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Dell U2711

I ended up with the Apple Cinema Display 27inch monitor. AND I AM FARRRRR from an apple fanboi, infact I really hate them with a passion. But......I LOVE MY NEW MONITOR. Sure it sucks that it doesnt have all the ports etc etc. Sure it sucks that I had to upgrade my video card in order to have the compatibility with Apple's B.S. display port nonsense. Sure it sucks that I have to use a little software workaround in order to control the brightness from my windows 7 machine. Sure it sucks that I had to buy a displayport to minidisplay port adapter in order to get it to work w/ my video card. BUT, with all that said, this thing is worth every penny, and every loop hole I had to jump through. THANK GOD I CHECKED out the dell at a store. I advise anyone to head out to a PC MICRO center if you have one local and see for yourself. I was so close to buying one w/o checking it. Thanks for your time!
 
There's nothing wrong with Apple display :)
It even isn't rediculusly overpriced like most of the things they have.

Now if only it had enough ports to connect PC and PS3 at the same time :D
 
There's nothing wrong with Apple display :)
It even isn't rediculusly overpriced like most of the things they have.

Now if only it had enough ports to connect PC and PS3 at the same time :D

If you buy the Atlona HD620, you can actually toggle the Apple LED Cinema Display 27" between your Playstation 3 and PC with a single button press. :)
 
If you buy the Atlona HD620, you can actually toggle the Apple LED Cinema Display 27" between your Playstation 3 and PC with a single button press. :)

Ouc at the price tag,
Do they make chinese knock off of it somewhere? :D
 
I bought a used U2711 yesterday. I've connected it via HDMI to my ps3 and to my MBP via DVI-out to HDMI-in (I don't have a dual link dvi cable yet). In both cases I'm noticing this strange jitter on the right half of the panel. Basically after a few minutes of being on, the right half of the screen shifts left by a pixel or so and then returns to normal. It happens really quickly and happens every few seconds. Is anyone familiar with this issue? Can it be self remedied or do I have to call Dell support and try to secure a replacement?
 
Today I decided to go check out the Dell U2711 in person at my local PC Microcenter here in Dallas, TX, and boy was I really dissapointed. After all the reviews I read on it, I was really wanting to like this monitor as I am looking to buy a 27 inch IPS monitor. The ANTI GLARE coating on it is terrible!!!!!! It actually gave me a headache while trying to read text on it. Either the settings that the store has for the dell monitor is really crappy or the monitor itself just sucks.

I have had a U2711 for about 3 weeks and the AG Coating is a killer. It is the worst image I have seen on a monitor since I owned a CRT.

If you are doing ANY... and I mean ANY WORK on a white background you will end up withe eye fatigue. It feels like there is a haze over everything that is white, grey, or very bright. It feels like your eyes are trying to focus on two separate layers because of this. It is very tiring to look at. I use to be able to work for 3, 4 or 5 hours without eye fatigue on a Samsung 223BW but on the Dell U2711 my eyes get blurry after 10 - 15 minutes (and its not the resolution size - I have that set to 120%).

There are so many reviews that talk about its gaming capability, it video display, its resolution ect, but most of them avoid the obvious, and that is THE SPARKLE when you view anything with a white background.

It is CRAP. I have no idea how anyone who works with images, web design or office documents on a regular basis can POSSIBLY consider the image the U2711 displays to be of a professional standard.

Again, the U2711's image is CRAP... Do NOT buy this monitor if you expect to sit at a desk for more than 10 minutes at a time and type an email or work on an office document. The AG coating is a killer.

I don't know what I am going to do about this?

EDIT:

Considering doing this to try and improve the image of my U2711
 
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@Spinifex

I bought a DELL U3011 and posted a review 100% identical to yours. It was seriously the WORST display I have ever used in my entire life. Ever. Nice real estate, but impossible to do any real work on. Yes, I do programming and stare at text all day for a living.

Personally, I would absolutely NOT attempt an AG removal on the U2711. Not only does it void the warranty, but it is very risky and even if you succeed, the polarizer will be much more susceptible to damage in the future. I would RMA that baby immediately and just buy a different display. Right now, if you want a 27" display that supports 2560x1440 and doesn't have a harsh AG coating, you DO have 3 options:

Apple LED Cinema Display 27"
Hazro HZ27A
Samsung SA850

The Apple LED Cinema Display is almost identical to the U2711 but it's glossy. The Hazro HZ27A is also almost identical but it comes in glossy and matte (light AG). Unfortunately, it's only sold in Europe and Hazro has an iffy track record with overseas customer service. The Samsung SA850 is a future product which has specs almost exactly like the U2711, but it is confirmed to have a VERY light AG coating. It should be shipping later this summer, and might be just what you are looking for. ;-)
 
I bought a used U2711 yesterday. I've connected it via HDMI to my ps3 and to my MBP via DVI-out to HDMI-in (I don't have a dual link dvi cable yet). In both cases I'm noticing this strange jitter on the right half of the panel. Basically after a few minutes of being on, the right half of the screen shifts left by a pixel or so and then returns to normal. It happens really quickly and happens every few seconds. Is anyone familiar with this issue? Can it be self remedied or do I have to call Dell support and try to secure a replacement?

Try swaping out a cable first (you *could* have two bad cables), however, it's mostly likely RMA time.

As for the AG coating, I haven't noticed any issue with it as an 10hr+ day Software Architect. Then again, I have a grey workspace, and not a sheer white one :p
 
I'm a coder and work with an inverted color scheme, so the monitor is fine for that. I think the AG coating gets a bit too much hate. I like my U2711 but wish I had a U3011 just for the higher pixel pitch.
 
I'm a coder and work with an inverted color scheme, so the monitor is fine for that. I think the AG coating gets a bit too much hate. I like my U2711 but wish I had a U3011 just for the higher pixel pitch.

ech, I recently saw Enzio is launching a 4k res 42" monitor in Japan, so now I wait for 4K res... :D U2711 is going to be my last upgrade before 4K, hopefully :(
 
@Spinifex

I bought a DELL U3011 and posted a review 100% identical to yours. It was seriously the WORST display I have ever used in my entire life. Ever. Nice real estate, but impossible to do any real work on. Yes, I do programming and stare at text all day for a living.

Personally, I would absolutely NOT attempt an AG removal on the U2711. Not only does it void the warranty, but it is very risky and even if you succeed, the polarizer will be much more susceptible to damage in the future. I would RMA that baby immediately and just buy a different display. Right now, if you want a 27" display that supports 2560x1440 and doesn't have a harsh AG coating, you DO have 3 options:

Apple LED Cinema Display 27"
Hazro HZ27A
Samsung SA850

The Apple LED Cinema Display is almost identical to the U2711 but it's glossy. The Hazro HZ27A is also almost identical but it comes in glossy and matte (light AG). Unfortunately, it's only sold in Europe and Hazro has an iffy track record with overseas customer service. The Samsung SA850 is a future product which has specs almost exactly like the U2711, but it is confirmed to have a VERY light AG coating. It should be shipping later this summer, and might be just what you are looking for. ;-)

I was actually considering the Hazro but I'm in Oz and as far as I am aware the Hazro is only available in Europe.

I don't mind A Anti Glare Coating ... but the AG Coating on the U2711 IS far to aggressive to contemplate doing any real work on.

I manage several website, am studying and have two novels in progress and 95% of my work is on a white back ground.

I have been toughing it out for several weeks thinking it was just me but, the AG coating is the problem.

What monitor are you using now Ashok0 ?
 
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What monitor are you using now Ashok0 ?

I use the Apple LED Cinema Display 27". Fantastic display. It's just like the DELL U2711, except the panel is crystal clear with no "sparkle". It's glossy (which for me isn't an issue, glossy haters need not reply) but if you are worried about reflections, the upcoming Samsung SA850 (http://www.zdnet.com/photos/samsung-sa850-photos/6249624?tag=photo-frame;get-photo-roto) is confirmed to have a very light, non-aggressive anti-reflective coating on it. With those two displays, there's pretty much zero reason to own a U2711 if you are sensitive to their known "haze" effect. And yes, aside from these 2 displays, any other 27" WQHD IPS monitor you buy WILL have a massive "sparkle".
 
I use the Apple LED Cinema Display 27". Fantastic display. It's just like the DELL U2711, except the panel is crystal clear with no "sparkle". It's glossy (which for me isn't an issue, glossy haters need not reply)
I am slightly concerned about a pure gloss panel, but it's not half as bad as the haze on the U2711. The constant haze simply destroys white background images and your viewing experience.
... but if you are worried about reflections, the upcoming Samsung SA850 (http://www.zdnet.com/photos/samsung-sa850-photos/6249624?tag=photo-frame;get-photo-roto) is confirmed to have a very light, non-aggressive anti-reflective coating on it. With those two displays, there's pretty much zero reason to own a U2711 if you are sensitive to their known "haze" effect.

This is what I want to hear.

I have just submitted an RMA to return this disappointment of a monitor.

Thankyou very much for the tips Ashok0. I really appreciate it.
 
can someone explain to me what the anti glare coating is? i never really understood what the fuss is about

btw i went to micro center to check out this monitor, it looked fine to me...do i have to be next to a window or something?
 
can someone explain to me what the anti glare coating is? i never really understood what the fuss is about

btw i went to micro center to check out this monitor, it looked fine to me...do i have to be next to a window or something?

All LG IPS displays (minus the Apple LED Cinema Display 27" and Hazro HZ27A/C) have an anti-glare layer that creates a "sparkle" effect on the panel. It looks like there is sand or glitter all over the screen. Whites in particular are heavily effected. Samsung's upcoming PLS display is matte and is confirmed to NOT have this effect, so this issue has nothing to do with matte versus glossy. Some people are more sensitive to it than others depending on their vision. Here is an animated GIF showing the "sparkle" effect:

dell3007wfphcantiglarea.gif
 
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All LG IPS displays (minus the Apple LED Cinema Display 27" and Hazro HZ27A/C) have an anti-glare layer that creates a "sparkle" effect on the panel. It looks like there is sand or glitter all over the screen. Whites in particular are heavily effected. Samsung's upcoming PLS display is matte and is confirmed to NOT have this effect, so this issue has nothing to do with matte versus glossy. Some people are more sensitive to it than others depending on their vision. Here is an animated GIF showing the "sparkle" effect:

dell3007wfphcantiglarea.gif

holy smokes...thanks alot! you know what, i did actually see something like this...but it didn't bother me much, i thought it was just the website i was looking at...i guess it was the anti glare coating
 
Got a brief blurb here about it. ASHOK0's image is pretty close to it. It is subtle, but very obvious on light backgrounds. It is also often refereed to as HAZE.

You will notice the differece the most if you have gotten use to using an LCD TV as a display because LCD TV's have a very high Luminescence and display on a gloss (no AG Coating) screen. That is why LCD TV's display whites and bright colours so well.

All 'office grade' IPS displays (and TN displays) have the AG Coating. The higher the Luminescence (brightness) of the display the stronger (referred to as more aggressive) the Anti-Glare Coating. The AG Coating is designed principally to prevent the reflection of the user appearing in the image that the monitor displays. Manufactures do this because they know the bulk of their sales originate from companies who expect to use monitors in an office environment with high levels of lighting.

It is most noticeable on images with a white background; ie office documents, white web pages, pdf's, and light photos. It is almost undetectable on dark backgrounds. This is because the haze is actually dark.

Apple doesn't use an AG Coating because, I assume, the do not specifically target companies, or because they correctly deduced that the impact of an AG Coating on the displayed image was too great for photo and image workers to tolerate.

AG coatings work in both directions. They work by refracting light. Whilst an AG Coating prevents or minimises the reflection of a user on the display the user is sitting in front of, an AG Coating also impacts on the image the monitor displays.

The thing with the U2711 in particular is that it's small pixel pitch, smaller than the U3011, means that, per pixel, the AG Coating affects (refracts) more of the light being put out by the LCD panel than would be from a panel with a larger pixel pitch.

I've yet to verify it personally, but I believe that the apparent degree of haze is relatively greater on the U2711 than it is on the U3011 due to the small difference in pixel size.

When Dell bought out the U2711 they should have changed the HardCoat (AG Coating) rating down to a less aggressive (rough) grade of AG Coating. They didn't, probably because of a small cost difference of introducing different grades of AG Coating on different resolutions of the same series of monitor.
 
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thanks for the link spinifex

Just edited my previous post.

It's my blurb, just my experience re the AG Coating. Some people think I am over reacting, but it is really obvious to me because I used an 40 inch Samung LCD TV as a display for a few months. I got use to the clean bright whites. When I bought the U2711 the whites it displayed were a bloody rude shock. They are crap. Absolute rubbish.

Whatever you do see a U2711 first hand before you buy one.
 
You aren't overreacting Spinifex, and thanks for that great writeup. This isn't a trivial issue. It just isn't mentioned that much because most folks don't buy $750+ IPS monitors and have never seen this problem as many cheap TN monitors use extremely mild AG coatings. And when buyers here mention the the AG coating issues, the usual suspects raise up their pitchforks screaming nonsense about "glossy versus matte" which has nothing to do with the argument.
 
Apple doesn't use an AG Coating because, I assume, the do not specifically target companies, or because they correctly deduced that the impact of an AG Coating on the displayed image was too great for photo and image workers to tolerate.
Now that Apple have decided that they want an all "glass" design on all of their desktop LCD panels, it would be an extremely bad idea to put any non-glossy panel behind it, since it will distort the image even further (diffraction?).
Like glossy panels are nearly always used when used with an attached touchscreen.
I don't really think they have deduced anything at all. Otherwise they wouldn't use LED-edge lighting or a default image which is a far cry from what it is supposed to be. :)

Having seen a U2410, the coating is really annoying. But let's at least not forget that the older LG IPS screens had a very decent level of AG coating, if someone is interested in buying used.
 
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It is really unfortunate, the AG Coating.

The monitor itself is great. The specs are excellent. It is the best IPS monitor at the price point. Nothing comes close. But, the AG Coating takes what should be a kick-ass piece of hardware, and, personally, makes the image it displays, SHIT!...

I was trying to put up with it. Thinking that oh it's just me BUT a couple of days after recieving it, my WIFE, yeah, my wife says: "Are we able to have two monitors? (She knows we can because I use to have two running side by side) So I can just use that one when I want to use the puter"... My wife is no nerdbox pro. She uses a dual screen at work in on office.. So the fact she didn't want to use the U2711 sort of stuck the boot in. She isn't fussy, and usually thinks my puter tinkering is a fetish... reckons she's going to get a keyboard teeshirt and glasses so I play with her more so she gets more attention from me,but anyway, she hated the U2711 (and still does)... wants to go back to using the Sammy 2234BW...

So it's not my imagination.
 
So it's not my imagination.

lol, yeah I seriously showed my DELL U3011 to my mother who is HARDLY a techie. Her immediate reaction: "That monitor looks like someone smeared make-up all over it". :mad: POS got RMAed an hour later.
 
It's weird, but after awhile the coating sort of becomes invisible to your eyes. At least that was the case for me. Can still notice it if I stare at a white BG but other than that it's no issue.

EDIT: Should add I have a 3008WFP, not U3011. I believe it uses the same coating, have not seen a U3011 in person though.
 
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lol, yeah I seriously showed my DELL U3011 to my mother who is HARDLY a techie. Her immediate reaction: "That monitor looks like someone smeared make-up all over it". :mad: POS got RMAed an hour later.

Bugger... on my blurb about it I was thinking that the AG Coating wouldn't have been as bad on the U3011 because it has a slightly larger pixel pitch than the U2711... guess I thought wrong? Is the AG Coating is just as noticeable on the U3011 as it is on the U2711?
 
There are of course, plenty of people who don't mind or prefer monitors with antiglare coating. I personally have no problem with either the common LG coating or the coating Samsung uses on its cPVA monitors.

Almost all high end art monitors include antiglare coating, and numerous polls of this forum suggest that a majority of members prtefer a screen with antiglare coating.

It's obviously a personal preference, within reason. Before being swayed by the strong opinions of fans and critics, you should see if you can examine various panels in a bricks and mortar store.
 
There are of course, plenty of people who don't mind or prefer monitors with antiglare coating. I personally have no problem with either the common LG coating or the coating Samsung uses on its cPVA monitors.

Almost all high end art monitors include antiglare coating, and numerous polls of this forum suggest that a majority of members prtefer a screen with antiglare coating.

It's obviously a personal preference, within reason. Before being swayed by the strong opinions of fans and critics, you should see if you can examine various panels in a bricks and mortar store.

There seems to be a pack mentality regarding this. For those who are loudest on this forum and Blogs, my advice is to e-mail LG's panel facilities and let them know how you feel!

Or at least make sure their manufacturers like Dell do the same....

Regarding Samsung and AUO VA panels, they do have a less textured coating, and we all hope that Samsung's PLS will continue this tradition. My BenQ FP241VW and Dell 2709W were the smoothest AG monitors around.
 
There are of course, plenty of people who don't mind or prefer monitors with antiglare coating.

Well, yes but even I love displays with antiglare coating. Antiglare isn't the issue, it's the unnecessary GRADE of the coating used specifically by LG. There was a poll in another thread between a standard mild AG and LG AG and LG AG lost by a massive landslide. And Spinifex, I haven't seen a U2711 in person but to say the U3011 panel has a VERY EXTREME sparkle would be an understatement. Then again, the pixel pitch only differs by 8ppi which is fairly negligible.
 
Well, yes but even I love displays with antiglare coating. Antiglare isn't the issue, it's the unnecessary GRADE of the coating used specifically by LG. There was a poll in another thread between a standard mild AG and LG AG and LG AG lost by a massive landslide. And Spinifex, I haven't seen a U2711 in person but to say the U3011 panel has a VERY EXTREME sparkle would be an understatement. Then again, the pixel pitch only differs by 8ppi which is fairly negligible.

I have a 3008WFP and while there is sparkle, it is noticeably less than the U2711. My LCD2690WUXI-BK is probably the best in balancing anti-glare and clarity. The noise/sparkle level is well mitigated and reflections are almost non-existent.

The LCD2490WUXi2-BK I have is somewhere between the 3008WFP and LCD2690, so even without A-TW polarization, LG is able to properly apply an AG coating on some panels. I find it somewhat perplexing that it's getting worse though from panel generation to generation.

If I gave the 2690 an 8/10 for this, I'd give the 2490 a 7, the 3008WFP a 6 and the U2711 a 3/10 for "sparkle resistance".

It doesn't bother me per se. I don't have a problem reading black text on bright backgrounds, but it is not ideal for sure.
 
When I first sat down in front of a 27" iMac, the screen difference was certainly striking. The colors looked crisper, everything, more clear. I barely noticed the reflections. After ten minutes, the reflections started bothering me. After a half hour, they were all I could see. I'm sure many have the opposite experience with antiglare coating.

I have a NEC PA271. I run it extremely dim for every day use, between 80-90 CD/m2. At that brightness, I barely notice the antiglare. Blacks are obviously dark, and whites are very comfortable, though certainly not bright by any stretch. It reduces eyestrain. With a glossy screen, lowering brightness reduces the direct reflections from the back light, but exacerbates the impact of environmental reflections.

The more I've thought about it, the more convinced I am that the glossy/ag preferences are a function of screen brightness preference.

I confess that I haven't used the u2711 for any significant period of time, but I just spent a week using a 2311 and I have used a 3007 for some time. I was travelling with the 2311, and my I didn't have any control over the environment, but I didn't have any difficulty with the antiglare.

I have a x220 with the IPS panel, and it's a huge improvement over my last laptop, a glossy screen Qosmio. The tn panel wasn't bad n the Toshiba, but reflections on it were difficult, to say the least.
 
..
....A laptop, being portable is more subject to direct lighting sources. I set up my 27" ACD with my corner desk taking over a whole corner, with the desk facing out from the walls, and the monitor facing the corner. There are no overhead lights above and behind the lcd screen, nor light sources on the corner walls behind where I sit. All lamps are adjacent to the display array ( a PLP setup) and in the main room itself (as well as windows). The display looks gorgeious imo, and the room is not some black hole by any means.
.. . You don't have that kind of control over a portable all the time, but then again direct sunlight blinds most portable displays so there are some limits no matter what the coating. I have a 10.1 asus transformer ips tablet that is glossy, and I do notice some bad relflections when using it on my lunchcounter at certain times of the afternoon, when the sunlight is blasting throught the oval window in my front door (sun itself visible in the window at that time). I can easily just shift my seat over though, and I also have a three-panel freestanding screen with shutters on it that I can use if I really want to. The lush quality of the tablet's glossy ips display is more than worth the few direct lighting situations that really affect its small screen, which are a small percentage of the time anyway. With the 27" 2560x1440 being in a desk layout and lighting environment that I am in complete control of, there is no question to me. I've owned an over-agressive AG coated screen before (a 20.1" 1680x1050) and adjusting the brightness could not eliminate the text distortion or make the crystal crust disappear. I have no problem with the matte screens I've owned. I think glossy makes for a much more lush and clear display personally as long as you don't have light sources hitting the display directly.
 
I don't know if it's just me, but in my environment I found the AG coating to actually be WORSE than reflections. The coating was so aggressive, looking at the panel at a slight angle under fluorescent lighting would cause a "white out" effect. It would look like there was a bright "blob" floating over the screen. LG tried to kill a fly by launching an atomic bomb.
 
I don't know if it's just me, but in my environment I found the AG coating to actually be WORSE than reflections. The coating was so aggressive, looking at the panel at a slight angle under fluorescent lighting would cause a "white out" effect. It would look like there was a bright "blob" floating over the screen. LG tried to kill a fly by launching an atomic bomb.

Yikes and agree. Looks a trend nowadays. Some TVs/monitors manufacturers are overdoing this.
 
I was wondering guys,

if I buy the U2711 and don't like the AG coating and decide to return it,
does Dell, pay the shipping back. I live in Canada.
If "yes" what is the procedure.
Do I receive a prepaid mail sticker/label/ticket or something ?
Do I bring it to the post office or somebody comes and picks it up from my place.
Are there any restocking fees ?
How much time do I have to return it if i don't like it.

Thank you ! :)
 
I have posted this question in the forum as a separate thread, but I would like to post it here also:

I have just bought a u2711 as a second monitor. I already own a u2711. But the screen is extremely blue/cool. I know there are always small differences between pannels, but this is a really large color shift. I have to adjust the settings to R:100 G:89 B:80 (20% in the blue channel alone) to make it somewhat workable.

5970364607_8ca35b6ba2.jpg
 
I was wondering guys,

if I buy the U2711 and don't like the AG coating and decide to return it,
does Dell, pay the shipping back. I live in Canada.
If "yes" what is the procedure.
Do I receive a prepaid mail sticker/label/ticket or something ?
Do I bring it to the post office or somebody comes and picks it up from my place.
Are there any restocking fees ?
How much time do I have to return it if i don't like it.

Thank you ! :)

I don't know if you return it for that reason, but when I returned it for the stuck pixel they sent me a pre-paid label and box. I didn't look to see if my label shipped to Canada. Start a chat or call them to find out.
 
I was wondering guys,

if I buy the U2711 and don't like the AG coating and decide to return it,
does Dell, pay the shipping back. I live in Canada.
If "yes" what is the procedure.
Do I receive a prepaid mail sticker/label/ticket or something ?
Do I bring it to the post office or somebody comes and picks it up from my place.
Are there any restocking fees ?
How much time do I have to return it if i don't like it.

Thank you ! :)

You can return it for whatever reason you want. You have 30 days to decide. I have returned many things to Dell, monitors included. I'm in Toronto as well. Just call them and tell them you want to return it. They will email you a RMA form and you can take it to any UPS store, in my case, and you're good to go. Won't cost you anything.

Cheers
 
I have posted this question in the forum as a separate thread, but I would like to post it here also:

I have just bought a u2711 as a second monitor. I already own a u2711. But the screen is extremely blue/cool. I know there are always small differences between pannels, but this is a really large color shift. I have to adjust the settings to R:100 G:89 B:80 (20% in the blue channel alone) to make it somewhat workable.

5970364607_8ca35b6ba2.jpg

That is a significant difference. Do you own a colorimeter that supports multi-monitor matching (some of the cheaper packages do not ship with software that can do this)? It helps a lot in situations like this, it can get the monitors looking close to identical.
 
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