, about 600 bucks. Changing from a 19" CRT the first thing that I noticed was the brightness, that was ok. The problem I have with it is that when I look at this monitor from different positions the picture changes. I figured this is just how LCD technology is - I remember years ago when I got one of those little handheld TV things that you had to look at it directly or the picture looked like shit. Is what I am observing normal or maybe I have a bad monitor?

thanks

That's normal, it's called the Viewing Angle.
LCD's produce their image by having a film that when a current runs through the pixel, it turns on that shade of color. The problem with the LCD film is that this color can only be accurately represented when viewed straight on. The further away from a perpendicular viewing angle, the color will tend to wash out. The LCD monitors are generally rated for their visible viewing angle for both horizontal and vertical. This is rated in degrees and is the arc of a semicircle whose center is at the perpendicular to the screen. A theoretical viewing angle of 180 degrees would mean that it is fully visible from any angle in front of the screen. A higher viewing angle is preferred over a lower angle unless you happen to want some security with your screen.

that's what i figured but this monitor really changes with not that much of a change in my head position. the picture really gets washed out. I'll have to get used to it but for now I'm sticking with my old CRT monitor.

thanks

Mutt, how doyou have the monitor positioned? You might want to check to make sure that it is high enough up (eye level, so you are not looking down) and in front of you, not off to the side.

You may also want to look into the brightness, because an overbright LCD can cause some wash out.

Also, check the specs carefully. It is to your advantage to run the monitor at the highest refresh rate possible for the monitor. While it might work well at 60hz, you might find it much better at 85hz or whatever is tops. You also want to try to run it in a native size, so it if it a 1600x1200, try running it at 1600x1200 and not lower, as you might be seeing some dithering at smaller sizes (and you might also get dithering if you over size it as well).

What type of monitor is it?

You probably bought a TN panel.

TN (Twisted Nematic): Without an ODC (overdriving circuit), this type of panel offers the fastest pixel response time. This does however come at the expensive of viewing angles and color fidelity. Out of all TFT-LCD panels, the TN type has the lowest contrast. It is also a 6-bit color depth panel, meaning dithering or frame rate control (FRC) must be employed to reach close to a full 8-bit depth. Pixels in their active state on a TN are black, while in their inactive, white.

There's a thread over at anandtech.com in video section of the forum there, you can find out all you need to know before buying a LCD monitor. You should do a little research before buying a LCD monitor, most people just buy crappy TN panels and think shit like this is normal for all LCD monitors.