NEC 2490WUXi-BK vs 2490WUXi-BK-SV vs 2690WUXi-BK

[smithy1185]

Which one out of those 3 would you pick and what exactly is different about the 2490WUXi-BK-SV compared to the 2490WUXi-BK? Also, where would be the best place to get one of these? Newegg is out because of their finicky dead pixel requirement. Thanks.

Quick background info, had the LG L246WP-BN and it had problems after a year so I got a refund but I absolutely loved this monitor. Bought the V2400W and hated it because of the color and tilted appearance so I got the Gateway FHD2401 which is pretty good but the colors are a tad wonky and it has a dead pixel in the middle of the screen. Its the second one I got since the first had even more dead/stuck pixels and I thought that just one little one wouldn't bug me but it does so now I need to get rid of it.

 

[Surly73]

SV's have the colorimeter and Spectravision software included. I've also read reports that the panels in -SV models are hand picked best-of-the-best (this may or may not be the case, of course).

 

[Khal]

SV's have the colorimeter and Spectravision software included. I've also read reports that the panels in -SV models are hand picked best-of-the-best (this may or may not be the case, of course).

Where does this hand picked rumor come from? Sound highly unlikely to me unless NEC officially stated so.

 

[JaguarSKX]

SV = SpectraView Colormeter for better color accuracy. Costs about $250 - $300 if purchased seperately I think.

Main difference between the 2490WUXi and the 2690WUXi (other than the size) is the 2490 has normal color gamut while the 2690 has wide color gamut. People who do not like wide color gamut opt for the 2490. The 2490 also has "purer white" than the 2690 if you are really, really finicky about precise color accuracy.

Me? I have the 2690WUXi and I am very satified with it; thinking about buying another one.

 

[JaguarSKX]

I've also read reports that the panels in -SV models are hand picked best-of-the-best (this may or may not be the case, of course).

Hand picked? Highly, highly and if I did not mention it yet, highly unlikely.

 

[Luthorcrow]

You should get the SV if you are going to get one of these models. The only way to actually use the internal LUT and 10bit gamma correction is with the SV software.

Otherwise you are defeating the main reason these monitors cost more.

 

[nomu]

Hand picked? Highly, highly and if I did not mention it yet, highly unlikely.

It was said of the EU version. The -SV models there have special firmware, and also have a far higher price premium than the US -SV models.

 

[DarkScythe]

Not sure about the handpicked panels rumor, but The -SV model bundles the Spectraview software and calibrator with the LCD.

However, you can also purchase the SV-package separately from the LCD. It just costs about $300 with the i1d2 or I believe $100 for the software only. They also have some sort of "pro" version but I have no idea what the difference is. Unless their i1d2 is different from the Gretag/Xrite i1d2, but even then, why are there 2 versions of the NEC branded i1d2?

Anyway, just thought I'd point it out.

 

[Snowdog]

You should get the SV if you are going to get one of these models. The only way to actually use the internal LUT and 10bit gamma correction is with the SV software.

I used to think that before getting to know mine. You use a colorimeter/SV software for two operations(calibrating, profiling). Both of them essentially unnecessary on the 2490.

2490 Calibrating
Unknown to me before purchase was that the 2490 has a superb factory calibration that is done uniquely for each monitor, when they do the colorcomp settings. When you activate colorcomp the factory calibration kicks in.

My calibration adjustment curve when colorcomp is active is virtually Nil. Meaning the calibration does essentially nothing. The factory calibration is bang on.

2490 Profiling

Now if your monitor deviates from sRGB you need to profile it, so that applications that are color aware can read the profile and remap the color space differences. The 2490 is so close to sRGB that this is also unnecessary. I have profiled my 2490 and loading an image simultaneously into Color Aware and Non Aware applications and displaying it side by side reveal ZERO visible differences.

So bottom line with the 2490. If you want to save some money, you don't the SV package unless you are exceptionally anal about measuring things or you want a calibration device for other monitors. You are likely to end up with the same results either way.


2690 differences

With the 2690, SV package is more necessary. You have a non sRGB color space and you need to profile this to inform you color aware applications so they can do proper remapping.

 

[DarkScythe]

Snowdog, don't you also need the Spectraview software to access the hardware LUT on the 2490/2690?

 

[Snowdog]

Snowdog, don't you also need the Spectraview software to access the hardware LUT on the 2490/2690?

You are always using the LUT. What do you want to do to the LUT? The LUT values with the factory calibration (in colorcomp) are essentially perfect already.

Check the last two images in this post where I calibrate with the colorcomp on and colorcomp off. With it colorcomp on the corrections are negligible and fairly significant when you turn off colorcomp (and it's calibration).

There will be no detectable visual difference between calibrated with SV2 and colorcomp factory calibration.

http://www.hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1032929434&postcount=3

 

[Surly73]

Hand picked? Highly, highly and if I did not mention it yet, highly unlikely.

My source for this was photography oriented, not gaming oriented, and I didn't save a link. I'll be lucky to find it again but I'll look.

I love how you state it's "very, very unlikely". Each panel is inspected for colour purity, backlight evenness and other properties when the ColorComp LUT profiles are coded into each individual unit. Exactly how hard do you think it would be for this machine to flag the top 10-20% for sale as -SV units?

Perhaps I shouldn't have used the term "hand" picked, but that doesn't mean they don't put better panels in -SV boxes.

 

[DarkScythe]

Perhaps I used the wrong choice of words.
Yes, you're using the LUT values, but I meant you couldn't modify them without the SV software.
As far as the factory preset goes, I won't assume that every single LCD heading out of NEC's factory has a perfect preset. Even if they did, you would want to recalibrate it every once in a while because, as you noted in your post, the backlight luminance level drifts. Most notably, as the backlight ages, it will get dimmer. I don't believe the preset values will change accordingly, so having access to the LUT is a good idea there, I think.

My real question is how much different the NEC branded i1d2 differs from the retail i1d2 though.
At least, the NEC store has an MDSVSENSOR and MDSVSENSOR2 listed (both i1d2's, and both for $199) as well as an SVII-KIT for $249 and an SVII-PRO-KIT for $299. I don't really see a difference between the two though, software is the same and both come with an i1d2, so the Pro one must be different somehow.

 

[Surly73]

Hmm. I hadn't noticed the two different sensors.

One problem that's plagued the SV kits is that the current colorimeters out there don't necessarily handle wide gamut very well. They're intended to pick up the colours of the standard sRGB primaries. This means they don't do as well as possible on WG displays.

http://ces.cnet.com/8301-19167_1-10135661-100.html implies that the sensor has been updated. This wouldn't surprised me at all.

 

[mlewis]

Hand picked? Highly, highly and if I did not mention it yet, highly unlikely.

I was told by someone from NEC Europe at last year's Focus on Imaging Exhibition in the UK that the panels are handpicked for the European Spectraview screens.