NEC - MultiSync LCD2690WUXi
The NEC MultiSync 2690WUXi has a nominal size of 26 inches and, even though the true diagonal measurement is a mere 25.5 inches, this is still a very large TFT display.
The resolution is also huge at 1,920 x 1,200 pixels, so the NEC is capable of displaying 1080 HD TV. However, that isn’t what this display is about. There are no HDMI or Component inputs but instead you get one DVI-I, one DVI-D and one VGA connector. In the box you get a DVI-to-DVI cable plus a DVI-to-VGA cable.
If you choose you can connect three input devices simultaneously - two PCs and a laptop would fit the bill - and then switch from one input to another. This may sound like an odd course of action, but the NEC monitor is very expensive and is unlikely to end up on every desk in the office, so you can expect it to be a shared resource within a workgroup.
Tagged Under : HDMI, LCD, LCD2690WUXi, multisync, Nec, TFT
LG - L1960TR
The L1960TR is a stylish 19-inch flat screen monitor. Resplendent in deep black, and sat atop a stand featuring a polished marble-style finish, it certainly impresses straight out of the box. It’s easy to set up, slotting into the stand and locking in one simple move, and cable tidies are provided at the back to keep everything nice and neat.
The monitor’s controls are cleverly tucked away on the side of the screen - although the buttons are a touch stiff - and even the on-off switch is unobtrusive, simply being a touch-sensitive spot at the base of the panel which is pressed with a mere brush of the finger. If we had to choose one word to sum up the overall design, it would have to be “slick”. The build quality is very solid and the panel tilts up to 20 degrees backwards on the stand (or 5 degrees forwards, should you wish).
Turning the monitor on, the first thing you’ll reach for is your sunglasses. For some reason, the brightness is set to 100 percent by default, so that needs to be turned down to a more palatable level pretty sharpish. The L1960 doesn’t come with any calibration software, just a basic driver and an even more basic pidgin English PDF manual. Luckily, it’s all simple enough to figure out, and the picture is excellent once you’ve adjusted the brightness and contrast down somewhat.
The display is crisp and clean under Windows, but fire up a 3D shooter and the monitor’s 2ms response time really shines, with no ghosting detectable. The L1960 produces some gorgeously rich colours and bold blacks (it also boasts an impressive 3,000:1 contrast ratio), and we were further pleased to find there were no dead pixels on our review model. However, there are a couple of weaknesses with the picture.
Firstly, the L1960 suffers from a touch of backlight bleed-through at the extremes of the screen. Also, the viewing angle isn’t the strongest we’ve seen, particularly in the vertical plane. However, neither of these are big enough issues that they impacted our enjoyment of the monitor’s rich colours.
A final mention goes to LG’s Flatron F-Engine technology, a range of enhanced display modes for text viewing, movie watching and gaming, plus there’s one that’s user definable. We weren’t hugely impressed with the default settings, but we found when fiddling with the user definable mode we could add a more vivid edge to the colours in games, which was an added bonus.(itreviews.co.uk)
Tagged Under : Flatron, LCD, LG, LG - L1960TR, Monitor, pixel
Sony - PlayStation 3 review
To be fair to Sony, the actual hardware was never really going to be in much doubt. And after your first few hours in the company of the PlayStation 3, you’re likely to be impressed.
Several initial thoughts went through this reviewer’s head. Firstly, the machine’s really quite heavy. Secondly, aesthetically, it’s really quite smart. And thirdly, and surprisingly, is that given the immense processing grunt under its glossy, buffed-up exterior, it’s very quiet in operation. It certainly puts the Xbox 360 in the shade in that department.
When we switched on for the first time, following as simple a connection procedure as you’d expect with a games console, we signed up for the PlayStation Network and downloaded an advised, albeit not compulsory, update. This involved us getting the machine online, which was thankfully straightforward. A built-in wireless receiver or the Ethernet port at the back are your two choices, and we tried both, finding the machine adapted to either at breakneck speed.
The download and application of the upgrade took care of the first five minutes or so, but eventually we got to spend some time with the browser interface. This bears striking similarities to the one Sony employed with the PSP, and given that the two machines have a degree of interoperability, that’s perhaps unsurprising.
It was interesting to note, going through the menu, just how Sony has made it easy to support elements you’d usually not expect it to be so welcoming of. The option for an OS install took us aback, and we were pleased to see the Folding@Home client built in too. But on top of that, the likes of keyboards, mice, Web-cams and such like - all of which can hook up via the assorted USB ports - are very easy to add. (more…)
Tagged Under : Arcade, Blu-ray, Console, games, Playstation, PS2, PS3, Sony, USB, Web cams
Microsoft - Xbox 360 Elite
The enhanced version of Microsoft’s successful gaming console has to realistically be marked down as a missed opportunity. On one hand it’s undoubtedly a powerful beast, and better equipped to go toe-to-toe with Sony’s Playstation 3 machine. But on the other, there was a real chance to seize the initiative here, one that Microsoft appears to have squandered.
The machine itself, to all intents and purposes, is an Xbox 360 with some welcome additions. Over the Premium version of the console, the Elite sports a 120GB hard drive compared with a 20GB device (comparing favourably to the PS3’s 60GB), and there’s an HDMI port on the back of the machine to allow easy and proper support of 1080p output (a connection that was picked up and optimised immediately when we hooked it up to our 52-inch 1080p test screen). Finished off in smart black, the list of enhancements stops right about there. (more…)
Tagged Under : Console, Elite, HD, HDMI, Microsoft, PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360
Canon EOS 40D
You’ve got to the stage in your photographic development where you’ve outgrown the teenage point-‘n’-shoot crowd and have maybe thought seriously about composing shots where you have more say in the settings, effects and lighting conditions. You might even be thinking about stepping up to pro status, but are nervous about spending thousands of pounds on high-end SLRs that might prove just too complex.
The best compromise is to head for a sturdy, semi-pro DSLR which will still have some features that remind you of what’s important, and where you can switch to auto when you’re in doubt, whilst still giving you much more control. This is where Canon’s eagerly awaited replacement for the EOS 30D comes into its own. (more…)