[chung123]

I have a G3 Blue and White(upgraded to a 600mhz/g4) with the stock ATI Rage 128 card(which has no DVI)

Looking at the Apple widescreen displays at the Apple Store really fills me with uncontrollable lust--almost as much as getting a G5...(someday)

Are there more affordable alternatives to widescreen nirvana? Since I have no ADC or DVI ability....
I would have to purchase a ATI card with DVI...that in theory could drive the new aluminum widescreen displays directly without having to get the DVI-ADC adapter....or get a clearance Cinema display for 999 from Smalldog--but then I need to get the adapter.

How about the Samsung or Phillips widescreen LCD 17"?

Would the Rage 128 card drive those monitors correctly via VGA connector?

Any opinions? Recommendation?

Or should I just go with a 4:3 aspect LCD?(Formac comes to mind....)

[LoCash]

You could also look into the since retired Silicon Graphics 1600SW widescreen LCD. You'd need the display and the multilink adapter black box to get it to take VGA or DIV. You can find the display and the adapter for between $600 and $900 on ebay.

I run two of these displays, and they rock. 17.3" at 1600x1024 and a 30ms pixel response rate. They're a great alternative.

[Luca]

I would recommend AGAINST the Samsung 172W wide screen LCD. It's 17", but the resolution is a pathetic 1280x768. Basically they took a regular 5:4 17" LCD, which has a resolution of 1280x1024, and hacked off the bottom half. You get far fewer pixels but you pay a premium for the widescreen format.

If you can find a 17" widescreen with a 1440x900 resolution (same as the 17" iMac and PowerBook), by all means, look into it. But the Samsung is a bad deal and you'd be better off with a traditional 17" screen.

[chung123]

Thanks for the heads up...(about the Samsung and SGI)

I didn't know that about the Samsung "short-comings"--I've only seen this stuff after Googling it.

The 17" LCD widescreen that is the same as the Powerbook/iMac is actually exactly what I'm looking for...but alas--I don't know who sells a screen like that for a desktop.

Also for video cards...

I don't know much about them...

the 64mb Radeon 7000 with DVI for the mac is about $77 on eBay.

The newly ATI 9200 128mb is gonna be $129...

Hmmm....I'm not going to play games with the Mac....but which is the better deal..and with plans of driving the bigger screens?

[Koodari]

Dell FP2001, 20", 16ms, VGA, DVI, composite, 1600x1200 (so it's not a wide screen, but a 20" normal beats 17" wide anyday). If you keep your eyes open and look for Dell special offers you can get it for $750. At that price this monitor is hard to beat. It's the only Dell product I've heard of that I might buy.

[LoCash]

a friend of mine runs two of those Dell displays and loves them btw.

[MCQ]

Originally Posted by Koodari Dell FP2001, 20", 16ms, VGA, DVI, composite, 1600x1200 (so it's not a wide screen, but a 20" normal beats 17" wide anyday). If you keep your eyes open and look for Dell special offers you can get it for $750. At that price this monitor is hard to beat. It's the only Dell product I've heard of that I might buy.

It's at $720 right now on a current promotion.
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/P...4&sku=320-1578