DEAD DEAL: DELL UltraSharp 2000FP 20-inch Flat Panel LCD Monitor for $799 or lower...

[VBboy]

This monitor has serious color banding. It is unable to display smooth and even color gradients (e.g. going from light blue to dark blue). As such, it will not be a good monitor for desktop publishing or games that run in 32-bit color (unless all you play is FPS). Additionally, black color is not black at all but is rather a milky black. This is extremely annoying in DVDs, games, and general work. I bought one, then got a replacement, and ended up returning both.

 

[AWEstun]

I have a question about the OSD. The up arrow button is for brightness and supposedly the down arrow button is for contrast. Though when I press the down arrow button it brings up the same OSD menu brightness/contrast with brightness highlighted, just as if I pressed the uparrow button. I have the monitor connected digitially if that matters.

shelbY

 

[future]

VBboy, I have to agree on color banding issue as well as lack of pure black.
These two might make me return the monitor.

 

[MontyBurns]

VBoy: I couldn't disagree with you more. I have absolutely smooth color gradients (that are particularly rich and vibrant.)

Sounds like your problems had more to do with your video card combination. For whatever reason, my monitor doesn't do any of that.

 

[mchammer187]

Originally posted by: MontyBurns
VBoy: I couldn't disagree with you more. I have absolutely smooth color gradients (that are particularly rich and vibrant.)

Sounds like your problems had more to do with your video card combination. For whatever reason, my monitor doesn't do any of that.

i agree the color gradient has been perfect IMO

 

[AWEstun]

I ran the Nokia monitor test on it and everything was _EXCELLENT_. BTW, I'm using an ATI all-in-wonder 64 8500DV for a digital connection.

shelbY

 

[pelly]

I just got back from a trip and saw that I had missed the huge deal of the 200FP.....Do you think there's any way I could somehow get in on the deal even though I missed it? I know Dell Home has the monitor for $899 right now....but that's nowhere near as good as the $749 it was a few days ago!

Any suggestions?

 

[future]

Ok, guys, here is a simple test
look at this picture made in photoshop using gradient tool on FP2000 and on CRT monitor:
picture
Report here

 

[mchammer187]

Originally posted by: future
Ok, guys, here is a simple test
look at this picture made in photoshop using gradient tool on FP2000 and on CRT monitor:
picture
Report here

i see it a do see a little color banding but its not enough to cause a problem for me

 

[boa]

I can see some banding (currently using analog video). I don't think it will be a problem.

Two Questions:
1) Is this a problem with all LCDs or just this one?

2)

Originally posted by: VBboy
... As such, it will not be a good monitor for desktop publishing or games that run in 32-bit color (unless all you play is FPS). ...

I have always been under the impression that there is not another game type that stresses video as much as FPS games. For example that is the only viewpoint shown in madonion's 3dmark. Please explain.

 

[boa]

bump

 

[STiSev]

Do you guys think this deal will popup again before Christmas?

 

[IgoByte]

Colors look fine to me. The picture is better on my CRT (Sony GDM-FW900), but I certainly don't find it annoying to look at this one.

 

[JJd]

Originally posted by: future
Ok, guys, here is a simple test
look at this picture made in photoshop using gradient tool on FP2000 and on CRT monitor:
picture
Report here

Can I send an email to one of you that know what to look for of what I see in this banding test-screen? That way you could tell me how mine looks... BTW, what am I looking for?

 

[a2k]

It's... (wiping a tear from my eye)... beautiful.

No banding, no ghosting, the gradient made by future looks just as good on the 2000FP as it did on my viewsonic 19" CRT. My only issue is if I turn the brightness down low (<50) it starts to get grainy.

-a2k

"You're in love with your computer, aren't you?" - my landlord, as I rushed down to her office to pick up the monitor this morning.

 

[Ketteringo]

Originally posted by: pelly
I just got back from a trip and saw that I had missed the huge deal of the 200FP.....Do you think there's any way I could somehow get in on the deal even though I missed it? I know Dell Home has the monitor for $899 right now....but that's nowhere near as good as the $749 it was a few days ago!

Any suggestions?

eBay Like a bazillion people bought these to sell on ebay, you can prolly get one for $800 shipped.

 

[NeBaWONG]

i still like the 1900FP better, looks wise. The 2000FP has the ultra fat bezel, while the 1900FP has the ultra thin bezel. I personally like thin better than fat...

 

[a2k]

Originally posted by: NeBaWONG
i still like the 1900FP better, looks wise. The 2000FP has the ultra fat bezel, while the 1900FP has the ultra thin bezel. I personally like thin better than fat...

Yeah, the big advantage I see of LCD's - size - isn't all that much of an advantage with the 2000FP. This thing ain't small. It has about the same footprint as the Viewsonic 19", and I only gain a few inches of desk space... but they are a few precious inches. And it is 20" viewable, after all.

Now... what to do about that big silver dell button on the bottom of this thing? Any ideas?

 

[Purgatory-Z]

Originally posted by: a2k

Originally posted by: NeBaWONG
i still like the 1900FP better, looks wise. The 2000FP has the ultra fat bezel, while the 1900FP has the ultra thin bezel. I personally like thin better than fat...

Yeah, the big advantage I see of LCD's - size - isn't all that much of an advantage with the 2000FP. This thing ain't small. It has about the same footprint as the Viewsonic 19", and I only gain a few inches of desk space... but they are a few precious inches. And it is 20" viewable, after all.

Now... what to do about that big silver dell button on the bottom of this thing? Any ideas?

I'd prefer the Fat 2000FP with good all around performance to the absolutely terrible ghosting problems of a thin 1900FP. Read arstechnica forums for a detailed discussion of why to avoid the 1900FP, regardless of looks/price.

 

[cdc2000]

Someone help me out here. I ordered 2 of the 19" monitors, and 2 of the 20" ones. I only plan on keeping one set. I want to use them in dual monitor configuration, mainly for programming work, and occasional gaming. I like the higher resolution of the 20", but the bezel concerns me for use as a dual monitor setup. Any thoughts?

 

[Purgatory-Z]

Originally posted by: cdc2000
Someone help me out here. I ordered 2 of the 19" monitors, and 2 of the 20" ones. I only plan on keeping one set. I want to use them in dual monitor configuration, mainly for programming work, and occasional gaming. I like the higher resolution of the 20", but the bezel concerns me for use as a dual monitor setup. Any thoughts?

I'd take 2 19's over 2 20's if I were just going to program with duals. Thin bezel can't be beat in that circumstance. However, the 18 also has a thin bezel and much better gaming performance than the 19. You might want to check that out. However, the 18 is BGR striped instead of RGB, which causes some problems with cleartype fonts. Microsoft is working on a fix to that and have already released a new clearfont config in WINXPSP1 that slightly helps.

 

[corinthos]

what's up with the color banding on this monitor ?

 

[sngryng]

something that many of you have probably noticed already.. but for those of you still using vga connection:

there is HUGE improvement in going to DVI input vs. VGA input. everything is much, much crisper, and the colours look better too.

i had it connected via vga at first, then switched to get an idea, and it was like night and day!

 

[RLE]

You still get the colour banding with DVI though. It doesn't bother me though and I'd rather have a bit of banding instead of trails and other problems other lcd's have. This is still an amazing monitor. Now if I could just figure out why my Radeon 9700 Pro produces all these little green speckles in 1600x1200x32 mode in some games...

 

[Wei2Cool]

Originally posted by: RLE
You still get the colour banding with DVI though. It doesn't bother me though and I'd rather have a bit of banding instead of trails and other problems other lcd's have. This is still an amazing monitor. Now if I could just figure out why my Radeon 9700 Pro produces all these little green speckles in 1600x1200x32 mode in some games...

I noticed that too with my PNY GF4 Ti-4200 64M on this monitor when runing GAT3 at 1600x1200x32, at first I thought it was a problem with the video card, now it looks more like a problem related to the monitor.