Best 19" Gaming LCD - There's a new sherriff in Town: Viewsonic 8ms VP191B

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BeakerChem

Senior member
May 11, 2005
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TechDepot offers the Viewsonic VP191b with a no-questions asked 15 day return policy, but you pay shipping each way each time you exchange (~ 36 for a 2-way process)

Hmm...
 

Zoso04

Junior Member
May 28, 2005
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Well I bit the bullet and bought this online from Newegg and should get it by Thursday next week. The price was 425.00 with 1 dollar shipping couldn't pass it up. I have had a 19" Nokia for 8 years now with no problems. Starting about a month ago it started to lose video for a second then would come back. After swapping monitors with my friend the problem followed the monitor.

For the last last month I have done some research for I wanted a LCD that I could use for gaming. I was still undecided until this thread caught my eye. I then started the search for this monitor in my area but no luck except for Office Depot but they wanted 550.00 and that was to much. Well this weekend Newegg put up the dollar shipping along with another great review from Tom's Hardware I went ahead with purchase. I will post back after I get monitor to let you know what I think its my first LCD.
 

lmaro

Junior Member
May 28, 2005
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I have a few questions I'd like answered about the VP191B before I risk losing $90 on newegg.
1) Does the brightness adjust actually change the power of the backlight, or does it modify the pixel values?
2) Is the contrast "normal" at 100%, and pixels values adjusted when lower?
3) How often do you see the "sparkling" effect from the OverDrive feature?
4) Do the buttons on the monitor allow changing brightness quickly, without digging through the OSD menu?

5) When you set the brightness to 0%, how dim is the monitor? I like my monitor slightly brighter than a piece of paper in a normally-lit room, which is pretty dim compared to most people, who set their LCDs blindingly-bright.

Thanks!
 

TheDoctor953

Junior Member
Jul 22, 2004
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Good luck in getting your answers. I asked only one question two days ago and haven't heard an answer yet.
 

Black Mamba

Junior Member
May 30, 2005
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hi all vp191b users... could you give me some advice on the following pls? thanks dudes...

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/di...ewsonic-08.html

http://www.behardware.com/articles/563/page3.html

these 2 reviews say that the overdrive technology causes tracking images against shaded backgrounds to 'sparkle' and 'video noise'... would this be an issue? damn it... the vp191b is so close to being perfect.... seriously considering this man.

can users comment on this issue regarding the dvd playback issues on the near perfect lcd?
 

Black Mamba

Junior Member
May 30, 2005
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lmaro

Junior Member
May 28, 2005
22
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OK, I ordered it just for kicks. I'll post some info on the hard|Forum thread once I get it.
 

darrena

Junior Member
May 22, 2005
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Could someone with this monitor answer a question for me? Are you able to switch between the Analog and Digital inputs from a single button on the monitor or do you have to go into the on-screen menu?
 

xtknight

Elite Member
Oct 15, 2004
12,974
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All monitors with the overdrive feature will have noise from overvoltage and the inconsistencies of pixel fall time. The Tom's Hardware review explains this problem. I'd rather have an MVA panel that didn't have this noise...it seems its just a new kind of annoyance spawned by lowering response time. I'd rather have motion blur than this noise, I think. I haven't seen this monitor yet, though.
 

ackle55069

Junior Member
May 27, 2005
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Well I get mine on Friday so I'll report in the questions and give my impressions (hopefully good ones!). The only part I'm nervous about is getting obvious and annoying dead or stuck pixels with their 8+ dead pixel return policy.

 

ptjoshua

Junior Member
Jun 2, 2005
16
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I just got my Vp191b today. Great picture, brilliant colors....but, I do notice a good deal of ghosting. Anybody else with this LCD notice this problem. It's almost like I got an older one (16 or 20ms) but the box has the 8ms sticker on it. I bought it from newegg so I don't think thier rippin anybody off.
 

t0pher

Junior Member
Jun 10, 2002
13
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Originally posted by: ptjoshua
I just got my Vp191b today. Great picture, brilliant colors....but, I do notice a good deal of ghosting. Anybody else with this LCD notice this problem. It's almost like I got an older one (16 or 20ms) but the box has the 8ms sticker on it. I bought it from newegg so I don't think thier rippin anybody off.
What's your serial number?

Recall this post:

Originally posted by: Rudee

The new 8ms screens can be identified via the following example:

Sample serial number: A1W050420001
The 05 refers to the year, 04 refers to the week this screen was produced.
Anything newer than 2005 week 4, will be 8ms; anything older will be 16ms.
 

lmaro

Junior Member
May 28, 2005
22
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I'm using DVI @ 70hz, and the monitor shows very little ghosting at all (it's the 8ms). The serial says year 05, week 14 on mine.
 

ptjoshua

Junior Member
Jun 2, 2005
16
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Thanks for the tip. My serial says 05 week 14 too. Is it safe to push it to 75hz on DVI. The manuel says its good up til 75 but my setting menu finds 70hz to be the max when I select "hide modes that this monitor cannot display". I have a hyundai l90d+ on my other system and I have to admit it performs better in games, as far as my untrained eyes can tell. Don't get me wrong the color on the vp191b is much better, but I get a little dizzy when I use it now. Any advice?
 

lmaro

Junior Member
May 28, 2005
22
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I tried all of 60/70/75hz DVI and it ran fine. Check all of 60/70/75 and find which one has least flicker and ghosting.
 

Zoso04

Junior Member
May 28, 2005
9
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I got mine Thursday and so far I love this monitor. I run mine at the native res and 60hz which the guide says is the best. I have played Half Life 2, Doom 3, World of Warcraft and they all run great. I have not noticed any ghosting with these games. The color and clarity is just amazing with this LCD I could never go back to my CRT now.

On another note I installed this pivot software does anyone have a reason I would need this?
 

Kipa

Member
Nov 12, 2002
64
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Two weeks later and I am still loving this monitor. I have noticed small amounts of ghosting (during fast sequences in FPS games), but really only because I was looking for it. I also noticed some of the "ghosting-like" blurs caused by the overdrive technology, but both are quite minor, and are very much within my tolerances.

I would absolutely would not describe it as "a good deal of ghosting" as ptjoshua describes above. It's there, but compared to anything on the shelves 6 months ago, very much reduced.

xtknight - I hear what you're saying with the overdrive technology, and if you can live with the ghosting, definately get a VA (or IPS) panel without overdrive. I don't think this effect is that bad at all, and this combination was a great compromise - which is what you have to do if you want one, all-purpose LCD.

Kipa
 

lmaro

Junior Member
May 28, 2005
22
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My experience is the exact same as Kipa. You'll usually only notice ghosting when you're looking for it.
 

ackle55069

Junior Member
May 27, 2005
8
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It definitely does smear/ghost. But it's better than my 2005FPW...barely... Now the question is if I want widescreen more or just barely better response.
 

aldente

Member
Aug 25, 2002
44
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I am thinking about getting this LCD. Will my ATI Radeon 9700 non-pro be able to handle the native resolution? I play doom3.
 

t0pher

Junior Member
Jun 10, 2002
13
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Originally posted by: aldente
I am thinking about getting this LCD. Will my ATI Radeon 9700 non-pro be able to handle the native resolution? I play doom3.

Doom 3 on a 9700 at 1280 x 1024? Probably not.