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Ed 2003-06-17 11:28
Hi, I'm a bit disappointed with the new ViewSonic line. It has a thin edge and all, but the contrast of the 20" VP201b went down to 1:350 -- the same as its competition. The older VP201mb has a ratio of 1:600. I called ViewSonic and confirmed... they told me it did not make that much of a difference... that I could check out some of their monitors with different contrast rations at BestBuy, etc.
Well, I have been using my VP201mb for almost 2 years now and I'm afraid I'll "know" the difference, whether it is there or not. The slightly larger model, the 21" VP211b, has a contrast ratio of 1:600 but the pixel pitch is much higher, and I think the pic will not be as well "packed". The 20" models both run at 1600x1200 and have a cool 0.255mm pixel pitch for a tack sharp pic.
So apart from the thinner borders and overall smaller size, the new line seems to be a step back.
I was really set on getting the new panels and already got the new video cards, etc... but now I'm left to ponder... :(
So, I guess I don’t really have a question, but if someone has checked out the new VP201b and compared it with the older VP201mb I would be very interested in your thoughts... otherwise this is more of a rant.
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ecarlson 2003-06-17 14:22
I think you should check it out. It is possible that you actually might not notice any difference, and since you are used to 1:600, it would be good to hear your results of checking out the new 1:350 monitor.
- Eric www.InvisibleRobot.com
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Ed 2003-06-18 13:52
Well I went to BestBuy, but they only had 2 Viewsonic monitors a VA720 (450:1) and a VX900 (600:1) the difference was quite startling, the VX900 being much much nicer. perhaps the nicest of the bunch they had on display. But that it is probably more an effect of them being in totally different lines ("A" vs. "X") other than the contrast ratings themselves... I'll try other stores or perhaps hold my horses and wait for the reviews :(
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ecarlson 2003-06-19 13:37
Please let us know what you find out.
- Eric www.InvisibleRobot.com
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Ed 2003-06-20 19:20
Yesterday I went to another store (J&R). They had a VP230mb and a VX2000. The VP230mb had a bit on an edge, but at 23" the pixels were a bit big when compared to the VX2000, which is another 20" (both are good monitors). The contrast settings were 600 and 400 respectively. I pretty much gave up on characterizing the monitors based on numbers -- the different lines within a manufacturer (at least within Viewsonic) seem to be a much better indicative of performance even if the specs are somewhat similar. Certainly the contrast numbers alone hardly tell you how bright or sharp a monitor is. I'm leaning towards the VP211b as initially. Well... they also seem to be selling pretty quickly. The first wave came out this week and the places with the best prices are sold out already (including Buy.com). Unfortunately, I’m told it will be at least another month until J&R has one on display, so I'll either buy them on faith or wait a bit more... decisions, decisions...
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ecarlson 2003-06-20 22:39
Thanks for the update.
- Eric www.InvisibleRobot.com
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