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| The LCD TV is
A-OK : VIP Award |
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A trio
of television- and
multimedia-compatible
flat-panel displays.
When you think of
a computer monitor,
chances are you conjure
up the image of an
LCD flat-panel display,
but think about a
television set and
you're likely to flashback
to a good old-fashioned
tube-based display.
That may be about
to change.
A few companies have
introduced flat-panel
displays that also
accept multimedia
input, allowing you
to use the monitor
with both a PC and
a home theatre setup.
We first saw the technology
when we reviewed Samsung's
SyncMaster 151MP and
171MP, models that
added component video
and audio inputs as
well as allowing CATV
input using a special
module. |
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A bit later on, this was followed
up by a very stylish 24-inch model,
the 241MP, which was redesigned to
be more attractive in a living room
setting.
There have since been other models
from many manufacturers with these
features. Recently, Sharp has been
heavily pushing its new Aquos line,
which eliminates the PC input altogether
in favour of straight multimedia
connections, like S-Video, composite,
and component input.
Here are a few new PC and multimedia
compatibile LCDs we've looked at
in the TCP Lab this month:
Samsung Tantus LTM405W
From: Samsung Electronics Canada
Inc., www.samsung.ca
Screen size (diag.): 40 inches
Estimated price: $16,500
At 40 inches, Samsung's new Tantus
LTM405W model is one of the largest
LCD displays currently available.
It ships in two pieces, with the
base and screen separate, and requires
some setup once you get it out of
the box. Thankfully, the screen is
light enough for one person to handle
the job. The base of the display
features tiny wheels, allowing the
screen to be reoriented easily once
it's up on a shelf or stand.
Though the display is large, the
screen's maximum resolution is only
1,280x768, which means the picture
will be a bit chunkier than smaller
displays with the identical resolution.
(The pixel pitch is .6735 mm, which
is still far finer than most plasma
displays. They typically run 1.08
mm.) The screen features a contrast
ratio of 600:1 and a brightness of
500 candelas per square metre. The
screen features an ultra-wide 170
degree viewing angle both horizontally
and vertically, but doesn't feature
the slight image ghosting you see
at the far extremes on plasma screens.
As with previous Samsung monitors
with both PC and multimedia compatibility,
this model has a number of connectors
to handle both, including DVI, S-Video,
composite, and two sets of component
video connectors. The screen will
also handle input from a PC video
card with a D-Sub connector, using
an included adapter cable. The monitor
also features a CATV connector and
a built-in tuner, allowing you to
hook your cable connection directly
to the monitor, no external box required.
Because of its high resolution, the
screen is compatible with HDTV signals,
both in terms of receiving them and
displaying them (many screens will
convert an HDTV signal to a lower
resolution). The remote control makes
it fairly easy to select your input
source, as well as giving you full
control over all the other aspects
of the screen.
Our only real complaint here is very
minor: the headphone jack is along
the back of the monitor, which is
inconvenient if you plan to plug
it in and unplug it with any frequency.
The side bezel would have been a
far more convenient location.
At $16,500, this is definitely not
going to be an impulse purchase,
especially with many plasma screens
available for thousands of dollars
less. There are a few compelling
reasons to go this route, however.
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First, the resolution
on this display is
better than most plasma
displays of similar
screen size. Secondly,
at 28 kg and 100x74.7x30
cm (with the stand
attached), it's lighter
and easier to manoeuvre
than a plasma screen.
It's also more efficient
where it counts: with
a maximum power consumption
of only 220 watts,
it's about 150 watts
less greedy than many
42-inch plasma displays,
which means a much
nicer electricity
bill at the end of
the month if you watch
a lot of TV.
The Tantus LTM405W
features a three-year
warranty. |
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