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LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
http://www.wsgf.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=13378		 Page 1 of 3
Author:  Tamlin [ 22 Jun 2006, 12:55 ]
Post subject:  LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
Standard measurment for viewing angles is that contrast is less then 10. Most people would be annoyed greatly already I think when contrast is already less then 50 and some would go mad if the contrast would change slightly.

At WSGF, we have learned to check our screens for anything that can ruin our viewing experience. Dead pixels, ghosting, tearing, motion blur and backlight bleed ranges highest. Screens are getting bigger and bigger, and faults are even easier to spot the larger they get.

The larger the screen, the more important viewing angles are? Or is that wrong?
What is worse? Motion blur once in a while or image changing every time you change viewing angle?

Should the industry change their standard for viewing angles at least to contrast less then 50, or doesn't it matter?

Here are some examples of viewing angle from Behardware, which was early out shedding light about viewing angles:

Nec 20WGX²(*IPS)


ViewSonic VX922(TN)


Belinea 10 20 35W(*VA)


According to specs, the VA's (especially the PVA) should have the best viewing angles. This is because of the standard 10
Viewing angles are unchanged. Those of the IPS are wider in all directions. The next closest is the TN that are better than VAs from the side. Their vertical viewing angles are very reduced, however, and especially from below as they immediately turn black.

Behardware.com
Author:  cyrana [ 22 Jun 2006, 15:59 ]
Post subject:  LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
It's not really bothered me too much (but I've only owned IPS panels). I guess even with those they get weird if you move too far off center, but nothing like the other panel types I've seen.
Author:  Tamlin [ 22 Jun 2006, 19:43 ]
Post subject:  LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
Worst case I have been seeing is when I sat infront of my stepfathers laptop. If you have tried the sniper rifle in COD2, you'll understand how I had to sit:
It was like I had to move my head to "snipe" the text and when I had found it, it was almost like I had to hold my breath (as in COD2) in order to hold position... :P Terrible! I would think that major ghosting on the screen would have been a more pleasant experience then that! One of the few times it has been painful to surf WSGF ;) LOL!

Its interesting to see what people experience the viewing angle as. The industry standard gives manufacturers to boost high numbers of viewing angle without any practical meaning for the end users.

What would be an acceptable drop in PQ regarding viewing angles?

Flawless up to X degrees?
Flawless up to x degrees and 10 % reduction after that?
Going the other way, 10>contrast, only tells us at what degree the image starts improving... :P hehehe
Author:  Gilly [ 22 Jun 2006, 20:22 ]
Post subject:  LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
the pixels should all be fishbowl.... then it would be better viewing angles, but no doubt that is impossible. I must say, my head is stationary in CS matches, but even this AS-IPS can be improved... :) (viewing angles wise)

i think Sharp capitalised on the shitty viewing angles by having 2 pictures on one screen on a special lcd
Author:  Tamlin [ 06 Jul 2006, 15:20 ]
Post subject:  LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
the pixels should all be fishbowl.... then it would be better viewing angles, but no doubt that is impossible. I must say, my head is stationary in CS matches, but even this AS-IPS can be improved... :) (viewing angles wise)

i think Sharp capitalised on the shitty viewing angles by having 2 pictures on one screen on a special lcd


Fishbowl pixels... Lol! :D
Author:  Hinotori [ 06 Jul 2006, 19:56 ]
Post subject:  LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
For my use and the current screen size, it doesn't matter....

I use a 19" Wide LCD monitor, no need to set it to portrait, size is good enough for the small space of my home office where I have my PC and my XBOX 360 connected to it. No need to have acceptable viewing angles when viewing from a low point of view, all I have there are some chairs. The result of that TFT LCD, that as far as I understood, has the worst viewing angles of all LCD technologies, is excelente for one person, even if moving the head. Very good for two persons. More than that, it is not good.

Now, if I were thinking of a TV, where the TV is usually placed above me and it needs to have good viewing angles from there, and that people across the room want to watch it too, TFT is unacceptable.

Regarding viewing angles, I think that you must consider your use and what you need, then you know what to look for.

But there are things that are as important, if not more important, like if you use the screen primarly for games (and what kind of games), movies, photo.... People just keep looking into contrast ratio and viewing angles, and this can lead to disappointments.
Author:  Tamlin [ 06 Jul 2006, 23:15 ]
Post subject:  LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
For my use and the current screen size, it doesn't matter....

I use a 19" Wide LCD monitor, no need to set it to portrait, size is good enough for the small space of my home office where I have my PC and my XBOX 360 connected to it. No need to have acceptable viewing angles when viewing from a low point of view, all I have there are some chairs. The result of that TFT LCD, that as far as I understood, has the worst viewing angles of all LCD technologies, is excelente for one person, even if moving the head. Very good for two persons. More than that, it is not good.


You have a TN panel, worst on specs, but not in real life. As you can see from the pictures and also the tekst, the viewing angles are pretty descent/good from the sides(image 2) :D


Now, if I were thinking of a TV, where the TV is usually placed above me and it needs to have good viewing angles from there, and that people across the room want to watch it too, TFT is unacceptable.


I assume with TFT, you mean TN. Yes, I can see the problem if the screen/tv was above head (like on some football pubs) :)

Regarding viewing angles, I think that you must consider your use and what you need, then you know what to look for.

But there are things that are as important, if not more important, like if you use the screen primarly for games (and what kind of games), movies, photo.... People just keep looking into contrast ratio and viewing angles, and this can lead to disappointments.


I agree. There are different people with different needs and its important to look for what covers your needs. BUT, shouldn't the spesifications reflect the actual point where image degrades, instead of the point where contrast is less then 10?

If you run a bar, wouldn't you want to know how the viewing angle would be for the audience? Or if you do sensitive color work, wouldn't you want to know if the image shifts after a certain angle (since you spent time and money to get a hardware calibrator so that your screen would represent colors, brightness and contrast the best it can)?

Should the industry change their standards, or is it enough for you to know that contrast is less then 10 on a certain degree? :)
Your screen has a viewing angle listed as (150/135) (compareble with the vx922 as seen above) and in the example the Belinea 10 20 35W has (178/178). If you look at the pictures above, do you feel that the specs reflect what you see on the pictures?
Author:  Microtia [ 06 Jul 2006, 23:35 ]
Post subject:  LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
To me, viewing angles mean nothing. I'm never NOT looking straight on at my monitor, so they can say the viewing angle is ∞ for all I care. I can see where it would be a problem for some people, but it just isn't for me.
Author:  Tamlin [ 07 Jul 2006, 00:48 ]
Post subject:  LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
To me, viewing angles mean nothing. I'm never NOT looking straight on at my monitor, so they can say the viewing angle is ∞ for all I care. I can see where it would be a problem for some people, but it just isn't for me.


Say a friend of yours were asking to get a screen with good viewing angles (maybe he/she changes postion a lot for comfort sake, or gets friends over to play games on same screen, or maybe she/he gets headackes of constant image changes when she/he moves head... we have users who have this problem), wouldn't you like to have more accurate information available then?
Author:  darklight_tr [ 07 Jul 2006, 04:25 ]
Post subject:  LCD viewing angles... Does it matter? (if they suck?)
I think that the viewing angle debate is overrated. I shift position all the time when using my computer, but my LCD has never bothered me in this regard.

As for friends trying to watch me play a game....screw 'em. :wink:
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