لا داع للـخـيـال ... شـاشـة سـامـسـونـج LCD بـمـدخـل USB ...!

[intellayth]

لا داع للـخـيـال ... شـاشـة سـامـسـونـج LCD بـمـدخـل USB ...!

نعم، قل وداعاً للـ VGA وDVI ... ومرحباً بـ USB!

بدأت فعلاً سامسونج الرائدة في أنتاج شاشات الـ LCD الخاصة بالكمبيوتر، لكنها الأن بتقنية العرض عبر مدخل الـ USB ...

Introduction

There's no denying that you have a lot of options when it comes to selecting an LCD monitor to accompany your computer. Some of these monitors are designed to attract your attention with their exceptional refresh rates, contrast ratios, or viewing angles, whereas others attempt to grab their segment of the market by tossing a mediocre panel into the most attractive-looking package possible.


The Samsung SyncMaster 940UX is a 19-inch standard ratio LCD that boasts a feature you probably won't find on most other monitors: it can connect to your computer using USB. This option is in addition to its standard analog (VGA/RGB) and digital (DVI) connection options. This is easily its biggest selling feature and I feel that it is a valuable feature for someone, for example, who owns a laptop without a DVI output. Typically, these consumer-level laptops will only provide an analog (VGA) output and the result of this is usually less than spectacular. Analog signals have gone the way of the dinosaur, after all.


Before we get down into the nitty-gritty of the Samsung SyncMaster 940UX, let's have a look at the official spec sheet:


- Viewable area: 19"
- Pixel Pitch (mm): 0.294
- Brightness (cd/m2): 300
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (DC 2000:1)
- Viewing angle: 160 degrees vertical and horizontal
- Response time: 5ms
- Maximum Resolution: 1280x1024
- Color Support: 16.7 million
- Input Connectors: 15pin D-sub, DVI-D, USB
- Power Consumption: 42 Watts Max (on mode), < 5 Watt (DPMS mode)
- Multimedia Speakers: None
- Cabinet Color: Silver, Black
- Dimensions: 407.6x408x200mm (with stand)
- Weight (kg): 5.2 (set), 7.6 (packing)
- Special Features: UbiSync Technology, USB Hub (1up, 2 down), Vista Premium Certified MagicColor, MagicBright2, Safe Mode (Down Scaling in UXGA)

Packaging

The box that the SyncMaster 940UX ships in is pretty standard. There's no glossy exterior or fancy packaging to accompany this otherwise nondescript LCD monitor. It's plain brown with a few faint blue highlights. On the box, they give you some basic information about the monitor and a grainy image of what the monitor looks like. Like so many other boxes before it, there is a plastic handle that protrudes out the top to help with transport.

The LCD is snugly held in place with a pair of styrofoam inserts. In addition to the monitor itself, I also found a VGA, DVI, USB, and power cable in the box, though it's unclear whether all of these cables are included in the retail package. There is also a CD with the software, user manual, and drivers that you'll need to run this monitor properly. Nothing out of the ordinary here.

Initial Impressions

In terms of the actual product itself, I was pleased to find the great build quality that we've come to expect from Samsung. The round base is actually quite attractive and takes up very little room on the table. Because the base wasn't a little wider, however, there was a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that this monitor would suddenly topple over on me. Thankfully, it never did, and this nagging feeling is completely unfounded.

The color scheme is fairly simple with the frame around the screen being silver, whereas the bulk of the product in the back is black. The stand has a silver back and a black front, whereas the base is mostly black with silver trim. This is some understated beauty that would fit in perfectly under both consumer and business environments.

Rotation and Adjustment

Like the SyncMaster 971p that I reviewed last month, the SyncMaster 940UX can also rotate 90 degrees in a clockwise direction, effectively turning your landscape-oriented display into a portrait-oriented one. The average user will likely find little use for a feature like this, but if you're dealing with long documents (that aren't particularly wide), it's not having the option to spin your screen around.

Regarding adjustment, there is a pin in the back of the stand that holds a certain vertical position. Remove this pin and you can move the screen up and down to help improve your viewing position. It almost feels like its spring-loaded, but not so much so that it's out of control.

Naturally, you can adjust the vertical angle of the display as well, pointing it slightly upwards or downwards as needed. There is no horizontal rotation whatsoever, so when you need to point the monitor to the left or to the right, you are actually adjusting the base. A minor detail, but one that should be noted.

Three-way Performance

When connected using an analog VGA/RGB connection, the resolution was quite poor and any text on the screen was quite blurry. I would highly advise against using the RGB connection when at all possible.

By contrast, the USB connection -- although it took a little while for it to get set up properly (the biggest hiccup was telling the monitor to "scan" for the best connection) -- was ultra sharp and offered incredible legibility. On the downside, it does appear to be a "slower" monitor on a USB connection. As you can see in the picture below, just moving a window around a little too quickly made for some lag. This may not necessarily be the fault of the monitor, but rather the fault of the computer or the USB connection. I can't say for sure, but as it stands, I recommend the USB connection for web surfing and document editing, but perhaps not for graphic-intense computer games.

As can be expected, the digital (DVI-D) connection was by far the best option available. If you have a graphics card that supports a DVI connection, I highly suggest you take that route with this monitor. The resolution is great, the colors are vibrant, and the text is very crisp.

A Touch on the Bright Side

Even when I dialed down the contrast and brightness through the on-screen menu, I found that the display was still a little too bright for my tastes. The relative difference between the highest and lowest brightness setting isn't as large as I would have hoped. The colors are nice and vibrant, but with such a bright monitor -- especially in a relatively dim-lit room -- I'd imagine that a fair bit of eye strain could result. Even when I was using the monitor during the day in a well lit room, I found that my eyes got tired more quickly compared to other monitors.

This high level of brightness would come in handy for a laptop display (watching videos in the backyard, for example), but for an LCD monitor that will be used indoors, it's not really necessary.

Conclusion

I have a preference for widescreens and the SyncMaster 940UX is not. It's not a big deal, but it just speaks to what I look for in a monitor. When you look at the spec sheet, you'll find that the numbers provided aren't exactly top of the class, but for the average user, this monitor is more than adequate. The text is very crisp, the colors very vibrant, and the brightness is high.

A monitor like this is fantastic, as I mentioned earlier, for owners of laptops that lack a DVI output. This way, you're not restricted to the blurry mess that is VGA/RGB. Instead, you get a near DVI-like experience by way of Samsung's UbiSync USB technology. It's a solid monitor, but the refresh rate may not be completely up to snuff for intense gaming. Then again, if your laptop doesn't have a DVI output, chances are that you wouldn't be able to handle high-end games anyways.

You'll also notice that there is a two-port USB hub on the left side of the display. If you've got flash drives and webcams kicking around, this will surely come in handy too. The SyncMaster 940UX is a good monitor, but Samsung needs to create a similar USB-connecting monitor with higher specs for more discerning consumers. ThinkComputers give the Samsung SyncMaster 940UX 19-inch LCD Monitor a 7 out of 10 score.

Pros:

- USB connection option is very handy
- Understated but attractive appearance
- Vibrant colors and crisp text (digital only)
- Power button lights up blue
- Screen can rotate 90 degrees to form portrait orientation

Cons:

- Analog (VGA/RGB) connection is very blurry
- No horizontal rotation
- Poor refresh ratio in USB mode
- USB setup wasn't immediately obvious

[dxbboy77]

شاشه متوفره في جيتكس .. في صوره الاخ kimo مصورنها ..

لو كان الموضوع مترجم كان احلي واحلي ..

[salem amen]

رائعة وعلى كده هل يتم الاستغناء عن كارت الشاشة أم USB موجود فى كارت الشاشة الجديد

[GoldenLionTech]

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

واجه الكمبيوتر صعوبة في التعرف عليها إلا أنها تعتبر إختراع
عنوان الموضوع صدمني لأول وهلة فقلت ماهو الجديد في شاشة بها منفذ USB
لم أتصوّر أنها ستعمل على العرض من خلال توصيل سلك USB فقط

شكراً على الموضوع

[belal_bel]

ما ....استغررررررررررب شي...كل شي يحصل هذه هالأيام .بهذا العصرررررر

[NaAZoOR]

لا تنسوا انها لم تؤد جيداً مع وصلة ال USB وتم ترجيح استخدامها مع ال USB فقط في حالة تصفح الإنترنت و معالجة البيانات "استخدام اوفيس" فقد تم تحريك نافذة بسرعة على الشاشة فلم يستطع ال USB ببطء معدل نقل بياناته ان يجاري السرعة المطلوبة فظهرت النافذة بالشكل الموضخ بالصورة :

[intellayth]

ولا ننسى ... أنها تعمل بالأضافة إلى وجود مدخل الـ USB كل من الـ DVI والـ VGA ... وربما للأسباب التي ذكرها الأخ NaAZoOR ...