I am planning on buying a flatscreen TFT LCD monitor that I plan to use with an x-box, I also want to be able to use it as a regular TV and as a computer monitor, should the need arise. I have seen such products on the market. (Having a TV tuner is least important - as long as I could hook it up to a DVD player that would be fine).
What I want to make sure is that for the price I am paying, I am getting top bollox technology. So I have a few LCD questions for technical people out there:
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Most seem to be billed as “TFT LCD”. This is apparently the best on the consumer market at the moment. However, are there any major brands selling “non” TFT LCD? If so, what is non TFT LCD and how bad it is by comparison?
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In terms of resolution, what should I be looking for? I want to get a really really excellent screen. Looking in the shop, none of them seemed to give a resolution. Is this more software-based than hardware based? (I had assumed higher resolution meant more little LCD pixels or something, and would be more expensive, but better).
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What size screen should I be getting? Will 17 inch be enough for X-box gaming (I know it will be enough for any computer needs I have)?
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How much more and how quickly are prices expected to drop? I know they have been falling considerably, eg Apple’s 23" was US$3,500, it’s now US$1,999 which by anyone’s standards is a huge drop. (Apple’s monitor needs an adapter to play X-box I am told, though I believe it is not hard to buy).
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Any more help/advice/info/important technical stuff that I haven’t asked about?
Many thanks in advance. I anticipate this being one of the biggest purchases I will ever make, so I want to get it right!