Dead pixels are funny beasts, I've actually raised a few from the dead by simply rubbing them (more often these are 'stuck' pixels, as truly dead pixels are well... dead). If it's going in and out, then it's likely revivable, there are also applications you can use that flash a small square of colors in the area of the pixel, sort of waking it up by having the pixels around it all doing the same thing, don't ask me how, but it does work (maybe it's the power of believing).
I have had a handful of Sceptres, and I have never been disappointed, the OSD has always been a bit sparse as you said, but once I get them setup I don't find myself worrying about it, and in the realm of gaming/office work they've been fantastic for their size and price.
I agree 100%. My first LCD was a CMV CT-722 and it lasted about two years with no 'dead' pixels. Then all of a sudden three popped up. A bit of massaging later, and all but one had disappeared, and the one that was left was much less noticeable. My Dell 2408WFP had a dead 'line' down one side about half an inch thick, which disappears after the panel warms up. Strange, but I wholly recommend giving them a rub when they appear, assuming you are out of pixel policy warranty of course!
My Dell 2408WFP developed that same issue about 2 years after I purchased it - a thin blue vertical line towards the right side of the display. Like your display, it would go away after the monitor warmed up.
Dell did replace the LCD, so hopefully this one doesn't do the same thing.
Yeah crazy hey. I still have this monitor hooked up, it's ridiculous now. There's the single-pixel blue line, then a black bar about twenty pixels wide, then a single pink and a single green. And it all just goes away! Random :)
Yeah, I know about the eraser head method and pressing lightly on the dead pixels - I've definitely revived a few in the past. This one seems a bit more stubborn though. it's not really visible unless you move to something entirely homogeneous. I never noticed it while playing games or working, only when I was viewing a webpage or something with a solid one color background. Just one pixel though, which isn't that bad.
I had that Hanns-G LCD (well, I think the previous revision) and it was pretty bad. The contrast was awful, and I found it to be totally unusable for dark scenes. It was fine for work, at least for 6 months, but even then the light bleed got to me. I ended up selling it and getting a smaller, but better monitor, and I'm much more productive and my eyes thank me. I never used it for gaming much, because of the poor performance in low light scenes.
I agree that the Hanns-G is a great monitor, and slightly less expensive. I've loved mine for about three years. It's worth comparing the two: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?... I particularly prefer the 3 yr warranty of the Hanns-G; the single year on Sceptre products means I won't be buying them again -- I had to RMA one at 11.5 months!
I am so very tired of 1920x1080 and the like resolutions... I'm using a computer, not watching TV. My spreadsheets fit very well on a 1920x1200 screen, two sheets next to each other, full height... 1080 doesn't give enough.
Although a 27" does give the potential of being a bedroom TV... if I didn't already have a 32" in there, anyway.
Agreed. All these 1080p panels are great if you're just a gamer or watching movies, but stiff to those of us who need more space! Dell's U2711 is just about perfect I reckon, packing the majority of a 30-inch's res into a 27-inch space. Pity about the price, but then IPS have never been cheap (excluding H-IPS, AOC do a good-looking 23-inch H-IPS for AU$289).
My work BenQ was pretty good. AOC seem to get pretty good reviews, some of their 24-inch models are quite snazzy (2434PW) and they're well-priced. I'm thinking of giving the IPS model a go (http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=prod... as that's a pretty good price for some excellent colour representation and viewing angles for the bedroom. Pity the stand sucks.
This monitor is on sale right now for a reasonable price. It's probably TN though if you're against that. I've been looking for the past couple of months for a 24"+ monitor with 1920x1200 and this is the cheapest in a while. Haven't seen one this cheap since that Gateway FD2400/2401 was on sale.
Hey readers - in the last display review I did (the G2410H) there was a lot of discussion about the CRT not being good enough or fast enough refresh rate to really show a comparison. I'd really like to try something with DVI inputs (but not DVI-A, as we're defeating the point at that rate). I've done some searching and found it considerably difficult to find any new CRTs out there (aka there basically aren't any).
If any of you out there have ideas, I'm open to suggestions/sending us something/anything quite honestly. I know the 24" Sony GDM-FW900 is considered the most legendary CRT ever made, but availability is challenging. Just putting out feelers if any of you have some solution in mind or something better.
Guess it really is a dead-and-goner Brian! I have one of those on my new HP LP3065. It's a single green pixel, only viewable on a solid black background. Bit disheartening on a $1200 monitor, but there ya go.
HP has a 100% dead pixel replacement policy on their more expensive monitors. Plus when you call them, they usually send out a guy to replace the monitor, rather than have you ship it to them.
I would at least try calling their customer service, to see if you can get a replacement.
A good choice. My sister scored one of these, as I bought it but couldn't 'appreciate' the design on the speaker bar. I love that it has a remote though! Best idea ever.
My recommendation: an older HP or Dell Ultrasharp model. They're usually S-PVA or IPS, and have plenty of features with great colour representation. Samsung are a good bet also. As the market has changed over the past year, you can't look to newer models to provide high-res at high-sizes anymore, without paying a good deal of cash. eBay is your friend, and that's where I'd start. Good luck!
The only reason to get a 27" display would be to get a 2560*1440 resolution, or higher.
I'm not going to pay more money for less pixel density, more power usage and more space occupied when I'm essentially getting a less smart-looking Samsung P2250 or P2270.
The only 27" displays on the market with that kind of resolution so far seem to be IPS with a plethora of useless additions such as USB-hubs and such which are geared towards the graphics professional though. Where's the slim and sleek 27" TN panels for the rest of us?
I need the vertical resolution for productivity, 1080p has pretty much killed the reason to ever upgrade from my 1280*1024 set before they burn out completely, and since I only watch movies or play games outside of the text editing and software design side of things TN would be ideal.
And cheaper.
Come on Samsung and LG, I'm putting my faith in you here!
I wonder that too, and in all honesty it's likely 6-bit and dithered like you said.
I'm still trying to figure out a good way to test - displaying the color pattern works, but there's still some dithering on even the highest end stuff I can find. Still trying to get to the bottom of it.
Count me among those dissapointed in the resolution. That big has got to be at least 1920x1200. I know it's cheap, but would it really add that much cost?
I bought a 20.1" Sceptre LCD above 4 years ago (for around $350, ughh...), which I'm overall pleased with. The only thing that bothered me, was really dark scenes, there was a fairly noticable criss-cross of light coming from the corners. I've heard the only way to truly avoid this was to get a LED-backlit LCD. How bad was this on the review unit? I didn't see mention of, but maybe you covered it and I'm just not familar enough with the terminology.
Also, I'd like to see review(s) of some of the ASUS units, namely the VW266h (25.5" 1920x1200 for $250 AR right now) and the above mentioned ASUS MT276HE (27" 1920x1080 for $320 AR).
Really digging all the reviews in the past couple of months and it is definitely helping me steer myself in the right direction for product purchases.
Although this might delve into a realm that isn't your speciality, I would be very interested in inexpensive 32" LCD review for HTPC usage. I think this is a sweet spot that is neglected quite a bit, with reviews and suggestions jumping to 42" displays way too quickly.
Keep up the good work and looking forward to whatever is in the review pipeline.
Hmmz, there have been more than a few requests for us to take a look at some smaller (well, is 32" small? Small for a TV, large for a monitor, hehe) TVs and profile them against monitors. I've seen an increasing number of friends dropping their computer-LCDs in favor of LCD-TVs, so I think it'd be an interesting thing to take a look at.
It's definitely something we haven't tackled yet. I've got a 32" Vizio of my own (oh boy, the irony of having such nice LCD displays and then two Vizio TVs - though they've improved significantly as of late) that I could try, hmmz. I'll see what I can fit in! Thanks for the idea/feedback!
Anandtech/Brian, can you please please please review the DoubleSight DS-2700DW...I know a lot of people who are interested in seeing ONE review of this thing. I think at $399, it would be a nice comparison.
You will probably want to look for a Sony GDM-FW900 CRT display. These can do DVI output via a BNC-to-DVI cable which I've personally used myself back when I had one:
Failing that you will want to look for any CRT that has BNC connectors on it since, as you already noted, finding a CRT with a DVI-D connector is going to be next to impossible.
As far as I know, if you use something like a DVI to BNC adapter, all you're doing is getting the DVI-A signal. In fact, I don't think anyone ever made a CRT that uses DVI-D for the signal. I'm not sure it matters, though, since ultimately the signal has to be analog on the CRTs. The problem is the GDM-FW900 is hard to find, and if you can find one they're used and cost $500+. (Not to mention they weigh a ton. LOL)
That's true however the OP did not specify DVI-D over DVI-I. ^_^ But you are right that there never was a CRT made that had DVI-D output since that was when they were transitioning that tech over the LCD's. However, at least you have a starting point for finding a monitor locally 'tho while the FW900 is expensive it's pretty much the pinnacle of CRT displays.
I logged in, wrote a several paragraph review over 5 minues, and hit post and it lots the post with 'you need to login'.
So a 1 paragraph summary:
I bought it after XP21 $2300 and Sony XP900 CRT's for gaming/web, I like bright and colorful and no screendoor, and I like this monitor as a 'sweet spot' that looks very good with good value.
I know a lot of people who really want to see HP ZR24W reviewed. Are you going to review it? It would be nice if you could compare HP ZR24W to DELL U2410.
I was a bit hopeful on this, but they all like to scale down the vertical resolution so it is really not much more desktop space.
This is a gamer/vid screen, not a workspace.
It is hard, ever since I picked up my existing old school 20" dells (1600x1200) and have them hooked side-by-side, getting a single to match the desktop space is almost impossible (the 30" at 2560x1600 would be GREAT!, but $1200???? I can get a full size TV or a "MidRange Gamers System" for that! ;) )
It would be nice to start side stepping like I did with my last config (a 1600x1200 with a 17" in portrait mode rotated next to it) and put a wider monitor with the same vertical resolution and dot pitch next to it. Otherwise, I think I am just going to have to wait for teh Colossus Screens to come down below $1000!
You do realize why the 30" screen costs so much more, right? Nearly double the actual pixel count is one of the reasons. Using a better (and more expensive) screen technology is another. Those 30" 1200+ dollar monitors will still look substantially better than any consumer grade TV you can buy (and pretty much anything you see at any retail store will be consumer grade). There's a reason why they cost that much.
Curiously, bigger is NOT always better in the case of monitors. Something that so few people seem to understand...
I dunno mate, I have a HP LP3065 and it's the best I've ever seen! I do agree though, in the case of going bigger you definitely have to drop more money to see an improvement.
I know why. i have been doing the multipliocation about desktop space, but the thing is also this.
When you get 2 stands, 2 usb hubs, 2 power supplies and 2 of every other piece of support equipment included on two seperate 1600x1200 screens AND you are able to buy each for $400 and $450 through special offers 3-5 YEARS ago, you wonder why some of these computer monitors still feel they need to MSRP at $1400 ($1200 on sale if you are lucky).
I know the resolution is better than a TV, but I am starting to see TV's creep down below $1000 for 1080p sets at 120Hz.....
Am I chastizing the companies for charging so much? No. It just gets annoying to see a slew of 1080's for $300-$500, but as soon as you bump a little above it the price soars in a non-linear fasion on a technology that is far from new.
juzz86, I have the EXACT same monitor, and I have 2 lines that pop up on mine as well, started a little over a year after I purchased it, and they are on the right hand side, but are not quite 1/2 thick, more about 1/8th. And yep after it warms up, they go away.
It's a strange issue hey? Must have something to do with the brand of panel used. It would be interesting to see whether owners of other S-PVA models had experienced the same thing, or whether it is just limited to the 2408WFP. Should get some kind of poll/thread going!
I have 2 of these and one D300s. With the D300s, you could get 1/1250th at 2.8 and not have to deal with the lack of color accuracy (not to mention the grainy images). You should go out and make a "business" purchase of a D300s, they cost twice what the D80 was new and there is just no comparison.
You could do a review on 23"+ 120 Hz monitors there are two that have been recently released (one from Acer and one from Alienware) and there are more in the way (from LG, Samsung and Asus).
After looking a bit around, I as well would love to have this same review of this monitor versus the Samsung P2770HD. That monitor has a built in TV tuner, and has a remote control, and better speakers, reasons enough for me to pay the $70 surplus!
So far, the spectre of this article doesn't seem to be a bad buy, that is if you are limited to watching movies via pc, or DVD. The Samsung will add the option to watch TV as well.
On the other hand a Digital HD tv tuner box costs about $70; uses an HDMI or DVI connector, but you'll be needing 2 wall sockets, and won't have a remote to adjust colors or contrast on the monitor.
I'm really interested in the color gamut and other color/brightness/image quality checks you do on those monitors on this Samsung monitor, which in my eyes is the only competitor for the spectre. (the others like Acer often are more expensive, offering you tilt options etc.. most of us don't really need).
well... for FRC I guess you could try with fast motion camera and taking a movie of whole screen in one color... Then checking the shooted movie should be able to show flickering between lighter and darker color...
as for dithering I'd try something from Eizo Monitor Test, think some of the included tests should be able to show dithering. Though again I think you'll need to take very high resolution image of the screen to be able to zoom on separate subpixels to check the color information...
Can't think of any easier, more reliable method though.
As for me I detect FRC/dithering with my headache... two hours with FRC and I am done for. Though that's pretty much subjective and won't be of any help...
Too bad, I was looking for a 27" monitor for gaming. This seemed to fill the bill but it looks like it isn't available anymore. The Samsung 27" P2770HD is currently available through costco for 270.00 but I suspect with all of the included electronics that the lag time would be longer than for a "pure" monitor. Anyone know any reliable reviews of the samsung? I saw one at computerworld.com that stated that the Dell ultrasharp u2711 had a tv tuner! and that the res of the samsung was 2560 x 1440 ( I wish!) waste of time reading that review.
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GuinnessKMF - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
Dead pixels are funny beasts, I've actually raised a few from the dead by simply rubbing them (more often these are 'stuck' pixels, as truly dead pixels are well... dead). If it's going in and out, then it's likely revivable, there are also applications you can use that flash a small square of colors in the area of the pixel, sort of waking it up by having the pixels around it all doing the same thing, don't ask me how, but it does work (maybe it's the power of believing).I have had a handful of Sceptres, and I have never been disappointed, the OSD has always been a bit sparse as you said, but once I get them setup I don't find myself worrying about it, and in the realm of gaming/office work they've been fantastic for their size and price.
juzz86 - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
I agree 100%. My first LCD was a CMV CT-722 and it lasted about two years with no 'dead' pixels. Then all of a sudden three popped up. A bit of massaging later, and all but one had disappeared, and the one that was left was much less noticeable. My Dell 2408WFP had a dead 'line' down one side about half an inch thick, which disappears after the panel warms up. Strange, but I wholly recommend giving them a rub when they appear, assuming you are out of pixel policy warranty of course!Devo2007 - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
My Dell 2408WFP developed that same issue about 2 years after I purchased it - a thin blue vertical line towards the right side of the display. Like your display, it would go away after the monitor warmed up.Dell did replace the LCD, so hopefully this one doesn't do the same thing.
juzz86 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Yeah crazy hey. I still have this monitor hooked up, it's ridiculous now. There's the single-pixel blue line, then a black bar about twenty pixels wide, then a single pink and a single green. And it all just goes away! Random :)Brian Klug - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Yeah, I know about the eraser head method and pressing lightly on the dead pixels - I've definitely revived a few in the past. This one seems a bit more stubborn though. it's not really visible unless you move to something entirely homogeneous. I never noticed it while playing games or working, only when I was viewing a webpage or something with a solid one color background. Just one pixel though, which isn't that bad.Awesome tips!
-Brian
Pirks - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
you'd better get this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...cheaper AND better
kmmatney - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
I had that Hanns-G LCD (well, I think the previous revision) and it was pretty bad. The contrast was awful, and I found it to be totally unusable for dark scenes. It was fine for work, at least for 6 months, but even then the light bleed got to me. I ended up selling it and getting a smaller, but better monitor, and I'm much more productive and my eyes thank me. I never used it for gaming much, because of the poor performance in low light scenes.araczynski - Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - link
my Hanns-G 28" (27?) has been nothing short of great.Basilisk - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I agree that the Hanns-G is a great monitor, and slightly less expensive. I've loved mine for about three years. It's worth comparing the two:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?...
I particularly prefer the 3 yr warranty of the Hanns-G; the single year on Sceptre products means I won't be buying them again -- I had to RMA one at 11.5 months!
GoodRevrnd - Monday, May 17, 2010 - link
*cough* Dell U2311h review *cough*seamonkey79 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I am so very tired of 1920x1080 and the like resolutions... I'm using a computer, not watching TV. My spreadsheets fit very well on a 1920x1200 screen, two sheets next to each other, full height... 1080 doesn't give enough.Although a 27" does give the potential of being a bedroom TV... if I didn't already have a 32" in there, anyway.
juzz86 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Agreed. All these 1080p panels are great if you're just a gamer or watching movies, but stiff to those of us who need more space! Dell's U2711 is just about perfect I reckon, packing the majority of a 30-inch's res into a 27-inch space. Pity about the price, but then IPS have never been cheap (excluding H-IPS, AOC do a good-looking 23-inch H-IPS for AU$289).StevoLincolnite - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I've been tempted to pick up an AOC in the past but generally always settled on a BenQ just because of the name.Article couldn't have come at a better time, been looking at a 26-27" LCD monitor. :)
juzz86 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
My work BenQ was pretty good. AOC seem to get pretty good reviews, some of their 24-inch models are quite snazzy (2434PW) and they're well-priced. I'm thinking of giving the IPS model a go (http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=prod... as that's a pretty good price for some excellent colour representation and viewing angles for the bedroom. Pity the stand sucks.Amoro - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
ASUS VW266H Black 25.5" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitorhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
This monitor is on sale right now for a reasonable price. It's probably TN though if you're against that. I've been looking for the past couple of months for a 24"+ monitor with 1920x1200 and this is the cheapest in a while. Haven't seen one this cheap since that Gateway FD2400/2401 was on sale.
The0ne - Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - link
Yea, sick of the TV size myself, but it's what the consumer wants I guess. Can't blame people for being sheeps.Basilisk - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
The Hanns-G 28" ('27.5" viewable') gives you those 1200 lines for $300, FS. I love it.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
Mr Perfect - Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - link
Agreed, 16:9 monitors are automatically off of my list.Someone said the display companies are doing 16:9 because the panels are smaller, and so cheaper, then 16:10s of the same size.
numberoneoppa - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
This resolution is a crime for a monitor this size.Brian Klug - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Hey readers - in the last display review I did (the G2410H) there was a lot of discussion about the CRT not being good enough or fast enough refresh rate to really show a comparison. I'd really like to try something with DVI inputs (but not DVI-A, as we're defeating the point at that rate). I've done some searching and found it considerably difficult to find any new CRTs out there (aka there basically aren't any).If any of you out there have ideas, I'm open to suggestions/sending us something/anything quite honestly. I know the 24" Sony GDM-FW900 is considered the most legendary CRT ever made, but availability is challenging. Just putting out feelers if any of you have some solution in mind or something better.
Thanks Again,
Brian
juzz86 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Guess it really is a dead-and-goner Brian! I have one of those on my new HP LP3065. It's a single green pixel, only viewable on a solid black background. Bit disheartening on a $1200 monitor, but there ya go.Martimus - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
HP has a 100% dead pixel replacement policy on their more expensive monitors. Plus when you call them, they usually send out a guy to replace the monitor, rather than have you ship it to them.I would at least try calling their customer service, to see if you can get a replacement.
juzz86 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I wasn't atually aware of that mate, thankyou very much for filling me in. I'll give them a buzz today and see how I go! Cheers again!AmdInside - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
My vote is for the Asus 27" monitor. I own it and have no complaints.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
juzz86 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
A good choice. My sister scored one of these, as I bought it but couldn't 'appreciate' the design on the speaker bar. I love that it has a remote though! Best idea ever.PubicTheHare - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
But I'd like something with fairly accurate color (gaming capable would be nice) and 1920x1200There's something about 1080P that bugs me; it's missing 120 pixels and the omission in favor of marketing it as "1080P" feels like a cheap trick.
Is there a 1920x1200 monitor with decent color reproduction for under $400?
I don't think I've seen any.
juzz86 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
My recommendation: an older HP or Dell Ultrasharp model. They're usually S-PVA or IPS, and have plenty of features with great colour representation. Samsung are a good bet also. As the market has changed over the past year, you can't look to newer models to provide high-res at high-sizes anymore, without paying a good deal of cash. eBay is your friend, and that's where I'd start. Good luck!Reikon - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
The HP ZR24w is 1920x1200, about $400, and uses an IPS panel.juzz86 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Yep, won't do much better than that for $425!Exodite - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
The only reason to get a 27" display would be to get a 2560*1440 resolution, or higher.I'm not going to pay more money for less pixel density, more power usage and more space occupied when I'm essentially getting a less smart-looking Samsung P2250 or P2270.
The only 27" displays on the market with that kind of resolution so far seem to be IPS with a plethora of useless additions such as USB-hubs and such which are geared towards the graphics professional though. Where's the slim and sleek 27" TN panels for the rest of us?
I need the vertical resolution for productivity, 1080p has pretty much killed the reason to ever upgrade from my 1280*1024 set before they burn out completely, and since I only watch movies or play games outside of the text editing and software design side of things TN would be ideal.
And cheaper.
Come on Samsung and LG, I'm putting my faith in you here!
HollyDOL - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I really wonder whether this screen contains true 8bit per channel mask or whether it uses dithering to fake it...Usualy, TN panels are just 6bit per channel and remaining colours are faked using dithering or frame rate control.
Brian Klug - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I wonder that too, and in all honesty it's likely 6-bit and dithered like you said.I'm still trying to figure out a good way to test - displaying the color pattern works, but there's still some dithering on even the highest end stuff I can find. Still trying to get to the bottom of it.
I'm open to any ideas though! ;)
-Brian
Luke212 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
the Sony G520 does 1024x768x120Hz. I recently bought one for $20 so i'm sure you can find one to testLuke212 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
sorry, btw the g520 is VGA not DVI. i also had no luck finding a dvi crt.RavnosCC - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I needs me some high hrz gaming!Brian Klug - Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - link
They're definitely coming ;) I'm working hard on getting a number of 120Hz panels in for reviewing pleasure ;)Stay tuned!
-Brian
jaydee - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Count me among those dissapointed in the resolution. That big has got to be at least 1920x1200. I know it's cheap, but would it really add that much cost?I bought a 20.1" Sceptre LCD above 4 years ago (for around $350, ughh...), which I'm overall pleased with. The only thing that bothered me, was really dark scenes, there was a fairly noticable criss-cross of light coming from the corners. I've heard the only way to truly avoid this was to get a LED-backlit LCD. How bad was this on the review unit? I didn't see mention of, but maybe you covered it and I'm just not familar enough with the terminology.
Also, I'd like to see review(s) of some of the ASUS units, namely the VW266h (25.5" 1920x1200 for $250 AR right now) and the above mentioned ASUS MT276HE (27" 1920x1080 for $320 AR).
theoflow - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Hey Anand and crew,Really digging all the reviews in the past couple of months and it is definitely helping me steer myself in the right direction for product purchases.
Although this might delve into a realm that isn't your speciality, I would be very interested in inexpensive 32" LCD review for HTPC usage. I think this is a sweet spot that is neglected quite a bit, with reviews and suggestions jumping to 42" displays way too quickly.
Keep up the good work and looking forward to whatever is in the review pipeline.
Brian Klug - Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - link
Hmmz, there have been more than a few requests for us to take a look at some smaller (well, is 32" small? Small for a TV, large for a monitor, hehe) TVs and profile them against monitors. I've seen an increasing number of friends dropping their computer-LCDs in favor of LCD-TVs, so I think it'd be an interesting thing to take a look at.It's definitely something we haven't tackled yet. I've got a 32" Vizio of my own (oh boy, the irony of having such nice LCD displays and then two Vizio TVs - though they've improved significantly as of late) that I could try, hmmz. I'll see what I can fit in! Thanks for the idea/feedback!
-Brian
Corporate Thug - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Anandtech/Brian, can you please please please review the DoubleSight DS-2700DW...I know a lot of people who are interested in seeing ONE review of this thing. I think at $399, it would be a nice comparison.LouieIV - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Why are monitors still coming out without displayport???pjladyfox - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
You will probably want to look for a Sony GDM-FW900 CRT display. These can do DVI output via a BNC-to-DVI cable which I've personally used myself back when I had one:http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-home.pl?mdl...
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1261195
Failing that you will want to look for any CRT that has BNC connectors on it since, as you already noted, finding a CRT with a DVI-D connector is going to be next to impossible.
JarredWalton - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
As far as I know, if you use something like a DVI to BNC adapter, all you're doing is getting the DVI-A signal. In fact, I don't think anyone ever made a CRT that uses DVI-D for the signal. I'm not sure it matters, though, since ultimately the signal has to be analog on the CRTs. The problem is the GDM-FW900 is hard to find, and if you can find one they're used and cost $500+. (Not to mention they weigh a ton. LOL)pjladyfox - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
That's true however the OP did not specify DVI-D over DVI-I. ^_^ But you are right that there never was a CRT made that had DVI-D output since that was when they were transitioning that tech over the LCD's. However, at least you have a starting point for finding a monitor locally 'tho while the FW900 is expensive it's pretty much the pinnacle of CRT displays.Craig234 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I logged in, wrote a several paragraph review over 5 minues, and hit post and it lots the post with 'you need to login'.So a 1 paragraph summary:
I bought it after XP21 $2300 and Sony XP900 CRT's for gaming/web, I like bright and colorful and no screendoor, and I like this monitor as a 'sweet spot' that looks very good with good value.
prof.yustas - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I know a lot of people who really want to see HP ZR24W reviewed. Are you going to review it? It would be nice if you could compare HP ZR24W to DELL U2410.Thanks.
Brian Klug - Friday, May 21, 2010 - link
Oops, I forgot to reply. The ZR24W is on its way, and I'm eager to test it out! ;)-Brian
Ninjahedge - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I was a bit hopeful on this, but they all like to scale down the vertical resolution so it is really not much more desktop space.This is a gamer/vid screen, not a workspace.
It is hard, ever since I picked up my existing old school 20" dells (1600x1200) and have them hooked side-by-side, getting a single to match the desktop space is almost impossible (the 30" at 2560x1600 would be GREAT!, but $1200???? I can get a full size TV or a "MidRange Gamers System" for that! ;) )
It would be nice to start side stepping like I did with my last config (a 1600x1200 with a 17" in portrait mode rotated next to it) and put a wider monitor with the same vertical resolution and dot pitch next to it. Otherwise, I think I am just going to have to wait for teh Colossus Screens to come down below $1000!
erple2 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
You do realize why the 30" screen costs so much more, right? Nearly double the actual pixel count is one of the reasons. Using a better (and more expensive) screen technology is another. Those 30" 1200+ dollar monitors will still look substantially better than any consumer grade TV you can buy (and pretty much anything you see at any retail store will be consumer grade). There's a reason why they cost that much.Curiously, bigger is NOT always better in the case of monitors. Something that so few people seem to understand...
juzz86 - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
I dunno mate, I have a HP LP3065 and it's the best I've ever seen! I do agree though, in the case of going bigger you definitely have to drop more money to see an improvement.Ninjahedge - Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - link
Erp,I know why. i have been doing the multipliocation about desktop space, but the thing is also this.
When you get 2 stands, 2 usb hubs, 2 power supplies and 2 of every other piece of support equipment included on two seperate 1600x1200 screens AND you are able to buy each for $400 and $450 through special offers 3-5 YEARS ago, you wonder why some of these computer monitors still feel they need to MSRP at $1400 ($1200 on sale if you are lucky).
I know the resolution is better than a TV, but I am starting to see TV's creep down below $1000 for 1080p sets at 120Hz.....
Am I chastizing the companies for charging so much? No. It just gets annoying to see a slew of 1080's for $300-$500, but as soon as you bump a little above it the price soars in a non-linear fasion on a technology that is far from new.
Toilet Duck - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - link
Here is a pretty nice Acer with an adjustable and sturdy base that Ive bought for a few work systems:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
Necrosaro420 - Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - link
juzz86, I have the EXACT same monitor, and I have 2 lines that pop up on mine as well, started a little over a year after I purchased it, and they are on the right hand side, but are not quite 1/2 thick, more about 1/8th. And yep after it warms up, they go away.juzz86 - Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - link
It's a strange issue hey? Must have something to do with the brand of panel used. It would be interesting to see whether owners of other S-PVA models had experienced the same thing, or whether it is just limited to the 2408WFP. Should get some kind of poll/thread going!ReaM - Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - link
Hey, have you guys read about Dell releasing new 21 and 23 inch IPS Monitors?Crappy is that they are also 1080.
Cmon, man, I had a 1280x1024 since like 2002 and there is still not much improvement with that 1080p.
I even could work with 1600x1200 on the CRT, but the symbols in WinXP were too small.
Let's make a pact. We shall refuse to buy 1080 monitors. They should really vanish off the shelves!
I have nothing against 16:9, if it had 1200 vertical lines, but 1080 is a step back.
anactoraaron - Friday, May 21, 2010 - link
I have 2 of these and one D300s. With the D300s, you could get 1/1250th at 2.8 and not have to deal with the lack of color accuracy (not to mention the grainy images). You should go out and make a "business" purchase of a D300s, they cost twice what the D80 was new and there is just no comparison.sviola - Monday, May 24, 2010 - link
Hey Brian,You could do a review on 23"+ 120 Hz monitors there are two that have been recently released (one from Acer and one from Alienware) and there are more in the way (from LG, Samsung and Asus).
ProDigit - Monday, May 24, 2010 - link
Hi,After looking a bit around, I as well would love to have this same review of this monitor versus the Samsung P2770HD.
That monitor has a built in TV tuner, and has a remote control, and better speakers, reasons enough for me to pay the $70 surplus!
So far, the spectre of this article doesn't seem to be a bad buy, that is if you are limited to watching movies via pc, or DVD.
The Samsung will add the option to watch TV as well.
On the other hand a Digital HD tv tuner box costs about $70; uses an HDMI or DVI connector, but you'll be needing 2 wall sockets, and won't have a remote to adjust colors or contrast on the monitor.
I'm really interested in the color gamut and other color/brightness/image quality checks you do on those monitors on this Samsung monitor, which in my eyes is the only competitor for the spectre. (the others like Acer often are more expensive, offering you tilt options etc.. most of us don't really need).
HollyDOL - Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - link
well... for FRC I guess you could try with fast motion camera and taking a movie of whole screen in one color... Then checking the shooted movie should be able to show flickering between lighter and darker color...as for dithering I'd try something from Eizo Monitor Test, think some of the included tests should be able to show dithering. Though again I think you'll need to take very high resolution image of the screen to be able to zoom on separate subpixels to check the color information...
Can't think of any easier, more reliable method though.
As for me I detect FRC/dithering with my headache... two hours with FRC and I am done for. Though that's pretty much subjective and won't be of any help...
HollyDOL - Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - link
P.S. What color patterns do you use? I would love to try with my screen...jwardell - Friday, November 11, 2011 - link
Too bad,I was looking for a 27" monitor for gaming. This seemed to fill the bill but it looks like it isn't available anymore.
The Samsung 27" P2770HD is currently available through costco for 270.00 but I suspect with all of the included electronics that the lag time would be longer than for a "pure" monitor.
Anyone know any reliable reviews of the samsung? I saw one at computerworld.com that stated that the Dell ultrasharp u2711 had a tv tuner! and that the res of the samsung was 2560 x 1440 ( I wish!) waste of time reading that review.