Samsung 730B

[mode101wpb]

I just purchased a Samsung 730B after an exhaustive decision making process, this is my first LCD an I was split between this one and the 19" 930B. I went with the 730B due to price and felt the 930B was too big for my small desk.

So far I like the monitor, haven't really fully used it yet. I have noticed that with the native resolution set, the text is too small, tried the 120 DPI setting and the text is too thin. I use Firefox to browse the net and I can't seem to get it set-up correctly so that I'm using all the viewable space, either the text is too thin or too bold and there is alot of empty space when viewing webpages.

When I try to go below the native resolution in order to fit the text on the screen, the quality is subpar. I use a 19" CRT at work and have the resolution set at 1024 X 768 and have no issues with text quality.

Can anyone suggest some solutions? I'm wondering if the 19" would have been better as far as utilizing the native resolution without losing text size?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

19" LCDs are nice. I haven't tried teh 730B, but I've gone through 2 x 930Bs. I hate them both. I'm done with TN panels. I'm using a Viewsonic VP191b now and it blows the Samsung panel away. I find the 930B too bright and it hurts the eyes. Colors are washed out, and its a horrible panel for day to day use (execpt gaming).

You will ALWAYS have to run at native resolution (19" or 17" or anything) for best quality. Any lower resolution will utilize scaling on an LCD which is not good. This isn't a CRT where you can mess around with resolution and be fine...

 

[VIAN]

19in would have been better if you can't stand that small text size.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

17" on 1024x768 is the same as 19" on 1280x1024

 

[mode101wpb]

The 730B is very bright as well and it sounds like the 930B as issues. I'm so use to looking at a CRT, I wonder if I'll ever be happy with a LCD? I was hoping I could tweek it and get it where it looked good but at the native resolution there is tons of empty space not being utilized, especially when browsing with Firefox.

 

[nealh]

Hmm...yes the Samsung 930B is "bright"...lower the contrast and brightness settings

The text is very sharp and clear

I have an Envision 9110 25ms panel couple years old now(almost)..not as bright as the 930B

I love the 930B

I found all monitors(CRT/LCD) are too bright for me...I just lower the settings to my liking


The best LCD panel I have found period is on my Fujistu N5010 laptop...but I set the brightness to almost the lowest setting


BTW if you do a search on the 930B you will find people who love it and others hate...there is a great thread on it

I think you will many more who love the 930B than hate it...sometimes expectations are bit high

I got a Princeton VL1918 at costco first....numerous dead pixel and it was not user friendly on seetings..could not get a comfortable setup..it went back and I got the 930B....
Tinker with the 730B..you will get it they way you want

Does the 730B have preset settings...eg text...try this...this lowered contrast and brightness to better level..I still lowered it more for my liking

 

[Josh7289]

Yes, the 730B does have preset (MagicBright) settings, like text, etc. The reason for the empty space is simply the higher resolution that you're not used to: 1280 x 1024 vs. 1024 x 768. The smaller text is also simply because the pixel size on a 17" monitor with a 1280 x 1024 resolution is smaller than on a 19" monitor with 1024 x 768 resolution.

 

[mode101wpb]

I installed the Monitor Matters Check Screen from Meko and ran some of the tests, no issues but I had to adjust the contrast which really helped. I also read elsewhere on this site that it's recommended to install Microsoft Clear Type, I'll have to give that a try as well.

 

[mode101wpb]

Well I activated Clear Type, don't know I can't say it's any better. Text looks smudged on default, I think this will take some time to get right. Anyone have any suggestions for setting up Clear Type?

 

[evaD]

mode101wpb - Stick with the 730b and keep playing with it.

The ClearType option - it's either on or off. If you have XP, you turn
it on by going to Display->Appearance->Effects. There are a couple of
dropdown lists - one gives you a choice of standard or ClearType.

Instead of 120DPI, try going to the custom settings and setting it for 122%
(When you go to 120 DPI I think that's 125% and you're right the text is a bit
much at that level. Try the 122% setting - its bigger than what you have now,
and not as bold as 120 DPI).

I love this monitor. For surfing the net with FireFox, I find that I have to
use Ctrl + to increase the type one size.

 

[jiffylube1024]

Originally posted by: mode101wpb
The 730B is very bright as well and it sounds like the 930B as issues. I'm so use to looking at a CRT, I wonder if I'll ever be happy with a LCD? I was hoping I could tweek it and get it where it looked good but at the native resolution there is tons of empty space not being utilized, especially when browsing with Firefox.

Try doing this in Firefox: when browsing a website, hold Ctrl and scroll the mouse wheel up and down. This will adjust your text size.

That should help you filling the screen however you like.

Also, stick to the native resolution of the LCD: 1280X1024. If you really must, switch to 120DPI mode. Use the monitor for a month or so, and I can pretty much guarantee you will get used to the brightness and contrast (it does take a while on these super bright Samsungs though; I've also got the 730B and it's even brighter than my Samsung 710T). Drop the brightness a lot in the monitor settings and it should help you to adjust faster.

 

[mode101wpb]

I'll give those tips a try, as it stands now I don't want to replace it since it means spending more money in the end to get a 19" $100+ at least as I paid $249.99 for the 730B at Staples after rebate. I would rather take the extra $100 and put it towards something else + I'm tired of over analyzing monitors.

 

[evaD]

Trust me - you'll like the 730b after you get used to it and learn to adjust it the way you like.