LCD scope displays; is 16x9 the current trend?

[videobruce]

I have noticed many new scopes (Oscilloscopes and Spectrum Analyzers) seem to be going with a 16x9 LCD display as opposed to old school (if I can call it that) 4x3. Namely 800x480 vs 640x480. Same vertical resolution but in a wider format.

How do you guys feel about this; Improvement, not so, or it doesn't matter?

My other question is, what are the step up for displays from what I posted here as far as not just size, but resolution?

[8086]

Higher resolution, has to be an improvement!

[mikeselectricstuff]

It's just following the way the LCD market has gone - at some point 4x3 will get more expensive and harder to obtain as consumer markets won't be using them any more.

[notsob]

Also, as touch screen technology become more prevalent, more room will be required at the sides for 'soft' touch option buttons

[videobruce]

Is 800x480 the most common size/resolution now?
How about other sizes/resolutions?

[M. András]

custom made?

[Fraser]

I have been looking for 4:3 aspect LCD monitors fro use with equipment that outputs a 4:3 image, such as my thermal camera..... I have noticed that it is getting harder to find such monitors unless you look at CCTV test gear. I suspect that the majority of non-custom 5" to 9" LCD displays will find their way into home entertainment gear, so there is the mass production cost saving to manufacturers of test equipment that can use such. The other good news will be when trying to replace a faulty 16:9 LCD you will likely be able to find a compatible part on the spares market, as so many are available with the full range of controllers etc.

I have no issues with 16:9 format but I don't rate cheap low resolution units. Available resolutions used to be 320x240 (low res) and 640 * 480 (medium res) then 800 * 600 (higher res) for 4:3 aspect . I would far prefer a higher resolution, if smaller, 4:3 than a low resolution 16:9 unit originally designed for a portable DVD player !

Fraser

[peter.mitchell]

I read the push for 16x9 LCDs was driven by manufacturers getting higher yield compared to 4x3 in the same length diagonal (very true as there are less pixels), as well as the ability to market something "new" or "different".

[videobruce]

I have been looking for 4:3 aspect LCD monitors fro use with equipment that outputs a 4:3 image, such as my thermal camera..... I have noticed that it is getting harder to find such monitors unless you look at CCTV test gear.

Agreed. Especially for CCTV, it's also getting harder to find 4x3 monitors. It seems a waste to use a 16x9 for 4x3 applications. Especially if the monitor does NOT offer a non stretched mode. The last thing I want to see is a stretched 4x3 image. 

I would far prefer a higher resolution, if smaller, 4:3 than a low resolution 16:9 unit originally designed for a portable DVD player !

Also agreed. 480 is SD, old school these days. I would also prefer at least a 800x600 display than a 800x480. of course a 960x600 would be nice too. 

[peter.mitchell]

I have been looking for 4:3 aspect LCD monitors fro use with equipment that outputs a 4:3 image, such as my thermal camera..... I have noticed that it is getting harder to find such monitors unless you look at CCTV test gear.

Agreed. Especially for CCTV, it's also getting harder to find 4x3 monitors. It seems a waste to use a 16x9 for 4x3 applications. Especially if the monitor does NOT offer a non stretched mode. The last thing I want to see is a stretched 4x3 image. 

I would far prefer a higher resolution, if smaller, 4:3 than a low resolution 16:9 unit originally designed for a portable DVD player !

Also agreed. 480 is SD, old school these days. I would also prefer at least a 800x600 display than a 800x480. of course a 960x600 would be nice too. 

bah, if you're going to go for 960 x 600 you may as well step it up, go for a more common resolution of 1024x768.
If you want 4:3 LCDs for personal use, i pick up used samsung syncmaster 204bs in the trailer loads for cheap, swap the caps, viola, 20inch 1600x1200 4:3 with a great stand, if im getting them for customers, i usually get the dell 2007fp, they're pricey, but a customer who got 6 didn't seem to mind, that said they did just purchase 3x 29Mpx CCTV cameras...

[videobruce]

You mean this;
http://reviews.cnet.com/lcd-monitors/samsung-syncmaster-204b/4864-3174_7-31676719-12.html

But those are PC monitors, as in VGA inputs, no composite input.

[Matje]

I have noticed many new scopes (Oscilloscopes and Spectrum Analyzers) seem to be going with a 16x9 LCD display as opposed to old school (if I can call it that) 4x3. Namely 800x480 vs 640x480. Same vertical resolution but in a wider format.

How do you guys feel about this; Improvement, not so, or it doesn't matter?

Improvement, for the use case, although a bit more vertical resolution would be nice too. Well, given the ADC resolution of 8 bits it may not be that important at least for DSOs. More than 512 might be nice for 2 channels.

For computer monitors and the like this is getting ludicrous fast. Wait for 16x3 aspect ratio monitors to appear in the immediate future. Which gives me little confidence in the future of DSO displays. ;-)

[casinada]

Well, LCD displays are going 16:10 to support the wide format for movies even if it doesn't make any sense for Computer work. I wish it would stay 16:9

[8086]

Well, LCD displays are going 16:10 to support the wide format for movies even if it doesn't make any sense for Computer work. I wish it would stay 16:9

Did you mix those up when posting? 16:9 is movie aspect, 16:10 is pretty good for computer work...

[peter.mitchell]

You mean this;
http://reviews.cnet.com/lcd-monitors/samsung-syncmaster-204b/4864-3174_7-31676719-12.html

But those are PC monitors, as in VGA inputs, no composite input.

Wait... you mean CCTV spot monitors with signal straight from a camera or mux? All of the CCTV stuff I do is all IP stuff, haven't done analoge CCTV stuff in years.

[videobruce]

16:9 is movie aspect, 16:10 is pretty good for computer work..

16x10 PC monitors are slowly fading due to use of the cheaper, more common 16x9 panels.
I have a 24" 16x10 that gives me 1920x1200 instead of 1920x1080. That gives me 120 more lines of horizontal resolution which is nice for graphics & web pages. The downside (other than the slight additional cost) is when viewing TV material (movies etc.), there are narrow black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.

Of course none of this is any good for any 4x3 SD material such as CCTV cameras.

Wait... you mean CCTV spot monitors with signal straight from a camera or mux? All of the CCTV stuff I do is all IP stuff, haven't done analoge CCTV stuff in years.

Sorry, it's still analog 4x3 SD either way. Just because it travels over a Ethernet cable doesn't change the fact it's still NTSC, unless of course you have true 720p or 1080i or 1080p HDTV cameras.

[casinada]

I guess I mixed them up