NEC 2490WUXi - The Full Story

I have both:

NEC 2690WUxi (With A-TW Polarizer) Greenish Tint in Dark Images

NEC 2690WUxi2 (Without the Polarizer) White Glow and Light Bleed



To me it is very distracting when viewing dark images in low light, but just don't know what is worse, the Greenish Tint (2690WUxi) or the White Glow (2690WUxi2). I read posts that say the greenish tint can hardly be seen on the 2690WUxi with the A-TW polarizer. On mine it's very noticeable and distracting to me. There is not that much light bleed but when moving slightly off center looking from the left to the right any black images start to look greenish. The image remains clear but the color changes from black to a greenish tint. I think it is very distracting since I am not viewing it from an extreme angle. I maybe a foot over to the left of center and 2.5 feet back from the screen and that starts to happen. Could there be something wrong with the panel or is it just the way it is with the 2690WUxi.

Watching movies is more evident since the black bars will look greenish if you are not looking at it from the center.

There is a comparison side by side picture of the my 2 NEC models which is very similar to the way mine look http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2593/2690wuxi2vs2690wuxi.jpg In the picture you can see the greenish/reddish tint in the 2690WUxi (on Right) and the white glow in the 2690WUxi2 (on Left)


My other 2690WUxi2 without the A-TW Polarizer has alot of white glow and a good amount light bleed starting from the bottom left hand corner and spreading out close to the center. Viewing angle is not as good as the 2690WUxi. Images start to glow and look washed when viewing from an angle compared to the 2690WUxi. In this thread there are several pictures comparing the 2690Wuxi with other monitors showing dark scenes from an angle with no hint of any greenish tint. On mine you can see it. There is a comparison picture of the Earth http://www.toastyx.net/nec-planar-earth.jpg

in a darkened room that shows the black of space nicely. It looks very black and no signs of any greenish tint. I have that same picture and mine would show a greenish tint from that angle. Maybe it's the camera not showing the greenish tint compared when looking at it with the naked eye, I'm not sure. Could there be something wrong with my 2690wuxi or is that they way they are. I can return the 2690WUxi2 or send in the 2690WUxi for warranty service.

I like the 2690WUxi with the polarizer better compared to the newer 2690WUxi2 with the white glow. If only I can figure out that the issue with the greenish tint is a flaw or part of that model. The only reason why I am saying this is because many have said that you can hardly see the greenish tint and have posted pictures and you really can't see it at all. On mine it seems to be more evident/exessive. I want to know if maybe thats the way they are or maybe some units will show it more than others like with the issue of light bleed. It's known that the same units will show light bleed differently and its basically the luck of the draw. People return screens several times because of this. Maybe thats the case with mine and it's exessive greenish tint, some models will show more than others and I was just unlucky. If thats the case I can send back the 2609WUxi to NEC and either get it fixed or replaced. I have already s/w tech support and setup an RMA if I decide to go that route. As for the 2690WUxi2, I just picked that up so I can return that one with no problem.

Any input would be helpful, Thanks,
 
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There should be a green tint when looking from the left and a red tint when looking from the right. On some units, the red tint is on both sides. I actually find the red tint more distracting than the green tint. The green tint should be barely visible except on a pure black screen.

I've found that backlight bleeding can make the green tint worse. The first one I got had very bad backlight bleeding.

Here's a comparison shot (second vs. first):
backlight-new-vs-old.jpg
 
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Thankyou for the quick informative reply

Mine looks exactly like the picture on the right and sometimes when looking from right to left you get some red like the other picture. So if unit has exessive light bleed green will be more noticeable like mine. Do you think this can this be fixed or do I need to have it replaced which may be impossible since they do not make them anymore.

Thanks,
Scott



.
 
His picture is dead on. I did not know all images that you would view on this monitor are required to be bright which would then render seeing the tint impossile. Any space scenes with planets and stars are not good for this monitor shown here http://www.toastyx.net/nec-planar-earth.jpgThe angle is a little off center so unless you are a statue and do not move at all at your desk then I guess This "tint" is not visible in any practical use of the monitor according to you. From that angle and even from being much closer to the center the black space looks green on mine.
 
I did mention it was overexposed. That's what came from my camera at the time. The point was to show how backlight bleeding can make the green tint worse.

I won't remove the picture, but I have adjusted it to be more realistic. It still shows what I'm talking about. The backlight bleeding really was that bad on the first one.
 
The subtle purple tint from my 2690 WUXi is so vague I can only reproduce it by sitting in total darkness and viewing an all black screen at an extreme angle, love this monitor.. pride of ownership is so high.

While I'm here though, I want to ask for some help:
My 2690 is a European MultiSync model with a serial no# ending in "YB", I also already own a X-Rite Eye-One colorimeter. I have calibrated my screen using the American SpectraView II software, how do I verify though, if the software has calibrated my screen via hardware LUT or graphics card LUT?
Anytime I swap between custom profile settings in SpectraView II, a progress bar gets displayed, my monitor flashes around and takes about half a minute to complete; is this indicative of hardware calibration?

Edit: just checked inside the advanced OSM under tag 6/7 where gamma and colour are, my settings are shown as "programmable".
 
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Solstice said:
I have calibrated my screen using the American SpectraView II software, how do I verify though, if the software has calibrated my screen via hardware LUT or graphics card LUT?
Anytime I swap between custom profile settings in SpectraView II, a progress bar gets displayed, my monitor flashes around and takes about half a minute to complete; is this indicative of hardware calibration?

Edit: just checked inside the advanced OSM under tag 6/7 where gamma and colour are, my settings are shown as "programmable".
Click to expand...

Hi Solstice,

SpectraViewII always calibrates using the LUTs in your NEC display.

Hope this helps!
 
ArtMarshall said:
Hi Solstice,

SpectraViewII always calibrates using the LUTs in your NEC display.

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Thanks for that Art!

This is certainly a very effective way to endear loyal customers to your company, interacting with them directly on forums.

/respect
 
Do I still need to backup and reload the ICC profile or the Spectraview target file if I reinstall my OS?

Also, do I need to calibrate for each DVI port?

Thanks
 
SupraSaiyan said:
Do I still need to backup and reload the ICC profile or the Spectraview target file if I reinstall my OS?
Click to expand...

Yes I believe so, since SVII re-validates the profile loaded into the display on bootup. It's probably just as easy to simply re-calibrate after you re-install. You may wish to back up your target file if you've made significant customizations.
 
What is the proper calibration setting I should be using? So far, I gathered:

D65
2.2 Gamma
Autoluminence off

Should I use 32 calibration steps or 52 steps? What about intensity?
 
SupraSaiyan said:
What is the proper calibration setting I should be using? So far, I gathered:

D65
2.2 Gamma
Autoluminence off

Should I use 32 calibration steps or 52 steps? What about intensity?
Click to expand...
Take the 52 step, more accurate and only adds a few minutes onto the total time of calibration. Don't need to check "extend luminance stabilization time".
Common brightness settings for LCD's are 120 or 140 cd/m, I use 140, matter of preference.
 
Surly73 said:
Yes I believe so, since SVII re-validates the profile loaded into the display on bootup. It's probably just as easy to simply re-calibrate after you re-install. You may wish to back up your target file if you've made significant customizations.
Click to expand...

I thought by having hardware LUT, all input sources will output accurately on the display. If the input source requires a profile, how would a PS3 or XBOX know what the adjustments are if they don't load a iccprofile?
 
SupraSaiyan said:
I thought by having hardware LUT, all input sources will output accurately on the display. If the input source requires a profile, how would a PS3 or XBOX know what the adjustments are if they don't load a iccprofile?
Click to expand...

You're misunderstanding my post.

SVII loads the last calibration results and verifies with the monitor that those are the settings still in use. If the monitor has dumped it's settings or they were changed on the front panel and it's still the same serial number, it will flag that it's uncalibrated. If you remove all the files SVII isn't going to have access to the LUT settings it pushed to the display to confirm they are still correct.

Second, if you customized your target you'll want to save that.

Third, you could have backed up those files in far less time than you've spent discussing it here.

Fourth, the ICC profile contains information about the gamut of the display, whether calibrated or not. It's always useful to communicate gamut information even if it indicates that no GPU LUT corrections are to be applied. It's ESSENTIAL if your display is anything but sRGB gamut. Color-aware applications still need to load a proper ICC profile to understand what the capabilities of your display are - hardware LUT or no.
 
Hello folks, sorry to revive this thread, but I bought yesterday brand new 2490wuxi ( revision 2f , made 02/2009 ) and must say this : this lcd is pure joy, I compared it to the HP LP2465 & LP2475, Dell 2209WA, Fujitsu P24-1W, and they absolutely pale in comparision. Only my previous NEC 20WGX2 is worthy opponent to the 2490 and earned the place of second display :).

My 2490 has just only one little flaw - it is emmiting a faint noise/buzz from the top left on the back. All in all, I confirm all the good that was said in this thread.
 
Btw, general question - are there some means how to avoid the noise that this monitor make ?
 
After a little search - it seems that the noise is caused by different AC, allegedly the US users don`t experience such promiment noise as EU users. The cause is maybe in different voltage and frequency for US and EU ( 110V/60Hz vs 220V/50Hz ). My hypothesis - the 2490 was designed primarily for Japan/US power standards and if the 2490 EU version is pluggend into 220V to 110V power converter with appropriate watt power for 2490 ( around 100W ), it should be noiseless. What do you think guys about such hypothesis ? Oh, and the manual says that the 2490 can use 100 - 240 V ~ 50/60 Hz.
 
setekh said:
You got a 2490wuxi. Brand new. In Europe.

I'm green with envy. :)
Click to expand...

I absolutely understand that, I was looking for that beauty for about last 5 months, getting it was a little miracle to say the least.
 
3d_vlk said:
I absolutely understand that, I was looking for that beauty for about last 5 months, getting it was a little miracle to say the least.
Click to expand...
..so...
can u elaborate more on how the miracle became reality, 'cause apart from a used 2690 with 4 burned subpixels, I cannot find any v1 90 series around here.
 
drtc said:
..so...
can u elaborate more on how the miracle became reality, 'cause apart from a used 2690 with 4 burned subpixels, I cannot find any v1 90 series around here.
Click to expand...

Hi, our company has access to the stores of official NEC distributor ( which we obtained a few days ago ), and they had it in their warehouse ( last unit ! and not a refurb, but completely new ). I asked their manager if it would be possible to obtain more of the original WUXi1 and he replied : "It should not be a problem". So, I`m waiting for his answer on email in the meantime.
 
Btw, what is the best way to calibrate 2490 - with SV2 equipment ( which is rebranded i1 Display 2 ) or would be i1 Display LT also good ? I`m intending to calibrate it for maximum contrast ratio & black level.
 
3d_vlk said:
Btw, what is the best way to calibrate 2490 - with SV2 equipment ( which is rebranded i1 Display 2 ) or would be i1 Display LT also good ? I`m intending to calibrate it for maximum contrast ratio & black level.
Click to expand...
The colorimeter that comes with the 'LT' package is also an i1 Display 2.
 
Solstice said:
The colorimeter that comes with the 'LT' package is also an i1 Display 2.
Click to expand...

It seems so, also it seems to have some pro features of D2 version locked on firmware level, and of course it is 1/2 cheaper than D2. But would it be sufficient ?
 
Just some updates.

First the ColorMunki Create is not compatible with SpectraView II. NEC is supposedly going to update their readme file to mention specifically you need the ColorMunki Design or Photo.

Next, while the Eye One Display LT is crippled in X-Rite's software, it appears Spectraview II allows full functionality. I was able to do amibient light testing, change my gamma and had access to all color temps SpectraView II offers.

If you find the LT doesn't work you can update it to the Display 2 for $99 from X-Rite directly via a firmware update. If you know you are going to need a Display 2 from the start the MSRP's are only $50 apart. Worst case is you are out $49 bucks. I took the gamble and it worked out for me.
 
I realize this thread is a bit older, and not very active, but I decided to take the plunge on the LCD2490WUXI2-BK. Up here in Canada the price has gone down to the $750.00 range so due to my heightened interest, and reduced price, I decided to pick one up.

So far I'm very happy with it. The AG coating seems quite low in comparison to my Dell 3008WFP, and heads and shoulders better than the U2711 I bought earlier this month (which is very likely to be returned now).

Off-angle blacks so far seem much better than any non polarized A-TW panel, and due to the slightly lower backlight, I don't think I'll need to go anywhere near the "panel blocking" or digital manipulation based/contrast-robbing darker modes. Panel is fairly uniform, no apparent tinting and viewing angles seem quite robust.

I'll post some photos next to my LCD2690WUXI-BK just to show what it's like. Typical stuff like .5 second exposure shots on and off-angle. Since I still have my SV II Kit I'll calibrate it later on after break-in as well.

Just thought I'd post here so people know some more of the truth. I'm 100% not an NEC fan boy though I do like the WUXI/WQXI and PA series, but in case people are still interested in the monitor, there seem to be some good deals on the non-SV version.
 
10E, I imagine your house lined with monitors everywhere. :D

Good to know the UXi2 is still a decent option. Still loving my original 2490UXi. Best HW purchase I ever made.
 
Snowdog said:
10E, I imagine your house lined with monitors everywhere. :D

Good to know the UXi2 is still a decent option. Still loving my original 2490UXi. Best HW purchase I ever made.
Click to expand...

So far this was a good $750.00 + taxes I paid. Well worth it. Even worse another Canadian Etailer had it for $675.00 last month. I'm officially kicking myself for not jumping on that deal.

The lack of A-TW polarizer doesn't bother me much. I notice that the A-TW might make whites seem a bit more dynamic, and slightly warmer on the 2690, but the black levels on the 2490WUXi2 are solid even at off viewing angles. What's strange is they are better when viewed from the left than the right side. I have some 2490/2690 side-by-side photos I took earlier, but due to window reflections I'll re-take tonight. Off-angle viewing of regular content like web pages or videos seems the same. Both darken a bit but don't lose contrast or wash out.

There is definitely less white glow on this screen than most typical eIPS panels like what I had on my 2209WA, or the U2711 or even the 3008WFP. This may be due to the smaller real estate of the 2490 but it seems less pronounced.

And the AG coating is definitely not obtrusive now that I've used it for a more normal period of time. Very little "dust on the screen" effect. I don't feel the need to wipe the monitor with my sleeve constantly.

alkemyst said:
How does it compare to the 26"? I have a 2490WUXi was wondering about the 26"?
Click to expand...

The 26" is dead. I don't even think LG makes the panel any more. If you see it for sale it's likely left over inventory.

The 2490WUXI/WUXI2 is still a better option for your average sRGB seeking Windows user, and if you want a wide gamut/Adobe RGB capable screen the PA241W is a far better screen than the 2690, as it can emulate different color spaces better. The 2690 has a very poor sRGB mode.
 
Again, still realizing this is not the newest thread, I thought I'd post some quick shots on the black level comparison between the A-TW polarized LCD2690WUXI-BK (on the left, green LED) and the non A-TW polarized LCD2490WUXi2-BK on the right (blue LED).

Both panels were calibrated using SVii to about 160cdm/2 whites, but the 2490WUXi2 is capable of a darker black here about .20 cdm/2 to the 2690's .23 cdm/2.

.5 second exposure from the left, probably the most realistic in terms of what I'm seeing:

img0344lc.jpg


As you can see, while the black on the 2690 is more consistent from top to bottom and left to right, the black level on the newer 2490 is actually darker in the middle with some glow creeping in top and bottom. The strange part is, the glow from here is blue and lesser than the glow from the other side (viewed from the right extreme).

Another same shot with 1 second exposure to amplify:

img0343jd.jpg


This sort of shows the "blue glow" from the left side, obviously amplified. In terms of BLB or flash lighting the 2490 is actually better than the older 2690.

Another 1 second exposure to amplify the effect from the other side:

img0340ae.jpg


Once the vertical angle changes the glow moves with it and can take up more of the screen, but it's definitely nowhere near what I used to see with my Dell 2209WA for example. It is far easier to work with, and doesn't tend to cause any issues with editing of dark photos, etc....

Last photo, up close, about 1.5 fee away with 1 second exposure. An amplification of about how bad it could possibly get with this screen. Again 1 second will amplify these effects. Notice the typical "cross pattern" of glow creep-in.

img0342vh.jpg


These were just informational shots to show the difference between an A-TW polarized screen and one lacking it. I find the 24" panel used in the 2490WUXi2 is very good at not displaying a lot of white/blue glow and that, coupled with the very good application of AG (minimally sparkly/grainy) makes this a great panel to me.

So far the panel is capable of about 850:1 contrast ratio but SVii seems to limit it, and as well, if I calibrate to a specific luminance, it seems to rob contrast, even if the white level is above the the minimum "panel blocking" brightness. What I can't understand is that when a specific luminance is calibrated to, the brightness gets locked at that level, while on the 2690 I am free to change it.

Strange.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned I'm still very happy with this screen after about 80 hours of usage, and it is still a cut above most other screens IMHO.
 
10e said:
So far the panel is capable of about 850:1 contrast ratio but SVii seems to limit it, and as well, if I calibrate to a specific luminance, it seems to rob contrast, even if the white level is above the the minimum "panel blocking" brightness. What I can't understand is that when a specific luminance is calibrated to, the brightness gets locked at that level, while on the 2690 I am free to change it.
Click to expand...

I stayed with the older version of SV that shipped with my monitor because I prefer to calibrate brightness manually (you adjust the brightness with the control to a level you like, not to a numeric value) as it maximizes contrast.

Using the newer SV didn't allow me to do this. Also when I do this, I choose my brightness level at the manual stage, I choose the level, then let the monitor stabilize for 20 minutes before finishing the calibration. Because if you calibrate for a low brightness level, it will first turning the panel up to max which seems to heat the CCFL and make them brighter, so you need time to stabilize at a lower level, or levels will be changing throughout the rest of the calibration.
 
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