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  YOU ARE HERE : Home > Categories > Computer Hardware > Monitors > Polyview PT-A718 17
  ProdID: 563 - Polyview PT-A718 17Manufactured byCMV Product Score: 9.5 
Polyview PT-A718 17

Price : $400 +/-
Supplier :
Available : At quality hardware retailers

Input Interface: D-SuB
Pixel Pitch: 0.264 mm
Max Resolution: 1280 x 1024 / SXGA
Display Color: 16.7 M
Brightness: 400 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio: 450:1
Viewing Angle - Horizontal: 160 degrees
Viewing Angle - Vertical: 140 degrees
Scan Rate - Horizontal: 28~82 KHz
Scan Rate - Vertical: 50~76 Hz
Display Area :340 x 272 mm
Response Time: 14 ms
Tilt Angle: 0 degrees ~ 20 degrees
Speakers: 2.5W x 2

Wall Mount: VESA Standard
Dimension (W x H x D): 387 x 408 x 204 mm
Weight: 3.5 kg (Including Stand)
Power Source : Stand-Alone AC Adapter 100~240VAC, 50/60Hz - Output: 19VDC, 3.16A
Power Consumption: 51W
Power Saving State: 3W
Features
Usable Resolutions
Reliability
Value for Money
Tucker   Review #687 - Dated: 5th of April, 2005
  Author: Tucker

I had an idea to run a dual monitor system with a switch, allowing me one monitor always on in front of the terminal, and a second monitor that could be switched to share the display output signal, or not. This would allow me to work, and not have customers leaning over the counter in order to see the job in progress. This little rig was missing only one thing... a second screen.

So, off to my friendly local hardware retailer for a new monitor. He suggested this one as it was a good monitor, had built-in speakers, a good reputation and was at a particularly good price. So I walked off with this surprisingly light box. Upon arrival back at the office, I unpacked it, set it up, and spent over an hour hunting for the driver software CD. No sign of it. "Ah well," thinks me, "I can just download it I guess." But the manufacturer's website had no download section at all! Gasp Shock Horror!

After much hum'ing and har'ing, I plugged it all in, switched it on and prayed I wouldn't smell smoke. My faith was rewarded with a distinct lack of sparks, smoke or strange fizzing noises. Silence never sounded so good. :)

Running Windows 2000 Pro on the main workstation showed me that the monitor had some funky advanced new stuff that registered itself as a "Plug 'n' Play Monitor" and away it went, no hassles at all! The installation had been as easy as clip the base and screen together, attach 3 cables, and power up! What really impressed me was how easy it was to calibrate the screen... the press of a single button marked 'TURBO' does it all for you! But the die-hard hardware junkies will find a very comprehensive (but somewhat awkward) menu system available as well.

To test... I slammed this monitor through a series of graphics applications (such as Photoshop, Zoo Tycoon 2, and a few DVD movies) and could find no major faults with it, though the speakers are a bit on the tinny side. So I unplugged the speaker cable and will keep it purely as a visual display unit only. (My surround sound speakers do a MUCH better job of handling the sounds.)

The space-saving on the desk was remarkable, and commented on by all who noticed it. I now have room to leave clutter untouched for a month before I am forced to tidy up. -rofl- The stylish look of the black-&-silver is also a good thing in my book, as it lends a more modern look than a clunky CRT screen... which should be reclassified as a SWB, (Small Windowless Building).

Overall, quite an impressive unit, well worth the purchase price and is a mighty strong option in the face of the bigger 'brand-name' units that you find floating around at the $600-$1200 price range. I was so impressed, I went and bought another one for home! :) However, be aware that if you are (heaven forbid) still running Windows ME or an earlier version, you will find the plug'n'play configuration will glitch, and you will be CONSTANTLY prompted for the non-existant driver disc on every reboot. Time to upgrade kiddies, no-one supports Pre-2000 O/S's any more so pull finger and upgrade today.


User Comments
Anonaussie
Yeah, it's good value and all, but it doesn't half have screwed up ideas about how to display images. I plug it into my XP system and it's like I'm on an acid trip! Hyper-Bright and Hyper-Contrast.... fiddles around for a while, couldn't get it exact. THen i started playing around with my graphics card's colour correction settings... I get it ALMOST acceptible, but even so, it had rendered this computer worthless for the Photoshop work that this PC is intended to be used for. I open the saved image on my laptop and it looks much darker and more contrasty than on the LCD. I've plugged it into the laptop, too, and I still can't balance everything quite right.

Another thing....how the hell do I get the support thing for the stand off the back? I want to VESA mount mine to the wall above my desk, but it seems stupid if there's no wasy to stop the stand sticking out underneath it....

 

Printed at 07:53:17pm on Friday 29th March 2024