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

I'm one of the many lurkers monitoring this thread to decide whether to buy. :)
I was wondering if this 1:1 firmware fix means that a 640x480 input signal is going to be scaled with a 1:1 aspect ratio to 1600x1200 (with black bars on sides) or if many of you are using the term "1:1 pixel mapping" to literally mean 1 physical pixel is used per pixel of input, i.e. the above 640x480 would be displayed in center of screen with no scaling and black bars on all 4 sides.
 
Well, me personally, when I say 1:1 pixel mapping, I mean whatever resolution the source is, it shows up exactly that size on your display with bars filling up the rest of the area. Am I confused to what is actually going on? I don't know.
 
NCIX price for me on this monitor is $870.

When did you make your purchase BrokenAnimator? I want to try and figure out of NCIX has the 1:1 pixel mapping versions yet.

By the way, if any of you guys participate in NCIX's forum, I am Shane C - Systm, on the forum.
 
I just bought it. If Newegg manages to process it before the weekend, then it should get here mid next week. Can't wait :D
 
tyen said:
I'm one of the many lurkers monitoring this thread to decide whether to buy. :)
I was wondering if this 1:1 firmware fix means that a 640x480 input signal is going to be scaled with a 1:1 aspect ratio to 1600x1200 (with black bars on sides) or if many of you are using the term "1:1 pixel mapping" to literally mean 1 physical pixel is used per pixel of input, i.e. the above 640x480 would be displayed in center of screen with no scaling and black bars on all 4 sides.
Click to expand...


I'm kind of hoping for both.... but the aspect ratio one is certainly the most important. The current 'non-fixed' model does neither. It would just stretch that 640x480 to 1920x1200.

People here are just getting 1:1 pixel mapping confused with 1:1 aspect ratio. If it only didn't have 1:1 pixel mapping... I wouldn't really care.


BrokenAnimator said:
So you be the judge if you can live with the stretching or not Please excuse my grainy camera it doesn't do this monitor justice.
Click to expand...

Yea... those aren't too bad. As I noted in a previous post... if you take a 16:9 and scale to 16:10... it isn't going to be too bad. I can see it in things like the truck rims, or the bolts on the lemmings screen.... but I could live with that for the most part. (It does bug me in games like GT, where the gauges and stuff are ovals rather than circles as intended.)

BUT.... why not input some 4:3 source and take some more photos? That would be much more noticeable.... and real-life, as people may very well be using older game consoles, a standard DVD player, VCR, etc..... seeing as the LCD does have composite, s-video, component, etc.
 
dannyallen34 said:
Have you received it yet? I've been watching this post waiting for your monitor to get there lol...
Click to expand...

Had to switch my username since I don't receive lost password emails



I just got it this morning, about to hook it up. It was manufactured November 2006, and I placed the order with NewEgg yesterday. Oh well, the shots on the previous page are enough to convince me that sending it in for the 1:1 upgrade isnt worth it.

I'll post some shots later.
 
Wow, I can't believe Costco shipped my order in just 2 business days. Mft date is November 2006..sucky.

I just got it set up now with PS3 via HDMI-DVI as my HDMI cable has not come in yet. Looks great like BrokenA said but xbox360 via VGA, the text on the dashboard is not very clear. I'm wondering if it's the stretching that's causing it. I will play some games later to see if it's just the dashboard that's crappy.

When playing DVDs via PS3, it switches to 480P mode and it doesn't look very good with all that interpolation.

OK nevermind, DVD upconverting to 1080P is no better. I guess upconverting DVD is really over-rated.
 
consoleboi said:
Looks great like BrokenA said but xbox360 via VGA, the text on the dashboard is not very clear.
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Does it look better over component? It can do 1080p over component, right?
 
The 1080p update from Microsoft for the 360 does not display properly on the BenQ over VGA.

Microsoft are aware of this and said they would look at it in their next update.
 
Mastiha said:
The 1080p update from Microsoft for the 360 does not display properly on the BenQ over VGA.

Microsoft are aware of this and said they would look at it in their next update.
Click to expand...
That's good news, but does it display over component correctly?
 
Mastiha said:
The 1080p update from Microsoft for the 360 does not display properly on the BenQ over VGA.

Microsoft are aware of this and said they would look at it in their next update.
Click to expand...

What issues are there?
 
dannyallen34 said:
That's good news, but does it display over component correctly?
Click to expand...

Yes however using the component input will not alow you to watch a HD DVD in 1080p and will not upscale a DVD. This will only occur with the 360 if you use the VGA input.
 
PS3 blu-ray 1080P
5thafq0.jpg

5thbgl6.jpg



Xbox360 VGA - DVD upscaled to 1080P

xmen1au1.jpg


xmen2pj9.jpg
 
Mastiha said:
It's been posted a couple of time in this thread already however when I select 1920 x 1080 on PAL60 my monitor detects it as 1680 x 1050 via the VGA.

There's some posts about it here:

http://forums.xbox.com/7957355/ShowPost.aspx
Click to expand...

I see. My xbox is ntsc and it's fine when setting it at 1920x1080 and of course the monitor stretches since it doesn't have the updated 1:1 firmware.
 
consoleboi said:
sorry for the blurry pictures but here is a shot of the xbox dashboard via VGA
Click to expand...
It does look much clearer than that since those are blurry pics, right? The text doesn't even look stretched.
 
dannyallen34 said:
It does look much clearer than that since those are blurry pics, right? The text doesn't even look stretched.
Click to expand...

No the text looks pretty good and in-game graphics look normal to me as well.
The edges of the text is not as crisp as DVI computer graphics but if you're looking at it from a few feet away it looks OK.

Anyhow no biggie as one would be spending time playing games than staring at the dashboard.

Viva Pinata short episode downloads look great :)

I'll hook up my macbook via DVI later to see how it does..gotta head out to dinner now.
 
Sorry if this question has already been addressed, but I have not been able to find an answer to my main question on this monitor. Is the refresh time on this monitor going to produce much noticeable lag during FPS games? My current monitor, the Sony MFM-HT95, has an advertised 12ms response time but it annoyed me when I hooked up Xbox to it, it kept me from performing my best.

Now that I got a PS3 for Christmas :D I am out to find a monitor that can support 1080p. This Ben Q looks good to me but the problem of response time worries me. If I spend this much money on a monitor, I want to be able to game without worries. In your experiences, how does this screen perform? How does it compare to the VW version? Will it affect gameplay?
 
Mysticode said:
Steve, the issue all along is that it doesn't yet ship with 1:1 pixel mapping.
Click to expand...

If that were the case, I'd probably have ordered one already. Lack of 1:1 pixel mapping wouldn't be that big of a deal. Lack of 1:1 aspect ratio is.

consoleboi said:
When playing DVDs via PS3, it switches to 480P mode and it doesn't look very good with all that interpolation.

OK nevermind, DVD upconverting to 1080P is no better. I guess upconverting DVD is really over-rated.
Click to expand...

Yea.... no matter what you do, the source is still 480. The hope would be that the up-converter in the DVD player might be better at it than the up-converter in the display or TV... but both are basically doing a similar thing. The trick is being realistic about how got it might look, and how it compares display to display. For example, when I ran my PS2 into the Dell 2407 components, it looked markedly worse than it did running into the Dell 2405. Not all upscalers and deinterlacers are created equal it seems. ;)

That's the one downside of these LCDs (any of them really)... is that they really make the low quality of SD TV and DVDs show up. CRTs are much better at hiding the poor quality.
 
I've been following this thread closely since the beginning. What is this talk about some video cards like the Nvidia 8800GTX not working with this monitor suddenly? I never heard about this problem until now. Do tell more. If it can't work with some cards, this would be a BIG problem. What is being done about it?
 
nikotene24 said:
Sorry if this question has already been addressed, but I have not been able to find an answer to my main question on this monitor. Is the refresh time on this monitor going to produce much noticeable lag during FPS games? My current monitor, the Sony MFM-HT95, has an advertised 12ms response time but it annoyed me when I hooked up Xbox to it, it kept me from performing my best.

Now that I got a PS3 for Christmas :D I am out to find a monitor that can support 1080p. This Ben Q looks good to me but the problem of response time worries me. If I spend this much money on a monitor, I want to be able to game without worries. In your experiences, how does this screen perform? How does it compare to the VW version? Will it affect gameplay?
Click to expand...

Sorry I don't play FPS computer games and I only Gears.
As for input lag..I can't answer you but a lot of people say this monitor has no noticeable ghosting.
 
I connected xbox to component and it looks much better..at least the dashboard.
Text is more clear and supports 1080P.

Cololours are more vibrant and even DVD looks better even though it's in 480P.

I really like the component on this monitor.

EDIT: Ok spoke too soon. Component is vibrant in colour but you get very crushed blacks. Try watching a HD trailer like Aeon Flux. Going to back to VGA and see what the trailer looks like.
 
Is it the gray to gray response time that matters or is it the image to image that companies like sony advertise?
 
SteveW928 said:
Yea... those aren't too bad. As I noted in a previous post... if you take a 16:9 and scale to 16:10... it isn't going to be too bad. I can see it in things like the truck rims, or the bolts on the lemmings screen....
Click to expand...

The bottom larger bolt is oblong by design there, if you compare it to the smaller circular bolt just above it you will notice that it's not stretching it as much as you think.

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1137444
Take a look at this thread for the NECGX2. Take note of the PS3 screen shot for GT HD, that picture is stretched.....even more so then the BenQ. It's funny out of all the posts after that post...only one person mentioned about it being stretched. I don't think that NEC has a way to correct aspect ratio in 1080P as well.

I have pretty much decided it's a moot point...at least for me. I have a Nvidia Quadro 4400 so I get the 1:1 no matter what through the PC, and the PS3 looks great through HDMI and you don't even notice the stretching if your just enjoying the game. It's not even a big deal as other people make it out to be. The other screen shots with the Xbox360 you don't even see any stretching at all in the text.

If I was planning on hooking up a PS2 or Xbox, or watching 4:3 TV through this then I wouldn't get it, other then that I think other people are making a a big deal about nothing.
 
Actually playing ps2 games is not that bad through the PS3. I think it tries to preserve some sort of aspect ratio.

Here's a shot of a game called neobreaker. I wonder what it will look like playing god of war since it supports widescreen. Unfortunately I lent my copy to my friend.

neoha2.jpg
 
consoleboi said:
Actually playing ps2 games is not that bad through the PS3. I think it tries to preserve some sort of aspect ratio.

Here's a shot of a game called neobreaker. I wonder what it will look like playing god of war since it supports widescreen. Unfortunately I lent my copy to my friend.
Click to expand...

Hey cool, that dosen't look to bad. Do you have to set up the widescreen in the PS2 game options or do you do that by changing the resolution in the PS3 Operating system? If so I would love to start playing some ps2 games.

Edit: I put Final Fantasy 7 in the ps3 (playstion 1 game), and it didn't look so hot stretched out to that res, it worked pretty well, and everything was readable but some scenes cloud looks like a stick man(maybe I just remember the graphics being a little better last time I played it 4 years ago) :p. I tried to find a setting in the ps3 os that would make it better but couldn't. Interested to know if games that support widescreen on the ps2 (like God of war and FF13) how they would look.
 
What is the difference between the VW and WZ models?
Also Amazon has both on their website
FP241WZ 1121.99 w/Free shipping + No Tax for most people
FP241VW 1233.99 w/Free shipping + No Tax for most people

Not exactly a bargain, but it says ships in 8-11 days.
Does anyone know the returned/exchange policy for Amazon's LCDs?
Both monitors are considered part of Amazon's electronics dept, but I'm wonder if I have dead pixels would I be able to exchange these.
I'm going to hook a PS3 through hdmi and WII through component on one of these monitors. But I'm worried about LCD lag when I'm playing Street Fighter. Most LCDs don't handle fighting games very well.
 
I'm trying to obtain one of the models with the 1:1 firmware fix. So I went through every one of benq.us' listed online sellers. Not all of them have the FP241W. I figured I would share my work to save folks some time. (I checked forum rules and didn't see any restriction on mentioning vendors/prices) So here are all of the official benq resellers that actually have the FP214W:
newegg
newegg is only one we have info on since someone here bought on Dec 28th and received November model without new firmware.
I contacted them asking whether I could order one made in December and they condescendingly told me they don't do tech support and to talk to benq and read the faq, which I assume means "no" since there is no faq about product turnover or manufacture dates. The closest I could find was one saying customer support can't physically pick up products and describe them to you.

macconnection
superwarehouse
insight
cdw

They all want around $800 (I dropped computer4sure from list ($945) and buy.com and affiliates which have crazy things like $500 shipping for one of them and all look a bit shady)
I'm sending mail to each of them asking if they have the models manufactured in december with the updated firmware. I'll post any positive results. :) I also mailed tigerdirect which is a benq reseller but does not have this model to see if they would order it for me since they are local here in Miami.
 
picollection said:
What is the difference between the VW and WZ models?
Also Amazon has both on their website
FP241WZ 1121.99 w/Free shipping + No Tax for most people
FP241VW 1233.99 w/Free shipping + No Tax for most people

Not exactly a bargain, but it says ships in 8-11 days.
Does anyone know the returned/exchange policy for Amazon's LCDs?
Both monitors are considered part of Amazon's electronics dept, but I'm wonder if I have dead pixels would I be able to exchange these.
I'm going to hook a PS3 through hdmi and WII through component on one of these monitors. But I'm worried about LCD lag when I'm playing Street Fighter. Most LCDs don't handle fighting games very well.
Click to expand...

is the wz version the one with the fix? wonder why its cheaper then the other model? you think it would be the other way around
 
D!Z said:
is the wz version the one with the fix? wonder why its cheaper then the other model? you think it would be the other way around
Click to expand...
WZ and VW have the "AMA Z" which rotates turning off the 16 backlights which allegedly makes gaming better. (sometimes referred to as BFI - black frame insertion)
The VW also has "Senseye+game mode" which allegedly increases image quality. Hence the higher price.
Personally, I am just sticking with the W for a few hundred less as I prefer the best bang for the buck.
 
Hmm I'm wondering if I should get it from Amazon. I just happen to have GCs that I haven't used. I could get the WZ version for 913 shipping, but wondering how much it'll be at Newegg or other vendors.
 
BrokenAnimator said:
Hey cool, that dosen't look to bad. Do you have to set up the widescreen in the PS2 game options or do you do that by changing the resolution in the PS3 Operating system? If so I would love to start playing some ps2 games.

Edit: I put Final Fantasy 7 in the ps3 (playstion 1 game), and it didn't look so hot stretched out to that res, it worked pretty well, and everything was readable but some scenes cloud looks like a stick man(maybe I just remember the graphics being a little better last time I played it 4 years ago) :p. I tried to find a setting in the ps3 os that would make it better but couldn't. Interested to know if games that support widescreen on the ps2 (like God of war and FF13) how they would look.
Click to expand...

No, I didn't make any changes to the options. FF7 is a super old game and was for the PSone so yah no surprise that it sucks.
Try the latest FF XII and it shouldn't be too bad but definitely looking forward to the FF XIII for the PS3...but it looks like we will have to wait a few years though :(
 
Typhoon84 said:
I don't know if anyone has noticed it yet, but NCIX has the FP241VW listed (but not the WZ):

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=4159349&vpn=FP241VW&manufacture=BENQ CANADA CORP

I don't know if I'm missing something, but their prices seem good, and their service policy looks fine. What's wrong with buying fro NCIX?

(Forgot to mention for those unaware that NCIX is a Canadian retailer [ship to US, but prices listed in CDN])
Click to expand...

Its about 938 shipped to California. I'm hoping Newegg has a good price since if NCIX is selling the VW for about 900 US, then the price for the FP241W should go down. I'm guessing that the WZ model would probably be around the same price as the normal W model now. A RMA for a US customer is probably going take anywhere from a week to a week in a half, not to mention the cost of shipping it back to Canada.
 
nikotene24 said:
Is it the gray to gray response time that matters or is it the image to image that companies like sony advertise?
Click to expand...

I guess that depends on what 'scene to scene' means. I'm not really familiar with that rating. If it is truly some kind of 'real world' type measurement, then great. gray-gray is a bit deceptive, in that often a LCD might have to go from say, white to black to white to complete some transition.... so gray - gray is kind of a best case I guess... not so real-world. However, if Sony is using some special 'scene' to test... it might be more optimized than real-world too. But, I'm guessing it probably a more fair measurement than gray-gray.

BrokenAnimator said:
I have pretty much decided it's a moot point...at least for me.
Click to expand...

I'll agree on that. For people who use it as a computer display, the 1:1 is hardly of any concern. And, as you've shown, if all your content is HD or 16:9.... it is something most folks can live with. But, I still consider it a defect on a multi-media product. Hopefully, it will soon be irrelevant (once people start getting fixed ones).

consoleboi said:
EDIT: Ok spoke too soon. Component is vibrant in colour but you get very crushed blacks. Try watching a HD trailer like Aeon Flux. Going to back to VGA and see what the trailer looks like.
Click to expand...

I'm interested in hearing more on this. Is there a way you can use the same source to component, as well as some other input.... and then get pictures of both? I suppose that is hard to do. Also, can you compensate for this by adjusting settings under component inputs?

picollection said:
Its about 938 shipped to California.
Click to expand...

Wow... NCIX has great prices. I couldn't tell what shipping was exactly without completing checkout... but they are 899 canadian (like 77x something in usd), 782 us.

I guess the taxes get you.... but is this normal pricing, or just a huge sale?
 
Light-tower said:
I'm having the exact same problem!. I have the Leadtek 8800gtx 768 and just purchased the BenQ FP241W. When I install the Nvidia drivers, the monitor will go black just prior to the login screen. If I use the DMI/VGA adaptor to VGA input of the monitor, then it works. I'm thinking that it might be the DMI cable that Benq supplies or something to do with the drivers from Nvidia. :(
Click to expand...

I was having the same problem (even worst: nothing at all at 1920x1200 using DVI). I am using an Nvidia FX4000 AGP8X that has two DVI-DL (dual link) outputs. At 1600x1200 I was still having occasional blanking problems. It turned out to be the BenQ CABLE!

Anyway I now use a 24AWG 10ft cable from Monoprice.com (part # DVID-D-24-10). This one is dual link which is not necessary in this case. It is HUGE compared to the tiny BenQ cable that came with the monitor. Works 100% at 1920x1200 @60Hz for hours now without any problem.

Hope this helps! Happy New Year! Iam Nemo
 
Does anyone know how the 24AWG monoprice cable compares to Cable Solutions cable? For a 2m 28AWG cable they want $73 USD whereas the 6ft 24AWG cable from monoprice is $11.48.
 
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