Last year I purchased a Viewsonic VX924 19" LCD monitor for my desktop to replace an old Philips 109s CRT that is going on eight years old (and still works as good as it did the first day I brought it home!) I wanted the LCD screen primarily to save space on my desk, but I soon found out how far LCD screens have advanced in the last 10 years.

Now it’s been a year and I started having a problem with the VX924. When the computer is shut down for five minutes or longer, the screen would start flashing on and off upon turning it back on. Unplugging the monitor and DVI connection and plugging them back in did not correct it. This would last about 15-20 minutes and eventually the screen would stabilize and I would have an image I could work with. Viewsonic tech support confirmed this is a problem with the monitors built-in memory. It tries to decide whether or not to use the D-Sub or DVI input and gets stuck in a loop.

Anyway, I had to send it back to Viewsonic for repair; however the Viewsonic warranty does cover this problem and the warranty is good on the VX924 and VX922 for 3 years so I can relax a little. The estimated turn around time from the day I ship it to the day I get it back is approximately three weeks (which is the reason I needed another monitor). This isn’t bad considering the time of year I am sending it in for repair. They said normally it would be about 10-14 days.

So, why am I telling you about the VX924 instead if the VX922? Well because, for one, I ordered the VX922 so I could continue to work while my VX924 is out for repair. For two, the VX922 is identical in every way physically to the VX924, so it fit right into place on my desktop and nothing had to be moved or changed. And for three, the same problem may occur with the VX922 over time.

The memory problem stems from leaving the monitor on for extended periods of time without going into standby. I have my systems run 24 hours a day and the monitors are usually set to go into standby but on my personal PC, I have the monitor on all the time. The only reason I even discovered the problem was because of a power outage that caused my PC to shut down when my battery backup became low on power.

So that is why I included the information on my VX924 repair.


Viewsonic VX922 LCD monitor

The monitor is very nice looking, black and silver with sleek thin buttons for menu navigation and a green LED on the power button. It is a full 19 inch viewable screen and is tilt adjustable but not does swivel. In order to adjust swivel, you must rotate the foot-base of the monitor the desired amount. The LCD screen is attached to a single foot base that is plenty wide enough to give maximum stability without taking up
any extra desk space than the overall monitor.


Specifications

* Monitor Type: Flat Panel (non glare) LCD TFT Active Matrix
* Screen Size: 19 inch
* Contrast Ratio: 650:1
* Response Time: 2 ms
* Max. Resolution: 1280 x 1024 (Native and recommended resolution)
* Aspect Ratio: 5:4
* Brightness 270 cd/m2
* Viewable Picture Size: 19 in.
* Input: DVI-D and D-Sub (15-pin SVGA)
* Synchronization Range – Vertical: 50 - 75 Hz
* Synchronization Range – Horizontal: 30 - 82 kHz
* Max. Viewing Angle – Horizontal: 150
* Max. Viewing Angle – Vertical: 135
* Power Consumption: 35 Watt
* User Controls: Brightness / Contrast / Language / OSD Controls / Auto Image Adjust / Input Select / Information / Size / Position / Selectable color temperature / Sharpness
* Warranty: 3 Years


Dimensions

* Height: 14.6 in.
* Width: 17 in.
* Depth: 2.6 in.
* Weight: 14.8 lb.

The VX922 LCD is very slim and fits easily on any desktop. However, the screen is not wall mountable and is attached to the single-foot base. It can be adjusted for angle up and down but the angle left and right must be adjusted by rotating the entire base. It is also not adjustable for height.


VX922 vs. VX924

The main difference between the VX922 and the VX924 is the contrast ratio and the response time. These are two of the most important specifications of an LCD monitor. The contrast ratio pertains to color accuracy and the difference between white and black on the screen. The response time measures how fast the screen can go from grey to black to grey to white to grey.

The contrast ratio for the VX922 is 650:1 which is not bad at all but not as good as some high definition wide screens that boast 1000:1 or higher ratios. The VX924 contrast ratio is 500:1 and the difference is noticeable especially in video and games. The VX922 is much crisper and more vivid for games and it is easier to see dark scenes in DVD movies on the VX922 than the VX924. The VX924 is still an excellent monitor for movies and games, but the VX922 is better.

Another reason the VX922 is better is because of the absolutely amazing 2ms response time. I have yet to see another LCD or plasma monitor boasting faster response times. The VX924 has an incredible 4ms response time and on either monitor you will never see any ghosting or trails during video playback or games.

The VX922 is probably a very good choice for graphics designers who have limited space on their desk. The VX922 has a 5:4 aspect ratio, which means it is basically a standard display and not a widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio). Standard NTSC video for television is a 4:3 aspect ratio and can be displayed on a 5:4 screen with no stretching or distorted aspect.

Both the VX922 and the VX924 have D-sub and DVI connectivity and both look better with the DVI. The auto adjust feature is the same as well as the on-screen menu and controls. Using the DVI input, you can adjust for color, contrast, select input source (DVI or D-Sub) or use memory recall to reset to factory standards. Using the D-Sub you can also adjust screen size and position. The DVI input automatically handles the screen size and position perfectly so those controls are grayed out in the menu while using DVI.

Both monitors run a native 1280x1024 resolution as well as supporting 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x768, 1280x800, and 1280x960. Wide screen resolutions such as 1280x720 are condensed to fit the 5:4 aspect ratio, meaning the screen is squished together and images appear taller and thinner than normal.

Aesthetically, both monitors look identical and are very good looking LCDs.


Personal Use

I have had the VX922 for about two weeks now and it has been a real performer. My games are so sharp and vivid that I can see objects in games that are very small or very far away much clearer. I actually improved my CounterStrike: Source running averages.

Watching DVD movies is a very nice experience and is much better than watching them on my 32 inch (non-HD) television. Dark scenes are not a problem with the VX922 and ghosting is non-existent. I use the monitor with a Radeon X1800XL video card utilizing the DVI output for the sharpest display. The X1800XL has dual native DVI outputs and before I shipped the VX924 for service, I set up a dual display to see what I could do with it.

I was amazed at the clarity of both screens, but you could tell the VX922 was the better of the two; especially with video and games. So I was using the VX924 for desktop applications while watching TV on the VX922… very cool indeed! The VX922 is an excellent monitor and will be my main display when the VX924 comes back from service.

I also use the VX922 for displaying my laptop video when I am at home. The VX922’s D-Sub input can be used for a second computer and you can switch between them with the pressing of two buttons. So I have a SVGA cable plugged into the monitor all the time and when I need to I just plug the other end into the D-Sub out from my laptop and I have my laptop on a 19 inch screen… also very cool!

Using the DVI connection, I can read fonts as small as size 6 without any trouble. The monitor is very easy on the eyes and I do not get headaches after prolonged viewing like I have with my old CRT monitors.


Conclusion

The VX922 is a very well designed monitor with excellent display quality, brightness, contrast and unsurpassed response time. If you are looking for a 19 inch LCD you could pay less for other monitors, but dollar to quality you can’t get much better than the VX922 from Viewsonic.

You can find this monitor at TigerDirect.com for $259.99 or at Newegg.com for $269.99. You can also search Shopping.com or Dealtime.com to try and find a better price.

Thanks for reading,
Gr8ful :-)


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): $249.99