Monitor recommendation?

Greetings,

I am wanting to upgrade the monitors for one of my FCP system, so does anyone have any recommendations?

I currently use a 23" Apple Cinema Display as the primary monitor and a 23" Samsung HDTV as the secondary preview monitor. I would like to upgrade to a 30" monitor as the primary monitor and at least a 24" (1920x1200) monitor for the secondary preview monitor.

I have not been happy with the Apple Cinema Displays, so I don't want to purchase monitors from Apple. I have been looking at Samsung monitors, but I have heard that Dell monitors are also good.

Right now, I am leaning towards the Samsung 305T and T240 (or T260) monitors. Does anyone have experience with these monitors, or does anyone recommend something else?

If it matters, these monitors will be hooked up to a new Nehalem Mac Pro (whenever it ships!)

Thanks!

-Patrick

I think a lot of the members here use dell. Never have i heard any complaints.

""" What you do with what you have, is more important than what you could do, with what you don't have."

> > > Knowledge + Action = Wisdom - J. Corbett 1992 """"

all the samsung monitors i have, have viewing angle/brightness issues.

couldnt be happier with my dell 24

I like the Dells as well but had a lot of color issues with them last year - hadn't been the only man who had that issue, but you can sent them forth and back until you're satisfied.
Never had a pixel failure with any of them.

Another thing to mention - it's not good to a have a dual monitor setup using two monitors of different sizes - you may not notice, but it's a big challenge for your eyes and your brain if you working often with your computer. So take either two 30" or two 24".

Andreas

I don't want to be Johnny McBitchalot or anything, but we recently bought two Dell 2408s for one of our edit rooms, and I hate them. They're big and clunky and take forever to wake up from sleep and there's something I can't quite figure out about the way the display antialiases. I'm not sure what it is, but it's definitely inferior (to my eyes) to my dual Apple 23s. We'd still be buying Apple 23s today if they were still on sale.

Also, remember that you're going to need a DisplayPort to DVI adapter for your new Mac. The new graphics cards have one DisplayPort and one DVI port. I swear, it's like the bad old days of one DVI and one ADC and more converters and adapters than you could shake a stick at.

This is me...noting Jeff's new nickname: Johnny McBitchalot

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

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it's not good to a have a dual monitor setup using two monitors of different sizes - you may not notice, but it's a big challenge for your eyes and your brain if you working often with your computer.

sorry, but if they are of the same ball park resolution, that makes no sense...its like saying its not good to read magazine articles with different type sizes or to look out different sized windows...
sure, in an optimal ergonomic/aesthetic situation, equal sized monitors would be best. but id be very curious where you found the data to support the "it's not good" theory?

one thing to keep in mind is that manufacturers of general consumer hardware use different internal bits to satisfy cost and availability at any given time. so whats great this week, may be not so great the next, then back to great the next week... i used to do a lot of work inside a major windows-centric hardware manufacturers plant. and it was crazy. they would have different innards sometimes even later in the same day. in 90% of the cases the user would have no way of knowing, in others (as in displays) - im sure, they just figure the difference is subtle enough that the .0001% who do notice, wont skew the marketplace. sadly, that .0001% includes many in our industry ; )

last time i went in to buy new monitors i went in specifically to buy an apple 20" but it paled in comparison (at least in my opinion) to the samsung next to it. i love my dell 24" but its their 1st gen from like 4 or 5 years ago and who knows what may have changed since then...

i have heard cheers and jeers about just about ANY brand and model you'll find mentioned here. youd probably be best advised to go into your favorite computer retail shop, find one that pleases your eye and trust that.

though ive always wondered how much end effect the connected video card has to do with what you see as well...

I would get the Dell 2408 and a color calibration unit. Pantone sells them and there are others.

I have one of "last year's" and a older Dell model with same inputs (minus the HDMI). I use 3rd party monitor arms to position the dual displays just so.

The complaints levied I would agree with like long wake up time but I just keep mine on unless it is in a horridly long render (often). The myriad of inputs and monitor modes the 2408 have to offer are just too great to pass up given the price point.

-Andrew

I'm in the process of buying a Mac for the first time to learn and to use Final Cut Pro. Have concluded a Dell 2408 monitor will be a good choice for me, but have noticed the slightly older A01 revision models are much less expensive than the A02 revision models. Anyone know how significant the A02 revision is for FCP users?