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ViewSonic VX2245wm ViewDock

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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 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 by: Matthew Wood
Edited by: Matthew Moskovciak
Reviewed on: 02/15/2007
Released on: 10/11/2006

We knew it had to happen sooner or later. With the release of the Viewsonic VX2245wm ViewDock ($455) monitor, LCD displays are the latest product category to become "iPod-ified". The 22-inch widescreen display boasts an iPod dock built right into the base offering the promise of a simplified desktop along with its glossy black design. The idea of integrating an iPod dock into a monitor isn't completely without merit, but don't get ahead of yourself imagining what the ViewDock can do. First off, you can't listen to music or movies without using iTunes on your computer. It also doesn't quite live up to the ideal of simplicity--the ViewDock requires two power cables, along with a couple of audio cables and a USB cable to make the whole system work. Once you get past these caveats, the ViewDock has its charms: three USB ports up front, built-in speakers and an eight-in-one media card reader. We also thought the performance was fine for everyday activity, and even a step above the other Viewsonic 22-incher we tested, the VX2235wm.

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.

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
2.0 stars

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

"Poor value"

by ddancona on June 22, 2007

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1.0 stars

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

"Save your money and the headache"

by farseer911 on January 6, 2008

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4.0 stars

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

"This monitor is 99% absolutely perfect for me!"

by PhragMunkee on June 22, 2007

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See all 13 user reviews Write review

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Reviews from around the Web

pcformat.co.uk

Editors' rating: 60

Summary: This is a pricey toy that really doesn't do more than just help you mange your music

Read full review
computershopper.com

Editors' rating: 78

Summary: Although its gray-scale performance was weak, the VX1945wm has loads of convenient features, such as an iPod dock, speakers, USB ports, and memory-card slots.

Read full review
techtree.com

Editors' rating: 70

Read full review
macworld.com

Editors' rating: 60

Summary: Setting up the display took a little time. Because it aims to eliminate several individual peripherals from cluttering your desk, quite a few cables must be connected between your Mac and the back and base of the display. For instance, you can plug in the

Read full review
personal computer world

Editors' rating: 60

Summary: At £260 it's a touch more expensive than the equivalent 19in monitor - in fact, you can pick up a combined TV/monitor for not much more, which would probably be more useful.

Read full review