Official BenQ FP241W Thread !!! Info, Pictures, Reviews

A post on page 195 says that the overscan option was introduced in Europe with May 07. So i've missed it by one month. I'll send it back i think since the store i bought it at is running low on stock and will no doubt bring some more in (as they seem to be selling fast). The new stock will surely be at least May.

I got a reply back about the box being opened - apparently they have to be opened buy the manufacturer to install a 3 pin plug and thus conform to European specification. So if this was May firmware i'd be ripping it open right now but i'll just figure out how to send it back and just wait a few weeks. It's horrible knowing there's a really nice LCD just behind me but i won't get to play with it for a few weeks..! Thanks for the help guys,
 
HTPC??? sorry, i'm not well informed with this. please elaborate.

edit: looked it up. so when playing bluray movies through HTPC, i'm assuming you're running it at 1920x1200 and something like powerdvd to play 1080p video? branana, do you get any green scan lines while watching a blu ray movie this way with "OVERSCAN" option OFF?

these were the setups i've checked and in desperate need to find a solution that works:

1080p
1. xbox elite/HD DVD via HDMI = NO green scan line
2. toshiba HD A30 HD DVD player via HDMI = YES, green scan line (NO green scan line with "OVERSCAN" ON)
3. PS3 playing blu ray via HDMI = YES, green scan line (NO green scan line with "OVERSCAN" ON)

i really like the xbox setup because i don't have to overscan the picture in order to remove the green line. and in light of the new format war news, blu ray is definitely the way to go. My ideal set up is an xbox elite with blu ray player (CES news possibility). since xbox and PS3 belong to my brother, and i'm going back to school in two weeks, i'd like to have a solution for my blu ray woes before i go back to school. i'd like to know of current blu ray solutions that work like the xbox elite. right now, the only blu ray option i can think of is a PS3. but b/c this has that green scan line issue, i'm open to other suggestions that work better for the fp241w.
 
Here's my hookup:

Computer->DVI2HDMI->HDMI cable->HDMI switch->HDMI2DVI cable->BenQ
PS3->HDMI cable->HDMI switch->HDMI2DVI cable->BenQ

I don't see any random green lines really. For PS3 Blu-Ray discs look fine. For PC I'm using PowerDVD but not hardware accelerated H264. Looks fine. I think it runs using some kind of overlay?

Maybe you could try hooking up the PS3 via component and see if you get that green line?
BTW you can buy a Blu-ray drive for your PC for $199. NCIX has them.
 
thanks for the info branana. have you tried playing a blu ray movie through PS3 with overscan "off" on the monitor? on mine, i get a green scan line on the bottom.
 
Just got mine today from NCIX (Ordered last weekend). Purchased the Express Coverage, and I am very happy to say that I do not have to use it! Sept 07 build like I asked for, no dead pixels, minimal backlight bleeding and couldn't be happier. This is a great monitor. Shipped in 3 days as well, amazing!!
 
For anyone who has ordered this monitor in the last weeks/months and recieved one with the may-september firmware from a site in the UK: what site site did you order from?

Anyone know of a good UK site with a no questions asked returns policy?

I'm looking to buy from ebuyer, but I'm somewhat unsure, are they unreliable when returning items?

Thanks =] (I just hope it doesnt go out of stock too soon!)
 
I noticed in a few posts that people comment on the amount of backlight bleeding. Is there an easy way to test for this, or is it subjective?
 
Just got my 1st replacement from NCIX plugged in an hour or so ago. Its not flawless, but its a keeper. One stuck pixel a couple inches from the top in the center. But not very noticeable. A huge improvement over my original which had a group of dead pixels or some weird screen defect at the top of the screen along with a couple stuck and hot pixels.
 
Anyone know whether 'the latest stock' on 'morecomputers.com' has the overscan fix? Or are they refering to the 1x1 pixel mapping fix? :confused:
 
Hey all,
I'm a proud owner of a FP241W as of last week. I'm not sure if I'm having issues with the Component or i'm just doing something wrong.

I have not been able to get video over component with an Xbox360 set to HDTV using the Component cable.

I can get video over HDMI but then I don't have sound, I have sound if I use the component because I have an adapter for my computer.

I also tried getting video over component using a Toshiba SD5000, but that might be because it outputs 1080i ?

Is this normal ? From what I've been reading over the many pages and searches, people don't seem to have problems hooking up the Xbox360 to this monitor. Is this a fault of my monitor?
 
yes it should work right away
Just triple check and be sure you're using the component inputs and not the composite by accident, and that you select Component from the monitor's input select button.
 
shampoo said:
yes it should work right away
Just triple check and be sure you're using the component inputs and not the composite by accident, and that you select Component from the monitor's input select button.
Click to expand...

I think there's a fault with my monitor then because with the Toshiba dvd-player, I can cycle through 1080i / 720p / 480p. It will only display on 480p.
 
change the mode or something

try aspect, and 1:1 with overscan off.

Try everything before you return it.

Sounds like a bad monitor.

That's too bad
 
Well I have a question about these monitors in general - I know they have a 178/178 viewing angle- and i dont see any brightness change vertically at all which is awesome. But since the 24 " LCD's are obv wider (Display area is noted at 20.4 X 12.7 inches) If your sitting dead on center wont you see some brightness change horizontally? This would be normal correct? I guess for any LCD of this size or bigger.
 
So I received my monitor a few days ago from NCIX, no dead pixels and with Sept 2007 firmware! I'm really happy with the monitor, but I'm not sure how to install the software that came with it on Vista 64. I get an immediate error message saying the OS is not compatible.

Really the only thing I would want is software that rotates the desktop when I change the monitor's orientation 90 degrees. Does anyone know if/how this could be done on Vista 64?
 
Uh, the xbox 360 component/composite cable has a switch on it. You gotta manually switch it. It doesn't output both composite and component at the same time....

cableswitch5ia.jpg
 
Doomer-Mind said:
Anyone know whether 'the latest stock' on 'morecomputers.com' has the overscan fix? Or are they refering to the 1x1 pixel mapping fix? :confused:
Click to expand...

I got one from morecomputers before christmas and they are referring to the 1:1 pixel fix. The overscan wasn't fixed. I returned it and got a Dell 2707 :D Glad I did.
They may have new ones now as the stock numbers keep changing, they don't have them in stock they are sent from a central hub I think
 
Doomer-Mind said:
For anyone who has ordered this monitor in the last weeks/months and recieved one with the may-september firmware from a site in the UK: what site site did you order from?

Anyone know of a good UK site with a no questions asked returns policy?

I'm looking to buy from ebuyer, but I'm somewhat unsure, are they unreliable when returning items?

Thanks =] (I just hope it doesnt go out of stock too soon!)
Click to expand...
I ordered mine from Oyyy.co.uk just over a week ago when the stock numbers were at 24. The manufacture date however was April 2007. I've kept my eye on their website though, and watched the stock dwindle to nothing. I emailed them on whether they were getting new stock, and they said they were. They now have 54 in stock. I figure the last time they ordered stock must've been late November/early December so if that was April then there is a very good chance that the new stock is May or later. They also have the best price (434.95), and my monitor arrived to me the day after i ordered it with the free standard delivery. Good luck, and please report back on what date it is.
 
Thanks for the infomation about morecomputers.com and oyyy.co.uk =]

The 'opened-box' incident sounds quite iffy. Seems somewhat unprofessional to have not put the 3-pin plug inside the box before sealing it for the first time. Sounds like it could have been european stock ;/

I emailed ebuyer.com on friday, and they finally got back to me yesterday to tell me that their last stock was recieved in December. Seemed pretty recent so I ordered this morning- with any luck it will have the overscan fix.

If it doesn't have the overscan fix.. well.. I'll attempt to claim under warranty with BenQ. If that doesnt work, depending on the cost to send it to BenQ, i'll either have it updated or just live with it (I suppose it's not detailed in the specification anyway).
 
Interesting.

I ordered my FP241W on January 1st, still haven't received it. So I decided to email them last Friday and this is what they said:

It appears that this monitor is actually out of stock at the moment. I'll inquire with our purchaser regarding an eta for that item. I will send you an email once I've heard back from him. Thanks!
Click to expand...

And my order was finished processing on January 5th.

So probably I'll have to wait until the next shipment from BenQ comes in.. God knows how long that would be... :(
 
Looks like Newegg will hopefully be getting a shipment on 1-17-08, might be their last from what I understand. I got an auto notification email from them today and said they were in stock, went to their website and it said "In Stock", so I went ahead and placed my order. The funny thing is that about 5 minutes later, it said they were out of stock again with an ETA of 1-17-08. Wonder if there was a glitch with their inventory software?. My order is still at step 3. Anyways Im hoping for a Sept. 2007 mfg. date, minimal backlight bleed and the 1:1 firmware update and no stuck/dead pixels. Is the overscan on/off something that is only with the Sept 2007 models?
 
BenQ emailed me this morning to tell me that the warranty covers the cost of upgrading the firmware and the courier costs in sending the monitor back and forth.

Still a hassle to claim under warranty, but free at least.
 
Doomer-Mind said:
BenQ emailed me this morning to tell me that the warranty covers the cost of upgrading the firmware and the courier costs in sending the monitor back and forth.

Still a hassle to claim under warranty, but free at least.
Click to expand...

lucky for you, we in the US have to pay for it $100 US to ship it back and forth vis the UPS store:mad:

at least I had to:mad:
 
Doomer-Mind said:
BenQ emailed me this morning to tell me that the warranty covers the cost of upgrading the firmware and the courier costs in sending the monitor back and forth.

Still a hassle to claim under warranty, but free at least.
Click to expand...
That's really good news. Perhaps i shouldn't be going to the hassle of returning mine then, just to buy another that's hopefully got the right firmware. There's slight damage to my FP241W box so i'm not sure if i'll even be able to return it.

Do you mind posting the email?
 
Doomer-mind> if you could read some of the previous you'd get your answer, but I'm a nice guy.

No problems with 1080P on this monitor or any other resolutions PERIOD.

Everything is fixed. Overscan option fixes things.

Great news about the blackout issue for those that want a cheap fix, who don't play games.

My coworker was having blackouts like crazy, so he decided to just get a new videocard. He got a 7300GT to replace his 6800GT PCI-E and it worked!!!

No more blackouts, even using the dvi cable that comes with the monitor, which is single-link.

So there you have it folks. If you don't play games, get yourself a cheap 7300GT and wave those blackout issues goodbye.

Cheers,
Mike
 
Reply to initial query about whether there is a charge for upgrading firmware:

"Thank you for your email. If covered by warranty there will be no charge
for the firmware update.

Regards
BenQ UK"

Reply to asking further about courier costs:

"Thank you for your reply.

If ordered from a UK reseller you will get the free 3 year onsite
warranty with it.

We arrange the courier collection and onsite swapout delivery for all
our monitors, this is done via our service centre hotline, at no cost to
the user.

Regards
BenQ UK"
 
Doomer-Mind said:
Reply to initial query about whether there is a charge for upgrading firmware:

"Thank you for your email. If covered by warranty there will be no charge
for the firmware update.

Regards
BenQ UK"

Reply to asking further about courier costs:

"Thank you for your reply.

If ordered from a UK reseller you will get the free 3 year onsite
warranty with it.

We arrange the courier collection and onsite swapout delivery for all
our monitors, this is done via our service centre hotline, at no cost to
the user.

Regards
BenQ UK"
Click to expand...
Excellent. I wish i'd thought to email BenQ myself - i could've been using the monitor already instead of keeping it sealed so i could return it!

Did you specifically mention the overscan issue or just enquire about updating the firmware?
 
Thanks for the information about 1080p. The thread is long enough to confuse me a lot ;)

Good to hear the blackout problem was solved even if only partly. If changing graphics cards helped solve the issue, maybe the release of new graphics card drivers might help to alleviate the problem.
 
Only enquired about updating the firmware. Seems like updating the FP241W's firmware involves taking out some sort of circuit board and putting in a new one, so it does seem likely that the overscan issue would be fixed if they were to update the firmware. Even if the overscan issue isn't fixed, I suppose there is always HDMI-DVI cables :)
 
Doomer-Mind said:
Only enquired about updating the firmware. Seems like updating the FP241W's firmware involves taking out some sort of circuit board and putting in a new one, so it does seem likely that the overscan issue would be fixed if they were to update the firmware. Even if the overscan issue isn't fixed, I suppose there is always HDMI-DVI cables :)
Click to expand...
That's true. Thanks Doomer-Mind, you've been a great help. It would have cost me a lot to return the monitor to Oyyy, and from the terms and conditions for returning items that they sent me today, it seems they would've refused the return since there's a few dents on the underside of the box. Time to see now if i've been lucky in the dead pixels dept.
 
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