So I ended up exchanging for a BenQ XL2411T. (They did not have the VG248 in stock.)
I took my PC with me so I could test the monitor first.
Absolutely no IR on this model.
However.. the monitor has some horizontal banding & backlight bleeding. Not a major problem but with 'black frame insertion' enabled it really highlights the banding for some reason..
Anyway I grabbed the monitor since it's still better than my old LCD.
The CRT is a clear winner and I suspect it will remain on my desk for some time
Maybe I'll try again when the technology has matured, or when OLED becomes economically viable.