Seriously, CRT monitors?

odysseyelite

So I started a new job 3 months ago. Day 1 I was given a desktop and a crt monitor. Really? Looking around our department there is a mix of CRT's and LCD's. Throughout the rest of the company is all LCD's.

So I was always used to using dual monitors, so I brought in a usb video card to use with a second CRT.

Today one guy moved into a new office and I elected to take his old cubicle. Why? Because where I sat it was all open area. I actually like cubicle walls. One problem, my monitors barely fit in the space.

I've debated on asking for LCD's but its kinda hard when the manager is using one as well.

I wear glasses and after sometime it starts to bother me. I'm thinking on just buying some and bringing them in to use.

Anyone else go through the same problem?

WafflesAndRootbeer

Just get your own monitor. That's what I always do.

DigitalZeroOne

Did you get get a pager for on call support, and a Sony tape walkman for entertainment? Sorry, I had to.

I have always been issued an LCD, but I have purchased a larger sized monitor and brought it in to work, one time I bought a low-profile video card so that I could use 2 monitors because the desktop I had didn't have a second port on the video card.

If money isn't an issue, I say go for it, you will be able to use the monitor at home if you ever do get a new LCD at work, or you can take your monitor to your new job. Heck, I have even purchased a wireless keyboard and mouse, because I didn't like the one issued to me.

Tackle

Sounds like they need to get up to speed! I just finished upgrading everyone in the company to LCD's. The majority get 1, 17". Programmers and QC get dual 17" standard LCD's or 20" dual Widescreens. (I'm told a Desktop and dual 17"'s for me are coming this year, upgrade from my laptop).

When I came in a year ago there were 20 or so people still on CRT's. It made me chuckle when I saw it. I got my first LCD in 2006 and I thought I was late on getting it...

It's amazing when a multi-million dollar company takes this long to upgrade computers/monitors when they are essential to make a profit.

Maybe try asking that you entire dept get upgraded to LCD's? Or bring in a note from the doctor saying the flicker of the CRT's are bad for/hurt your eyes.

Bl8ckr0uter

WafflesAndRootbeer wrote: »

Just get your own monitor. That's what I always do.

You bring your own monitor to work? Seriously

Devilsbane

DigitalZeroOne wrote: »

If money isn't an issue, I say go for it, you will be able to use the monitor at home if you ever do get a new LCD at work, or you can take your monitor to your new job. Heck, I have even purchased a wireless keyboard and mouse, because I didn't like the one issued to me.

If you do this, check with management ahead of time. There probably isn't a policy against it, but you don't want to step on anybody's toes.

You will also want to clearly mark what is yours. One day you might show up to see that your monitors were "upgraded"

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

You bring your own monitor to work? Seriously

Don't you? I bring my own desk and chair too!

QHalo

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

You bring your own monitor to work? Seriously

There was a tech at my last place that brought in a 26" LCD TV to use as her monitor at work. She also brought her own printer, DVD Duplicator, label maker, and other various supplies.

odysseyelite

Yeah I have dual 19"s at home. I hate how everything is widescreen now. I put a bid on some dell's 19 for 60 each. For 120 bucks, I'll eat the cost.

Tackle

QHalo wrote: »

There was a tech at my last place that brought in a 26" LCD TV to use as her monitor at work. She also brought her own printer, DVD Duplicator, label maker, and other various supplies.

Wow. I feel weird bringing in my own USB cord...wouldn't even consider a monitor or printer.

If I need something to be productive all I need to do is ask and I usually get the OK. Heck, I use the company account to buy it online. I fill out a PO of course.

exampasser

If you end up buying a monitor to use at work I recommend the Acer 20" LED:
Amazon.com: Acer S201HL bd 20-Inch Widescreen Ultra-Slim LED Display - Black: Computer & Accessories

Hypntick

Devilsbane wrote: »

Don't you? I bring my own desk and chair too!

I have brought my own chair, depending on what's offered. I need padded arm rests. I always bring my own keyboard and mouse as well.

demonfurbie

i have my own keyboard, chair, trackball, fileserver at the office

powerfool

Sorry, if I was at someplace that gave me a CRT and everything else about my job wasn't spectacular, I would look for another job. I mean, if they are still using CRTs, it is very telling about their decision making processes, or lack thereof. But, for enough money, I would endure a lot...

jamesleecoleman

I think that the biggest problem with bringing in your own stuff is that people might take it and use it. I've had this happen at my first job. People would bring in tools and have things moved around or missing because someone didn't ask permission. Even damaged property. So just watch out.

WafflesAndRootbeer

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

You bring your own monitor to work? Seriously

Indeed I do. Is there something wrong with that?

WafflesAndRootbeer

odysseyelite wrote: »

Yeah I have dual 19"s at home. I hate how everything is widescreen now. I put a bid on some dell's 19 for 60 each. For 120 bucks, I'll eat the cost.

Honestly, I'd buy up older monitors and hoard them like drugs. You can make good money off of them if you market to the right demographics with good monitors. For example, lots of older games don't do widescreen and would otherwise work on modern systems.

Bl8ckr0uter

WafflesAndRootbeer wrote: »

Indeed I do. Is there something wrong with that?

I mean usually the job pays for that kind of stuff. Did you bring your own desk as well? lol jk

Devilsbane

jamesleecoleman wrote: »

I think that the biggest problem with bringing in your own stuff is that people might take it and use it. I've had this happen at my first job. People would bring in tools and have things moved around or missing because someone didn't ask permission. Even damaged property. So just watch out.

I have a Milton stapler that is clearly labled as mine. It was a Christmas and there would be no better place for it than my desk.

CamtheChamp

I work for one of the largest engineering companies in the world and they still use Dell D600 laptops for some of their engineers. You can buy those laptops on ebay for less than $40. Some of them even attempt to use software like AutoCAD on them. Management just doesn't understand the benefits of upgrading technology...

snokerpoker

A monitor here, a video card there, and a keyboard perhaps are reasonable. Bringing in a huge LCD TV, printer, desk, and other equipment is a bit extreme. If you are thinking about bringing in one monitor (or two) I would just let your boss know that you are thinking about doing it.

Personally I feel awkward bringing in my own stuff. Mainly because i've never really done it. Each company i've worked for has provided good stuff.

odysseyelite

Ill email my boss and use locks. This is at a global fortune 500 company you all would know by name.

powerfool

I don't think I would bring in anything like a monitor... what reason would they have to ever furnish one at that point? I may as well work from home...

MentholMoose

A few years ago I was doing a desktop refresh as a consultant and was specifically instructed NOT to buy LCDs. This was despite the fact that LCDs were cheaper than the CRTs available from their vendors. The reasoning amounted to politics... if someone gets an LCD, someone more important may get upset, and then everyone would need to get an LCD (not my logic, believe me I did not want to roll out bulky CRTs that everyone hated). Eventually this company couldn't even get CRTs from their (few) vendors and was forced to start buying LCDs for people anyway.

N2IT

At work I have two 24 inch monitors. They are like 205 a piece, but my cost centre eats it not I.

At home I am running two 27 inch Samsungs, it's a bit redonkolous but I picked them up for 235 a piece. That's not to bad.

mattlee09

I would bring it up casually with your manager and ask for permission to bring one in you prefer. All you can do is explain about your vision and how it would help. I can only assume they would be understanding, but I've seen worse reasoning/policies.


I'm also in the camp of bringing in my own setup. If I've basically gotta live at work, I want to enjoy it. Exercise ball, 3 24in widescreens, keyboard/mouse, drinks/snacks, speakers and music. Definitely improves my mood and makes me more productive. Our standard issue is pretty nice though - newer HP business desktops, 2 17in screens.

WafflesAndRootbeer

MentholMoose wrote: »

A few years ago I was doing a desktop refresh as a consultant and was specifically instructed NOT to buy LCDs. This was despite the fact that LCDs were cheaper than the CRTs available from their vendors. The reasoning amounted to politics... if someone gets an LCD, someone more important may get upset, and then everyone would need to get an LCD (not my logic, believe me I did not want to roll out bulky CRTs that everyone hated). Eventually this company couldn't even get CRTs from their (few) vendors and was forced to start buying LCDs for people anyway.

I had a serious problem with handing out LCD monitors a few years ago when I was working on a support contract for BB&T. This was back when they were really high priced items and they were only supposed to be handed out by order or whenever a CRT went down so we stockpiled them in groups as they were bought from HP. People were actually breaking into my office space/storage area to steal LCD monitors (all they needed was the key from the secretaries or the numerical combination which a few people unfortunately knew) and trying to intercept the shipments before I could take custody of them to lock them away. It always created problems since I had to spend time tracking down the monitors so I eventually just decided I would keep the stuff at home since the company refused to furnish me with secure office space.

L0gicB0mb508

I guess I'm the only one that thinks it's not really a big deal? It's your work system, you get whatever they give you basically. I would never even consider bringing my own monitor or anything like that to work even if it was allowed (which it's definitely not). Actually my current job is the only one I've ever worked where I got more than one monitor.

EDIT:
Now I did see where you said they hurt your eyes. Will there be any difference between a crt and lcd screen as far as your eyes are concerned?

MentholMoose

L0gicB0mb508 wrote: »

EDIT:
Now I did see where you said they hurt your eyes. Will there be any difference between a crt and lcd screen as far as your eyes are concerned?

A good CRT will be about as good as an LCD, but a bad CRT can really be terrible on the eyes. They can be blurry and/or have bad flickering. LCDs should never exhibit significant flickering, and they should only be blurry if not run at the native resolution (an easy fix, run it at native, duh).

LCDs suitable for office work are $100 nowadays, so if my employer wouldn't replace an aging CRT for me I would be concerned about their financial viability. Then again I would probably notice that people were using CRTs during the interview which would be usually be a huge red flag.

CodeBlox

Depending on the person, a CRT monitor could be a good thing. I mean, a CRT monitor can sustain lots of hits. I've seen people who seem to enjoy "swirling" their pointer finger all over LCD monitors just to get that color effect... I saw the screen go half black with a crack down the middle when someone did this too. O_O You don't get that with a CRT.

wd40

80% of our monitors are CRTs, We started a project to replace all the PC's to new ones with 22" LCD's, suddenly more people started getting eye issues and PC's got slower every day .

Some say they do not like the big LCD's because every body can see what they are doing!, privacy filters cost 80% the cost of the monitor ..

About laptops, we still have a couple of Dell D500's in production .

and finally we would kill anyone who tries to move a piece of IT equipment, bringing your stuff is a big NO.