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LCD Monitors

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Liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors are built into notebook computers and are available as standalone, flat monitors for connection to desktop computers. The most common type of LCD is the thin film transistor (TFT) display, also known as an active matrix display.

LCD monitors typically consume one third to one half the power of a comparably-sized CRT monitor. The 15” standalone LCD monitors reviewed for this guide typically had a maximum power rating of about 30 W and reported normal active power consumption of 20-25 W. See the ICT Power Consumption Reference Tables for details.

As of July 2003, prices for 15” LCD monitors started at about $300. Although pricing in developing countries may be significantly higher due to import duties and other markups, it is worthwhile to keep checking local availability and prices because global manufacturing capacity for LCD displays has increased over the past several years and further significant declines in price are expected.

When selecting an LCD monitor for community applications, it is advisable to keep in mind the horizontal and vertical viewing angles. Wider viewing angles allow better viewing of the screen contents from different positions around the monitor, which makes it easier for multiple viewers to share a terminal. The viewing angles of standalone LCD monitors reviewed for this guidebook ranged from 120°/90° (horizontal/vertical) to 170°/170°.

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