My new Dell 2405FPW - pictures & first impressions

use xbmc me self, far less faffing around:) i use the pixel option to stretch it so no black bars. altho some dvdsdont like to be played on xbmc so i use mpc


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results preety good tho an i can watch somat while typing up a document or playing wow which gets tediuos at times
 
dannyjo22 said:
Yes Hope this is what you want? I have shown 1 at normal aspect with the bars across the bottom and the others are resized to fit using power dvd6.

I have the full size images if you need them but I really didnt wanna post them here. Dont know how to do that small image link so here you go....

[IMG's]

Hope that helps, if not I can delete and do some more.
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wickid band of brothers when i get my dell monitor im going to have to watch band of bothers again only got my band of brothers for £20 wickid deal so was the monitor :D
 
Because it's completely unnecessary and just hogs bandwidth. I dont know a mod on earth that likes people hotlinking pics lol, just a waste of space and bandwidth. :)

(Im not having ago just having a friendly whinge)
 
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Richdog said:
Because it's completely unnecessary and just hogs bandwidth. I dont know a mod on earth that likes people hotlinking pics lol, just a waste of space and bandwidth. :)

(Im not having ago just having a friendly whinge)
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it fine buddy just wonderd why just if you got fast internet wil load quick any way
 
Well all I can say is I agree the Dell 2405 is the finest monitor I have owned, bought mine on Wednesday still in awe of its size :)

And a bargain at £485 inc. VAT just cause it had 2 stuck pixel's one of which I have managed to massage out! :D
 
Smiley Man said:
oh god its just come back down in price :p

i cant resist getting it now :p
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If there is one man will find shortcoming in this panel its Smiley.
Dude has got high expectations and lets face it isnt a TFT fan so this display WOULD have to be rather special, eagerly await your analaysis though personally think a 26" HDTV suits your needs better, although not as good a monitor it offers more for multipurpose entertainment and of course is fully HDTV ready.

btw how u keeping?

Having seen one of these in operation i can see why they are very much liked but i dont think it rasies the bar really in performance apart from its huge desktop resolution and for many the increased size but it certainly brings such a good performance to the mases at good rated pricing.

Keep things in perspective, if you want high res desktop get this is you want better quality visuals particulary with consoles and HDTV then consider some new HDTV LCDs. Lets see how many of you guys get to play FEAR in Native res, i think thats the biggest drawback of this panel, great for gaming but if you have to lower the res, and lower the quality why bother...

Id love to see two mates get a comparison thread done between a Samsung 26" and this 2405 both showing each advantages and disadvantages...
 
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Mr Latte said:
Lets see how many of you guys get to play FEAR in Native res, i think thats the biggest drawback of this panel, great for gaming but if you have to lower the res, and lower the quality why bother...
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Because as video cards get more powerful 1900*1200 won't be a problem. And then it will pay off bigtime as people with lower resolution monitors are wishing they could go higher. :)
 
Richdog said:
Because as video cards get more powerful 1900*1200 won't be a problem. And then it will pay off bigtime as people with lower resolution monitors are wishing they could go higher. :)
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The Future
Yes i see PC resolutions and some form of monitors appearing that will go way beyond even 1920x1200, isnt ATI already doing cards that support over 2500 res? It makes sense just look at the resolutions of good digital cameras, monitors in general cant offer the full resolution.

Games
I dont fully agree with your thoughts on PC gaming in general, sorry my experience always led me to believe when new games appear 9-12 months you can bet your trusty card if its going on a year old will need upgraded to ensure they will run properly with everything MAX. Topend new game always needed top end latest generation card, thats what sucks with PC gaming.

Its Not all Resolutions
Resolutions isnt fully the issue now, games are becoming visually more enchanced with improved lighting shaders and special effects. Let me point out if 720p is good enough for Hi-def television then why should games be any different. Games do aspire to look like cinema right? Its in these more cinematic effects and improved AA/AS that will be the direction things will go however all this still takes increased performance cards to maintain these effects particulary harder with such high resolutions as 1920x1200.
The resoloution still becomes the issue and id bet most people here would rather drop the res and keep all the eye candy than keep 1920x1200 and have a game looking like that from 3 years ago. Those that do are proof of my point.

Im not saying the 2405 is a bad screen at all just i think many get sucked in with threads hyping it and forget all the issues / requirements in running it at its best. Its only a minority of performance users can afford to maintain the hardware for having such elite res with all things MAX

Its good but is it good for everyone?
So far any thread reviews ive seen on this monitor havnt looked at these issues requirements and how they would effect potential buyers. If anything theyve got lost in the awe of owning such an improved display and reported on the owners delights over thier older or previous monitor, thats understandable but possibly not giving a full picture if the screen suits everyone and their individual specs/requirements. Lots of things about this display should be compared to HDTVs particulary as both may become multipurpose bedroom display devices, and prices of each are simular.
 
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I was wondering, does anyone have a SLi based system to test the Dell with?

From what I 've read on the Nvidia forums, there are problems with the wide screen TFTs with SLi enabled. Not with regards to speed, but game combatibility.
 
Mr Latte said:
Let me point out if 720p is good enough for Hi-def television then why should games be any different. Games do aspire to look like cinema right?
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So you are saying there is little point in the HDTV 1080p standard and that 720p is good enough to render a cinematic atmosphere? - I cant help but think it wouldnt be good enough for the larger 50"+ and projectors that will be popping up soon once LCD/Plasma technology matures - if you looking to emulate cinema, 720p just wont do (tho its fine for the sizes we have ATM), if it did why define the 1080p standard? - just something I wanted to delinate...

Mr Latte said:
Im not saying the 2405 is a bad screen at all just i think many get sucked in with threads hyping it and forget all the issues / requirements in running it at its best. Its only a minority of performance users can afford to maintain the hardware for having such elite res with all things MAX
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Also your point regards the monitors apparent disadvantage of having a high resolution is pretty naive, since you would realistically be aware what specs you would need to run games @ native before purchase - I wouldnt buy a top end amp and use £25 speakers as an output and still expect excellent hi-fi sound - why label a product 'bad' because it has higher requirements to run it at its best :confused: - if that isnt apparent to a potential user, Id suggest some research before any such expensive purchase...

This is far from a perfect product, but as an owner some of your qualms just dont seem justified, especially since it seems you have an issue with its native res rather than the monitor per se. I definitely think 1080p HDTV LCD TVs will be the standard for TVs and PCs alike with higher resolution monitors available for a niche market for say GFX/photo work. For this transient period either 720p HDTV LCD TVs or such monitors should be fine for most applications, there are no clear winners since differing users have differing requirements and expectations...

ps3ud0 :cool:
 
I just spotted a place in UK listing the samsung 214T a little over £500.
Not bad at all for its specs and samsung brand :)
Bad news its a trade only place grrrrrr
 
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Good return points ps3ud0 but your getting away from this actual screen.
It doesnt matter what resolution of video you run on this display it will always scale even 1080i will be slightly scaled for fullscreen. Primarily when launched i thought this display would be a perfect multimedia unit with its included inputs etc but really its aimed at more professional PC usage than anything else, hench why its 16:10. For HDTV etc its certainly not as good as the majority of LCD/Plasma available and is this 2405 monitor even HDCP compliant? If not come blu-ray etc it will only output a 480/540p signal as the HDCP will downscale it with non compliant displays.

Relating to the resolution issue and gaming yes most should be aware it will require high specs indeed but id bet the majority of users on this forum have average to good spec machines, do a poll if you must but i bet most have been tempted by the scale of this display and its connevtivity as much as they have its resolution.

My point was also aimed at video scaling which has been my bug bear about this display since it appeared, its not just for this display even AV 1920x1080 Plasma/LCD displays will have major scaling issue with standard def telivision and really 720p is the least youd want to be inputing into such a high res display. The problem is the UK is only starting to get 720p and 1080i from SkyHD next year never mind 1080p.

Also there is no 1080p/60 broadcasting standard. Of the 18 ATSC standards, the closest to 1080p/60 that you’ll get is 1080p/30 which still doesn’t give broadcasters the ability to handle fast-motion content such as sports as its only 30Hz. Yes a 1080p display could upscale a 720p signal to 1080p just as a 480p would look good on a 720p display however because of its bandwidth it wont be available via broadcast, cable, satellite, or DVD. If blu ray etc use it dont expect it anytime soon or a display that can handle it to be affordable for at least 2-3 years.

Most current HDMI displays cant even handle 1080p ahh didnt know that did ya, but i believe Sony’s Qualia 1080p front-projector will start to include 1080p/60 HDMI technology at the nice sum of approx $30,000. forget about Sonys boasts of PS3 of offering not just one but twin 1080p displays it was more of a showing of two fingers up at MS @ E3 than anything else.

I never mentioned 1080p as realistically its a fair bit off and currently youd be hard pushed to find many and certainly no affordable 1080p compatible displays. The Uk will first have 720p and 1080i from Sky as the first widespread offical HD source. In video/film 720p will offer a better picture particulary for fast moving and general viewing, because its progressive and 60hz therefore 720p is currently best for this. Documentaries, nature and slower based viewing programs will benifit from the additional resolution 1080i brings giving more detailed images all which will look fine at 30hz anyways.

You do understand that even a 1080i source on todays Plasma and LCD will actually convert the 1080i to 540p and then upscale the 540p to 720p so in effect a 720p broadcast could look better.

Regards games and resolutions Vs textures effects like i said go run a game on medium details at 1920x1200 and then run it with all details MAX at 1280x720, what looks best? Yes sharper resolution is nice but all that extra resolution requires major CPU/GPU power so will always be at the expense of frames too. Sorry its a setback of the product and perhaps a blemish of having a lush super high res desktop. I fully understand PC requirements but because of a native res being so high users will have to constantly upgrade or run below native, its just the nature of PCs.

Let me say that you could have standard def games like todays consoles but have realtime effects and quality to match rendered sequences like those found on Namco or Team Ninja games, they look incredible but their not hi-def are they. Its the effects and shaders etc that will add to games realism and benifit more toward cinematic games, even Nintendo may stick with standard defination but still having hardware that will be possible of highly visible enjoyable games.

Resolution isnt the be all end all of quality visuals...

I do however agree that a major issue with HD LCD and Plasma is that 1366x768 is a very restricted desktop, neither are perfect for dual purposes, however 1366x768 or 1280x720 displays are more suited for todays standard def and the upcoming HDTV services because its has to scale less up or down for a mixture of traditional def and HD content everyone will be using.

Why do you think i prefer to use dual 1280x1024 for a large desktop (25% more combined res than 2405) but include a 1280x720 HD projected image for standard & HD video content. Others on these forums have followed with a simular mixture of monitors and HD LCDTVs having both gives the benifits of each purpose in PC usage or Multimedia.

PS ill be covering this type of thing in the loft thread in the Home Cinema forums, so if you want we can discuss it further in their when i eventually get around to updating it as multimonitor is the next section to be covered in the guide.

I hope you appreciate im not attacking this display but do believe a lot of people arnt fully aware of the good bad things regarding having a 1920x1200 resolution panel. For PC users its great particulary if they have hi end hardware for users like me that would want it for all purposes which initially i thought it would be perfect basically comes down to having issues which ive covered.
 
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You do make some very good points Mr Latte, BUT you seem to be making the assumption that most of the users want to use their computer as a combined media product, with the main emphisis on it's abiltiy to play HD content, rather than acutually using it for traditional PC uses.

I'd be interested to see how many people actually use their computer for this purpose, and indeed how many people will even have an HD feed to their monitor. For me, I would have thought that HD would be used more in a living room rather than in a bedroom/study, which is where I see computers being (but perhaps I am just basing this on the fact that this is how I have things)

The reason for me buying this monior is that I want to use it purely for a gaming/word web use, and I have no intrention of using it for a TV purpose, I'd buy a dedicated TV for that use.

But then again, perhaps it is me that underestimating the amount of people that will be using their monitors for HD usage.
 
Glad youve read over it and not seen it as a rant.
Yes my own requirements may not be of the majority.

However i think comparison of this product should be aimed/compared with new HD LCDs available from most Tv manufacturers and becoming increasingly affordable. These are now becoming available in the 6-8ms region and will offer larger screen sizes at simular prices.

With the push of X360 & PS3 consoles running in their high def glory i see these as possible widespread items and more desirable than say Sky HD.
I make my assumptions that for many a super duper one screen wonder display will be a usefull item for many bedrooms. Of course Pc connectivity means such a display is also a PC monitor if a little limited for practicality. But combine the benifits of a TV, a DVB tuner, better connectivity, remote control etc wont such a display give perhaps more bonuses at the expense of the main resolution issue it has against it compared to monitors like the 2405. Also having both a HD LCD and fancy monitor isnt within everyones budgets so which one should be chosen depends on the user i suppose.

Fair enough the 2405 is aimed for PC usage and your quite right its great for that but really how many use dual A4 display features it has within 16:10 and come on guys quite a lot of you gotta lower the res in games. I think thats the main thing to consider does a user want possible better allround support/features for multiple purposes or the increased resolution benifits the 2405 brings.

The only reason ive been going to this bother is as i said and like many they see this as a great monitor but also for TV and console connection which for those purposes a HDLCD is currently better suited.
 
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I agree with your points Mr Latte, but I just felt that your arguments regards this particular monitor are systemic of large WS PC monitors across the board (for simplisties sake lets say 23"+) and so yes its an issue with this monitor - but not unique to it.

Lets forget about 1080i, as you said it could be technically better than 720p but perceptually its the opposite in most situations. Yes 1080p is pie in the sky for now, but its been announced and I only used it as an example as a off-the-cuff conjugate to your point that '720p is good enough for Hi-def television then why should games be any different'...

Its something we perhaps have different POVs on, especially since no doubt with have differing uses and needs from such technology - I just fear that HDTV will only become a direct replacement to high-end PC monitors when 1080p is out and is affordable - yes we are talking perhaps nearer 2010 for such ideas, but Im happy to keep my soon-to-be 720p HDTV for multimedia while my 2405FPW is my PC monitor and never the twain should meet (especially with seemingly HDCP incompatibility)...

I have no issues recommending the 2405FPW as a superb PC monitor (which by all accounts it is, and I feel no 24"ish HDTV screen out can match it for such purpose) but have not once said it can do all - it would be nice, but from having a look around I doubt it can - the extra inputs for example arent ideal, especially without the extra circuitry to clean and upscale (probably the wrong term) the image...

@Brum Man - I use the monitor primarily for work purposes and watching quite a few DVDs I have to admit. I do play some media, but as Im aware of what Im displaying it on and the limited image issues I know what to expect (tho I havent really picked up on anything)...

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Mr Latte said:
But combine the benifits of a TV, a DVB tuner, better connectivity, remote control etc wont such a display give perhaps more bonuses at the expense of the main resolution issue it has against it compared to monitors like the 2405.
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As an aside, do people with large HDTV LCD/Plasma happy with them as PC monitors, even with their relatively lower resolutions, for normal PC tasks? I just cant get my head around the fact that c. 1024x768 at 24" is just MASSIVE for such content and perhaps detrimental to certain tasks (for example I multi-task between M$ Office products regularly and have got used to 1600x1200 on a 19" CRT for years)...

EDIT2: Perhaps we shouldnt trash this thread with tangents and make a new one for such discussions...

EDIT3: Damn all these EDITS - looks so untidy :p

ps3ud0 :cool:
 
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