At last an affordable LCD monitor(Updated August 15,2006)
Written: Aug 06 '06 (Updated Aug 14 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy setup and use-sharp-bright-excellent contrast
Cons: None that I have found
The Bottom Line: Get it way better than a CRT
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| dragon1's Full Review: Acer AL1717BBM / 17" / 8ms / 700:1 / SXGA 1280 x 1... |
I have wanted a LCD monitor for years ever since they were introduced. But I have never been able to afford them. Especially after I retired and living on Social Security. In the last few months the prices have really come down on LCD monitors. I recently found a 17" LCD monitor for less than $200 and this is the review on that monitor.
Advantage to which CRT or LCD?
For a long time since LCD monitors were first introduced, CRT's had the advantage in cost, resolution/pixel size and speed. Lets examine each in turn.
Cost
Up until the last year to buy just a 15" LCD monitor , it would cost $500 . The cost of these monitors have come way down now. I have seen 19" LCD that last cost $800 or more. But the cost has come way down now and you can get a 19" for $200 or less. I have also noticed that about the only CRT monitor you can buy any more are refurbished or re certified.
Resolution/Pixel Size
Through the years with research the manufactures have been able to reduce the size of the pixels to where LCD's match the resolution of CRT's. There is another advantage LCD's have over CRT's and that is if you buy say a 17" CRT because of the way they are made, you have only about 16" viewable screen. With LCD if you buy a 17" LCD, you have 17" viewable screen.
Speed
If the speed of the turning /off of the pixels is more than 16 ms there is a noticable effect of ghosting. In other words if you have a fast moving object on screen you will get after images. But over time the manufactures have come up with better/faster pixels.
One more advantage of LCD's
Unlike CRT's where the screen has to be adjusted for the screen to look natural. Now here I have to get a little technical. Now on a CRT there are 3 electron guns(which send electrons to the screen to light the pixels there) but the electron beams have to be adjust so that each pixel is lite in the right space and at the right pixel. I think I better stop there.
With LCD each pixel is turned on or off at pretty much the same time, depending on what the video card tells the whole screen. Where a CRT has 15 or more adjustments for a good view screen. The LCD can be adjusted with 9.
I have tried to be not too technical but give enough information for you to make a decision for yourself.
Technical specifications from Acer Website
Size/Type
17" TFT LCD
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Native Resolution
1280 x 1024
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Contrast Ratio
700:1
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Horizontal Viewing Angle
150°
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Vertical Viewing Angle
135°
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Audio
Two integrated 1.0W speakers
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Signal Connectors
VGA (analog D-sub) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chassis Color
Black
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Pixel Pitch
0.264mm
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Brightness (typical)
300 cd/m2
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Response Time (typical)
8ms
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Colors Supported Up to 16.2 million
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Power
Voltage: 100-240V
AC Adapter: internal
Power consumption: 40W
Buying a LCD Monitor
If you have read my reviews, you have probably noticed that I order 99% of my parts from Tigerdirect. I had been looking at LCD's for that last few months and when I seen a 17' for $149.99 s&h, I had to get it. The actual total price was $177.52 but that was with $16.50 for the wire transfer. I ordered this monitor on Wednesday July 26th and I received it on Thursday July 27th, there is an advantage to be only about 120 miles from their warehouse.
When I received this monitor it was well packaged and was a small than a 17" CRT monitor I bought in 2000, which weighed 40 lbs and was in a package 20"x20"x24" weighing 54 lbs. This one was 17 3/4"x 17 3/4" x 5" and weighing only 12 lbs.
The actual monitor actually weighs a little over 11 lbs.
Included in the package is
1 Quick Start Guide pamphlet
2 CD with User Manual
3 Warranty Booklet
4 VGA cable
5 Power cable
Setting up
The monitor came separate from the base but the base is easy to attach to the monitor. After attaching the base and power/vga cables. I hooked it up to the system. After system booted up and I saw what this LCD displayed. It was so much clear, brighter and sharper than any crt monitor I have used in the last 20 years. With the monitor turned off the screen is as black as the case around it. There are no reflections even with bright lights.
After setting the system for the monitor for the natural resolution(1280x1024). Using the manual to find out how to use the 5 buttons on the front.
From the manual which is in PDF form on the cd
Front Panel Controls
1. Power Switch:
To turn ON or OFF the power.
2. Power LED:
Lights up to indicate the power is turned ON.
3. Auto Adjust button / Exit:
1)When OSD menu is in active status, this button will act as EXIT-KEY (EXIT OSD menu).
2)When OSD menu is in off status, press this button for 2 seconds to activate the Auto
Adjustment function.
The Auto Adjustment function is used to set the HPos, VPos, Clock and Focus.
4. Volume
Activates the volume control when the OSD is OFF or navigate through adjustment icons
when OSD is ON or adjust a function when function is activated.
5. Volume
Activates the volume control when the OSD is OFF or navigate through adjustment icons
when OSD is ON or adjust a function when function is activated.
6. MENU / ENTER:
Activate OSD menu when OSD is OFF or activate/de-activate adjustment function when
OSD is ON or Exit OSD menu when in Volume Adjust OSD status.
AL1717
HOW TO ADJUST A SETTING
1. Press the MENU-button to activate the OSD window.
2. Press < or > to select the desired function.
3. Press the MENU-button to select the function that you want to adjust.
4. Press < or > to change the settings of the current function.
5. To exit and save, select the exit function. If you want to adjust any other function,
repeat steps 2-4.
As can be seen above the controls are easy to use, once you are used to them. When first turned on the OSD shows that both contrast and brightness is set at 100%, which by the way is way to bright for me. I adjusted these to 60% which is still brighter and has more contrast than a CRT Monitor.
Using
Since I use my computers to watch TV and DVD movies. I have this monitor set as my secondary and use this to watch them on. Using a program that I use to check out and setup my CRT monitors(http://www.construnet.hu/nokia/Monitors/TEST/monitor_test.html)
which by the way works in Windows Vista also. But I use the program to check for dead or always on pixels and can say there is none on this monitor. This program can show a full screen of Red, Blue, Green, White and Black.
I will be getting another LCD monitor because of the way this monitor looks . It beats all the CRT monitors I have used over the last 20 years. Watching TV and DVD movies is fantastic. As for games that I can not tell you as I'm not a gamer but according to the spec's I think that those who are will be more than satisfied.
As to the speakers I don't use them as they are small and sound that way.
Limited Warranty for this monitor is 3 years parts, labor and back light. This is a normal of all manufacturers that I have checked.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 177.52 s&hwt
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
dragon1
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 in Computer Hardware, Software |
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Member: Michael L Hereid Sr
Location: Clinton, Iowa
Reviews written: 71
Trusted by: 70 members
About Me:
I'm back-was without for 2 1/2 weeks -will catch up rating asap
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