Another Dell 2407WFP vs BenQ241WZ thread :o)

stormy · 12 Mar 2007 at 07:55

Hi,

I know, I know. Its been done to death and I am still no closer. The bottom line is at the moment I have a Viewsonic VX910 so if I go for either of these monitors will I feel like its an upgrade?

I know it will be bigger but will the quality of the screen be as good (or hopefully better) as I can't seem to fault my VX910 (no banding, minimal backlight bleed and even backlighting with good crisp colours and sharp as hell).

I can get the 2407WFP A04 for about £470 and the BenQ is by the looks £700.

The main usage will be windows usage and movies (divx, xvid and HD divx/xvid) with the odd bit of gaming. I have heard about "twinkling" problems on PVA screens with movies. I have never noticed any problems playing these with my old VX910.

So is it just a case of you get what you pay for?

TheDean · 12 Mar 2007 at 09:41

Firstly price - Can you actually justify the massive leap in price from the Dell to the Benq?

stormy · 12 Mar 2007 at 09:45

TheDean said:
Firstly price - Can you actually justify the massive leap in price from the Dell to the Benq?

Price it probably the only issue stopping me ordering the BenQ this moment, I like the look of the Dell but I have heard movie playback is not very good (although it could equally be not so good on the BenQ).

For some reason reviews seem to rate PVA screens as not too good for movies, yet I think my VX910 is a PVA (not the faster TN model) and I have never had any trouble with it.

I use my PC to playback a lot of xvid (HD and none HD) so thats a very important feature to me.

Cheers,

Mike

DavidS14 · 12 Mar 2007 at 09:50

In exactly the same position with the same 19" TFT.

Windows and gaming for me though, no movies.

I've been reading the reviews and the various posts but end up going round in circles.

Think I'll just go for the 30" Dell and be done with it, but should I get the older one or the new HC......arghhhh

snow patrol · 12 Mar 2007 at 10:04

This thread might be of interest to you:

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1166980

btw, i went for the DELL and couldn't be happier. I also think the DELL looks nicer than the BENQ

TheDean · 12 Mar 2007 at 10:11

stormy said:
but I have heard movie playback is not very good (although it could equally be not so good on the BenQ).
Cheers,

Mike

Where have you heard this?

stormy · 12 Mar 2007 at 10:19

snow patrol said:
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1166980

Thanks, he seems to favour the BenQ but like you I think the Dell looks a lot nicer.

TheDean said:
Where have you heard this?

A few places, a few online site reviews mention some kind of "sparkling" or "twinkling" effect on movies, especially full screen. (but they blame the PVA tech rather than the Dell itself)

Also I came across this with some guy playing HD movies over DVI from his PC, it looks dreadful, like there is some problem with the sync on his 2704WFP (A04).

There's some sort of problem with video playback (could just be my model) and I'm checking into it. Here are two hosted videos showing this mysterious misalignment:

This one is of an AVI file I had on my comp (hooked up via DVI). It's a segment of a rip of OTA HD content (ABC's Lost), and you should be able to make out some sort of line near the top where the video loses alignment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JshWUW-rCIc

That video really puts me off the Dell.

Mike

TheDean · 12 Mar 2007 at 10:59

Well,

What an interesting review. I've read it all now and its very good - but maybe slightly too subjective. I am slightly concerned where he says "However, I wasn't able to get 1080i or 480i to work at all via DVI" - I have played a couple of HD Movies, but not fully put mine through it's paces yet - I may have time to do a full Video/HD Test on the weekend. I'm sure it would be handy for people here and also be interesting for me to see what this new bad boy can do...

I was under the impression that a 1080i signal through the 2407 A04 was possible? :confused:

Baddass · 12 Mar 2007 at 11:05

while PVA matrices aren't the best in terms of twinkling and noise in movie playback, from a sensible viewing distance for a 24" screen, they are fine really. I would say the Dell would be a better choice really given the price difference.

stormy · 12 Mar 2007 at 11:39

TheDean said:
I was under the impression that a 1080i signal through the 2407 A04 was possible?

Yeh, its another issue. The DVI will work fine for the PC at all resolutions, but for external devices there still seems to be issues.

This one is of an AVI file I had on my comp (hooked up via DVI). It's a segment of a rip of OTA HD content (ABC's Lost), and you should be able to make out some sort of line near the top where the video loses alignment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JshWUW-rCIc

Did you have a look at that video? Thats a PC playing HD data and it looks terrible, HD works just fine on my old VX910 with no symptoms like that shown there.

If you could test your Dell with some HD movie clips (720p and 1080p) I would appreciate it.

Try here: http://www.digital-digest.com/movies/

Have a look at the xvid HD, H.264 and DivX HD trailers at bottom if you can please.

baddass said:
while PVA matrices aren't the best in terms of twinkling and noise in movie playback, from a sensible viewing distance for a 24" screen

Yeh, I will be using it as a PC monitor so only about 2'-3' away.

Thanks,

Mike

TheDean · 12 Mar 2007 at 11:59

Right Stormy,

I'll test it tonight.

Cheers

EDIT - Which ones should I test?

stormy · 12 Mar 2007 at 12:25

TheDean said:
Right Stormy,

I'll test it tonight.

Cheers

EDIT - Which ones should I test?

Any HD xvid/h.264/divx ones really, 720p and 1080p if possible. There are loads of trailers there, as long as they are HD take your pic

.

As long as they are HD I don't think it matters, the higher res 1080p ones will be the best test.

Try these:

http://www.digital-digest.com/movies/pirates_of_the_caribbean2_h264_1080p_trailer.html (1080p H.264)

http://www.digital-digest.com/movies/pirates_of_the_caribbean2_xvid_trailer.html (HD xvid)

http://www.digital-digest.com/movies/silent_hill.html (HD xvid)

http://www.digital-digest.com/movies/x-men_last_stand.html (HD divx)

That should cover all bases

Any other 2704WFP owners want to join the big HD test? Some are not pukka HD resolutions but the test should be good enough to see how the 2407WFP copes.

Ta muchly.

Magic Man · 12 Mar 2007 at 13:36

stormy said:
...I can get the 2407WFP A04 for about £470...

You're probably looking at the same place as me then with 4 year warranty. Is there any reason not to get it from such a place?

stormy · 12 Mar 2007 at 13:54

Magic Man said:
You're probably looking at the same place as me then with 4 year warranty. Is there any reason not to get it from such a place?

The warranty worries me a little because I dont think you get paper work with it. If I do get one from there the first thing I will do is ring up Dell to *check* the warranty against that unit is valid. Other than that I think they should be great.

Cheers,

Mike

TheDean · 12 Mar 2007 at 14:39

stormy said:
http://www.digital-digest.com/movies/pirates_of_the_caribbean2_h264_1080p_trailer.html (1080p H.264)

DO I need any specific Vista x64 codecs to play the above? What's H.264? :confused:

stormy · 12 Mar 2007 at 14:45

TheDean said:
DO I need any specific Vista x64 codecs to play the above? What's H.264?

Not sure with Vista, I use XP. I think Apple Quicktime will play H.264. I personally use MPC.

Try:

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=ffdshow

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_Player_Classic

Cheers,

Mike

Marmotta · 12 Mar 2007 at 15:47

After months of deliberation, I've decided I'll go for the Dell, but really need some reassurances about whether the bugger is truely HDCP-compliant. Basically, what I'd be looking for is 1080p over DVI, 1080i over component and hopefully 1080p over VGA (although I know that's a longshot). I know Dell have been touting it as being fully HDCp-compliant, but that just doesn't seem to be the case.

I'd be looking at hooking up the monitor to a Pioneer 1016V AV amp, with one HDMI > DVI and one component out and need to know that it would work, otherwise there's just no point in getting a 1920x1200 display.

...or I might just try and get hold of a Gateway FDP2485W

TheDean · 12 Mar 2007 at 15:58

Marmotta said:
After months of deliberation, I've decided I'll go for the Dell, but really need some reassurances about whether the bugger is truely HDCP-compliant. Basically, what I'd be looking for is 1080p over DVI, 1080i over component and hopefully 1080p over VGA (although I know that's a longshot). I know Dell have been touting it as being fully HDCp-compliant, but that just doesn't seem to be the case.

I'd be looking at hooking up the monitor to a Pioneer 1016V AV amp, with one HDMI > DVI and one component out and need to know that it would work, otherwise there's just no point in getting a 1920x1200 display.

...or I might just try and get hold of a Gateway FDP2485W

It's totally HDCP mate - But that in no way translates over to HD content. I think you have HDCP and 'HD Ready' confused. Don't worry - It's all very complicated.
As far as I am aware (in the A04 Rev):
1080p over DVI = Yes!
1080i over component = No!
1080p over VGA = Yes!

stormy · 12 Mar 2007 at 16:15

TheDean said:
It's totally HDCP mate - But that in no way translates over to HD content. I think you have HDCP and 'HD Ready' confused. Don't worry - It's all very complicated.
As far as I am aware (in the A04 Rev):
1080p over DVI = Yes!

Hmm, I was not sure about this. I thought that it would do 1080p over DVI *but* not if it was HDCP (some limitation in the Dell chipset meant that it didnt have the grunt to do it).

So say something like the PS3 would work as it doesnt require HDCP but a 1080p HD-DVD player wouldn't?

I must admit, the more threads on these monitors, the more confused I get.....

See: http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1029966971&postcount=481For some usefull info, which suggests 1080p might be possible with HDCP.

Mike

TheDean · 12 Mar 2007 at 16:21

*Shouts for Baddass!*