Spiney Loc: Reading, PA

I'm still using a CRT because I can calibrate it with a Spyder puck and get portraits from my lab MPIX-pro that are spot on. I have a Sony Trinitron 19" that's at least 12 years old, but sat in storage for 8 years so it still has nice color.

I know it will die on me someday. I need an affordable LED/LCD Monitor that can be calibrated. I cant work full time because of 3 back surgeries with hardware and a failed neck surgery with hardware so I need to keep the cost down.

I thought Dell had a sub $300 monitor in the 20-23" class, but I'm not sure which model. I'm using Adobe CC, and print mainly portraits with my other category being cars. Thanks in advance, Dave

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

You must have fun even connecting such an old CRT monitor. The LED/LCD flat screen monitors are basically only USB, HDMI, DVI today, none of those old VGA connectors. Most computers now don't have those fifteen pin VGA connectors any more.

I bought my wife a Dell Inspiron 4-core i5 Desktop with Windows 7 Professional back around March 2015 from Costco for under $600 and a it came with a free 27" flat screen. But I am not sure it is a top of the line enough for calibrating and the computer only came with integrated video and not a separate video card. She uses it for accounting and web browsing. I put PSE 9 on it but I have not tried any serious PP with it because it is not really a Photoshop adequate system. Therefore I only use my old but in it's day top of the line 18" HP Laptop for Ps CS6.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Many of the graphics accelerator cards have both VGA and DVI connectors and many also come with a VGA to DVI converter to convert DVI to VGA. My Graphics Accelerator and also the one in the wife's computer support DVI, HDMI and VGA. VGA connectors in video are far from obsolete.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

I really do not like such questions because people give opinions and spend $$ for gadgets and ultras.. in excess.

OK, I confess that my training in instrumentation and lab supervision has taught me to be a minimalist. No I did not have tale fins on my cars!!

I bought a 28" ASUS on Labor-day (2015) sale from Newegg, for $230 with $30 asus rebate,spent that yesterday! Why 28" when I historically in 90s and 2010's had a 17"... well because 3" on each side is Ads and Tools leaving me with 22" of my space... and yes my eyes ain't what da usta be.

The resolution was a major research project.. the price of high resolution is twice that of the 1920 x 1020 ... the standard is fine,, unless you use a magnifying glass close up. Wow, a new 32" HDTV is about the same, but 4 more inches means I would have to move head not just eyes. Get educated:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/cameras-vs-human-eye.htm

Calibration: well better than you can see, why? and then the printer does not follow... so you have to tune the two to be similar... one is radiated light one reflected... I will leave it to you which is which! Both are affected by room illumination.

There are simple ways ... or spend lots of $$ for some gadget that people must say is good because they were foolish enough to spend $$ for what can, perhaps should, be done with out the gadget. They also spend thousands to have best of equipment just to print an 8x10" print ... Why? Brag factor. Google and start reading:
disk for calibrating monitor

this article covers the water front... even the gadgets

http://www.pcworld.com/article/241957/how_to_calibrate_your_monitor.html

zigipha Loc: north nj

monitors that are calibrated for color usually list 99% sRGB or 80%Adobe RGB or something like that. If thats not listed, then its not factory calibrated.

ASUS PA248Q 24" is under 300 (barely)

FL Streetrodder

I recently purchased an HP Pavilion 22xW LCD LED monitor 16:9 ratio, 21.5 inch (diagonal) from B&H Camera for 129.95 with free shipping. After some online research I found this to be well suited for photo editing purposes. It has a fully backlit HD display and uses the IPS color tecnology and a high level of dynamic contrast. You can connect it with either a VGA or HDMI cable. So far, I have been very pleased with its performance, especially due to the great price.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I'm really not too sure what new computers you are looking at. Nearly everything on the PCs the last few years is USB -- not that I like that per se. Try to find anything with a PS/2 Mouse or Keyboard, not easy. I'm having to buy all kinds of crazy adapters, USB to PS/2, PS/2 to USB, HDMI to DVI, DVI to HDMI, etc. Note HDMI & DVI carry the same "data" but the pin arrangement is very different. Sometimes people who use two monitors will connection one to each since few cards have duplicated jacks.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

What you have to define is what Colorspace you need to work in. I believe MPIX-Pro uses sRGB, the most common and smallest Colorspace, but comparable with photo paper gamuts. If so, you should be able to find a monitor in your price range. If you need Adobe RGB the price of monitors capable of meeting that Colorspace goes up quite a bit.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

I like my Dell which would fit that price range. Giving you its number would not be helpful as it is no longer available. Dell, in my opinion, makes some decent monitors for reasonable dollars. Best of luck.

Spiney Loc: Reading, PA

Thanks for the answers, please keep them coming. If you can reference model numbers that would be great.

As far as how I hook up the CRT, I have a Dell video cable that allows me to hook up both my CRT and Dell LCD. The Dell LCD is too bright and can not be calibrated with my Spyder puck. So I have the PS on my CRT and the menus or file folders on the LCD. That gives me a bigger image on the CRT.

My CRT takes up a lot of room and its only a 19". I used to have a 22" that took up an extreme amount of desk real estate.

If I can get a size able LCD monitor I'll still run 2 monitors but it will take up much less space. Thanks, Dave

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

I've just purchased my second Samsung S24D390HL. It runs about $150 to 175. Absolutely excellent. Bought the first one some months ago. My friend "stole" it so I bought another.

I use a ColorMunkie to calibrate it and everything is beautiful.

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

28" is great. I don't have the geography on the desk, so stay with 24". ASUS consistently produces great products. They are not well known, but their laptops are first-rate. They make great video cards for desktops (And their motherboards are superb.