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

djphatic,

can you please re-post the stauts of you rmonitor - yours seemed to be the only true success story I can remember seeing, but now it's lost. For that matter, anyone else that has any success stories, I'd appreciate the opportunity to read them again.

I was going to speak to BenQ in Austrlaia today and had planned to use your posts as my evidence of a successful update but I might have to wait until I can read it again.

Thanks,

-- John.
 
Just spoke to a very helpful chap from Benq in Australia who told me a few things:

1) Overscan On/Off and 1:1 pixel mapping are available on all models produced May 2007 or afterwards in Austrlaia.
2) These options are available on HDMI & Component.
3) The monitor only has HDMI 1.1b but he says this does not impact on its ability to display 1080p through HDMI (I was under the impression that it needed to be 1.3 to display 1080p - can someone please confirm this? (EDIT: The hdmi website says 1080p compatability is inherent with all models of hdmi as far back as 1.0))
4) 50Hz is the lowest frame rate the monitor is capable of displaying – if you watch a Blu Ray or HD-DVD at 24p it will be displayed as 50i (Can someone confirm this too?)
5) A cheaper, lower grade panel is going to be put into some of the FP241W models and will be sold at a cheaper price.
6) 27” and 30” models with the same functions are on the way and should be released by the year's end.

I don't know if this is news to anyone, but it was to me, so I thought I'd share it and ask for people's feedback, particularly to points 1, 2, 3 & 4.
 
scrotor, what resolution does your monitor say it is receiving when connected to the 360?, the problem with the vga cable is that unless you have the latest update, the monitor downscales 1920x1080(16:9) to 1680x1050(16:10) which looks crap so it would be a waste of money really.



iamjohnsname:
1)good news :)
2)i think i've read that svideo also has the option.
3)any version of hdmi supports 1080p, if you go on wikipedia you can see the differences
4)this is true, it was tested playing a blu ray at 24p, it didn't work, but the ps3 can output it at 50hz (don't know about other players though)
5)don't like the sound of a lower grade panel :/
6) 30" :D, the only problem other then the price is that it would probably run at 2560x1600 and so would have to upscale any 1080p input.
 
Thanks for the reply chug_uk.

The monitor tells me it's receiving whatever signal i set the 360 to: 720p, 1080i etc... but the games look like im running them on my grandmothers old tv.

When i was reading through this thread i got the impression that most people are using the vga cable with this monitor. I dont quite understand that since the monitor has component inputs and the vga cable isn't included with the 360.
 
I spoke to BenQ USA again last night and received some annoying news. According to them (who clearly understood me when i detailed the overscan issue and its fix available in the UK with the menu option), it's NOT going to be fixed in at all in the US and Canada! They're saying that, despite what other BenQ branches are doing elsewhere, as far as they know, it's just going to be fixed in a new monitor model instead (perhaps the environmentally friendly G series that was just announced, though the pricing seems too low to bein the same league as the W series). This is plain outrageous. I left a message for the main supervisor there asking how I should go about getting the fix elsewhere and if he can put me in touch with BenQ Global for options. As it stands, I might as well eBay it until they care enough to fix the problem here. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news to the North American owners.
 
chug_uk said:
4)this is true, it was tested playing a blu ray at 24p, it didn't work, but the ps3 can output it at 50hz (don't know about other players though)
Click to expand...

So is there anyone who has tested the newest version of the monitor with a Blu-Ray Player or a HD-DVD Player other than the PS3? If so, does it work at all?

What about playing it on a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD drive in your PC? Does that work?
 
well, I think I am just going to bite the bullet and get a Gefen 4x1 DVI switch and use HDMI-DVI cables to get everything all through the DVI port so that I can avoid all this overscan issue.

Its definitely not the cheap route to go, but from the looks of it, Benq is not going to do much on the North American side and I don't like the idea of having to send my monitor in as well. Hopefully using this switch will correct it because I am already mad at myself for potentially spending a lot of money to avoid this issue.
 
Brent101 said:
well, I think I am just going to bite the bullet and get a Gefen 4x1 DVI switch and use HDMI-DVI cables to get everything all through the DVI port so that I can avoid all this overscan issue.

Its definitely not the cheap route to go, but from the looks of it, Benq is not going to do much on the North American side and I don't like the idea of having to send my monitor in as well. Hopefully using this switch will correct it because I am already mad at myself for potentially spending a lot of money to avoid this issue.
Click to expand...
If you're going to use HDMI-DVI cables anyway, why not get a cheaper HDMI switcher? The Gefen one seems really expensive compared to, say, this one at monoprice. Is there something special about the Gefen that makes it necessary?
 
Brent101 said:
well, I think I am just going to bite the bullet and get a Gefen 4x1 DVI switch and use HDMI-DVI cables to get everything all through the DVI port so that I can avoid all this overscan issue.
Click to expand...

I don't think this will fix the problem (in some cases).

As far as I know, it is only Video Signals that get cropped (Play Station 3, Video Cameras, Blu-Rays, etc), regardless of which input you use (DVI, HDMI, etc).

I plugged my HiDef Video Camera into the monitor via HDMI -> DVI and it was still cropped.

If you send it a Graphics Signal (only PCs send these that I am aware of) then it will not be cropped. (I think that's why people think the DVI port is unaffected, because most people are probably testing it with a PC attached to it. But it is not about the port so much as it is about the signal going to it).

So if you send a Video signal to DVI I am pretty sure it will still crop it.

NOTE: I am talking about the Pre-May Produced models. I cannot speak for the new releases (in Australia at least) that have apparently corrected this problem).
 
So, these overscan issues only affect if you are using a source other than your DVI connection, right?

Is this a good buy, better than the latest Dell 24"?
 
Slider19 said:
So, these overscan issues only affect if you are using a source other than your DVI connection, right?

Is this a good buy, better than the latest Dell 24"?
Click to expand...

No. They affect you regardless of which port you are using - they affect you depending on the signal you are using:

Graphics Signal: (From PC) is Ok.

Video Signal: (From video cameras, play stations, whatever) is cropped.
 
iamjohnsname said:
I don't think this will fix the problem (in some cases).

As far as I know, it is only Video Signals that get cropped (Play Station 3, Video Cameras, Blu-Rays, etc), regardless of which input you use (DVI, HDMI, etc).

I plugged my HiDef Video Camera into the monitor via HDMI -> DVI and it was still cropped.

If you send it a Graphics Signal (only PCs send these that I am aware of) then it will not be cropped. (I think that's why people think the DVI port is unaffected, because most people are probably testing it with a PC attached to it. But it is not about the port so much as it is about the signal going to it).

So if you send a Video signal to DVI I am pretty sure it will still crop it.

NOTE: I am talking about the Pre-May Produced models. I cannot speak for the new releases (in Australia at least) that have apparently corrected this problem).
Click to expand...


Thats really unfortunate. I thought I read someone on this forum who hooked up their playstation3 through the DVI port and it was all good. With the size of this thread, it would take me too long to find it. Now I'm really dissapointed.
 
as far as i'm aware, everything though the dvi port works fine. i've used a hdmi to dvi dongle to connect a sky hd box to the monitor, the picture was not cropped and was fine. several people in this thread have also used a ps3 with a hdmi to dvi adaptor and the picture is not cropped or distorted.


on a different note, i remember a couple of weeks ago someone posted that they had sent they're monitor off (markg? possibly) for the update, i was just wondering if you got the right firmware since mine was collected yesterday and i'd feel a lot better if i knew that someone who had already done it had the correct update. since both djphatics and mickeys were exchanges rather then getting their original monitor back.
 
Thank you iamjohnsname and chug_uk for your input. Although your findings seem to be the opposite of each other which makes this rather confusing. Can anyone else add their findings as to whether or not you avoid the overscan issue when using the DVI port?

I do remember reading somone with their PS3 who used the DVI port and it displayed everything 100% correctly at 1080p with no overscan. I just cant seem to find that post after searching for a little bit.
 
chug_uk said:
on a different note, i remember a couple of weeks ago someone posted that they had sent they're monitor off (markg? possibly) for the update, i was just wondering if you got the right firmware since mine was collected yesterday and i'd feel a lot better if i knew that someone who had already done it had the correct update. since both djphatics and mickeys were exchanges rather then getting their original monitor back.
Click to expand...

My monitor is on its way back to me now, but I have to wait until next Wednesday for delivery as that's the only time someone is around to sign for it :(
Just to give you an idea how long it may take, my monitor was collected on Thu 9th Aug, and I got a call yesterday (Thu 23rd) about it being ready.

As soon as I get it hooked up i'll check for the overscan setting and post up on here, unfortunately I don't have a PS3 yet (or anything that outputs a 1080 signal) to properly test with.
 
chug_uk said:
on a different note, i remember a couple of weeks ago someone posted that they had sent they're monitor off (markg? possibly) for the update, i was just wondering if you got the right firmware...
Click to expand...

One of the reasons that people will have had success turning off the overscan, and why they had to send their monitor away is because they got a new monitor manufactured with the overscan on/off already built in to it.

The monitors produced (in Australia (and I am beginning to think England also)) before May 2007 only had enough memory in them for the firmware updates to add the pixel mapping options.

Monitors produced during and after May 2007 had more memory as well as inherent overscan on/off options.

So yes, there are monitors that will work just fine (post-May) and others that won't (pre-May). Check the manufacture date on your monitor to see which situation you're in.

Again, I can only speak for Australian customers.
 
first of all sorry for my english again, I'm italian...however, I can confirm that the ps3 with a hdmi-dvi/d adapter works fine and the picture is great, I should say perfect...I have also an xbox 360 elite, the problem is that when I use the hdmi-dvi/d adapter the xbox tell me that the monitor can't display that resolution(not only 1920:1080 but also other resolutions) at 50hz; so the elite can't display resolutions at 60 hz or more??? however I can see the picture at 1080p but it dosesn't looks great like the ps3, I can say that it sucks...any suggestions??? thank you and sorry again for the bad english...
 
I connected my PS1 over composite to this monitor. I got a black and white picture with NTSC games, why is that? It must be because of the cable, right? Will s-video do?
 
I am going to treat my graphics system (EVGA 8800 Ultra Superclocked + FP241) to some quality Monster cabling, and would appreciate advice on the best connection setup for maximum image quality, i.e. :
  • HDMI to DVI
    or
  • DVI to DVI?

With thanks,
Leithfield.
 
So the US version of this monitor does not have a 1:1 pixel mapping option?

If this is true then might I say: What a gyp! Why pay big bucks for a high end LCD with all these inputs when it doesn't support 1:1 mapping? What is the point of that BenQ? Why not buy a cheaper LCD that doesn't have component input and such - it may not have the extra inputs, but theres no point in using the inputs BenQ has if they won't go 1:1...

It seems like the LCD market is in horrible condition right now.

Dell 2407FPW-HC: Crazy ghosting issue
BenQ FP241W: No 1:1 pixel mapping (and expensive to be lacking such a feature)
Samsung 245BW: Retarded glossy bezel that makes a mirror reflection of the display
LG L246W: No DVI! You must do DVI => HDMI (I don't like the glossy stand too, lol)

I'm so disappoined. I thought waiting for a year would improve things but it appears not.
 
antioch said:
So the US version of this monitor does not have a 1:1 pixel mapping option?
Click to expand...

That's incorrect. The FP241W does have the 1:1 mapping option in North America. What it lacks is the ability to disable overscan (just like all the others) because we're not getting that particular recent patch while everyone else does
 
Also aren't all these problems (overscan and 1:1) solved for people in North America if you are using HDMI to DVI input, specifically with a ps3 or 360elite?

Or have I been reading this thread incorrectly?
 
Whats the difference between overscan and 1:1?

So aside from the overscan issue - is there anything wrong with this LCD? Severe ghosting, backlight bleed, input lag?

Sorry I don't want to read the whole thread. =\
 
Thewix13 said:
Also aren't all these problems (overscan and 1:1) solved for people in North America if you are using HDMI to DVI input, specifically with a ps3 or 360elite?

Or have I been reading this thread incorrectly?
Click to expand...

This is my exact setup and I have zero problems.
HDMI to DVI
PS3
360 Elite
 
I haven't been following this thread closely for the past couple weeks. Are people now sending their monitors back to get the option to turn off the overscan. If so, is this fully fixing the problem etc...

Thanks
 
crispytreat said:
This is my exact setup and I have zero problems.
HDMI to DVI
PS3
360 Elite
Click to expand...

Very Nice Crispytreat, that's all anyone needed to hear...

So there you have it, well for people in North America that is... looks like i'll be getting one of these very soon.
 
crispytreat said:
This is my exact setup and I have zero problems.
HDMI to DVI
PS3
360 Elite
Click to expand...

The problem, though, is that's essentially useless or inconvenient for many PC users like myself who are already using the DVI port for their video cards and aren't going to unplug it every time they want to plug something else into the port. I shouldn't have to use a DVI-to-HDMI cable for the PC and then an HDMI-to-DVI for my PS3/360/DVD player. The sole thing saving such an annoying workaround from being completely lambasted is the fact that the FP241W has no built-in speakers, meaning you're not missing out on the PS3/360/DVD's sound since it already needs to be routed elsewhere anyway. Sure, it's passable, but far from acceptable.
 
crispytreat said:
This is my exact setup and I have zero problems.
HDMI to DVI
PS3
360 Elite
Click to expand...

Do you have the w or wz?
If the w, did you get 1:1 pixel mapping update?
Are you saying that the various hardware and firmware updates to the original FP241w (discussed in this thread) do not affect the DVI port since that port never had any problems?
 
Ronc said:
Do you have the w or wz?
If the w, did you get 1:1 pixel mapping update?
Are you saying that the various hardware and firmware updates to the original FP241w (discussed in this thread) do not affect the DVI port since that port never had any problems?
Click to expand...

Yes I have the w. HDMI port has screwed 1:1 mapping. The DVI port has not been a problem for me at all. My situation may be different then others because I don't have a PC hooked up to the BenQ. I have a Onkyo TX-SR605 reciever that I run my Elite, PS3 and my Wii through. Then I have one HDMI to DVI cable running to the BenQ. Zero problems so far. I would like to get the HDMI fixed, I don't use it but I don't like the fact that it does not work. For my setup the DVI gets the job done.
 
as you have seen from the previous posts bout the hdmi to dvi, yes it does work without problems, but the image quality degrades. But this is probably down to the cable that person used when testing.

it would be nice to get another screenshot of the hdmi to dvi again but with a good cable and compare again.
 
I don't have much experience with desktop LCD's (always used notebooks) but now I want to buy a 24" monitor for PC gaming.

I was pretty much set on DELL 2407FPW-HC but I noticed some good reviews for BenQ FP241W.

Reading posts... I've read some ghosting issues with DELL

I know that the BenQ has HDMI, but i really don't think I'm gonna use HDMI.

I have seen issues with 1:1 mapping and overscanning with BenQ... I'm not sure if I get what these issues mean... but I'm only going to use monitor for PC gaming... not for console games..... No need for HDMI

The price for DELL is $615 (incl tax)
The price for BenQ is $673 - (after rebates from BUY.com)

Any thoughts on these monitors ? Or any suggestions on what's the best 24" LCD for PC gaming...

Thanks
 
HUPextreme said:
as you have seen from the previous posts bout the hdmi to dvi, yes it does work without problems, but the image quality degrades. But this is probably down to the cable that person used when testing.

it would be nice to get another screenshot of the hdmi to dvi again but with a good cable and compare again.
Click to expand...

Provide a post # or some other reference to the image degradation. I can test on my end if I have the proper equipment and confirm or deny the previous findings.
 
HUPextreme said:
as you have seen from the previous posts bout the hdmi to dvi, yes it does work without problems, but the image quality degrades. But this is probably down to the cable that person used when testing.

it would be nice to get another screenshot of the hdmi to dvi again but with a good cable and compare again.
Click to expand...


i dont think this is true. im pretty sure that digital signals care not what quality of cable they run in, whether they have gold fittings or not. the only thing that should matter is that there are no complete breaks in the cable, and the length of the cable, and as for hdmi to dvi wrecking quality, how can that be, when both cables carry an identical signal in this day and age? yes in the future when we get some xvcolor monitors, dvi will not be sufficient, but for now, they are exactly the same signal, minus the audio, which the monitor doesnt accept anyways.
 
markg said:
My monitor is on its way back to me now, but I have to wait until next Wednesday for delivery as that's the only time someone is around to sign for it :(
Just to give you an idea how long it may take, my monitor was collected on Thu 9th Aug, and I got a call yesterday (Thu 23rd) about it being ready.

As soon as I get it hooked up i'll check for the overscan setting and post up on here, unfortunately I don't have a PS3 yet (or anything that outputs a 1080 signal) to properly test with.
Click to expand...

Got my FP241W back today, looks like they've updated it properly with the correct firmware. In the OSD the Overscan option is now showing, now I need to get myself a PS3 :p

EXTRA INFO: I think the manufacture date of my monitor is Jan 07, though it already had the 1:1 pixel mapping firmware when I bought it in May. I'm in the UK, called up BenQ and asked for the new firmware update (I didn't actually mention anything about the overscan option, just said I wanted the new firmware).
 
markg said:
Got my monitor back today, looks like they've updated it properly with the correct firmware. In the OSD the Overscan option is now showing, now I need to get myself a PS3 :p
Click to expand...

thanks for the update, thats excellent news. hopefully mine will come back with the correct update too like yours did.
 
Can I suggest that each time a person posts with details about the successes/failures of their monitors that they include the manufacture date, firmware update number, and which country you're in - otherwise it's relatively meaningless.

Some of the problems people are having have apparently been corrected but with people still posting about those problems, it's hard to know whether they're referring to older monitors or newer ones or firmware updated ones or whatever...

Thanks,

-- John.
 
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