Display Replacement

[dickhauser]

My Studio Display (CRT) is dying, and so I'm trying to understand the possibilities for my setup.

I've a G4 400 (PCI Graphics) with a Rage 128 video card - only VGA out. The Apple site document about "Power Mac G4: Display compatibility" seems to be telling me that there is no option to upgrade to an Apple LCD without the purchase of a new video card. Even more mysterious (to me) is the designation of the PCI or AGP graphics.

I think that the LCD (and HD) displays require AGP graphics, and my G4 is PCI.

Is my only reasonable option to purchase another CRT? Any help would be appreciated.

Dick

[hucky]

Your Mac is ready to connect to all current selling displays except:
1. Apples new TFTs with DVI (digital only)
2. Apples old TFTs with their proprietary Digital Interface.

It is difficult to find a great new PCI Mac Video card today.

But you can protect your investment if you buy a TFT display with VGA and DVI input (Dual Input).
This way your new display is ready to serve you on your next Mac by using the digital interface.

Please take care you can get different display sizes with the same resolution. Your graphics card can display at different resolutions but you have to use the so-called native pixel resolution to get the best quality.
In general higher resolution is better (small points, bigger display area) but sometimes your workflow can benefit from lower resolution based on the fact that you don••™t have access to change all the menus font sizes and bigger fonts can be helpful to works in your studio environment.
If this is your preferred way to go then you have to check the 18 and 19" displays.
Most musicworktations are more economic (price/performance) if you buy two smaller (cheaper 17, 18, 19") than one expensive 20" display. You get more square inches for the money and an easier overview with twice 4:3 = 8:3.
Native screen resolutions:
15" 4:3 1024x768
17" 5:4 1280x1024 same for most 18 and 19"
20" 4:3 1600x1200 (apples 20" is 16:9)

Upgrading from CRT to TFT is a must for audio work. All your analog lines are happy to get rid of the highfrequency noise spreading all over your studio. Worst case seen in many big studios: CRT on top of an analog desk.

Hucky bruegger @ redline musicware
Screening you to higher signal to noise and clear clean recordings like back in Elvis time.

[dickhauser]

Thanks, Hucky, for your response. Very helpful to limit the screens that I looked at to the dual input possibilities. I tried out a nice Samsung 712N, which turned out not to have the two inputs (its only VGA, doesn't have the DVD input). I liked the monitor a lot, but thought your advice was well founded.

I ended up (I think) with a CTL 7Gx. Very nice unit, so far, and I'm pleased that its compliant with manufacturing standards in eurpoe so it has less of the non recycleable materials in it.

I'll probably tweek some in the next week, but so far, I've just plugged it in, and the Mac and Monitor are talking just fine (I changed to the 1028 x 1028 setting just for fun - we'll see if I keep it there.