For the benefit of everyone else on this thread, nearly a month ago I purchased an LG 226WT based on the positive reviews and recommendations posted in this thread and others. After making the purchase, I was experiencing ghosting issues which contradicted the reviews I had seen.
A little research exposed that LG subsequently released a "Q" version of the 226WT, with numerous users reporting the very ghosting issue I was experiencing. As it turns out, I had the "Q" model. The common recommendation was to return the "Q" model for a "WT." Granted, the ghosting issue wasn't extremely terrible...more of a distraction...but doing the exchange seemed logical at the time...get essentially the same model, but an earlier revision without the ghosting problem...easy solution, or so I thought.
I managed to find a "WT" at a Circuit City, and made the return. However the WT is not without its share of problems. xtknight directed me to pull up the service menu info on my WT. Here is a brief summary of the discussion points thus far.
LG226WTQ: European users with the "Q" version are not reporting ghosting issues, with a firmware date of mid March. Similarly, these users are reporting that they have LG manufactured panels in their "Q" models. I didn't think to check the service menu on my LG226WTQ before returning it, so I have no idea what firmware or panel version it had. However, I can confirm that Forte Manager, the LG monitor calibration utility, and the device driver, both worked on the "Q" model. It is also reasonable to assume that there may be "Q" models out there now with a firmware fix, and LG panel, that are not experiencing the ghosting issue. After numerous calls to LG, I wasn't able to confirm the source of the ghosting issue, or any fixes that they deployed.
LG226WT: I checked the service menu on my current WT, and I have a CMO and not an LG panel. There is definitely a blue shift in terms of the color, and the color is not nearly as vibrant as on the "Q" model. Similarly, Forte Manager doesn't work with the WT, nor does the device driver. After several calls to LG, they said to simply use the default XP plug and play device driver, and to uninstall Forte Manager. Unfortunately, now I am unable to calibrate my monitor to match the color vibrance of the WTQ, and on top of that, I have found a few dead pixels...granted, dead pixels are probably inevitable, but kind of annoying at this point after hunting all over God's green earth for a WT.
Unfortunately, I cannot simply exchange my WT for another WT because all of the local electronics stores are now stocking WTQs. I was lucky to find the one WT I did, and really dont have the time to go on another LCD hunt.
So here are my options.
1. Exchange my WT for a WTQ yet again, and hope that I receive a later revision model that doesn't have the ghosting issue.
2. Keep my WT and "suck it up."
3. Return my WT to Circuit City, eat the 15% restocking fee (rip-off), and get a Dell 2407 which is now on sale...I went with the LG initially because the Dell was out of my budget, but the recent price reduction and a stackable coupon I have allows me to get the Dell for only $200 more than the LG. Of course, then I have to worry about my GPU not being able to handle a 24" LCD, another factor I considered that resulted in my going the 22" route.