Comments

LJA wrote on 8/22/2007, 6:01 AM
I just installed the Dell (about a week ago). I am very pleased with it but I have no experience with the Samsung. I have one minor problem with the Dell: I have a DVD player (for reviewing standard definition DVDs) connected via the component cables. Although I can obtain proper aspect ratios when viewing directly, I cannot do so via PIP. The image is slightly stretched either vertically or horizontally. Otherwise the Dell is great. I have been able to match closely its color, density, etc. to my CRT secondary Windows display. Therefore I can do grading/color correction directly on the Dell with confidence that there will be little problem distributing on SD DVD (all my work currently is HDV with distribution on HD DVD and SD DVD).
Malcolm D wrote on 8/24/2007, 11:58 AM
LJA
Thank you for the comments.
I found another thread from last year as well. It seems most like the Dell but there were some banding issues which I hope have been resolved by now. The extra inputs are an advantage.
Malcolm
riredale wrote on 8/24/2007, 3:18 PM
I took advantage of the $289 24" Soyo special and bought one of the displays yesterday from OfficeMax. According to some of the posts on other websites, the Soyo uses the same screen as the Dell (same display part number inside the case). If so, I can tell you that the Dell will be great. This thing is amazing. Very little color shift as you move around, too--very different from many large LCDs and also all laptop LCD displays.

The Dell has many more inputs, though. Also, I read on a thread yesterday that the banding issue with Dell was fixed, but buy one with the option of easily returning it, just in case--you never know which revision a store will have in stock.
NickHope wrote on 8/24/2007, 11:05 PM
I received my Dell 2407WFP-HC yesterday and so far so good. The preview of either DV or HDV as a Windows Secondary Display from Vegas is great.

Cost me a little over $600 but I'm in Thailand so no choice.
Per1 wrote on 8/25/2007, 7:44 AM
Nick, How do you connect the screen as Preview to Vegas?
Do you use a camera or some PCI board?
Tim Stannard wrote on 8/25/2007, 9:50 AM
Nick said it was connected as "Windows Secondary Display". This means it runs of the second port of his display adapter or off his secondary display adapter.

As I understand it, the Dell could also be hooked up in one of the manners you suggest. I suspect (but would dearly love confirmation) that these methods would give a truer to life (as in truer to DVD) picture.
LJA wrote on 8/25/2007, 11:27 AM
I have my Dell connected via VGA as the primary display. I have a SD CRT connected as the secondary display. I preview primarily on the primary (Dell) and use the secondary for color/density confirmation. The Dell is matched (as well as it can be done by eyeball) to the calibrated CRT. There are minor problems arising from the fact that the Dell has an advertised contrast ratio of 1000:1, way beyond the capability of the CRT. Nevertheless, I can do grading on the Dell that requires (so far -- one week's experience) little or no tweaking for the CRT.

Adjusting the Dell required setting the mode to "multimedia mode" and changing brightness, contrast, and each of the colors (RGB).

For final color/density checking I have two DVD players: one connected directly to the CRT and the other connected to the Dell via component cables. The Dell's component settings have also been extensively adjusted to bring all monitors and sources as close as possible to the same appearance. The fact that the Dell has all these adjustment capabilities has been, I think, one of its principal advantages. But its primary advantage, of course, the the basic quality of the display itself: sharp, even, wide contrast range, etc.

I work exclusively in 720P for HD DVD and SD DVD delivery. I can preview on the Dell at "best, full" and still have plenty of room for the timeline and other ancillary windows. If I reduce the preview to "best, half" I have more room and still an excellent hi-def preview.

Hope this helps...