Solid Monitor
Written: Mar 08 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Large screen, built in speakers.
Cons: Speakers seem a bit underpowered.
The Bottom Line: The Princeton VL1918 is a nice, modern monitor with speakers.
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| Nuge's Full Review: Princeton Digital Princeton VL1918 19" LCD Monitor... |
I bought the Princeton VL1918 from Costco for $280. I am not sure if they still carry this item. I used my Costco American Express Card, so this saved me a bit of money with the rebate.
I was replacing my old fashioned 300 lbs.(exaggeration) monitor, so the Princeton VL1918 was a joy for the simple fact that it takes up less room. It was also nice to be able to donate my old speakers to charity since the VL1918 has built-in speakers. Even at full volume, though, the speakers are a bit wimpy.
Here are some of the pertinent specs:
19" TFT Active Matrix LCD
600:1 High Contrast Ratio
Dual Input
(1x Digital DVI, 1x Analog RGB)
16ms Response Time
SXGA 1280 x 1024 Maximum Resolution
VESAŽ Wall/Arm Mount Ready
Built-in Stereo Speakers
Plug & Play Ready
The factory presets were a bit out of whack for my purposes. The brightness was at a level that I would not wish to see again until it is my time to leave the earth. I found the resolution best at 1024x768. If you want, the monitor will automatically adjust to what it considers optimal settings for whatever graphics are being displayed. To utilize this feature, you just hit the select/auto button on the right side of the screen's base.
Unpacking and connecting the monitor took about fifteen minutes, with no unexpected glitches. I am embarrassed to admit that it took me a few minutes to figure out how to remove the menu screen from view after adjusting the volume. You just press the menu button.
If the image seems to be centered incorrectly, this can be manually adjusted by using the OSD functions from the menu. These are not as intuitive as I would like, for a non-techie, but not impossible to figure out.
I have owned this monitor for only about three months, but I have had no problems with it so far. Having purchased it at Costco, I am protected by their generous return policy should anything go wrong.
Even if this particular model is no longer being manufactured, I think it is a good barometer for the Princeton quality and features. It is sturdily built, sleek, and hassle free.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 280
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Epinions.com ID:
Nuge
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Reviews written: 182
Trusted by: 135 members
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