iMac just died ... need a screen for my Mini .... recommendations?

Will2 · « **on:** 29 Dec 2010, 10:28 pm »

Hi,

Well, my 24" iMac just died, months after the 3-year protection plan ran out. Sent it to some local experts here in Bermuda but they say it is basically a replacement case. I have a Mini I'm not using actively and a spare keyboard and mouse so I figure I'll just get a screen to pair that with and be done with it for a while. Any recommendations .... or better yet .... anyone have something they are looking to get rid of. It's really just for day to day use. It will be replacing a 24" so something 21" or larger would probably be good.

Cheers
Will

wharfrat · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Dec 2010, 10:39 pm »

I'm using an Acer x233h monitor with my mini. For $120 I have no complaints. I believe it's a 24" screen. Only caveat is if you buy one check to see if you need an adapter.

srb · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Dec 2010, 10:41 pm »

I like the 23" widescreen size because the corresponding vertical screen height of just over 11" allows a standard full 8-1/2" X 11" page to be shown actual size.

I am also very pleased with my Acer X233H 23", and there are many other equally good ones from Samsung, Dell, ASUS and others. For day to day use they are just fine. If you do photo editing work you will probably want something better, and if you play games you will probably want something with a faster (than 5mS) response time.

Steve

Atlplasma · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 Dec 2010, 03:00 pm »

If you have a flat panel LCD or plasma, you can probably use it as a monitor.

Will2 · « **Reply #4 on:** 31 Dec 2010, 02:50 am »

Thanks guys for the ideas. I've had a look around and have also come across the NEC EA screens, which seem about $100 more expensive but are easy to get and support here in Bermuda. I'm leaning to one of those. The guys who live and breath this stuff in my office also have a lot of that NEC series of monitor and have been happy with them. Would I be making a mistake?

Atlplasma - thanks for the idea. That's what I tried initially but I couldn't get the Mini to play nicely with my plasma screen. Got a 52" Panasonic one which is supposed to be really good but for some reason I couldn't get a good balance between definition and screen coverage that made it readable for me. Maybe my screen is just too big.

Thanks again
Will

srb · « **Reply #5 on:** 31 Dec 2010, 03:07 am »

If you're not using the plasma at its native resolution, you may have to adjust the video driver overscan to fill the screen. When I drive my 50" 1080p native resolution plasma with a 1360 X 768 display setting (for better size readability), it doesn't fill the screen and I have to adjust overscan within my ATI video driver control panel.

I don't know if the Mac Mini / nVidia video driver application has that ability to adjust overscan / underscan or not.

Steve