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

OMG, cheers Igors, I hope all is well :) sorry m8 I wan't following the thread at that point, thanks for the heads up. I will read through that guide and let you know how i get on :)
 
HI kreee

I find those settings to be closest to the truth. (default colour no adjustments in windows)I reccomend trying them. aye should be universal from screen to screen, but differences can occour on type of cable used, gfx card, etc..

Igors, heres my screen info.

Manufacture date............ 2006, ISO week 6
EDID revision............... 1.3
Display type and signal..... Digital
Sync input support.......... n/a
Screen size................. 430 x 270 mm (~21")
Power management............ Standby, Suspend, Active off/sleep

Color characteristics
Display gamma............... 2.20
Red chromaticity............ Rx 0.640 - Ry 0.340
Green chromaticity.......... Gx 0.290 - Gy 0.610
Blue chromaticity........... Bx 0.145 - By 0.070
White point (default)....... Wx 0.313 - Wy 0.329


PS.Thanks for the help Igors, muchly apprciated !!
So it looks Like I need a calibration device to make a proper colour profile to get the best out of the display ? hmm I think I definately need one for colour critical work, but which one ?
/meanwhile tries more with vga cables and different gfx cards...
 
Last edited:
The advanced DVM made a massive improvement for me when watching Sin-City. Although I dont use it at all for desktop or gaming. For the same reasons mentioned before. The constant auto adjustments are irritating.
 
Kreeeee said:
Will these settings be universal for all NEC 20WGX2 monitors or will they only be ideal for your own one?
Click to expand...
You see ... that's the problem. Even if someone give you the calibrated settings it usually doesn't necessarily means that you will have the satisfactory results. Each monitor is unique, from the manufacturing point of view. That may include the panel uniformity, overall backlight bleed (if you have greyish layer across the panel because of the way how panel is pressed against the casing). Also, there are usually slight variations how monitor is calibrated and colours are preset at the stock set-up in the factory. Then ... you have the differences how each video card is reproducing the colours. Professional calibration also requires several calibrations per month in order to keep the things consistent.

We can safely say that usually you are pretty much on your own for colour critical work, but some general guidance is possible ... no doubt, especially for contrast, brightness, colour temperature and other monitor tweaks.
 
David230 said:
The advanced DVM made a massive improvement for me when watching Sin-City. Although I dont use it at all for desktop or gaming. For the same reasons mentioned before. The constant auto adjustments are irritating.
Click to expand...
Interestingly enough, I use the Advanced DV almost all the time in games (more frequently for dark ones). Yes, in the desktop usage it can be slightly irritating (but you can use to it). It's probably personal preference and your eyes would probably judge the best.

Advanced DV is greatly improving blacks and picture balance is also very pleasant. Regarding brightness, lately I noticed interesting fact. Even at very high brightness, NEC doesn't loose the contrast (and black point) ... which is always the indication of the good panel. What is more interesting is that Advanced DV "ON" really loves the extra brightness and picture is surprisingly better even at the relatively high brightness level. This is also important when you watch the screen from the relative distance (video) and for the gaming too. I feel that higher brightness settings in combination with the Advanced DV can be useful for the people who are watching the screen from the distance. As already mentioned, Advanced DV is doing the great job and overall monitor picture quality is not suffering to great extent even with the high brightness ... which is always a good thing to have.
 
For getting the greyscale gradient spot on I have contrast at 50% (I think the factory default is that anyway). I keep brightness between 40% - 80%. For colour, sRGB and Native keep the gradient correct on my monitor. Colour options 1, 2 and 3 throw it off (causes banding) and I need to fiddle the seperate RGB, but at the expense of an undesirable colour temperature sometimes. All this with DVM off.

Basically, you can't go far wrong with the factory preset. But for more exacting colour work it does pay to fiddle things a bit obviously. Depends how critical your work is.
 
LaRZ said:
So it looks Like I need a calibration device to make a proper colour profile to get the best out of the display ? hmm I think I definately need one for colour critical work, but which one ?
Click to expand...
One thing is important. Colour calibration is just the last step in the complete process. Actually, primary and first thing to do before any calibration job is to set the monitor to a well defined, let's say standard state and that includes the proper white point (colour temperature) to work with. Not to mention that, for example, most monitors reach useful brightness levels more easily at 6500K (sRGB).

After choosing the colour temperature and possibly gamma, the next step are settings for the black (brightness) and white (contrast) levels to their optimum values. It's known fact that incorrect positioning of the contrast/brightness may introduce another side effects. That may include the colour banding, colour compression, blowing out fine shadow details (too low brightness), washed out shadows (too high brightness) ... etc.

Only after this, red/green/blue calibration takes place so that neutral colours do not show a colour cast.

Recently, PC World ranked the NEC MultiSync LCD20WMG2 as #1 monitor in PC World's 20" WS Display Ratings. Here is the quote from them (which you may find interesting):

In graphics tests, the 20WMGX2's performance really took off. It wowed our jurors with rich and accurate colors, especially on our important (and difficult) photo tests. It brought out both the vibrant colors in our fruit tart photo and the natural skin tones in our group portrait. We even saw the freckles on our fairest portrait subject; many monitors render the freckles invisible.
Click to expand...
Regarding hardware calibrators, I feel that "entry" price level for the proper calibration units is at least $200. ColorVision Spyder2 is maybe good "budget" solution, but I've also heard (and read) excellent opinions about more expensive GretagMacbeth Eye-One Display 2 and Monaco Optix XR Pro (they are probably in the $200 - $300 range).

You may find this link useful (it's very good resource actually) about the monitor calibration subject:

http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html#Monitorsetup
 
Ozzie Dave said:
Colour options 1, 2 and 3 throw it off (causes banding) and I need to fiddle the seperate RGB, but at the expense of an undesirable colour temperature sometimes. All this with DVM off.
Click to expand...
For other colour options (temperatures) - if they are desirable - you have to adjust the contrast properly as the first step. It was explained nicely how visually you can adjust this in the post above, for LaRZ. Actually, on the second thought and as I already mentioned, it's useful for all 20WGX2 owners.

Also, Advanced DVM is not affecting the gradients.

Ozzie Dave said:
Basically, you can't go far wrong with the factory preset. But for more exacting colour work it does pay to fiddle things a bit obviously. Depends how critical your work is.
Click to expand...
Indeed. 20WGX2 has one imperative advantage. It's producing the "surprisingly good" colour accuracy even at stock settings and picture balance is also very nice. It's great bonus for the people who don't want to bother with colour calibration, but at the same time would like to have nice and acceptable colours out of the box.
 
For getting the greyscale gradient spot on I have contrast at 50% (I think the factory default is that anyway). I keep brightness between 40% - 80%. For colour, sRGB and Native keep the gradient correct on my monitor. Colour options 1, 2 and 3 throw it off (causes banding) and I need to fiddle the seperate RGB, but at the expense of an undesirable colour temperature sometimes. All this with DVM off.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I have found, to get a good cast of colours @9200k, I have to put up with slight colour banding. :(.

Whilst in the dingy dark levels of hl2dm (lockdown) I had my above settings, switched adv DV on and off and it was far easier too see everything with it switched off, imo.

brightness @ 80% untouched by advanced DV looks awesome anyhow. :rolleyes:

In regards to colour banding I can't recreate the problem on the vga, I'm sure it's how the monitor deals with the digital signal
 
ATI said:
anyway really appreciate the feedback above and another question are you sure your not on the nec pay roll? :) come on you could let the cat out now.
Click to expand...
LOL ... as far as I'm aware, not ! and why would you think that :) Actually, I don't remember that I received even one simple "thank you" from NEC, but hey that's another story of the corporates. :(
 
On the verge of buying the NEC LCD20WGX2, but I would like to know if my current PC spec will give me any problems with this monitor.
General use, and a bit of gaming.

Intel Pentium 4, 3400 MHz
nVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT (Leadtek WinFast A400 GT)
2 gig Samsung PC2700

New PC next year.
 
Brian it should do for all the games that are out now. I have a bfg 6800 gt, very similar card, and it gave me silky smooth results in hl2 and battlefield 2 @ 1680 x 1050. Depends what games you play.

Great for Desktop use, gaming, Video, and wide colour consitant viewing angles are great advantages :)
 
Last edited:
You should be fine Brian.

I have most of the latest games and they all run satisfactory on my rig with the NEC in native res. Some I gotta turn down a few graphics options if I want it super smooth or run in a lower res (which aint that bad actually) and with pixel mapping you've got that option too

Only game that really chokes in 1680x1050 is Oblivion...but that sucker chokes on anything, lol...even on far better rigs than mine if you ramp the graphics up enough. I got it running great in 1280x800 wide. Still looks sweet.

And for everything else like general windows apps/net browsing/watching DVDs etc its wonderful :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom