Viewsonic VP201B 20.1" 16ms LCD "Mini-Review"

HELP!

Can someone with a VP201b please drag a window from one side of the desktop to the other (taking approx 3 secs).

I just bought a new graphics card and I am noticing alot of what I can only describe as shimmering or lag. I dont know if it was like that with my old graphics card.

Maybe its just the monitor, or perhaps my new card has problems.

Thanks,
Glen.
 
hehe, i dont need a vp201 to tell you thats a windows thing... i'm on a crt and the window edges arent straight when moving around. Direct3D and OpenGL are the designated standards for motion graphics... not windows desktop ;) This is definitely not the monitor.
 
glen8 said:
HELP!

Can someone with a VP201b please drag a window from one side of the desktop to the other (taking approx 3 secs).

I just bought a new graphics card and I am noticing alot of what I can only describe as shimmering or lag. I dont know if it was like that with my old graphics card.

Maybe its just the monitor, or perhaps my new card has problems.

Thanks,
Glen.
Click to expand...

have you downloaded and installed the newest drivers for your new gfx card? this problem has NOTHING to do with your monitor, this post gave me a good laugh tho, thx :D
 
PHEW!!!!!!!

Glad it's not my monitor. I have downloaded the latest drivers from nvidia but it's still the same. I'm at work now and my works TFT does the same so I can relax now :)

Must admit though I can't see any difference between using the standard microsoft monitor driver against the viewsonic one

Thanks
 
alas said:
It has arrived.

The left end of the screen has a bit different tinge than the right. Some colors seem lighter, some darker. Is this common with a tft? Should I shut my mouth up?
I just... find myself constantly checking it...

2 dead pixels. I thought this could be the end of the world but actually it's barely noticable. And almost only with black screen.

I tried to play with the brightness. When you turn it down it starts to give a constant sound... Anyone noticed it?

Screendoor: It makes a difference when you set your video card to 16 bpp or 32 bpp.

The way the pivot works is extremely comfortable! No tricky switch to find, you just grab it and turn it. Perhaps if someone else could do it for me... :)
Click to expand...

What's 16 bpp and 32 bpp ?
 
FennecTheFox said:
What's 16 bpp and 32 bpp ?
Click to expand...

Bits per pixel.
You know. High color / true color display mode.
You can try 8 bpp too.

Now I think this has more to do with the gradient issue than the screendoor.
 
I finally got my replacement monitor, and I'm very happy with it so far. No noticeable dead/stuck pixels, VERY even backlighting, but a small amount of screen door. The screen door isn't bothering me at all.

I'm just happy to have my monitor back!
 
Got a 201b in from Dell today...

GREAT backlight, no leakage of consequence, ZERO pixel problems on red, blue, green or white backgrounds, but you can see around 12 or so red and green stuck pixels against a solid black background. I'm curious as to why they only show up on solid black.

I'm really sick of the monitor return game, though. I'm close to just saying "screw it" and keeping the monitor. I understand the inherent problems LCDs can have (I've owned six LCDs since 1999), but sometimes I'm just baffled.
 
I just got the 201b home, and the monitor is damaged. There is a large scuff on the lower right corner, over 10 dead or stuck pixels, but worst of all, there is massive display corruption when I hook it up to my PC and work in Windows using the DVI connection. I tried another monitor I have and have no problems, as well as another video card. The monitor is clearly defective, and quite honestly I suspect it to be a refurbished monitor.

Here's what I see all over the place

http://www.burkehamblin.net/files/201bproblem.avi

Just asked Dell to exchange it, but DAMMIT I hate the return game.
 
alas said:
It has arrived.

The left end of the screen has a bit different tinge than the right. Some colors seem lighter, some darker. Is this common with a tft? Should I shut my mouth up?
I just... find myself constantly checking it...

2 dead pixels. I thought this could be the end of the world but actually it's barely noticable. And almost only with black screen.

I tried to play with the brightness. When you turn it down it starts to give a constant sound... Anyone noticed it?

Screendoor: It makes a difference when you set your video card to 16 bpp or 32 bpp.

The way the pivot works is extremely comfortable! No tricky switch to find, you just grab it and turn it. Perhaps if someone else could do it for me... :)
Click to expand...


What's 16bpp 32bpp ?
 
Well, just got my vp201b from ZipZoomFly...

The package was completely opened, factory tape on top completely cut, someone obviously added a single strand of tap to keep the flaps shut. The bottom was completely untaped and falling apart. The styrofoam packaging was cracked and the monitor falling out the bottom. I would have never accepted the package, but was not available when delivered. I removed the monitor by a simple tug.

All this horrible stuff aside... I am amazed to see no dead pixels and a generally nice display. The backlighting is not perfectly even, but nothing major. On the far left, near the top there seems to be a small section "pinched" and the screen is slightly whiter here. I'm not sure what to do... I feel like I got an opened boxed for a "new" price. Had it been perfectly sealed I would be completely happy right now, as it looks good, but I feel like there is something up. I plan to call zipzoom and complain about this packaging at the very least.

Monitor manufacture date: November 2004

What dates is everyone else seeing?
 
Inside_line said:
Well, just got my vp201b from ZipZoomFly...

The package was completely opened, factory tape on top completely cut, someone obviously added a single strand of tap to keep the flaps shut. The bottom was completely untaped and falling apart. The styrofoam packaging was cracked and the monitor falling out the bottom. I would have never accepted the package, but was not available when delivered. I removed the monitor by a simple tug.

All this horrible stuff aside... I am amazed to see no dead pixels and a generally nice display. The backlighting is not perfectly even, but nothing major. On the far left, near the top there seems to be a small section "pinched" and the screen is slightly whiter here. I'm not sure what to do... I feel like I got an opened boxed for a "new" price. Had it been perfectly sealed I would be completely happy right now, as it looks good, but I feel like there is something up. I plan to call zipzoom and complain about this packaging at the very least.

Monitor manufacture date: November 2004

What dates is everyone else seeing?
Click to expand...

The one I bought from Dell's site also came in a box with an open top flap and had a huge scuff on one corner -- I'm 99% sure it was a refurb sold to me as brand new. I have demanded a replacement and am getting it, but it's ridiculous.
 
Well, I just got my replacement from Dell, and the box was again not sealed (I don't know, maybe they're all like this?). I can't test it until I get home, but if this thing has similar problems, they're refunding me. Passing off refurbs as new is pretty shady if not the normal practice.
 
Could someone with a 201BP please measure the physical height of the monitor when adjusted full down.

I have a 18.75" height to work with and the Viewsonic specs say it's 18.9 tall, but don't say if it's 4.5" vertical travel is adjusted up or down.

If it will fit under a 18.75" high hutch then I'm ordering two... side by side baby!!!
 
Fired the new one up, only one stuck green pixel, which I can live with, and very even backlighting. Hopefully I don't get DVI corruption with this one.... (crosses fingers)...

Manufacturing Date is Nov. 2004, BTW
 
Torquemada XP said:
Fired the new one up, only one stuck green pixel, which I can live with, and very even backlighting. Hopefully I don't get DVI corruption with this one.... (crosses fingers)...

Manufacturing Date is Nov. 2004, BTW
Click to expand...

Torque, I called zipzoom and they said it should not have been opened... they dont open for testing or anything like that. Also got a few Q's for yah.. What was manufacture date of previous screen? and how uniform is your backlighting? I mean, depending on what I set brightness too and how hair splitting I am, I could say mine is relatively uniform also. .. But if I were to unplug the monitor... the backlighting isn't as consistent as an unpowered screen. My DVI is so much better than analog, but I do notice by moving the mouse around that there is some additional latency involved. Perhaps this is vid card dependent, do you notice this?

I will post screen height if nobody does later tonight.
 
Inside_line said:
Torque, I called zipzoom and they said it should not have been opened... they dont open for testing or anything like that. Also got a few Q's for yah.. What was manufacture date of previous screen? and how uniform is your backlighting? I mean, depending on what I set brightness too and how hair splitting I am, I could say mine is relatively uniform also. .. But if I were to unplug the monitor... the backlighting isn't as consistent as an unpowered screen. My DVI is so much better than analog, but I do notice by moving the mouse around that there is some additional latency involved. Perhaps this is vid card dependent, do you notice this?

I will post screen height if nobody does later tonight.
Click to expand...

Not sure on the date on the previous screen, I'll check when I get home tonight. The backlighting on both of them is terrific, no pinches of light or aberrant light splotches, but this new one seems to be a bit more uniform. A blank black screen on an LCD will never been truly deep black, and especially nowhere like an unpowered screen, though. There is will always be a "milky" quality to blacks, just from the nature of the panel. As long as there are no huge patches of inconsistent brightness, I say it's a winner.

Not sure on the cursor latency, but I've never experienced it, nor have I heard of it as a symptom of using DVI. I just hope this new one has no problems when connected to DVI. I am 99& sure that the original monitor they shipped me was a refurb, but this one seems on its face to be new, save for the unsealed box. Not sure what the deal is with that.
 
Well, this one's going back, too. I might as well just b

This one has only one stuck pixel, backlight is great, except Ihave to reduce the DVI frequency in the ATI control panel to prevent the weird glitches from showing up. Not to mention, the screen door effect is IN full effect. It's worse than the "Stripes" on my 213T.

The only panels I've seen without screen door or stripes are the widescreens, and the Dells have backlighting problems.

Maybe I should just stick with this old 213T and get it repaired....it's not very bright any more.

I am very picky, yes, especially when it comes to the monitor -- I have to look at it all the time, after all.
 
Ouch, really sorry to hear it. Could it be your vid card? When I first hooked up my monitor.. I tested it on my laptop, via analog, and it didn't look great at all. Now I have it hooked to my desktop (BFG 6800GT) via digital and it looks totally amazing. Zipzoom is being more than helpful and willing to replace it since it was open-boxed, but I am going to take this as a hint, since I got a good one with no dead pixels and just keep it. Sry M8, I would definitely try another vid card, since the monitor does look so good on DVI.

In the lowest position, the monitor stands 15.25" tall
 
I've been looking to buy a 201b, and one of the things that interested me in it over the other brands competing in the 20 inch, 1600x1200 league, was its HD 720i capability for watching digital TV. Does anyone have any experience of its performance as a TV monitor? And how does it go with DVD's? I realise that it would be more useful to have a widescreen monitor for such uses, but I am just curious to see how well it works with broadcast images...
 
Torquemada XP said:
I just got the 201b home, and the monitor is damaged. There is a large scuff on the lower right corner, over 10 dead or stuck pixels, but worst of all, there is massive display corruption when I hook it up to my PC and work in Windows using the DVI connection. I tried another monitor I have and have no problems, as well as another video card. The monitor is clearly defective, and quite honestly I suspect it to be a refurbished monitor.

Here's what I see all over the place

http://www.burkehamblin.net/files/201bproblem.avi

Just asked Dell to exchange it, but DAMMIT I hate the return game.
Click to expand...

I'm currectly on my 5th replacement screen and one of them showed exactly the same symptoms as yours. You definately got a defective screen.
 
Torquemada XP & gobsmasha, I hate you all have had (and are having) problems. Whatever the outcome, please post how everything turns out.
 
Boxman said:
I've been looking to buy a 201b, and one of the things that interested me in it over the other brands competing in the 20 inch, 1600x1200 league, was its HD 720i capability for watching digital TV. Does anyone have any experience of its performance as a TV monitor? And how does it go with DVD's? I realise that it would be more useful to have a widescreen monitor for such uses, but I am just curious to see how well it works with broadcast images...
Click to expand...

Boxman, I haven't tried any of that with mine. I'm sure someone else has tho. I did look at that feature when I bought it, because I thought I might use the monitor eventually for something like that.
 
I got a VP201s since 2 weeks. When I used dvi I get blue flickering when I started my computer (before windows screen appear) and some games, I got the same problem in 1600*1200. If I use another resolution 800*600, no problem there. And if I use vga cable, no problem too....could you help me about that. My video card is ATI 9700pro, I enabled the "reduce DVI frequency" but I got the same problem. I don't understand when I used vga, the problem disappear. help me about this problem. thanks
 
Torquemada XP said:
I just got the 201b home, and the monitor is damaged. There is a large scuff on the lower right corner, over 10 dead or stuck pixels, but worst of all, there is massive display corruption when I hook it up to my PC and work in Windows using the DVI connection. I tried another monitor I have and have no problems, as well as another video card. The monitor is clearly defective, and quite honestly I suspect it to be a refurbished monitor.

Here's what I see all over the place

http://www.burkehamblin.net/files/201bproblem.avi

Just asked Dell to exchange it, but DAMMIT I hate the return game.
Click to expand...


That is KIND of something I get using DVI connection and for games but ONLY in dark areas for games. And even there..NOT as bad as your display is showing. I who ever your dealing with is sending a bad batch.

stevenj said:
I got a VP201s since 2 weeks. When I used dvi I get blue flickering when I started my computer (before windows screen appear) and some games, I got the same problem in 1600*1200. If I use another resolution 800*600, no problem there. And if I use vga cable, no problem too....could you help me about that. My video card is ATI 9700pro, I enabled the "reduce DVI frequency" but I got the same problem. I don't understand when I used vga, the problem disappear. help me about this problem. thanks
Click to expand...
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=815907

Try what I suggested in the link (post 7). It got rid of it BIG time. But I still have it in Half Life1 Source. Anyone have any clues to get rid of it even more and for good.
And it's only with DVI I get artifacts. With analog I dont' have that problem. Better yet, anyone know how to get rid of it completely?

Also with analog, anyone know how to make it not scroll the bootup sequence so I can see what is being posted :)


Other than the DVI issue and analog bootup. Good monitor. I had 3 dead pixels, but to be honest, never notice them. I have to do a pixel test really to find them even though one is smack in the center of the screen. The backlighting has a little bleed through on the top right of the monitor, but it's such a minor thing.

Screen door effect:. I think I know what everyone is talking about, but I really don't notice it unless my face is pretty close on the screen, but it seems more apparent with analog (at least for me) Like I said though, up close.

After reading Zipzoomfly order posts here, SO glad I didn't go that route. Sound like they ship things half assed. Newegg all the way for me.
 
Yeah!!! (hopefully)
I think I eliminated all my DVI problems

Including the above suggestions in the link above, I also updated my bios. Can't hurt of course, but I think what might have sealed the deal was turning off USB legacy support in the bios (I don't use any old USB products so it definately doesn't bother me to turn off things I don't use)

http://www.ati.com/support/infobase/dvitroubleshooting.html

From ATI suggestions for your DVI problems. I think I'm finally fully happy :)
 
Well, I changed my drivers (5.2 catalyst),
vertical refresh = off,
My bios was updated
I disabled usb legacy in bios
pnp = no
in games now it's okay...the only problem was when t boot the computer...(blue flickering on black area...always on black area) and when I start the computer, search for dvi...but in windows all it's okay...so I really don't know what I should to do...maybe buy a GT6800 card with different drivers :cool:
 
stevenj said:
Well, I changed my drivers (5.2 catalyst),
vertical refresh = off,
My bios was updated
I disabled usb legacy in bios
pnp = no
in games now it's okay...the only problem was when t boot the computer...(blue flickering on black area...always on black area) and when I start the computer, search for dvi...but in windows all it's okay...so I really don't know what I should to do...maybe buy a GT6800 card with different drivers :cool:
Click to expand...
Why it's so complicated with ATI or THIS MONITOR....Weird I try another LCD monitor (samsung 195n VGA) = no problem and I try another video card (GT6800) with the viewsonic = no problem...so ???
 
Has anyone used the VP201B and a Dell 2001FP side by side? I have the Dell at the minute and am not in the least bit impressed due to the screen door effect. I'm looking at getting 2 x VP201B's...

M.
 
M@ttR said:
Has anyone used the VP201B and a Dell 2001FP side by side? I have the Dell at the minute and am not in the least bit impressed due to the screen door effect. I'm looking at getting 2 x VP201B's...

M.
Click to expand...

I originally had screen door when I hooked up my VP201s (same as B, different case color), but after I calibrated my video card to the monitor and adjusted the sharpness, it practically went away. I'm not convinced all screen door effect is monitor related.
 
Ludic said:
I originally had screen door when I hooked up my VP201s (same as B, different case color), but after I calibrated my video card to the monitor and adjusted the sharpness, it practically went away. I'm not convinced all screen door effect is monitor related.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with this post. I just calibrated my 201s with the Colorvision Spyder2 and the screendoor affect is gone. Unless i stick my face right against the screen. The results after the calibration are AMAZING.

UB
 
okay i have a vp201b that im typing this on. it kicks my ass. i havnt been to these forums in a looong while, but im going out of my way just to tell you that this monitor is INCREDIBLE. ive had it since around christmas time. it's unbelievable

don't even doubt. you have 22 pages telling you to get it. GET IT. there is no doubt in my mind that you wont love it! 0 dead pixels, no "screendoors" or what have you, just pure extroardinarily good times.

don't doubt. i'm serious.
 
I am testing VP201b now... And I, personally, like it...

I am living in Saint-Petersburg and there are no such monitors in retail stores in good quantity to choose the right one. Mine has two broken red subpixels... I can not notice them due to that fact - this pixels nearly OK at white(they are blue) and black backgrounds.

Background lightning is simply great, no other defects at all...

I can go to the wholesale's warehouse and see another one(but it silver)... But is it worth it? I mean - 1600x1200 is great resolutuion and chance is too small to find a monitor with all working pixels(even wholesales has two monitors...)...

This 830$ are big money for me... I must choose good monitor.
 
whoa, $830 for 20"? I love viewsonic but i dont think it's $300 better than dell 2001fp :)
 
prices here are different... maybe, price will drop soon.... I am waiting don't buying cureently.

Cheapest 20" price is about 800 in our city...
 
askimo said:
Something else that I did notice is the constant pitch noise it produces. Is not really annoying, but I would like to know if this is normal
Click to expand...

I just bought myself a VP201s and it too makes this noise. It's like a high pitched buzzing. It's pretty annoying to me and I'm not sure if I'm going to keep the monitor or not at this point. I'm hoping I can find a solution or fix to this problem.

It will be a shame though because I really like the picture quality of this monitor. I also like having desk space again after years of having a 19" Sony Trinitron. :) My 201s has 3 dead sub-pixels near the edges of the screen, but they're so small as to not really be noticeable. (1 blue, 2 green)
 
Hi everybody, Over the weekend I took advantage of Neweggs $.99 shipping and I picked up vp201b for $689.99. I was Using a Sony E500 21" Trinitron Perfect Flat, but the FS controller is going out on it, so its been retired. I have the vp201 hooked up to a x800pro via the DVI Input. The picture is very bright and very vivid, almost too much. Did it take ya'll a while to get used to it, those who came from CRT's? Also, what color temp are you using and how much brightness and contrast? I don't really notice a screen door effect, but I do notice the Anit-Glare coating. I don't have the software that hunts down dead pixels, but so far I can't see any dead ones; however, when loading windows or a UT2k4 Map, the black screen shows light spots in the upper corners and lower corners. Is there anything to be done about that? Last enableing the DVI options for the video card seem to make no difference in Windows, AutoCad LT or Games. Also, the "reduce DVI freq" lowers the speed of the pixel clock. I assume since it makes no difference, there is no reason for using either setting. Sorry for long post and Thanks.
 
Mine doesn't have any backlight bleeding. I turned the brightness down to about 50% and it helps a lot, but then it makes the buzzing noise, so it's a trade off. If you haven't adjusted the brightness and contrast downward, try doing that first. It will help a lot with the backlighting and reduce the blinding factor. I don't remember my color temp (I'm not at home) I think it's at 6500, which is the default it came set at.

It didn't take me any time to adjust. My previous monitor was a Sony 19" Trinitron, so it was pretty bright and clear as well.

I have my computer room set up so that my monitor is facing away from the window. That way I don't get any glare.
 
Thx. Astral, I did just that and its a lot less electric banana ultra vivid scene-ish. I still have some light spots in the upper corners when its on certian black screens for programes but not for DVD's, and I really prefer the 9300K color temp setting. All in all I am getting used it and its turning out to be a wonderful monitor. My thanks go out to everyone who contributed to this thread.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top