Questions about IPS

Kosmiche

Kosmiche

Kosmiche

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I just got a new Acer S236HLtmjj http://www.acer.co.uk/ac/en/GB/content/model/UM.VS6EE.001

I'm finding the monitor is a bit dark, as in it doesn't seem bright enough. I have run through the inbuilt windows 7 calibrator several times trying to get it to look right but I always end up with the same result at the end.

I was wondering are there other free calibration tools that are good or better than the windows 7 calibrator?

Is it typical for a ips screen to not be as bright as a tn? I had a LG e2442v before and that was very bright.

I'm happy with the overall picture quality which is the best I've had but when I play games some of them look a bit weird. RIFT for example looks really dark, I tried playing with the ingame gamma but then I just ended up with a very washed out looking image.

Any tips on getting the best out of IPS and are there any good free monitor calibration tools that are better than the windows 7 tool?

Thanks :cool:
 
I have no experience on that particular model, but I think there's definitely something amiss in there. Because it's practically a running gag that pretty much EVERY new monitor have their brightness set way too high. Like, "OH MY EYES! IT BURNS, IT BURNS !!!"

So yeah, usually the first thing to do when you get a new monitor is to turn DOWN the brightness. If you have problems with too low brightness, I would start to get worried...

Well, alternatively it might be a case of you having gotten used to TN panels, and now your eyes are more tuned to the "washed out" look/colors, which is the usual negative on TN monitors. Which just means you have gotten used to lower standards. As indeed, IPS monitors are generally considered to have superior, deeper and richer colors. So the blacks are actually black, not dark gray (which is the usual case with TN monitors).

Also, people don't usually want to use glossy monitors in bright rooms, as the reflections will often ruin the experience. Unless of course, you have full control of the light sources, and you know how to make use of them.

As for calibration, you could check this (originally made for CRT, but should apply for most parts):
http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/

Haven't tried the Windows 7 calibration tool, as I'm mostly using Linux.
 
Its a 6870.

I think its just my eyes that need to adjust to using ips, aatu's post explained a lot :)

Thanks for that very helpful and insightful post aatu.
 
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I was just checking you weren't using an Nvidia card as they can have colour signal issues if using HDMI. You can see that the brightness is as it should be by observing an all-white screen - it should be just as bright as on your old monitor if comparing at 100% brightness. It may have a different tone (white point) but they both have a maximum luminance specified as 250 cd/m2. You are probably just experiencing a change, as aatu said, which you will find a positive one once you become accustomed to your new monitor.
 
Its a lovely monitor actually, its got one of those no bezel designs that are starting to become popular.

Yes there is no bezel, but the screen stops about 1cm from the edge :(

It was £160 from that high street indian hot food place, good price I thought. I could have spent about £30-40 less and still got a ips monitor but I wanted something a bit premium after owning a line of cheap but cheerful monitors.

This is extremely well built and solid, the screen does not budge when you push down on the top. It has speakers which I've tested, they would be fine for use with a game console if that wasn't the primary use of the monitor.

Sorry I guess I've turned this into a review thread.
 
Is the panel 6bit + FRC ? I ask because I bought one recently, thinking it was 8 bit, to be serverly dissapoined when it came to colour and black crushing.
 
Don't know if the S236HLtmjj is actually an 6 bit, but from the price it would certainly suggest it.
 
Most e-IPS (or what they nowadays call AH-IPS, I think) monitors are 6bit+FRC. Most people shouldn't notice the difference in general usage. And indeed, real 8bit IPS monitors are usually a little bit more expensive.

Not 100% sure about this part, so don't quote me on this:
Usually e-IPS and AH-IPS monitors are more suitable for gaming than real 8bit monitors. But the causality isn't necessarily because of the panel subcategory. It's because the 8bit IPS monitors are by default more expensive and aimed for color critical work (graphics professionals), so there's no need to cater for gamers' needs.

While on the other hand, practically all A-MVA monitors are true 8bit. But still, even when compared with price, they're on par with the cheap e-IPS and AH-IPS monitors. Unfortunately, nothing is perfect: they're not as good for gaming. Then again, for an average gamer they should all be more than adequate.
 
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