Sony Is Great ~ When I Upgrade I Will Buy Another Sony
Written: Mar 27 '01 (Updated Mar 27 '01)
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Pros: Sony brand; .25 mm dot pitch; great color & graphic resolutions
Cons: Bulky monitor; 14" viewable screen size
The Bottom Line: If you are looking for a solid monitor that gives you great resolution and color, the Sony CPD-100ES fits the bill.
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| JDinPA's Full Review: Sony CPD 100ES CRT Monitor |
We have had our Sony Trinitron monitor for about 2 1/2 years now. The CPS-100ES is a solid monitor that has performed faithfully since day one. This Sony monitor is a winner when it comes to beautiful color rendition and sharp clear graphic displays.
The Sony CPS-100ES gives you 0.25 mm aperture grille pitch, which is regular language means that there are "more" dots of color per picture which gives you a clearer, more vibrant image. If you will notice, the great majority of monitors out there offer you 0.28 ~ which, though the number is larger, actually gives you a lesser amount of "color dots" per image. For the relatively low price of this monitor, getting better resolution is a good "trade-off" for the smaller viewable screens size.
While the 14" viewable screen size was not really an issue when we bought this monitor, 2 1/2 years later we find ourselves looking at the 17" and 20" models coming out on the market. A larger screen size is not a "must have," but we have started looking to upgrade, and when we do get our next computer and monitor, I can bet it will be one with a larger screen. Our next monitor will have to combine the larger screen with high resolution (0.25mm), and be made by Sony. At least that narrows our choices down some! lol
For resolution numbers, you are looking at a maximum of 1280 dots horizontally, and 1024 lines vertically in terms of logical resolution. For physical resolution you have 1024 dots horizontally and 678 lines vertically. Most people typically keep their resolutions set at 800 X 600, Or 640 X 480. These seem to be the numbers that fill the screen and are easiest on the eyes. Larger numbers, in terms of resolution, tend to make everything to small, and are harder on the eye to decipher.
This monitor has a tilt-swivel base so that you can adjust it at your desired angle within 180 degrees horizontally, and 20 degrees vertically. This comes in handy when you have little people through adults using the computer. When Michael, our 7 1/2 year old, or Daniel, our 5 year old, is on, they can quickly and easily adjust the monitor so that they can see it right on. When us grownup folks take a seat, it takes just a second to adjust the monitor to fit our height.
The Sony CPS-100ES weighs quite a bit all by itself ~ 30 pounds 14 ounces is no lightweight~! The monitor is on the bulky side and does take up a bit of space on the computer desk. The monitor measures out at 14 1/2" X 15 1/2" X 15 3/8". The view screen is 11 1/4" X 8 1/2" making for a 14.0" viewable screen size. Round out the numbers and measure out a 15" X 16" square on your table or desk -- that's the space this monitor will need to find itself a home with you.
The controls are all right there on the lower front of the monitor. The power button pushes in with minimal resistence. The small green light by the power button lets you know what it is on or not. The other controls on the monitor are color, geometry, size and center --- With the color button you can control the color temperature of the pictures/screen (whiter to yellower tones). The the geometry button you can adjust the "tilt" of the screen and bring it back to level if need be. The Size button lets you adjust the horizontal and vertical size of the image ~ if your screen image is too small or too large you can bring it back to fit within the confines of the monitor's viewable screen.
There are four other buttons on the front of the monitor ~ these serve dual purposes. Used in conjunction with the other controls above, you change the settings via the arrows on the buttons (Left, Right, Up, Down). Used by themselves they control the Contrast and Brightness settings.
This Sony has a Power Saving Function, which earned it an Energy Star rating. If the monitor is on, The Power Saving function will automatically put the monitor into an Active-Off state if there is no active video input going on and no signals coming for the computer. Active-Off is the 3rd step in power saving. Your monitor will go from normal operation to Standby, to Suspend, to Active-Off in that order. Recovery time is fairly quick, with 3 seconds in Standby, 3 seconds in Suspend, and 10 seconds in Active-Off (Recovery time means the time it takes the screen to "come back to live" and show you an image).
All in all, this is a great monitor that can be bought at a great price. You know I recommend Sony monitors, the CPS-100ES specifically. When I upgrade I am sticking with Sony, for Sony has proven itself to me time and time again. Sony is my first choice in monitors and computers!
If you want more information, stop by your local computer and/or electronics store. Ask for a demonstration with the models on display. Take your time ~ you'll be cybersurfing with your choice for along time to come. You can visit Sony's website at http://www.sony.com ~ Happy surfing! :o)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $250
Operating System: Windows and Macintosh
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JDinPA
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