Good size display for programming offline

[automation.engineer 0]

First of all I want to say hello to all the members since this is my first post. I am still a green horn regarding to programming with PLC's but I am getting the hang of it quickly so I hope I can bring something positive to this community along with tutorials through out my learning experience with the AB 5/ 5000 family. Now Regarding to the Topic Title. Right now I am using a 12 inch portable laptop as the main computer where I program . I was wondering which display size would be an optimum size in your opinion/experience (without being overkill) to have as an extended desktop ( I have been pondering between a 22inch or a 32inch) . I would be using this at home to program alot since I am a doing my end of career project using an ab 5000 plc to control a process. Any other advices are welcome. Edited 6 Sep 2007 by automation.engineer

[Chris Elston 79]

My personal opinion is it's not the SIZE of the screen, but how good the resolution is on your screen or computer. Example, you could have a DELL laptop with 17" LCD wide screen, but if you bought a CHEAP video card in your laptop, your maxium screen resolution would be 1280 x 800. That's not really "wide" enough in my opinion to see all the rungs without "rung" wrap. Check out this post: http://forums.mrplc.com/index.php?s=&s...ost&p=21357 Now take the SAME computer, DELL laptop with a 17" LCD wide screen and purchase a GOOD video card that can lay down 1680 X 1050, and NOW your talking about an AWESOME programming display.... Of course, you need to have good eye sight too...I love 1600 resolution. Other old people can't see anything on my screen. It looks like little dots to them. LOL.

[gravitar 3]

You need display size AND resolution. Like chacko said, you can fit a lot of dots onto a smaller screen, but then the dots are really small. You can put the same number of dots onto a larger surface, and they'll be easier to read. If you've got enough desk space, nothing beats a 21" CRT, IMHO. These days you can get them for cheap, too.

[automation.engineer 0]

Thanks for the advice guys! Regarding the resolution I can get up to 2048x1536 on an extended desktop with my video card so it shouldn't be an issue. What I will do is pop up rslogix with the output on a projector we have at work and that should give me an idea on how big i can go.

[Clay B. 1]

Yea, yea I thought that was funny too until I bought my first set of reading glasses. Laugh now but you will be sporting speckles like the rest of us and complaining about those "dots" on your screen. FYI... Since my memory has started to go like my vision. I find having 2 screens is real handy. I can look at my program and my electrical drawings or PLC program and HMI at the same time . My screens are 19" and unless the rung is a monster I do not have to have wrap around on the rung.

[Giz99 0]

I finally have a 17" Notebook and a 22" extended desktop screen which is really nice. Unfortunately all laptops come Vista Ready so finding deivers to "downgrade" to XP can be quite the challenge. Giz.