So I'm talking to my father the other day and he mentions he wants to get me a flat screen monitor since my old 15" crt died and I'm borrowing a 17" crt which takes up most of my desk.

I'm not a video gamer and would be watching mov, avi, mp4, divx video files for "refresh rate" issues. I've also got my screensize at 1024x768 which I'm happy with.

The problem is I don't know what to look for. I need advice and info on what dot pitch, "nits", native resolution, etc. are, and what are values I should seek. A kind of Consumers Report on lcd monitors if you will.
Also, if you know of models to avoid that would be great too.
Thanks.

Skip the monitor entirely.

Get a projector, instead.

I have had a 17" HP (Hewlett-Packard) for over a year now and it works great. You can find then cheaper but you get what you pay for. You will love the thing as long you are looking at it from head on. They don't do well from any side angle. Hope this helps! Good luck.

How about the Consumer Reports report (for consumers)? From the magazine:

How to choose

Settle on a screen size. With CRTs, the screen size emphasized in ads is usually larger than what you actually get. The more important specification (often published but seldom highlighted) is viewable image size, or VIS. The typical 19-inch CRT has a VIS of 18 inches; a 17-inch CRT monitor has a VIS of 16 inches. With an LCD, the two sizes are identical.

For most people, a VIS of 17 inches for an LCD or 16 inches for a CRT is big enough. Larger monitors are best suited for people who need to show photo enlargements or who regularly display multiple windows on the screen.

Consider viewing angle. LCD screens have an inherent shortcoming: The image appears to fade as you move left, right, up, or down. However, most LCDs in the Ratings have a wider viewing angle than weve seen in the past. The Ratings identify those with the widest angle.

Consider helpful features. A monitor you can raise or lower can compensate for a desk thats too high or low. Its a feature found on some LCD monitors, but not on CRTs because theyre so heavy.

Some monitors can be rotated 90 degrees, from a landscape to portrait orientation, with the image automatically adjusting itself. That can be handy for viewing photos and Web pages.

Look for a long warranty. Many monitors, both LCDs and CRTs, come with a three-year warranty on parts and labor. A warranty that long is worth looking for, especially when purchasing a more expensive model.

Email me your criteria, and I'll forward recommendations from CR.
 

I have a Dell 18" Ultrasharp and have been very happy with the quality. Watching video and playing games on it has been fine, and I would recommend it to anyone.

If you can afford the 24" Widescreen model [dell.com], it's (as far as I know) the best, biggest monitor at that price point. If you get one, please let me know so I can come over and steal it.

In Response to jon (#26361):

Forget that 24" Dell, its got USB 2.0. Where's the humor [goats.com] in that?