The finest 1280x768 LCD out today
Written: Jan 30 '01 (Updated Jan 30 '01)
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Pros: Image quality, tv tuner, size
Cons: Expensive.
The Bottom Line: Filled with amazing features, this is truly a monitor for the 21st century, bringing new meaning to the idea of "convergence" in consumer computer products
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| tedpostula's Full Review: Samsung SyncMaster 170 MP (White) 17 in. Flat Pane... |
I recently traded up from my 19inch Sony Trinitron to the Samsung 170MP. Even though it runs at the same resolution as my CRT, the Samsung is much sharper and clearer. The clairity of the screen is just amazing. Unlike some of the newer LCDs that have a digital interface which requires a special video card, this one takes a plain old VGA signal. I was worried that image quality might not be up to par with a completly digital system, but after setting it up I don't see how it the picture quality could be improved. In addition to taking up much less desk space than my old CRT, this monitor puts out much less heat as well which is always nice. And they say that LCDs are free of possibly harmful radiation.
The large box that the monitor comes in includes manuals and driver cds, the external power supply, and a mess of cables: VGA, s-video, RCA (video/stereo audio) and a 1/8th inch stereo pass through cable. The monitor has an audio passthrough port so you can run sound from your computer into the montior's speakers and then out to your "real" speakers. The integrated speakers in the montitor are decent for watching TV or computer audio though I wouldnt reccomend planning on using them if you're a big music fan - they're not very bassy. The monitor comes with color calibration software which I never installed as everything looks great as it is. I plugged it in and ran the auto setup feature which sets all the settings based on the sigal you feed it. Wonderful stuff.
As for the tv tuner I was expecting a slightly sharper picture but the cable signal in the dorms where I live is not that great to begin with. If you are looking for a way to free up some space in the dorm, I highly reccomend this montior since it works on your computer as well as serves as a 17inch tv which is plenty. The picture in picture feature is nice, it allows you to work on the computer with a little square (two sizes available) of live TV. You can also move the PIP box all around the screen using the handy remote control. The remote is matte silver just like the monitor, it looks very cool. Should you want to run a signal out of your DVD player or VCR, there are line inputs (1 RCA, 1 s-video) and you can switch between each input with a button on the front. The control buttons are tiny but you don't actually have to press them - they're sensitive to the conductivity of your skin so just touching them lighly activates them. Another very cool feature.
My only reservation about this monitor is of course the price, but its still a great deal in my opinion for all the things its does.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1500
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
tedpostula
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Location: Atlanta, GA
Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Computer science and business student at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.
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