ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 18, 1996 TAG: 9604180029
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B8 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Computer Bits
BIGGER IS BETTER, but it's also more expensive. When sizing up the different models, what you get may not be what you see.
One of the best things you can do for yourself (and your eyes) is to buy a larger monitor. But just what should you look for?
Sometime in the not-too-distant future, 17-inch monitors will become commonplace on the desktop. Right now, the $600 price is a tad high for many computer buyers.
Still, if you have the money, this is the way to go if you want to run today's graphical interfaces and applications. A 17-inch monitor is the minimum you need for effective computing, especially if you're going to do much desktop publishing.
(Desktop publishing translates into doing papers, newsletters or other specialized work that combines graphics and words.)
When shopping for a monitor, look first at the image on the monitor. Will the image stretch all the way to the edge without being distorted? If it doesn't, then you're probably losing valuable screen "real estate." Weigh the cost against how much area you're losing. If you take into account the area lost, you could be paying for a 15-inch monitor but actually getting 13 inches worth of space. A suit charging false advertising, similar to the one that makes television manufacturers adhere to actual viewable size, is winding through the courts. Many advertisers already disclose the viewable area as opposed to the overall size of the monitor.
One of the more confusing aspects of monitors is dot pitch. Without getting into a complex technical explanation, just remember that you want to get 0.28 dot pitch or less. In this instance, the lower the number, the better.
You also want to get a monitor that can handle high resolution rates with a high refresh rate, the speed at which a computer reproduces a picture on the monitor. Here, the higher the number, the better. The refresh rate should be at least 72 Hz and be noninterlaced; this ensures that your screen won't flicker.
Also, check the warranty.
You also must factor your video card into this equation. If you have only a 1-megabyte video card, don't expect to do the high resolutions in millions of colors. These two go hand-in-hand in giving you a sharp picture without eye strain. The same questions about color depth, high resolution, noninterlaced quality and refresh rate should be asked about a video card that you're considering. -Knight-Ridder/Tribune Guitar lessons
A Seattle-based multimedia publishing company, eMedia Corp., has released what it calls "the first comprehensive CD-ROM guitar method for beginners" by the name "eMedia Guitar Method."
The software, which includes more than 30 full-motion instructional videos, is fun to use and allows students to move at their own pace. More than 60 lessons take the beginner from basics such as stringing and tuning the guitar to playing chords, strumming and finger-picking.
A built-in recorder allows students using the CD to record themselves and compare their playing with that of the instructor. Sing-along segments of over three hours in total duration allow users to select from either male or female voices.
The program also includes a metronome and built-in guitar tuner that allows the student to play into a computer's microphone and visually tune the guitar.
More than 100 exercises and songs are provided to help students practice. The CD also provides instructions for gaining access to more than 500 songs available free on the Internet.
The company says the disk should cost around $59.95 and is available through local music and software stores or directly from the company at (206) 329-5657. Minimum system requirements are: PC with Windows 3.1 or 95, 386 processor, CD-ROM drive, sound card, VGA+ display, 2MB RAM, and 7MB of free-hard drive space. -Staff report
To submit information to Computer Bits or to comment, call 981-3393 or 981-3237, or send e-mail to skelly2180@aol.com.
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: The ``eMedia Guitar Method'' CD-ROM has a built-inby CNBrecorder that lets students record themselves. color