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4.5 stars
"All-in-one Über Display from Sony is easy on the eyes, though tough on the wallet."
Pros: All-in-one very capable display for Computer/DVD/Ant/Cable/HDTV use. TFT display. PC / Mac Compatible {VGA & DVI Cables Included!}. Built-In Speakers, Great colour rendition. 3 year Warranty.
Cons: Glossy screen picks up fingerprints/dust/glare, Doesn't tilt forward or swivel side to side. A little rough at the bank, but it's coming down in price.
Summary: First off, LCD monitors are easier on the eyes than CRT televisions. This Liquid Crystal TFT monitor is quiet and easy on the eyes. Not only that, but you won't find any ghastly image lag or ghosting with this display.
This monitor was exactly what I needed. As a Film and Television Production Student, I needed a space saving unit which stood as a television and computer monitor.
As a fanatic of the widescreen aspect ratio, this monitor fullfilled my expectations. 16x9 DVDs and HDTV fill the screen from edge to edge, while the wider aspect ratio DVDs are rendered with some narrow letterboxing {simply put, the aspect ratio of DVDs like the Widescreen Extended Edition of LoTR are wider even than the standard 16x9}. Still, they're rendered on this screen with more detail than on a 4:3 screen. The brightness and contrast ratio are very decent, while colour reproduction is nice and rich.
Despite reports on the contrary, this screen DOES support a 'Wide Zoom' of Standard 4:3 Television. It does so in a way which renders face proportions in the middle of the display correct, while subtly stretching the edges of the picture to the edges of the display. During panning shots, the effect is similar to that of looking through a very wide lens.
Loaded with Input options, you can connect a VCR using standard A/V cables, Higher Definition sources through an S-Video Interface, a Progressive Scan DVD player using Component Video cables, PC Audio using an included Mini-Stereo cable, old standard VGA equipped computers, new DVI equipped computers {such as Macintosh G5 Towers}, and a good 'ol UHF source for Antenna/Cable/HDTV viewing.
The internal speakers sport SRS Wow Surround Sound, which is very decent if you don't intend to purchase a real Surround Sound system. It renders audio in a way that makes it seem as though sound effects are coming from a number of different directions, rather than simply 'infront'. Nothing extraordinary, but a nice accoutrement nonetheless.
Unfortunately, it does cost a pretty penny. But the space and money saved by buying this rather than a separate Computer Screen and bulky 13' CRT TV with an electron gun that'll make you go bug-eyed make it far more worthwhile.
Just don't touch the screen. The glossy finnish may drive you nuts if your room's lighting conditions suck. Fingerprints are evident on it's glossy surface, and the residual oil is a pain to polish away. Dust shows up and clings to the screen as well, so a can of compressed air {used properly} is likely the best solution to chasing dust around the screen with expensive, lying 'lint free' cloths.
Armed with a 3 year warranty from Sony, I feel pretty safe with this investment. A screen like this will get the use it deserves.
It's slim, it's armed to the teeth, and it's quality you can trust. Get the Sony.
