LCD Monitor.... Poof!

[TennBikeBerk]

Just the other day my mom's Gateway FPD1830 LCD just died. She was using it and all of a sudden it went blank.

I tried turning it off and then on again, and I also double checked the cable connections. I hooked it up to another computer, to make sure it wasn't the connections or video card, but it didn't work on the other computer either. I can't even view the montior's menus.

So my dad called Gateway, and it's not under any warranty. The person suggested that since it has both a digital and analog input, and we have only been using the analog, that we take it somewhere where we can try out the digital input and see if it works. If not, I guess we'll need to get a new monitor.

So right now I know either we'll need a digital video card, or we need a new LCD monitor. This computer is used primarily by my mom, who runs a buisness out of our house, and uses it for that. She does basic web browsing and checks her e-mail, so nothing that requires a high response rate or a speedy video card.

I am wondering if you guys can suggest to me a decent video card (that has a digital output) for this purpose, and also an LCD monitor, because we will get getting one of the two soon. The LCD we have right now is 18" and barely fits in our computer desk and Newegg only has one 18" LCD, so I think a 17" would probably be ideal.

Cost is the biggest factor here, not performance. As long as it gets the job done, I'm sure it will be alright for this intended application. I appreciate any help. Thanks guys!

[RJ]

Every graphics card has a DVI output besides the regular VGA, so you just need to pick the card you want.

Since performance isn't the biggest factor here, an ATI Radeon 9600 should do fine.
As for the monitor, Philips, Samsung, Viewsonic, EIZO, NEC, make good ones. Guess the only imporant thing would be the viewing angle, and the DVI connection.

But, don't you have a more recent PC, which has DVI, to test the monitor ? Maybe one of your friends has one. DVI has been on every video card for years already, I'm sure you know at least one person that has one, so you can test the monitor there.

RJ

[TennBikeBerk]

I'm not so sure about DVI being on all video cards for years. Less than a year ago I hooked up a computer for my girlfriend's family, and they didn't have a DVI port. My laptop which is about two years old doesn't have a DVI port either. The computer I am talking about in my post is probably about three years old, and it doesn't have a DVI port.

I was thinking maybe we could go to our local PCClub and try it out there.

[TennBikeBerk]

My dad saw a $35 video card on Newegg, with a DVI port. Would it be better to get this? If not, how can I attempt to talk him into the ATI 9600?