Roadtest: widescreen monitors
By Adam Turner | theage.com.au | 06 March
As the line between home entertainment and computing gear continues to blur, so does the line between televisions and computer monitors.
These days the display sitting in the study is likely to be called upon to screen games, movies, photos and computer content from the web - so it makes sense to own a monitor that will connect to a computer as well as AV gear such as Blu-ray players (r.i.p. HD DVD), games consoles and high-definition personal video recorders.
Of course, you can get a computer to do all those AV jobs, but not everyone wants to go down that path.
Many flat-panel LCD and plasma televisions feature an analog D-Sub input for connecting to a computer, but few have the digital DVI input required to get the sharpest pictures from your computer.
Alternatively, there are a handful of DVI computer monitors that also feature the gamut of AV inputs such as HDMI, component, composite and S-video.
Such monitors usually don't have built-in TV tuners but those we've seen only have analog TV tuners that will be useless in a few years anyway with the move to digital-only television broadcasts. Finding a monitor with all these inputs is a challenge - we rounded up two while the third, the ViewSonic, doesn't have a DVI input but snuck in because it comes with a DVI-to-HDMI cable.
The BenQ doesn't have built-in speakers, which could be a deal breaker for some people, but you could always buy some good desktop speakers to sit alongside it. None of the monitors come with a remote control, but that's no big loss as long as the connected devices come with remotes.
As well as having HDMI inputs, the monitors are all HDCP (High- bandwidth Digital Content Protection) compliant - meaning they will play nicely with the copyright protection used by Blu-ray players.
They also play nicely with Macs and PCs, plus they all have Picture in Picture so you can open a smaller window in the corner to watch two sources at once.
Remember the ViewSonic doesn't have a DVI input, so it's not the best choice if you want to have a computer and Blu-ray player hooked up at the same time using DVI and HDMI respectively.
Assuming a monitor has all the inputs you need, the next thing to think about is size and resol-ution.
As with televisions, bigger is not always better. If you're going to be mostly sitting at a desk using it as a computer monitor, be wary of going for the mammoth 28-inch ViewSonic - you don't want to be constantly turning your head to see the entire screen.
If you will be mostly sitting back to use it as a television or with a games console, this is less of an issue.
Surprisingly, the BenQ lacks the standard VESA mounting points required to hang it on a wall, which the others have.
The larger ViewSonic and BenQ displays offer 1920x1200 (WUXGA) resolution, enough to screen Blu-ray and HDTV in all their high-resolution glory. The Samsung only offers 1680x1050 (WSXGA+), so it's not quite as sharp, although you're unlikely to notice the difference considering the small screen size.
The contenders
ViewSonic VX2835vm
Price: $1299
www.viewsonic.com.au
3.5 out of 5
At 28 inches, the 1920x1200 widescreen ViewSonic could easily be mistaken for a television. Like the BenQ, it displays a beautiful 1080p Blu-ray picture. It's slightly brighter than the BenQ, meaning you see slightly more of the low-end colour scale, but it has a lower contrast. The viewing angles are also slightly narrower then the BenQ's. The ViewSonic features two three-watt speakers underneath the display, along with the function buttons.
BenQ FP241W
Price: $1299
www.benq.com.au
4 out of 5
This 24-inch widescreen BenQ offers 1920x1200 resolution and displays a beautiful 1080p Blu-ray picture. It has the best contrast of the bunch, showing up fine details in the shadows. Excellent horizontal and vertical viewing angles mean the image doesn't fade when you stand off to the side. The monitor can tilt, swivel, rise and even rotate to portrait mode. The inputs are along the bottom rim. The monitor can also act as a USB hub, with two ports on the left and one at the top for connecting a webcam. The function buttons are down the right side, hidden from view. There are no built-in speakers.
Samsung SyncMaster 225ms
Price: $799
www.samsung.com.au
2.5 out of 5
The 22-inch widescreen Samsung features two three-watt speakers that point down to bounce sound off the bottom edge of the bezel. Across the front are six touch-sensitive function buttons, which you can't feel if you run your finger across, and the use of grey text on the black bezel makes them extremely difficult to see. The array of inputs on the back are easy to get to. The Samsung is not the best choice for HD content because of the low 1680x1050 resolution, which might be forgiveable if it did a better job of downscaling full HD signals.
Verdict
The Samsung's disappointing picture quality crosses it off the list straight away, but neither the BenQ or the ViewSonic get a tick in every box so it depends on how you intend to use them. The ViewSonic's mass of screen real estate and built-in speakers make it a good second television with the resolution to handle anything you throw at it. Still, if you're looking for a combination computer monitor and AV display, the BenQ's highly adjustable stand, easy to reach inputs and exquisite high-def display offer the best of both worlds.
First published by TheAge.com.au on March 06 2008
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