Mercata Compaq 19' monitor MV920 only $150 shipped

[patrickj]

:disgust:
From reading the post from cmv; it sounded like the drivers had been successfully downloaded, unzipped and installed. I was hoping that someone who already had them could make them available to those of us having problems.

As for calling Compaq...a lot of help they offer their consumer customers. I got the run around for 45 minutes until I got someone on the phone who told me that they don't have a win2k monitor inf. He suggested using the win 98 inf. I am going to try this and will report the results back.

Fortunately for Compaq, they do provide very good support for their servers. Too bad that the support for the consumers is so poor. I can see why people complain. <End Venting session>

 

[SimMike2]

I just got this monitor and I am sending it back. It is fuzzy at all resolutions, especially high resolutions. My video card is high quality, so this isn't the problem.

 

[patrickj]

I have been going through Compaq's website, and I found a working inf file for win2k. The inf is for win9x, but win2k took it without any complaints. You can find it at ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/sp14501-15000/SP14540.EXE

The install is a little weird. When you extract the files, they get put into a c:\windows directory. Since I have win2k, its easy to find the folder since it doesn't belong. Good luck...

Let me know if this helps...

 

[MontyBurns]

SimMike: Mine is crystal clear at all resolutions. I'd suggest exchanging it rather than returning it outright. It's a great monitor.

 

[waldox]

is the 20% off at mercat@.com from msn.com over now?
funny mercat@.com is a reserved word.

 

[Scorpi0]

I also received mine last weekend and pretty happy w/ it.. Crystal clear, vivid colors, easy to the eyes.. I'm using it at 1280x1024@85hz both WinME and Win2K.. 1600x1200@75Hz is not as good..

 

[Soldierman2]

Mine is also quite clear at all settings except for 1600*1200*75 has a bit of flicker to it.

 

[trikster2]

Got the monitor and it's wonderful. Not flat but flat enough. 1280x1024 85Hz rock solid.

Quick Question: What are y'all using for a receipt for the rebate????

All I got from mercata was a packing slip.

Thanks!

 

[Soldierman2]

trikster2

log into your account at mercata and you should be able to find a order history and an option to print a receipt.

 

[satori]

Just how clear is it when you say it's really clear at 1280x960@85Hz? I've compared it to my roommates 21&quot; Mitsubishi DiamondPlus100e, my old Sony 200sx and my other roommate's 4-year old Sony and this Compaq monitor looks like s#%t. I can see the individual vertical lines all over the screen. I messed around with the settings. In particular, the H-MOIRE. I could get the vertical lines to disappear, but then these weird concentric black circles started appearing on the lower-left side.

This is the replacement one I got from Compaq (the original one from Mercata wouldn't power up), so maybe I got another bum monitor. The image isn't too bad if I sit about 5 feet away from the monitor, though.

I did think maybe it was my GeForce2, but I set the monitor up with an old Diamond TNT, a GeForceDDR and some other older card and the lines all showed up. Plus, the lines aren't limited to higher resolutions.

ps, one thing I didn't think of was that all the other monitors I looked at were trinitrons. Could my eyes really be that used to trinitrons that non-trinitrons would look like s#%t?

 

[dealchecker]

Seems I missed this deal. :|

 

[patrickj]

I have had a similar experience...I had a Viewsonic GT775. The picture was sweet. I received the first monitor, and it seemed somewhat grainy. There was also some shadowing that I noticed. I have run at 1024x768@85Hz and 1280x1024@85Hz. I called Mercata and they are sending me a replacement monitor. If the replacement is bad, I will probably go with a Trinitron tube again. Either the KDS 19&quot; or the Viewsonic 19&quot;. I visited Best Buy this weekend to look at the picture of each. I'd say that they are very close and may even be the same tube, but I don't know for sure.

Anyway, I'll let you know how the second one looks after I get it.

 

[mcdull]

I've got it for 3 weeks. Works good in all resolution. Very minor flickering at 1600x1200. Definitely clear, though might not as good as trinition (can't remember exactly, I had a CTX 17&quot; Trinition 3 years ago)

 

[satori]

PatrickJ:

Cool. If your replacement is good, I guess I'll have to call Compaq >again< and get them to send me another one. After messing around with all the settings, I've gotten it so that it isn't >too< bad, but still not too great. But then again, I guess none of us can really complain for $145 bucks.

 

[Clocker]

Does the passport deal still apply and does the mercata deal still apply if i sign up. I havent bought form mercata yet. And I have not signed upp with msn yet.

Are these deals still applicable.

Thanks

I want that monitor

Clocker

 

[lundog22]

This monitor is great for $150 The screen is nice and sharp. The picture quality is almost as good as my 19&quot; Sony, which cost 5 times as much. Not bad at all.

 

[trikster2]

Satori: image isn't too bad if I sit about 5 feet away from the monitor, though.

Satori! You cracked me up. When I read this I was sitting four or five feet away from my MV920. It's the way I prefer to compute, way easier on the eyes....

Yeah up close there is a little striping/moire whatever for me it's not a problem; I've seen way worse on other monitors costing way more.

Soldierman2: Thanks for the pointer on the Receipt. Even says &quot;This is your receipt right at the top. Many thanks. I've promised myself that this is one rebate I'll remember to send in, if only to earn the bragging rights to such a good deal...

 

[MontyBurns]

I've got this monitor up and running now, and I have to say: It is one of the best looking monitors ever. Side by side with my trinitron, I can't tell any difference. To casiowhatever who was ragging on this monitor endlessly: It's obvious that you never saw one in action.

Sucks for people who are having to deal with replacements, though. Maybe I just got lucky.

 

[patrickj]

:|

OK...I received my replacement monitor from Mercata today. Ripped it out of the box, set it up....and this one is fuzzy, and has the same problems that the first monitor did. On top of that, there were some distortions in the corners that I couldn't tweak out.

I called Mercata, explained that this was my second monitor and that it displayed the same problems as the first. I told the csr that when I originally purchased the monitor, I had joined Mercata and gotten the $100 credit and that part of that had been applied to this purchase. I asked the csr if he could put the credit back into my account because I wanted to buy the Viewsonic FP790. The csr put the $100 back into my account and issued an RMA for the second Compaq monitor.

The monitor with the credit came to $377 and change. Add the $11.00 shipping and it comes to roughly $388. Subtract the $50 MIR and you are down to $338. This isn't as good as the Staples price with stacked coupons...but then again, you don't have to worry about being charged an amount that you didn't agree to. Plus, I don't think that the coupon stacking is working anymore anyway.

Just an fyi for those of you that got this monitor and aren't happy with it. I spoke to two different csr's and both agreed to do this for me.

Good luck to all, I am going back to my Viewsonic with the sweet Trinitron tube. The Compaq had a nice price but didn't compare to my last Viewsonic.

 

[Bob61]

Finally got a chance to get my new system setup and pull out this huge 19&quot; monitor. Fired it up and was very pleased with the picture quality. I don't know what other people are seeing that's fuzzy, mine looks real sharp. I did grab the latest drivers from Compaq and install them right away. Also grabbed the latest drivers for my Voodoo video card. Don't know if having the latest drives on both components made a difference, but for $200 this is an excellent deal and sharp picture.

I saw this same monitor at Best Buy the other day, priced $499.

 

[arie2612]

How do everybody get the $100 at the mercata, 20% coupons ?
I destperately want to make this deal.
THanks

 

[Siamskunk]

Deal's over

 

[Bob61]

arie2612:

Maybe someone who bought one of these beasts and finds the picture too fuzzy for their liking would be willing to sell theirs to you to recoup their cost. Otherwise you are several weeks too late for this deal. BTW - I got mine and find it to be clear enough for my liking.

 

[SimMike2]

I don't think the monitor &quot;drivers&quot; are needed with this monitor. They aren't really drivers, just an information file (.inf) telling the computer what resolutions and refresh rates the monitor supports. This monitor is PNP, and, at least with my computer, the OS picked up all the options via PNP. So before everyone goes off saying &quot;you need the right drivers for this monitor,&quot; I am here to say that this is not true. As for video diplay cards, that is a totally different story. These display cards do need and get real drivers.

BTW, I am one of the guy who sent mine back to Mercata because of fuzziness.

 

[DwainDibbley]

Use shoppin.net and get a minimum 5% cash back but will probably be 10% as we have nearly reached the monthly sales figures for the next level

Robert