NEC LCD20WGX2 review * UPDATED 25/02/06 *

sablabra · 8 Mar 2006 at 13:01

What is the advanced dv for? I turned it on now, but I have to use almost 100% brightness now. What's the difference? Also, all the backlight bleed is completely gone, so I'm really happy now

. Strange how that just happened over night when it was turned off :confused:

MDPlatts · 8 Mar 2006 at 13:19

sablabra said:
What is the advanced dv for? I turned it on now, but I have to use almost 100% brightness now. What's the difference? Also, all the backlight bleed is completely gone, so I'm really happy now . Strange how that just happened over night when it was turned off

The advanced DVM enables the higher contrast levels - i.e. black vs white. The normal screen is 700:1 - with Advanced DVM it can be 1600:1 - i think it does it by turning off parts of the backlight in areas which are dark. I have it on too - and everyone and all the reviews say it makes things dimmer - so you have to increase the brightness setting - which part of my mind says will negate the effect.

Good to hear yours is gone too - mine is more even - just an overall dim-glow - which I believe will be true for all LCD screens to some extent.

Probably theres a sweet spot on settings of mode, Advanced-DVM, brightness, contrast and sharpness settings which is the best - but the room lighting will have a say in it too maybe.

M.

Fr0dders · 8 Mar 2006 at 17:13

Raymond Lin said:
I think that instance OCUK sent him a return from another customer rather than a new monitor. The situation is slightly different, you can try OCUK and see what they say.

It was me

and the stock OcUK sent me had been a customer return. The monitor cable was still plugged into the monitor, the usb hub cable was missing, the power lead had no cable ties and was loosely in the box without so much as a plastic cover over the metal pins (which they usually do)

OcUK agreed to swap it for me as it technically was used stock and should never have been sent to a customer, should have been re-packaged first.

I wasnt wowed by the philips though, the colours didnt make me go WOW. Its a good monitor, but it also had backlight bleed

I actually asked OcUK to send me a NEC. And i love it to death. Granted it does have backlight bleed in the corners, but the colours are much more wow. I think this is partially down to the advanced DV mode and the glossy screen. I have my son sleeping in the same room as me, and nearly allways use my PC in the dark, so the glossy surface suits me down to the ground.

Much more impressed with the NEC than the philips. Well worth the extra £80 as i bought the philips on special

Heres a pic of my backlight bleed on the NEC

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/r.frodsham1/08032006084.jpg (sorry about poor photo, only got my camera phone atm)

it looks quite bad, But i never really notice it, and the rest of the monitor is so great im keeping it.

Heres a pic of the difference in colours between the NEC and my old iiyama 16ms

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/r.frodsham1/08032006083.jpg

even from my poor quality phone camera, you can see the difference.

DrMekon · 8 Mar 2006 at 18:22

Heres a pic of the difference in colours between the NEC and my old iiyama 16ms

lol.. is it me or does the iiyama look a better pic.. you can see more detail, as the NEC image is way too bright...???

Is backlight bleed somehting that could settle down after useage... not sure how it all works, could things not get upset during transit, and need to settle down again..???

Cal_G · 8 Mar 2006 at 20:20

For the guys who contacted NEC for a replacement, how did you go about it? what did they ask you details wise? have you got the number?

Just after as much info as possible really before I call them tomorrow. Not seen anyone mention yet on dead pixels being present, great stuff

Richdog · 8 Mar 2006 at 20:52

Cal_G said:
For the guys who contacted NEC for a replacement, how did you go about it? what did they ask you details wise? have you got the number?

Just after as much info as possible really before I call them tomorrow. Not seen anyone mention yet on dead pixels being present, great stuff

lol, visit the NEC UK website, it's the logical place http://www.nec.co.uk/index.aspx?id=1

Agent WD40 · 8 Mar 2006 at 21:36

I was never here...

Agent.

Cal_G · 8 Mar 2006 at 21:42

Richdog said:
lol, visit the NEC UK website, it's the logical place http://www.nec.co.uk/index.aspx?id=1

What section will it come under for the phone number, General Enquiries? cant see a number dedicated to anything other than plasma for displays

Raymond Lin · 8 Mar 2006 at 21:45

Agent WD40 said:
wrong thread mate

Richdog · 8 Mar 2006 at 22:01

Cal_G said:
What section will it come under for the phone number, General Enquiries? cant see a number dedicated to anything other than plasma for displays

"Support" then "monitors"

Cal_G · 8 Mar 2006 at 23:29

Thanks, I was clicking on the "contact us" link on the main page, no wonder was getting nowhere :rolleyes:

Did they get back to you via email?

Richdog · 9 Mar 2006 at 07:46

Nah I sent them an email, got impatient then just rang them.

Iluka · 9 Mar 2006 at 12:10

I bought the Belinea earlier this year and returned it due to backlight bleed in all four corners (that and, on my one at least, very poor black rendition). I have however bitten the bullet and just ordered the NEC. I REALLY hope it's backlight bleed (and dead pixel free). For over £400 I'll be RMA-ing it in a heartbeat if it's not perfect as that's a lot of money to spend on a monitor.

Let's hope the TFT gods are smiling on me. Ordered it at 5 past 12 so hopefully will get it tomorrow. Fingers crossed. Will give you an update when it arrives.

Dark_Angel · 9 Mar 2006 at 12:36

I am 90 percent certain that if you order before 3PM you should get it by next day

igors · 9 Mar 2006 at 13:30

DrMekon said:
lol.. is it me or does the iiyama look a better pic.. you can see more detail, as the NEC image is way too bright...???

LOL I think that I know what he was trying to tell (show), but he either adores the intensive brightness or his phone-camera was simply messing around with the final result.

igors · 9 Mar 2006 at 13:35

It seems that backlight bleed was cured for another happy camper of this monitor, after 9 days. Here is the original transcription:

Look, Ma - no backlight bleed anymore!

Doom 3 arrived from Play yesterday (on offer for 8 quid), but I didn't bother installing it. I'm not a huge fan, but I picked it up because it was cheap. (Same went for Quake 4). I installed it this morning, added the 1.3 patch and fired it up.

"Wait a minute... something's different, here", I thought. I had been dreading the appearance a bit, because it's well known as one of the darkest of games. But in every corner, especially the bottom left (exactly like kengenes & Agtx had), there was absolutely no trace of any backlight bleed. None. Just a deep, deep black - like when the monitor's switched off!

I've had the monitor 9 days, now - a bit longer than it took for some of the other owners' to recede. But I'm very happy that it has!

The only thing I can think is, going through the OSM again yesterday, I saw the "Advanced DV mode" was off. (Funny, I could've sworn I turned it on a week or so back). Anyway, I turned it on and thought no more about it - I just played Civ 4 yesterday evening, which isn't a dark game.

I've just sat through the HL1 opening sequence to double-check (I first noticed the backlight bleed problem with HL1 last week). Now, it looks just like Doom 3 does - blacker than black. None more black. Black all the way up to 11.

I have no idea if the ADV mode on/off made a difference or not, but it may be worth checking if you have some bleeding

Now, I'm quite positive that ADV is not able to hide that much the backlight bleed. Even when it's ON it should be visible, but probably less.

Richdog · 9 Mar 2006 at 14:05

Ack! I really hope I don't get a monitor that I worse off than before, or that has the dreaded dead pixels problem. They did say they would test it first for bleed so at least hopefully it will have none of that malarky to worry about... And having a straight power button will be nice too heh.

Fingers crossed... And hopefully it'll arrive tommorrow presuming they got their stock today!

Oswold · 9 Mar 2006 at 19:14

igors said:
Hmmm ... it's interesting that it's "radiating" and forming the backlight haze. Are you sure that you are not looking at the colour banding ? Is there any possibility that we see some pics ?

I would have taken some pictures but i put my camera somewhere safe when i had a spring clean a few weeks ago and now i can't find it again.But i did find a 386 motherboard, one of the FreeWheel controllers you tilted to perform actions and my old Commodore 64D 5.25" breeze block floppy disk drive that could heat a house when accessing data. Anyway it's all packed up ready for DHL to swap it with a new one. Fingers crossed i'll get one with less of a problem. Going back to my CRT and i'm just shocked how beige and dull the whites are and the colours so muted *crys a sad lament over the LCD box*

Cal_G · 9 Mar 2006 at 20:30

Richdog said:
Ack! I really hope I don't get a monitor that I worse off than before, or that has the dreaded dead pixels problem. They did say they would test it first for bleed so at least hopefully it will have none of that malarky to worry about... And having a straight power button will be nice too heh.

Fingers crossed... And hopefully it'll arrive tommorrow presuming they got their stock today!

Even if they test it, it may not help, my bleed has now changed, when the monitor is switched on it isnt there anymore, but after 30 mins its as bad as ever, it slowly gets brighter during the 30 mins warm up period, hopefully you wont get one like this.

I spoke to them today and they still didnt have any stock, the woman on the phone was suprised I had one as NEC themselves are only getting their first shipment in any day now, she told me that if you have had it under 2 weeks you are guaranteed a brand new model as a replacement, she said nothing about only using it for 20 hours or under to qualify for an exchange. She also said I was the first person to report the problem :rolleyes:

Richdog · 9 Mar 2006 at 20:34

Cal_G said:
Even if they test it, it may not help, my bleed has now changed, when the monitor is switched on it isnt there anymore, but after 30 mins its as bad as ever, it slowly gets brighter during the 30 mins warm up period, hopefully you wont get one like this.

I spoke to them today and they still didnt have any stock, the woman on the phone was suprised I had one as NEC themselves are only getting their first shipment in any day now, she told me that if you have had it under 2 weeks you are guaranteed a brand new model as a replacement, she said nothing about only using it for 20 hours or under to qualify for an exchange. She also said I was the first person to report the problem

Did she sound slightly foreign by any chance, bit of an accent?

NEC LCD20WGX2 review *** UPDATED 25/02/06 ***

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NEC LCD20WGX2 review * UPDATED 25/02/06 *