Samsung SM2443BW - Color distortion, scrambled illegible text at rez above 1024x768

geofas

geofas

geofas

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16 Jan 2009
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Hello everyone,

Got my new system from OC yesterday (Titan Goliath, i7 290 oc'd to 3.0GHz, 3GB, GTX260, Corsair 650W) with the Samsung SM2443BW.

I seem to have a rather peculiar issue with the monitor. These issues occur consistently over VGA and DVI connection, using the cables that came with it. The refresh rate is always set to 60Hz as specified in the monitor documentation.

1. symptom: The colors are always somewhat distorted, like watching a true color video on a 256 colors display and everything in videos has a weirdly colored shadow. Interestingly enough when i take a digi-cam picture of the screen, the image is actually better, which I assume has something to do with frequency.
2. symptom: Any resolution above 1024/768 makes the text more and more scrambled and illegible the higher I go up. It is worst using the native resolution of 1920x1200. This one I could photograph and posted it here(taken of the top left corner at 1920x1200 res)
3. symptom: the entire screen always seems somewhat polarized

I tried using the calibration programs that came with it, as well as NVIDIAs but to no avail. At one point when I calibrated contrast and brightness, as I reduced the brightness gradually from 100% the sceen went almost white at 30% brightness. Also tried resetting the monitor settings, not using monitor drivers, installing them, uninstalling them, same with graphics card drivers, always same story though.

What I've tested suggests quite strongly that the issue is with the monitor:
- Titan system with the 2443BW obviously
- Titan Goliath in above configuration using a different monitor. HD Ready 32" TV via HDMI-DVI cable, at 1920x1200, 1080i, 780p. Played WoW with all settings maxed for a while and watched a few videos: everything was fine.
- Samsung SM2443BW monitor with a black MacBook (2.4GHz, Intel on-bard graphics chipset) at highest possible resolution, 1680x1050, and lower resolutions: Very similar results, colors also distorted but text a tad bit more legible due to fonts I presume.

I'm really puzzled by this. :confused:

Any ideas or suggestion anyone could offer please?

OC are also surprised that this Samsung product is acting up and they are awaiting return, but I'll try around a little more and any advice would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 
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Looks like fauly electronics and/or firmware in the monitor, only samsung would be able to tell specifically what's wrong with them. The firmware isn't user updatable as far as i'm aware.

It does look to me like some columns are missing/doubled up though, maybe something to do with scaling? Setup->Image size in the OSD, try flipping that option.
 
DigitalReaper said:
Looks like fauly electronics and/or firmware in the monitor, only samsung would be able to tell specifically what's wrong with them. The firmware isn't user updatable as far as i'm aware.

It does look to me like some columns are missing/doubled up though, maybe something to do with scaling? Setup->Image size in the OSD, try flipping that option.
Click to expand...

The OSD is only allowing to change this setting in analogue connection mode and not even then it sorts out the issue.

Based on the test I would also have through that the electronics are faulty, rather those than a firmware issue I would presume.
 
did some more tests over the weekend and could only further confirm previous results. the monitor is just buggered. TitanGoliath with Dell 19" TFT works perfectly fine and I've been WoW'ing/RedAlert3'ing/WiC'ing for hours on end. Tried the Samsung 2443BW with a DELL Latitude D620 from work and had the same issues, albeit not to the native rez as the Dell is obviously an inferior machine hardly even suitable for office work.

unlucky indeed. i'll return it this week.

thanks for your reactions. ... including the sig taunts. while i think sigs should not have a 55 chars line limit, i shall update the sig as i respect the forum's styling ocd. ;)
 
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