Proview 17

About a month ago, I bought a new computer from PC World. I had been meaning to do this for quite a while but for one reason or another never got round to it...My old computer, which I bought in 2000, had become riddled with problems and was causing me more trouble than it was worth, so it was definitely time to invest in a new one. As with most PC package deals, I got the keyboard, mouse and monitor all thrown in with the overall price. The package included a Proview 17" TFT LCD monitor and this is what I shall be reviewing today.

○ LOOK & DESIGN ○

As you would expect, the Proview LCD monitor is one of the new breed of flat screen monitors. The one that came with my PC is a 17" model, but 15" and 19" models are also available. As the picture above shows, it looks sleek and very stylish with its silver frame and base stand, and is incredibly compact. When I compare it with my previous monitor, I find it hard to draw any similarities. You see, my old CRT monitor was absolutely huge in comparison! Its bulkiness and size meant that it took up a heck of a lot of space on the desktop and was quite unsightly.

○ INSTALLATION ○

In the box you get the monitor itself, the base unit, an AC power cord, a signal cable and a user manual. Setting up the monitor is very easy indeed. First, you need to attach the stand/pedestal to the monitor. Then you can start connecting the monitor to the computer. To do this, there are a few simple steps which you should follow:

1) Turn off your computer and unplug the power cable;
2) Connect the power cable to the power jack on the rear of the monitor;
3) Plug the power cable into the mains;
4) Plug the signal cable from the monitor into the computer;
5) Turn on the computer and monitor and fingers crossed everything should work! If you have MS Windows, the computer should automatically recognize the connection of the monitor and select the appropriate display resolution.

○ FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES ○

There are five buttons on the front of the monitor, the most important of which is the Menu button. If you press this, a menu pops up on the screen. This is called the On Screen Display or OSD Menu and it is this that allows you make adjustments on the monitor. Simply use the Up and Down buttons to flick between the different options on the menu and then click the Menu button to initiate the changes. I won't take you through each and every one of its many functions because you would probably fall asleep with boredom, but here is a brief overview of the main functions:

* Language - this allows you to choose another language.

* Colour Select - this gives you a choice of options, ranging from the modification of the main primary colours right through to the options 'warm' and 'cool' which make subtle changes to the screen background.

* Contrast - this adjusts the image brightness in relation to its background.

* Brightness - this adjusts both the brightness of the on screen image and its background.

Whilst the Up and Down buttons are primarily used for navigating your way through the options on the main OSD menu, they have another function as well. They can also be used for adjusting the volume on the monitor. You simply click on the Up button to increase the volume and the Down button to decrease the volume. What could be easier....?

○ PICTURE QUALITY ○

The best thing about the Proview 17" is the superior picture quality. It boasts a native resolution of 1280 x 1024, which works out at an amazing 1 310 720 pixels! Incredibly, each individual pixel also consists of three red, green and blue subpixels, so overall there are around 4 million dots in total. This ensures images are much sharper and crisper overall than those of conventional LCDs. The facility to change brightness and contrast ratios also ensures sharper overall imaging.

Another important feature of this monitor is that it offers flicker-free imaging. This helps reduce unnecessary eyestrain which is great if you use the monitor for long periods of time.

○ SOUND ○

Whilst picture quality is excellent, sound quality isn't quite as good and this is mainly due to the built-in speakers. I have found that they lack the power to be able to project sounds with any real clarity. As a result, sounds are not always as clear and defined as perhaps they should be. Sadly, this is often the case when you listen to music or play DVDs etc.

○ MY THOUGHTS ○

Despite the sound quality issue outlined above, my overall opinion of the Proview 17" LCD monitor is resoundingly positive. I am particularly impressed by the picture quality and colour sensitivity of this model. The 17" screen is big enough for most PC users and the speed at which the screen refreshes is second to none. To summarise, here are the main advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

- Excellent picture quality;
- Flicker-free;
- Attractive design.

Disadvantages:

- Sound quality is not the best;
- Quite expensive;
- The user manual could be more comprehensive.○ SPECIFICATION ○

• Microprocessor with On Screen Display control
• Universal power supply (100-240 Vac, 50/60 Hz, 1.0 A)
• Compatible with MS Windows 95/98/2000/ME/XP & VESA Display Data channel (DDC) 1/2B compatible
• Safety Model no.: 15" (500P), 17" (700P), 19" (900P)

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Price: around £150 if bought individually.
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