About four years ago I was using a 21" CRT monitor for all of my gaming. At that time, my partner ordered a 19" flat screen LCD monitor for himself, but I begged off on getting one for myself, figuring that I could never go down in monitor size and remain satisfied. When I saw the improved picture quality of his monitor, however, I immediately ordered my own, and it's the faithful monitor I have been using ever since. Its max resolution is 1280 x 1024.
It's now four years later and I'd like something bigger. I figure the technology must be better now, right? So I've looked online for some bigger LCD or plasma monitors and I just can't figure anything out. I'm hoping someone using something bigger can help me! I'd really love something 30" - 40".
First off, is there really an issue associated with screen burn on plasma monitors? Or is that a bunch of BS perpetuated by the people trying to unload their LCD & CRT monitors? I mean, I can play EQ2 for many hours at a time, and all the little windows around the edges of the screen are always in the exact same place.
Second, does it make any difference if the vendor refers to the item as a "monitor" vs. a "TV"? Or nowadays is it pretty much the same thing?
Third, and probably most importantly, what's up with the low max resolutions on the bigger screens? I can't find anything bigger than like 21" that has a max resolution even as high as this four-year-old monitor I'm using now. Is it the case that you don't need a high resolution on a bigger screen? That just doesn't make sense to me; it seems counterintuitive, but what do I know.
Fourth, is it worth getting a monitor with the wider aspect ratio like the HDTVs? Or would I just wind up playing my games with wide bars of nothingness on the sides?
Many thanks in advance to anyone willing to help me with this stuff.