When replacing older computer monitors with wide-screen displays we often find people complaining the screen is smaller.

One grumble I used to get when replacing older monitors and LCD flat screen monitors is even though clients had purchased a bigger screen it now locked smaller. The reason is screens are measured using the diagonal. For a given screen size wide screen monitors with a 16:9 ratio when compared with older monitors having a 4:3 ratio, are actually shorter. For a user this means their screen appears smaller and very few people like going to a smaller screen.

In MyAnswers solution 2341 I examined the maths behind screen sizes and how to determine the new screen size to give the same vertical size.

The most obvious example is the humble TV used in the lounge room. Until recently the 26" screen was pretty much the standard screen size in the lounge room. However if you replace the 26" TV with a wide screen flat panel TV you'll need to purchase a 32" screen otherwise images will appear smaller. Yes you do get more screen space on the sides, but since the vertical size is smaller, images will be smaller.

When purchasing a new screen and moving from the older 4:3 ratio to the new 16:9 ratio, if you want to have the same vertical size, this is one time where upsizing really makes a difference.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.