High Quality - - High Price
Written: Jul 13 '01 (Updated Aug 13 '01)
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Pros: Crisp, flicker-free picture, small footprint, great interface, adjustable, 3 yr. Warranty
Cons: AG wires occasionally visible against white backgrounds, tube can be a little dark, pricey
The Bottom Line: You get what you pay for on this beaut, crisp picture, high resolution and adjustability to boot, all backed by a 3 year warranty.
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| trustedun's Full Review: Sony CPD-E210 17 inch CRT Monitor |
I’ve always been of the opinion that Sony has practically perfected the art of picture tube production. Continually a pioneer in this field, their patented Triniton tubes, combined with their aperture grille technology, serve to produce the most beautiful images ever seen on a screen. Both are present in spades in this model.
It ain't all Roses...(But Pretty Dang Close)
Before you think me biased, I’ll get a couple of really tiny gripes out of the way.
The same aperture grille technology that allows for that magnificent .24mm pitch leaves two faint horizontal lines, each about 2” from the top and bottom. However, these wires are really only visible when looking at lighter backgrounds, and I easily forgot about them after a week of use or when gaming. Also, you’ll pay for quality, this beauty lists for $349.
Never Seen Monsters Explode so Beautifully
Finally, after using this monitor for gaming, I decided the picture could have a tendency to be a little dark depending on the environment. If you’re using this little guy for any serious dungeon crawling, you’ll probably want to close the blinds or fiddle with the controls.
But these flaws only generated mild grumbling on my part. I use my monitor for gaming, desktop apps, and watching DVD’s, and for each of these uses it simply rules. I always get great contrast on the desktop, really clear picture for DVD’s and great resolution for gaming. This is an excellent all around monitor for the user who wants to do it all.
In This Case, Flat is Good!
This was my first flat CRT experience, and after using a flat monitor I’ll never go back to the traditional style. No glare, no distortion in the corners and the flat style almost seems to make the viewable screen seem even larger than its listed 16”. The default resolution is 75hz, which makes for a rock solid picture not seen in cheaper monitors. No flicker whatsoever, simply beautiful. Resolution goes all the way up to 1600 X 1200, great for gamers, but way higher than my PII could ever support.
I use a traditional rounded Dell 17” screen eight hours a day at work, and I can really feel my eyes straining after prolonged usage. This is something I never notice while using my flat screen Sony home. Might have to talk to the boss about that…
Tweak to Your Desire
Adjustments to the monitor are made using a single rounded knob near the bottom of the monitor. Brightness and contrast can be adjusted with a single push, but pushing the center of the large button opens up a deeper menu system in which you can adjust all the nitty-gritty stuff. It’s a really ingenious way to take care of the controls, which leaves the front of the monitor looking simple and clean.
The menu system on this monitor brings with it all tweakability any serious user could desire. Shift the screen, deviate the colors, or play with a host of other features. (I don’t know why anyone would ever need to mess with half the stuff they include, but it’s there, just in case.) Also beneficial is a branching in-depth help menu, which I found to be particularly useful while configuring my monitor.
Mmm...Warrantylishus...
Sony also includes a three-year manufacturer warranty, which is good considering the price…very comforting indeed.
Sony=Muy Bien
All in all, this little beauty drips Sony quality from every orifice. Anyone willing to plunk down the steep entry fee will get a reliable component that’ll be not only the envy of friends and family, but will be stand as the crowning jewel of their desktop for years to come.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 329
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
trustedun
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Location: Orygun
Reviews written: 21
Trusted by: 10 members
About Me:
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