Buying a used monitor for photo work

[paulr]

In a recent thread some people were discouraging buying a used CRT monitor, while some others thought it was fine. I just discovered that used is the only way to buy a LaCie 19" monitor of the type I wanted.

I found one that's cheap and that looks good. It's from 2001. The owner said it hasn't been used a lot. I've been able to check it out with my calibration software--it calibrates fine, with a very straight curve. To see how much life it has left, I tested to see how bright it could could be calibrated. It was able to give a flat response up to a luminance of 124. This suggests to me that the phosphors have a lot of life in them (I usually set the luminance at 100).

Is this a logical test? Is there anything else I should be looking for?

[Kirk Gittings]

Paul. I do believe that is a valid test. I asked the people at Graytag macbeth this very question and they said it was realted to monitor life. Mine is on its last legs at 75%. Here is his reply to my question:

Hello Kirk,

I received your email inquiry through www.gretagmacbeth.com,
www.i1color.com, or disupport@gretagmacbeth.com here at the GretagMacbeth
U.S. Application Support Center in Akron, OH.

If you can only get to a certain value that only means that’s as bright as your monitor can achieve at the settings you are selecting. Monitors as they age, no longer can achieve high luminance values, its pretty common. I’ve seen 1 year old monitors that could no longer perform well.

If you select, No Change in your settings, this will allow the monitor the most leeway for what it can do.

Don’t worry to much about it if your monitor can not get much higher than 70 but keep and eye on it. If it looks okay to you then just see if it drops much. You really don’t want to rely on a monitor that can not get a luminance of around 70 so as long as it doesn’t drop too much you should be fine.

[Antonio Corcuera]

following on the monitors' topic, I'm about to get a new old stock LaCie 19". How much life can I expect from it before the critical 70% luminance? I calculate I'll be doing a daily average of 2 hours on it...

[Kirk Gittings]

Antonio,
I have no idea. Old pros in this business tell me that a CRT monitor is only good for about three years. I don't really know.

Where did you find a new Lacie 19" CRT. Do they have more? Email me.

[paulr]

Thanks Kirk,

that's helpful.

Antonio, for what it's worth, the LaCie I just tested is from 2001 and is still going strong. I'm inclined to believe the original owner when he says he didn't use it much. 2 hours a day is very little. When a good monitor fades after 3 years, it's probably because it was used professionally, many hours a day every day

[Antonio Corcuera]

Kirk,
I found the LaCie by chance at a small computer store here in Barcelona. It had been ordered by someone who finally never picked it up and the box was laying around. Just collected it this morning. I consider myself very lucky!
Best,