"incandescent" light and monitor solutions

Greetings all!

I have somehow peculiar question regarding monitor solutions:

Progressively, my eyes develloped resistance to all kind of monitors. Very quickly i'll get eye strain and even eye pain. This is most noticeable with CRT type monitors. Of course i bought LCD 21'' monitor; due to their supposedly eye friendly no flicker tech. I had some relief with lcd but still not enought.
As i was tought most LCDs use CCFL (that DO flicker and produce this unbalanced high blue-green mixture of white light).

My question is: since I am NOT bothered by an incandescent type of light (from regular light bulb) i was wondering if there exists any solutions that would use similar light (no flicker, stable and evenly distributed light spectre)? I still need to try LED backlight solutions (do the LEDS flicker?) and my other idea is to try projector as a possible solution. (what kind of light is used with projectors?)

If anyone has some constructive remarks on the subject i would appreciaite it alot. (and sorry for my bad english).

Best regards, Tom

Certain LCD monitors actually do flicker and I am not referring to the CCFL backlighting.

Many of the less expensive monitors use TN panel technology which cannot truly produce 16.7m colors. They actually produce 256k colors and thru dithering can create 16.2m - 16.7m (at least that what's listed in the specs).

Examples of cheap monitors using TN panels are all 22" monitors and smaller. Exceptions that I am aware of in the 20" range is the Dell 2007WFP (IPS or S- PVA panel). As for 22" monitors, the exceptions are Lenovo ThinkVision L220x and the HP LP2275W (both are S-PVA panels). In the 24" range of monitors, basically anything selling for less than $550 when not on sale uses TN panels.

There are two types of dithering methods:

Spatial Dithering - To create a color each single pixel cannot create on it's own, a "mesh" or checkerboard pattern of colors is used to estimate the desired colors. For example, let's say a pixel in a TN panel cannot create purple on it's own. The solution is to use two pxiels next to each other; one will be blue and the other will be red. From a distance it will look like the color purple is being displayed.

Temporal Dithering - This is a newer form of dithering and is sometimes referred to as FRC (Frame Rate Control). In this situation, purple is created by pixel actually flashing very, very quickly between blue and red. The flashing occurs so quickly that it seems to be solid purple to your brain.

Dithering is not required for monitors using S-PVA, P-MVA, and IPS panels since they can truly reproduce 16.7m colors.

LED monitors are relatively expensive since they are new. The less expensive monitors (meaning under $900) will likely use a TN panel. I know NEC will be releasing LED backlit monitors using an IPS panel, but it will cost in excess of $2,000.


A solution you may want to try is "Full Spectrum Florencent Lights". These light covers the entire spectrum of visible light to create white light. They are a little pricey though, at $20 - $25 per bulb. I use these bulbs to light up my livingroom.

Apple is selling a 24" LCD monitor with LED backlighting for about $900.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/14 [...] -displays/

There's currently a debate as to what type of panel it actually uses. You may want to go to an Apple store to look at it. I wouldn't bother asking the sales rep whether it is TN, PVA, MVA or IPS. They will have no idea.

IIRC, though, the new Apple displays only have a mini-displayport connector, which kind of sucks for connecting it to anything but a new macbook.