Ironworks Gaming Forum - View Single Post

Thoran · 02-26-2003, 08:45 AM

With any display you have to be concerned with update issues. Just because your Graphics card can update Quake III at 240 frames per second doesn't mean you'll actually see each of those frames. On traditional Tube monitors phosphor persistance and refresh rate determine how good your image looks and how fast it can change. These days they've got the persistance down to the point where the human eye can't really detect. If it's too high, the image "smears".

With LCD and Plasma, you have a similar issue... how fast can you turn all those little pixels on and off. At this point the answer is "pretty fast, but a lot slower than a tube". LCD displays are getting to the point where some are fast enough to play most games (not true even a year ago), sounds like plasma may be a lot slower. I'm not a big plasma fan myself, pay $8000 for a tv that at best will last 5 or 6 years before burning out... I don't think so. If you've got that kind of cash for a display buy a good LCD projection system and a good quality screen. Much better quality and longevity (although you have to replace the bulb occasionally, and they're not cheap - $500 or so).

02-26-2003, 08:45 AM	#3
Thoran Galvatron Join Date: January 10, 2002 Location: Upstate NY Age: 57 Posts: 2,109	With any display you have to be concerned with update issues. Just because your Graphics card can update Quake III at 240 frames per second doesn't mean you'll actually see each of those frames. On traditional Tube monitors phosphor persistance and refresh rate determine how good your image looks and how fast it can change. These days they've got the persistance down to the point where the human eye can't really detect. If it's too high, the image "smears". With LCD and Plasma, you have a similar issue... how fast can you turn all those little pixels on and off. At this point the answer is "pretty fast, but a lot slower than a tube". LCD displays are getting to the point where some are fast enough to play most games (not true even a year ago), sounds like plasma may be a lot slower. I'm not a big plasma fan myself, pay $8000 for a tv that at best will last 5 or 6 years before burning out... I don't think so. If you've got that kind of cash for a display buy a good LCD projection system and a good quality screen. Much better quality and longevity (although you have to replace the bulb occasionally, and they're not cheap - $500 or so).