Increasing values in LCD monitors

Citation

Pitta, D.A. (2007), "Increasing values in LCD monitors", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 24 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcm.2007.07724cab.001

Increasing values in LCD monitors

Over time, LCD monitors have improved in quality and affordability. Some marketers who are called on to work more with less have struggled with older traditional cathode ray monitors. Their quality is often unsurpassed. One issue is the space they occupy. Their larger footprint eats desk space. Another issue is the limited view they provide; one must look straight at the screen to see the detail.

Plunging prices and aging system monitors make considering a new LCD monitor timely. In this issue we look at several alternatives and supply a set of considerations that may make readers’ choices easier.

Recently, several of our laboratory’s monitors failed within the space of two weeks. Their ages varied and the failures ranged from electronic death to screen problems which defy names. For example one of our best 19″ CRT monitors started to strobe on and off. The screen would go blank for a moment and then it would pop back on with an electronic buzz reminiscent of Darth Vader’s light saber. The problem was intermittent and sometimes did not occur for hours. However, when it happened it was too annoying to tolerate. So, we began our investigation of replacement monitors. Our experience is worth reporting here.

Regular versus wide-Screen LCD monitors

There is something in the design and construction of LCD monitors that makes changing the aspect ratio (the ratio between width and height) in construction easy. Most 19″ CRT monitors have a square shape and the measurement from diagonal corner to corner is 19″. Numerous LCD monitors are available in this standard size. A new breed of LCD monitors is designed with a rectangular rather than square shape. Called wide-screen or wide-aspect LCD monitors, they are becoming a valuable. They are especially helpful for media enthusiasts and gamers.

Moreover, the wide-screen monitors are helpful in the workplace. They can even aid the older eyes of executives creating their own word-processing documents. In addition, wide-aspect LCDs offer enough screen space to accommodate multiple windows at once. The difference in costs between a 19″ standard aspect LCD monitor and its direct equivalent wide-screen sibling, may be only US$25-50 at retail. The choice seemed clear. We could buy a 19″ wide-screen and solve the dead monitor problem at once. The decision would lead us through the process of evaluating and choosing a wide-screen.

There are numerous wide-screen monitors from a variety of manufacturers. At the time this review is being written, six close alternatives are available in the area. Other alternatives are available but were not judged to merit consideration. Our purchase criteria were: a healthy performance to cost ratio that represented value.

Without a suitable testing laboratory for LCD monitor resolution we depended on the help of two computer chains with a national presence. They are: Best Buy, a consumer electronics store with a professional PC service staff, and CompUSA, the largest computer retailer, also with a professional service staff.

Our four wide screen monitors for evaluation were the Acer AL1951B, the Envision EN2028, the NEC MultiSync LCD1970VX, the Samsung SyncMaster 970P, the ViewSonic VA1912wb, the Westinghouse LCM-19v5. All but the 20″ Envision EN2028 are 19″ wide-screens. Evaluating price and quality we chose the ViewSonic VA1912wb. Its value point was the highest of this group of competitors. It packs displays above-average performance, has full-sounding built-in speakers, and a reasonable $349 street price. It and its square sibling the VA1912 take turns offering price discounts. We caught the discount cycle perfectly and found our choice on sale. We bought the monitor for $220 after a substantial electronic rebate.

We have to stress that we looked for the combination of price and quality. We liked the 20″ Envision EN2028 but that extra inch came with a price tag $200 higher. The Acer AL1951B and the Westinghouse LCM-19v5 had lower performance. The NEC MultiSync LCD1970VX and the Samsung SyncMaster 970P offer better performance at a significantly higher price.

After we made our choice we congratulated ourselves on getting a good value. The ViewSonic VA1912wb has a matt-black case that is attractive and now common. It has a large elliptical base that is adequate. We would wish for something a bit beefier since adjusting the panel causes the monitor to wobble. We also missed but were reluctant to pay for flexible adjustments. Some wide-screen LCD monitors allow great latitude in tilting the screen angle. The ViewSonic is limited to 25 degrees back and 5 forward. There is no swivel adjustment; one has to move the entire display. That is not a big deal. However, it also has no pivot feature. The ability of a wide-screen monitor to pivet, to rotate 90 degrees, is helpful when viewing graphics, page layout programs, or even word processing documents. Imagine being able to see the entire 8″×11″ or A4 page with very little wasted space around the edges. Well, we will have to imagine it because the monitor will not provide it. In fairness, we were not willing to pay for it, although that feature – a physical pivot – seems like one of the least expensive to provide.

The unit comes with a fixed height stand that elevated the panel about 4″ above the desk. That is a good compromise for most people and a booklet or two under the stand can offer custom adjustment.

The next feature is really valuable. The ViewSonic VA1912wb accepts both DVI-D and VGA inputs and both cables are included in the box. VGA and super-VGA displays have been standard and adequate for years. However, modern high-end display cards offer digital output that surpasses VGA quality. Our test unit had such a video card and the output is spectacular.

Connecting the cables is another matter. The back of the monitor has four inputs: one for the built in speakers; one for a power cord; and two each for either a digital or VGA cable. Fitting all three is snug. Some monitors have cable-management features that hide the cables safely out of the way. This unit has a plastic cover that snaps over the connector area. It hides the plugs, but the cables are not orderly.

Adjusting the monitor quality is straightforward. Pressing a button activates an onscreen menu. The menu is easy to navigate, and the adjustments are comprehensive. For those of us with higher quality external speakers, there is a mute button right on the panel. The built in speakers are adequate for an office environment and they reduce desk clutter significantly. However, gamers or music fans will want something else.

The ViewSonic VA1912wb has a native resolution of 1,440×900 and it is excellent. We normally set our 19″ monitors to 1,024×760. We had a problem transitioning to the higher resolution. The main problem was that fonts were much smaller and difficult to read. One can easily reset windows and many windows applications to show larger fonts so the problem is not serious.

The manufacturer states that the display has an 8-millisecond pixel response rate, which will increase performance for gamers.

Warranty

The VA1912wb has an industry-standard three-year warranty on parts, labor, and the backlight. There are additional warranty extensions. The one- and two-year extensions cost $63 and $90, respectively.

ViewSonic has a support site that uses an e-mail support form, an interactive Q&A knowledge portal, white papers, and driver downloads. Toll-free phone support is available 24/7, but you must go through the Virtual Support Assistant to get the number.

Specifications

Specifications for the VA1912wb can be found in Table I.

Summary

The ViewSonic VA1912wb was our choice of a 19″ wide-aspect monitor. It is one of many choices. While we are satisfied that it met our requirements better than any of the other available wide-screen monitors, our requirements are not necessarily your requirements. However, if you are considering a wide-screen LCD monitor with full features and a good price, you should look at the VA1912wb.

Edited by Dennis A. PittaUniversity of Baltimore