Viewsonic VP191 (8ms Gray-to-Gray) Reviewed

[Spacecomber]

I've been curious to see how these "overdrive" VA panels would hold up versus TN and IPS panels when it comes to games. In theory, the VA panels should offer the best contrast and 16.7M true colors, but they've always had trouble with response time issues. This "overdrive" circuitry looks like a trick that might make them a reasonable alternative to TN and IPS, for folks looking for a screen they can play games and watch movies on.

ViewSonic Overdrive LCDs: A New Era of Very Fast Panels?

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[Spacecomber]

Sorry, I overlooked this previous forum thread that covers the VP191 when I posted about Tom's review of this monitor.

Just to add something to the discussion, keep in mind when you see these gray to gray response times that the marketing boys are back at work. While traditionally response times have been for a complete cycle, from black to white and back to black (ie, rise and fall times), these gray to gray times are only the rise times or half a cycle. In other words, when you see 8ms grey to grey, read 16ms, since the fall time is about the same for these measurements on these monitors.

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[VIAN]

I also remember reading that it was bad for movies, but good for everthing else.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: VIAN
I also remember reading that it was bad for movies, but good for everthing else.

That's because the overvoltage of overdrive also causes some noise in the panel.

 

[Spacecomber]

I think that saying they are bad for movies is an overstatement. LCDs continue to be a world of compromises. One of the side-effects of the overdrive technology is that you can get some video noise. In going from one shade to another similar shade, the overdrive technology overshoots its final goal before settling in on it. Apparently, this can cause some so-called sparkles. Whether this is be a big enough defect to be a problem will no doubt vary among the different LCD models using this technology and of course the movie you're watching. (Video formats with dithering and lots of compression apparently accentuate this.)

In any case, I don't think it is a fatal flaw that rules out these monitors for use with DVDs, for example. It just seems like more of the same, insofar as no LCD is equally good for all computer uses. They all have their strengths and weaknesses that need to be taken into account and compared to how you use your computer the most. These VA panels with overdrive sound like a reasonable attempt at building an all-around LCD monitor, perhaps rivaling the IPS panels in this regard.

Tom's review discusses the drawbacks to overdrive, and people who have purchased this monitor talk about their experiences in the other thread that I linked to above. That other thread also points you to a Hard Forum thread where there is more discussion by some folks who have bought this monitor.

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