For four years, I’ve been using the 15" LCD monitor that came with my Gateway computer. My work is becoming more complex. More open windows on the monitor screen, graphic design work, website design, writing, research ... and, ahem, a few games. When I saw the ViewSonic VX922 19" LCD Monitor, I did some research and then purchased it.


Description

This is a nice looking monitor. The 19" LCD screen area is framed by a 1" black plastic border with a narrow band of silver on the outside. Beneath the screen area is another band of silver that houses five slim rectangular control buttons.

The first rectangular button displays the main menu or exits the control screen, saves adjustments. The second and third button scroll through the menu options. The fourth button displays the control screen for the highlighted control. The button at the far right is the power button. A narrow lighted strip on the power button glows green to indicate the power is on, and changes to orange to show power saving.

At the back of the monitor is a large flip-open door where the plugs are located that the cables connect to. It has a very neat, professional look to it.

The monitor screen area is attached to a 3 1/2" wide neck. The neck can be tilted back and forth to adjust the angle of the screen. However, the height of the monitor cannot be changed. Holding a ruler to the monitor, the actual usable part of the monitor screen starts 5 3/4" from the desk top.

The monitor neck flows into the plastic silver base that rests on the desk surface. I like it that this large base is hollowed out in the center. The base measures 11 1/4" wide x 8" deep.

More detailed specs are listed at the end of this review.


What Comes in the Box

* ViewSonic 19" LCD Monitor (assembled except for cords)
* Video Cable
* Power Cable
* ViewSonic CD (with drivers, User Guide, and Adobe Acrobat Reader)
* Quick Start Guide

The User Guide on the CD Rom can be viewed while the CD Rom is in the computer, or it can be downloaded onto the computer hard drive. The 23-page User Guide has much more detail than the Quick Start Guide and is in 14 languages.


Installation

A Quick Start Guide comes in the package. The manual looks large, but that is deceiving since the manual is written in 17 languages! There are two pages of written instructions for each language. The manual outlines four steps: 1) Connect Video Cable, 2) Plug in Power Cords, 3) Turn Power On, 4) Insert Wizard CD. There is information regarding customer support and some safety guidelines.

Note: This monitor can be wall mounted. There are instructions on the CD Rom that show how to remove the base. No wall-mounting hardware is included.

The most difficult part of assembly was disconnecting the old monitor. You know how it is with tangled computer wires! Installation was quick. All I had to do was plug in the power cable (monitor to wall outlet is recommended) and the cable that goes from the monitor to the back of the computer tower. The panel at the back of the monitor closed over the cables, too, for a neat appearance.

Once the cables were plugged in, I inserted the CD Rom into the computer. (If you have trouble finding the CD Rom, it is located in a hidden sleeve at the back of the Quick Start Guide.)

The computer started to read the CD, then flashed a message saying that I needed to manually install the software drivers. No problem. The CD helpfully supplied a one-page sheet of installation instructions that were easy to follow.

Once I followed the instructions, and installed the driver, the computer recognized the monitor. Another message prompted me that the monitor is best viewed at 1280 x 1024 pixels. I experimented with a variety of monitor resolutions, and decided that the 1280 x 960 worked best for me.

In case you are wondering, the monitor can be adjusted for contrast, sharpness, brightness, color. There is also an Input Select feature that allows the user to toggle between an analog and digital signal.

I am using this monitor with a Gateway computer that has the Windows XP operating system.


My Experiences

I have used ViewSonic CRT monitors in the past and have been impressed with their color, clarity and durability. So when it came time to look for a new LCD monitor, I remembered the ViewSonic name.

The User Guide on the CD Rom says to sit at least 18" away from the LCD display. It also cautions not to place anything on the screen. I immediately thought of those non-glare screens that can be draped over a monitor screen to reduce eye stress. Not necessary with this monitor. I have this monitor placed so that a large window sits behind me. The monitor screen does not show any glare.

The first thing I noticed when the monitor came on was how bright the images were compared to my older LCD monitor. Talk about bright, vivid colors! I cannot extol the virtues of this monitor enough. It is wonderful!

As I experimented with picture resolution, deciding on the setting I wished to use, I could see the monitor screen image waver a bit as it performed its calibrations. Once the calibrations are set, the screen remains rock solid steady. No wavering or distortion.

Images smoothly transition on this monitor. Whether viewing a website, playing a computer game, watching a slide show or DVD movie ... this LCD screen is great. The pictures flow flawlessly, no jerky movement.

Viewing is easy on the eyes, too. I can work a full day while viewing this screen and not feel eye fatigue. The images are bright, flicker-free, and print is easy to read. This monitor allows one to view it from a variety of angles, too ... meaning that you don’t have to sit directly in front of the monitor to see what is on the screen. I can stand to the side of the monitor and see the display.

The computer desk I am using makes this monitor the perfect height for viewing, which is a good thing since the height of the monitor cannot be adjusted. At first I wondered if the monitor could horizontally tilt back and forth since it didn’t want to move ... but the monitor was just stiff. It is now angled for perfect viewing.

I also like the base. Instead of a solid piece of plastic that uses desk space, the base is a sturdy “frame” with the center hollowed out. I have a collection of small squat containers that hold office supplies. These containers fit neatly inside the “frame”. The frame also corrals the containers so that they don’t shift across the desk as I shuffle through papers.

Other than a light dusting (being careful not to touch the screen with fingers or any oily substance), I have not yet had to clean the screen. The manufacturer recommends wiping the screen with a soft, clean, lint-free cloth. The instructions state that if needed (and I have not done this), apply a small amount of non-ammonia, non-alcohol based glass cleaner onto a soft, clean lint-free cloth to wipe the screen.


Purchasing

I bought this monitor from Amazon.com. I was leery of purchasing a monitor through the mail, but none of my area stores carried it. This monitor retails for $345.00. Amazon.com sold it for $255.00 with a $9.95 shipping & handling fee (since the monitor does not qualify for free shipping). There was also a $20 rebate, and I had a $25 gift certificate ... so I paid $239.95.

It only took three days to receive the monitor. The UPS man rang the doorbell, and by the time I arrived at the door was already driving away in his truck. My heart sank when I saw the cardboard shipping carton that UPS delivered. The carton had a huge rip in the side and a bashed in corner. Opening the carton, I saw a lot of polybags filled with air, but only on the top of the merchandise, not on the bottom. Thankfully, Amazon.com had kept the monitor in its original sturdy cardboard packaging, which was undamaged. The monitor was in perfect shape.


Update -- July 7, 2010

This monitor is wonderful! I thought you'd like to know that it is still working great. No issues.


Summary

I highly recommend the ViewSonic VX922 19" LCD Monitor. This monitor screen is a good size for me, allowing better visibility of my work. The images are crisp, too, with great color. Viewing is easy on the eyes, and set up was simple. I’m happy!

I hope you found this review useful.

Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com


Specifications

Computer Requirements:

PC: Intel Pentium processor or great running on Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, NT 4.0; 4x CD-Rom drive; 64mb or more of available RAM; 800x600 16-bit color display.

Mac Systems: Power PC processor (G3 or G4), running on Mac OS version 8.6-9.2; 4x CD-Rom drive; 800x600 16-bit color display. (Macintosh computers older than G3 require a ViewSonic Macintosh adapter, which can be ordered from ViewSonic.)

LCD: full 19" viewable area
TFT, Active Matrix SXGA LCD
0.294 mm pixel pitch
Color Filter: RGB vertical stripe
Glass Surface: anti-glare

Input Signal
Video: RGB analog (0.7/1.0 Vp-p, 75 ohms)
Sync: Composite Sync, Separate Sync, Sync on Green
TMDS Digital (100 ohms)

Compatibility:
PC: Up to 1280 x 1024 non-interlaced
Macintosh: Power Macintosh up to 1280 x 1024

Resolution:
1280 x 1024 @ 60, 75 Hz
1024 x 768 @ 60, 70, 75, 85 Hz
800 x 600 @ 56, 60 72, 75, 85 Hz
640 x 480 @ 60, 67, 72, 75, 85 Hz
720 x 400 @ 70 Hz
HDTV: 1280 x 720 @ 60 Hz (720p)

Display Area:
Full Scan: 14.8" (H) x 11.9" (V)

Dimensions & Weight:
LCD Display: 17" (W) x 18.4" (H) x 7.9" (D)
Weight: 14.8 pounds


Please read my other reviews:

Acer 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor

Antec Notebook Cooler – to prolong computer life

Toshiba Satellite Notebook Computer with 15.4" diagonal widescreen

Logitech V200 Cordless Notebook Mouse

Logitech MX400 Laser Mouse

Logitech MouseMan Dual Optical Mouse

Belkin Flip 2-port KVM Switch

Logitech Harmony Universal Remote Control

Westinghouse 19" LCD Widescreen Television

LiteOn DVD Recorder/Player



Copyright 2007 Dawn L. Stewart

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 239.95
Operating System: Windows