Official BenQ FP241W Fault, Support, 1:1:, bug fix, setup thread

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germanjulian

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Since the Offical BenQ FP241W thread to long and many people ask the same questions again and again I tried consolidating all issues regarding monitor faults, support and replacement, setup and other issues. This thread is no place to flame BenQ or discuss how bad or good the monitor is compared to others etc. etc. etc.

The information here is not complete. Please help me! Send me a PM or write your own post, I will add it to the FAQ on top of the thread.

If will check each posts and if the information is good paste it in my top post. This will give everyone a quick reference. If you have any faults or issue let me know so I can count how many users experience the same issues.

Updated: 15.02.2007

Things in red need REFERENCE or I am not sure if this info is correct! A web link is needed!

Faults:
4 faults/issues are currently being noticed by several users:

1. 1:1 Issue:
Older models manufactured before December 25 2006 do not display resolutions natively. This is particularly an issue with 1080p which will get stretched even though there should be black bars. BenQ advertised the product to display 1080p natively! This information has been taken down on the Global/American website? but is still shown on the German Website for example.
A patch has been released to fix this issue on older monitors. This patch does seem to create new problems however! There are numerous posts with issues: HDMI and component displays black bars on all four sides with 1:1.

Please contact your countries BenQ support to find out how you can get the firmware update.

It seems BenQ is not just doing a firmware update but is replacing the whole board!
In Germany its against the law to advertise a product to do something which it then does not do = in Germany BenQ will replace the monitor and will do a swap for free.

2. VGA input is red:
When using VGA the monitor displays everything with a red tint. This can be severely bad or can only be a slight reddish. Text is also fuzzier which I think is normal for VGA. Need users and links with this issue.

3. Monitor goes blank suddenly when using DVI input.
Several people have reported that for no reason the monitor suddenly goes blank (black) for 1 second and then comes back. This happens sporadically but often enough to be annoying. Different DVI cables make no difference. Not sure if BenQ is aware of this problem!
For me it happens about ones every 3 hours maybe twice.
Need user and links with this issue


4. Xbox360 VGA issue
Microsoft botched up the 1080p over VGA for allot of TV's and monitors in their last update. When select 1920 x 1080 on PAL60 and the monitor detects it as 1680 x 1050. This seems to be a M$ issue and only for certain users. Loads of info here:
showpost.php



Specs:
Name: BenQ FP241W
LCD Type: TFT active matrix LCD
Surface: Anti-Glare
Display Area: Diagonal: 24"
Pixel Pitch: 0.270mm
Resolution: 1920 x 1200
Brightness: 500 cd/m²
Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
Viewing Angle: Horizontal: 178°
Vertical: 178°
Response Time: 16 ms (6ms GTG)
Cabinet Color: Black/Silver
Signal Input: Input Video
Signal: RGB Analog, DVI-D,Input Connectors,D-Sub, DVI-D, S-Video, Composite, Component, HDMI

Power Requirements:
<95W (w/o USB)
Dimensions:
(H x W x D)
22.3" x 18.7" x 9.8"
Weight: 24 lbs

16:9 vs 16:10 monitor in 1080p mode, what to expect.
All widescreen computer LCD monitors have a ratio of 16:10, not the standart 16:9 used in HD-DVD,Blueray and game consoles when using 720p and 1080p.
When using this monitor as a 1080p display device and not using the 1:1 aspect ratio option the monitor will stretch the signal from 16:9 to 16:10.
This means a 1080p signal which is 1920x1080 pixels will get stretched to the monitors native resolution of 1920x1200pixels.
This means:
lengh height
1920 1080 1080p
1920 1200 Monitor
110 difference

is in cm:
cm cm
51,84 29,16 1080p
51,84 32,4 Monitor
2,97 difference

or a 10&#37; difference. This means a circle in 1080p will not be a circle and will be stretched by 10% (very little) Most people play Xbox360 without the patch and love the experience, so its up to you if you need the 1:1 patch if you do not have it or disable it if you do have it to fill you monitor fully.

Here are some pictures (sorry for the bad quality but you try taking a picture with a camera)
This is how much the monitor adds to 1080p signal.
391479499_2ec8f2865d_b.jpg


Monitor Setup and Test Patterns
Setup:

Test Patterns:
This is what you want. Download is at top of page.
http://www.itl.nist.gov/div895/docs/exe/testpatterns.html

Good test image:
http://aitoribarra.com/2006/12/01/1080p-test-image.aspx

Full Test image program:

http://www.pbase.com/jackcnd/1080p_tests
 
I already posted all the known problems, complaints, and areas of improvement in the other thread. Go read that one. I don't see the point of a duplicate thread. The other thread is doing a fine job of documenting the faults already, and it has way more info too.
 
peTeMelster said:
I already posted all the known problems, complaints, and areas of improvement in the other thread. Go read that one. I don't see the point of a duplicate thread. The other thread is doing a fine job of documenting the faults already, and it has way more info too.
Click to expand...
Nobody wants to sift through 80 million pages of blabbering in a thread to find a handful of replies that pertain to what somebody is looking for. I think the OP here has a good idea, don't knock him for it.
 
I appreciate the thread. It is a real pain sifting through literally 70 pages of posts to find 10 or so relevant replies.

As of Feb 9, Newegg is still shipping Nov 2006 monitors from their NJ warehouse.

To get the firmware updated within the U.S., you have to call tech support, get an RMA, and pay for shipping both ways. Expect to pay $45.00-$60.00. The expected wait is 2-3 weeks.
 
threedd97 said:
Nobody wants to sift through 80 million pages of blabbering in a thread to find a handful of replies that pertain to what somebody is looking for. I think the OP here has a good idea, don't knock him for it.
Click to expand...

Okay, whatever. I had to sort through the thread myself to come up with my list of problems, then someone just copies my list basically and starts a new thread. Don't see why people won't do some of their own work if they care about the monitor. Not to mention, no credit is given for having done that work. And for the record, it wasn't hard work at all. Took me about 10 minutes to come up with my entire list of problems. Just don't be lazy.

But if people like this thread, then whatever.
 
I have issue number three. Im thinking it might be an oversensitivity to refresh rate being slightly off or power fluctuations or something.
 
germanjulian said:
A patch has been released to fix this issue on older monitors. This patch does seem to create new problems however! There are numerous posts with issues: HDMI and component displays black bars on all four sides with 1:1.
Click to expand...
That doesn't seem like a fault to me. It's probably cropping for overscan. People keep saying they want 1:1 mapping when they really want aspect scaling. The updated firmware provides both.

When using VGA the monitor displays everything with a red tint. This can be severely bad or can only be a slight reddish. Text is also fuzzier which I think is normal for VGA. Need users and links with this issue.
Click to expand...
While definitely a problem, I wouldn't recommend using VGA on an LCD monitor anyway, so it's not that big of a deal. Can the problem be fixed by reducing the red color setting?

Several people have reported that for no reason the monitor suddenly goes blank (black) for 1 second and then comes back. This happens sporadically but often enough to be annoying. Different DVI cables make no difference. Not sure if BenQ is aware of this problem!
Click to expand...
This would definitely be a problem, but how widespread is it?

Microsoft botched up the 1080p over VGA for allot of TV's and monitors in their last update. When select 1920 x 1080 on PAL60 and the monitor detects it as 1680 x 1050. This seems to be a M$ issue and only for certain users. Loads of info here:
showpost.php
Click to expand...
Like I mentioned before, I wouldn't recommend using VGA on an LCD monitor anyway. Can't the Xbox 360 use component?



One problem I'm not seeing getting more attention is 480i and 480p being stretched to 3:2. I know Dell monitors have this problem, and BenQ makes Dell monitors. Can anyone verify if this monitor has this problem? Photos would be helpful.
 
germanjulian said:
3. Monitor goes blank suddenly when using DVI input.
Several people have reported that for no reason the monitor suddenly goes blank (black) for 1 second and then comes back. This happens sporadically but often enough to be annoying. Different DVI cables make no difference. Not sure if BenQ is aware of this problem!
For me it happens about ones every 3 hours maybe twice.
Click to expand...

I've had the monitor 3 days. This has happened to me once, shortly after I turned it on today and after closing an all white window. I have a ATI Radeon 9800 NP.
 
Udog said:
I've had the monitor 3 days. This has happened to me once, shortly after I turned it on today and after closing an all white window. I have a ATI Radeon 9800 NP.
Click to expand...

trust me it aint you closing the white window :) its seems to happen randomly
 
ToastyX said:
That doesn't seem like a fault to me. It's probably cropping for overscan. People keep saying they want 1:1 mapping when they really want aspect scaling. The updated firmware provides both.
Click to expand...

1080p = 1920x1080

The display's maximum resolution is 1920x1200

Why would there be bars on four sides?

Aspect should still display correctly though.
 
Like I said, it's probably cropping the edges for overscan. I know HDTVs and some other monitors do this on video inputs. If it removes 2.5% from each side, that makes it 1824x1026, which means there should be black bars on all four sides. Aspect displays like you expect because it takes the cropped image and scales it up.
 
ToastyX.... please explain I dont get it.. (I believe you though)

what is cropping for overscan? and what is aspect scaling? I think 99% of people want to see 1920x1080 natively displayed on the display (IE black bars at top and bottom).

How does the firmware provide both?
 
I hooked up my Xbox 360 HD drive and used PowerDVD to watch an HD movie. My monitor was set to 1:1 and I made no other adjustments. I only got bars on the top and bottom. I thought the full screen would be filled up since this is a 1080p LCD? I did not have bars on the side though. Of course this is the same as my 1080i TV.

wolfie
 
wolfie24 said:
I hooked up my Xbox 360 HD drive and used PowerDVD to watch an HD movie. My monitor was set to 1:1 and I made no other adjustments. I only got bars on the top and bottom. I thought the full screen would be filled up since this is a 1080p LCD? I did not have bars on the side though. Of course this is the same as my 1080i TV.

wolfie
Click to expand...

see his post below!
 
Nope I am not kidding at all. Like I said I have made no adjustments or color corrections with the exception of turning the brightness down a litte. The movie was great (King Kong and Posideon). The reason I have not done any adjustments or testing is because I can't stop playing games, they are amazing on this display with a GTX 8800.

Remember this was through the HD-DVD drive connected via USB. I don't have the VGA cable or any intentions of hooking the 360 to this display, I just wanted to see how the HD-DVD movies looked on there.
 
yeah but your computer software scales it correctly anyway :)

that does not count! you need to use the xbox360 with component to see if the 1:1 fix works correctly
 
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