-
CNET editors' rating:
3.0 stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 13 reviews
- See all user reviews
Product summary
The good: Relatively attractive design; iPod dock for charging your iPod and playing music through iTunes; four USB ports and an eight-in-one media card reader; built-in speakers; decent performance; headphone jack, volume knob, and mic on stand.
The bad: Can't play music and movies from iPod without using a computer; front-panel controls are hard to use; two AC cables, two audio cables, and one USB cable needed to connect the iPod dock.
The bottom line: The iPod dock doesn't fully deliver on its potential, and the design is a little clunky, but the Viewsonic VX2245wm ViewDock still delivers some attractive features with decent performance for those willing to pay extra.
Specifications: Color: Matte black; Display Type: Flat panel display / TFT active matrix; Diagonal Size: 22 in - Widescreen; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 02/15/2007
- Released on: 10/11/2006
Design
The aesthetic appeal of the Viewsonic VX2245wm ViewDock's design is largely dependent on how much you like having an iPod docked right below your screen. Opinion of CNET editors was largely split, with some thinking the iPod would be distracting and others liking the integrated dock. The bezel is glossy black, as well as most of the stand. Right down the center of the stand is a silver stripe where the iPod dock is.
Connecting the monitor to make the iPod dock work is a little more trouble than you'd expect. The first bump you'll run into is that the stand itself needs a separate power cord--that's a pain if, like us, your power strip could always use one more outlet. Next, you'll need to connect two separate audio cables--one essentially connecting the stand to the monitor, and the other linking the monitor to the computer. We can understand running the cord from the monitor to the computer, but it seems like Viewsonic could have designed the dock so it didn't need to connect to itself. Lastly, you'll need to make the USB connect from the display to computer, which is standard for any monitor with USB and media card readers.
Aside from some of the quirks with the dock itself, we like the three USB ports located on the front of the stand. They're convenient if the ports on your PC aren't easy to reach, and the same goes for the eight-in-one media card reader. On the other hand, we really didn't like the front-panel controls, because they're set into the panel and force you to use your fingernail to press them. With our stubby nails, this made configuring the display harder than it should have been. There's also a volume knob on the front, as well as a tiny microphone.
Manufacturer's specs
- Resolution: 1,680x1,050 pixels
- Dot pitch: 0.28mm
- Pixel-response rate: 5ms
- Contrast ratio: 700:1
- Viewing angle: 170 degrees horizontal /160 degrees vertical
- Connectivity: DVI, VGA, and USB
- Other features: iPod dock, volume control, built-in speakers, headphone jack; eight-in-one media card reader, four USB ports
- Not HDCP compliant
- Included cables: VGA and DVI, plus two audio cables
As we said before, the iPod dock doesn't live up to its full potential. When the VX2245wm was first announced, we imagined it might have offered the ability to just pop in your iPod and listen to music or watch a movie without using a computer. This isn't the case--instead, it's really just like any other iPod dock, except that it's physically attached to the monitor. It can't play music through the speakers by itself--like an iPod speaker system can--so you could essentially duplicate its functionality with the USB/Dock connecter that comes with new iPods and iTunes. Of course, it wouldn't be as stylish or have the convenience of a dedicated dock, but it is a whole lot cheaper.
Continue reading- See more CNET content tagged:
- ViewSonic Corp.,
- iPod dock,
- media card reader,
- stand,
- dock
User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 13 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 3 of 13 user reviewsSee all 13 user reviews
-
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
-
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
-
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
- See all 13 user reviews Write review
