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

Alright folks, I believe the blackout issue has been discussed properly in earlier pages.

Do not confuse your videocard enabling itself over the blackout issue.

If it's a flicker and then your desktop icons seem to redraw themselves, then it's normal and a common thing on Ati graphics cards.

Haven't seen this on Nvidia cards.

If your monitor happens to blackout and not flicker, meaning it lasts for more than a full second, then you have the blackout problem.

Thing is a lot of people believe it to be a cable or videocard issue.

Remember, the cable provided by BenQ is not a DVI-D Dual-Link cable, just a DVI-D Single-Link cable.

This could possibly be the reason why people are getting blackouts on certain graphics cards.

I purchased a DVI-D Dual-Link cable from NCIX when it was on sale. The Belkin PureAV Dual-Link cable was on sale from 79.99 or something outrageous like that to 19.99.

This was before I even thought about purchasing this monitor, I just happen to buy it because it was such an amazing sale.

I can honestly say, even though it's a subjective observation, that the picture quality on my previous monitor (BenQ FP202W V1) was improved using the Belkin cable.

The colours were more distinct and certain shades would be discernable over others I wasn't able to before. For example those highlight colours windows uses to show that something has been selected or in Windows Explorer, View Details mode in windows, certain columns would be greyed in just to distinguish it over others.

These faint colours would actually show up properly using the cable.

So guys, try a Dual-Link DVI-D cable before going about sending a perfectly good monitor back.

Link to show you the difference between the plugs, so you can tell the difference.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVI

Cheers,
Mike

Edit:: Correction on the flicker. I HAVE seen this on Nvidia cards. It's just the videocard driver reinitializing itself, upon a failed overclock attempt or if the driver has to just reinitialize itself because of an error. Doesn't just happen though. The Ati cards do this rather violently upon windows startup. As soon as you see your desktop upon a fresh boot, or restart, you will see your screen flicker and your desktop icons redraw themselves as I had previously stated.
The duration of the flicker is literally as the word describes. It's a flicker, that lasts for a fraction of a second, although on slower computers with older Ati cards, it does last longer. Seems like more of a blink than a flicker on my notebook (Z70Va x700 mobility 128MB).
 
mojo-chan said:
I wouldn't buy a monitor from them if you don't pay the extra then. After all, they will be giving the perfect ones to people who did pay, increasing the chances that people who don't pay will get a defective one.
Click to expand...

Yeah, right! That happens in Hong Kong right?

When you take your electronics in for repair, they will substitute your newer parts for their worn out parts.

If they know you are a tourist, they will sell you a defected item, hoping you won't test it until you return to your home country.
 
The HDMI cable that shipped with the FP241W was pretty bad.

It doesn't matter if the cable is dual-link vs. single-link. With CVT blanking a single link cable is more than capable of working for 1920x1200 or 1920x1080. Quality is subjective, but upgrading the cable is a good start. Dual-link with CVT blanking is only for 2560x1600 monitors and of course, you have to ensure that your video card supports up to this resolution to know for sure that it is dual-link DVI as well.

I thought that the blackout issue was a power supply issue, and those who experienced the extended time (ie. more than a second) blackout solved this with a warranty call and replacement, no?

But yeah, both nVidia and ATI cards will sometimes flicker, sometimes during video play (when the overlay is initializing) and sometimes on boot-up so that is normal.

10e
 
Sigh, very disappointed so far.

Mine has a dead pixel directly in the center, and I mean, directly. On white backgrounds it is hard to notice.Haha lots of packaging and is sort of a pain in the ass to send back. Oh well, glad I bought the zero dead pixel. I fear getting a worse one. Hopefully NCIX has more in stock.

Judging from a couple of the last posters who got the new Sept 2007 models (as I did) it seems there is more problems with stuck pixels?

EDIT: Contacted NCIX and he said he was get my replacement shipped tomorrow. I got 15 days until my RMA expires, I should be able to hold onto this monitor until my replacement gets here either Friday or Monday. ;P
 
10e said:
I thought that the blackout issue was a power supply issue, and those who experienced the extended time (ie. more than a second) blackout solved this with a warranty call and replacement, no?

But yeah, both nVidia and ATI cards will sometimes flicker, sometimes during video play (when the overlay is initializing) and sometimes on boot-up so that is normal.

10e
Click to expand...

What do you mean by power supply issue? Monitor's power supply or computer's power supply? I thought the blackout is more to do with display card problem. Some models (more recent 8800 series) haven't reported blackout problem.

nVidia and ATI cards should not flicker at anytime. Your setup must be something wrong if display flickers.
 
Cal me crazy, But ever since i got this monitor back for the 3rd time, Ive noticed the bottom right hand corner, when ever i move my head, the color changes significantly. Especially on games Like WoW and any bright color games. Also, When taking these shots, on a angle, i can see theres sorta a white line going through the middle of the screen, Is that normal? The Manufacutur date for this Screen is June 07, the last 2 i had with stuck pixels were July 07.

 
So, after watching this product since this thread's creation, I finally decided to pull the trigger. I ordered from NCIXUS about a week ago and got a Sept. 2007 build. It is a beauty :D. After a night of playing with it, I've found 0 dead pixels, a great viewing angle, and little to no blacklight bleeding.

My only concern was while hooking up a PS3 and watching 300 (bluray outputting at 1080P), w/o over scan on i get one pixel row of green, at the very bottom (aspect mode). When i turn it to 1-1 it moves the line up to the bottom of where the 16-9 picture ends and then the black fills beyond that to the frame. I can turn over scan on, and notice no addition cutting of viewing space, the picture does not seem cropped in any way, and the green line is gone. But this is the only time I've been able to recreate this. Anyone else have this problem?

I'm going to hook it up to my 360 tomorrow and see how it does. Anyways thats to you all who have shown me what a great product this is. ;)
 
Whoa Matty, that doesn't look too great from the pictures you've taken, but I wonder how it looks in person.

If it's just like the pictures then something is terribly wrong as mine doesn't exhibit that kind of bleeding or lighting.

Send it back.

As for the cables, I thought any resolution above 1200 pixels vertically required a Dual Link cable?

Anyways, whoever bought the monster cable is reaching.

Monster cables are overrated and overkill.

As for those of you getting bad panels, I feel for you. I got lucky 3 times, I guess, with BenQ monitors from NCIX over the past year or two, I can't remember.

So goodluck on your purchases guys! These are the last few batches of one of the best monitors ever made, according to members on here.

I wonder when they'll run out of stock completely.

Edit:: Did I read right? Pivot Control Software? I've gotta give that a try! :D
 
shampoo said:
Whoa Matty, that doesn't look too great from the pictures you've taken, but I wonder how it looks in person.
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Thats the thing, The camera makes it look way worse. In person it looks nothing like that When looking straight ahead, when looking from the side or above it does look like that. Can someone who owns this monitor, Please sit around 40cm away from the screen, and look at a light'ish red background, then move your head to the left and the right to see if the color changes at the side.
 
matty I've already done this with red, blue, green, white and black backgrounds and it isn't so bad.

Can others verify?

RB30 and branana?

Mine seems almost perfect, really.

Even banding is almost non-existant.

sorry to say matty, but I think you have a bad panel.
 
shampoo said:
matty I've already done this with red, blue, green, white and black backgrounds and it isn't so bad.

Can others verify?

RB30 and branana?

Mine seems almost perfect, really.

Even banding is almost non-existant.

sorry to say matty, but I think you have a bad panel.
Click to expand...

I dont think i have a bad panel, On red, blue, green, white and black the color shift isnt noticeable that much. Its when i move my head like 6cm to the left/right i can see a change. Im probably just over reacting
 
I made a solid red pic

6nrrdop.jpg


No i do not notice a color change moving my head horizontally (both rotating and shifting my head)
 
I just ordered fp241w from NCIX..........
with zero dead pixel coverage

I'm praying to get sept 2007 version...
pray for me people thx
 
branana said:
I made a solid red pic


No i do not notice a color change moving my head horizontally (both rotating and shifting my head)
Click to expand...

Neither do i, Make a Vary light Red picture, then see.

The color doesn't change, it just gets brighter when i move my head (With a lighter picture, not the red one above)
 
Matty323 said:
Cal me crazy, But ever since i got this monitor back for the 3rd time, Ive noticed the bottom right hand corner, when ever i move my head, the color changes significantly. Especially on games Like WoW and any bright color games. Also, When taking these shots, on a angle, i can see theres sorta a white line going through the middle of the screen, Is that normal? The Manufacutur date for this Screen is June 07, the last 2 i had with stuck pixels were July 07.

Click to expand...

So this is the refurnished monitor you got back from repair? Wow, its uneven backlighting looks like my parents' Sony XBR2 40" LCD HDTV. Looks like uneven backlighting will occur after some extensive use. I notice my monitor's (or my LCD HDTV) 4 corners are slightly evenly brighter, hardly noticed. If the unevenness bothers you so much, exchange another one then.
 
RB30 said:
So this is the refurnished monitor you got back from repair? Wow, its uneven backlighting looks like my parents' Sony XBR2 40" LCD HDTV. Looks like uneven backlighting will occur after some extensive use. I notice my monitor's (or my LCD HDTV) 4 corners are slightly evenly brighter, hardly noticed. If the unevenness bothers you so much, exchange another one then.
Click to expand...

Its a brand new screen, It was replaced as the last one had a stuck pixel (and with the last one, the back light bleed was far worse, almost blotchy and could be seen with a light on)

Hrm...It seems to be a gamble with these screens, Last 2 i got had a stuck pixel, this one has no stuck pixel, but has a uneven backlight. It seems to me that Its brighter on each side if your looking straight in the middle, but if your looking on the right or left side, the other side will be brighter. I dunno if this is a fault or not. I dunno if i wanna go through all the hassle again for a 4th time, as Theres a 2-3 week wait for the PC store to order another one in, also theres Christmas next week, so that will make the process evern slower (Thats AFTER The warranty places says theres something wrong with it, and there no Guarantees that there gonna say it has a fault)

Also, Can someone tell me the default brightness settings? As this monitor seems More brighter than the last 2

*edit* I have done some searching through this thread, and have found 2 people who had/have the same problem as i do
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1031647048&highlight=angle#post1031647048
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1031484299&highlight=angle#post1031484299
 
Matty323:

I set brightness and contrast to 50 and sharpness to 3. If your uneven backlighting becomes unnoticeable or not bothersome then I won't bother returning it. Like I said before, even my parents' Sony top-of-line XBR2 LCD HDTV got uneven backlighting after one year of usage.

Does your monitor have overscan option? If no, then I might consider returning it and hopefully getting a Sept build one.
 
Hey all, I just rec'd a brand new FP241W. It looks great so far except for one thing. There is a dark "smudge" or blurry spot about 2/3s of the way across the screen and centered vertically. It's not a real smudge - I've cleaned the screen and I don't see it when it's turned off. I notice it on any light color, especially white, background. I can even still see it on a dark/black background if I look off center at the monitor.

If my understanding of dead pixels is correct, it doesn't seem like that is the problem. I would assume dead pixels are very defined points of light or non-light. I've gone through the color gamut looking for those and I don't see any, just this fingerprint sized blurry smudge type spot. On this pic I took: look above the mouse pointer. Once you see it, it tends to stand out and it always noticeable. The pic could be better, and maybe I can take some better ones tonight, but I think it's still quite apparent in the pic, and even more so in person.

I got the monitor from NCIX, have the zero-pixel warranty, but this seems like something other than dead pixels and I don't know if I should chance returning it as they are soon to be out of stock and who knows what I'll end up with. Other than this issue, everything else about the monitor I like, at least in the 2 hours I've had a chance to use it.

Thanks everyone for your comments in this thread, it's really been quite a read and very informative.
 
craters said:
Hey all, I just rec'd a brand new FP241W. It looks great so far except for one thing. There is a dark "smudge" or blurry spot about 2/3s of the way across the screen and centered vertically. It's not a real smudge - I've cleaned the screen and I don't see it when it's turned off. I notice it on any light color, especially white, background. I can even still see it on a dark/black background if I look off center at the monitor.

If my understanding of dead pixels is correct, it doesn't seem like that is the problem. I would assume dead pixels are very defined points of light or non-light. I've gone through the color gamut looking for those and I don't see any, just this fingerprint sized blurry smudge type spot. On this pic I took: look above the mouse pointer. Once you see it, it tends to stand out and it always noticeable. The pic could be better, and maybe I can take some better ones tonight, but I think it's still quite apparent in the pic, and even more so in person.

I got the monitor from NCIX, have the zero-pixel warranty, but this seems like something other than dead pixels and I don't know if I should chance returning it as they are soon to be out of stock and who knows what I'll end up with. Other than this issue, everything else about the monitor I like, at least in the 2 hours I've had a chance to use it.

Thanks everyone for your comments in this thread, it's really been quite a read and very informative.
Click to expand...

It could be grease or oil. Can you remove it using light soap or water? If it doesn't feel like grease or something exterior of panel, then return it for exchange. If you send NCIX RMA this pciture, it should prompt for immediate exchange. Dark smudge shouldn't exist at all; it is a defect.
 
That'd be a defect. If it's not listed as a feature on their page, take it in for an exchange.
 
I just got the monitor.

-from NCIXUS.com
-September 2007 unit
-no dead pixels

Amazing monitor all around. I hooked up my 360 over component, set it to 1080p, set mode to 1:1 pixel mapping, set overscan to off and got very good results.

I had one problem though:

I hooked up my computer over DVI (I think, the white rectangular plug). Everything worked. I turned off the monitor. I then also plugged in the 360 over component. I turned the monitor on. Switched to component input. Everything was fine on the xbox side. But then I went back through the different inputs and it said no signal from my computer from any of the two DVI inputs. Any ideas why?
 
HardDaniel42 said:
I hooked up my computer over DVI (I think, the white rectangular plug). Everything worked. I turned off the monitor. I then also plugged in the 360 over component. I turned the monitor on. Switched to component input. Everything was fine on the xbox side. But then I went back through the different inputs and it said no signal from my computer from any of the two DVI inputs. Any ideas why?
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The problem is not due to monitor. I think the problem is the new nVidia driver if you are just updated your video driver. I have the same problem after I update my 8800 Ultra video driver from 163.76 to 169.21. After I used the HDMI switch for my DVI input from channel 1 (PC #1) to channel 2 (PC #2), I heard the sound 'dong dong twice', and then switch back 'dong dong twice', I got blank screen, no signal, monitor auto shut down. I then rolled back to driver 163.76, everything is fine again. I was using XP pro BTW.

I know many people with Vista 32 bit having similar blank screen problem after boot up to windows (nothing to do with this particular monitor), got no signal from the video card. I don't know if anyone else experience similar problem with XP?

Use a different video driver to test if similar problem occurs. Try the 163.76 beta driver. It should be fine for you.
 
RB30 said:
The problem is not due to monitor. I think the problem is the new nVidia driver if you are just updated your video driver. I have the same problem after I update my 8800 Ultra video driver from 163.76 to 169.21. After I used the HDMI switch for my DVI input from channel 1 (PC #1) to channel 2 (PC #2), I heard the sound 'dong dong twice', and then switch back 'dong dong twice', I got blank screen, no signal, monitor auto shut down. I then rolled back to driver 163.76, everything is fine again. I was using XP pro BTW.

I know many people with Vista 32 bit having similar blank screen problem after boot up to windows (nothing to do with this particular monitor), got no signal from the video card. I don't know if anyone else experience similar problem with XP?

Use a different video driver to test if similar problem occurs. Try the 163.76 beta driver. It should be fine for you.
Click to expand...

Driver problems may be the problem, but I'm using an ATI card with drivers from 2 years ago (newer drivers give degraded performance with my old card) and with my old monitor I was able to switch from DVI on PC to VGA on 360 just fine with the current drivers.
 
HardDaniel42 said:
Driver problems may be the problem, but I'm using an ATI card with drivers from 2 years ago (newer drivers give degraded performance with my old card) and with my old monitor I was able to switch from DVI on PC to VGA on 360 just fine with the current drivers.
Click to expand...

Some people said it is because the video card switched to analog VGA mode after monitor is changed to different input, but I tried to connect to an analog monitor still no signal.
 
I also have the Black out issue with my ATI HD 2900 and on top of this it stays black on startup untill I turn the monitor off then on again! This problem is not confined to NVIDIA as some people have thought. I have also tried a dual link cable (gold plated) - so basically a great cable and its actually slightly worse! I have also been in contact with benq and ATI for about a month and both are stumped and now have stopped replying to my emails! I have literally tried everything - setting drivers etc.. So anyone out there going to buy this product you do so at your own risk. There are a large number of people with this blackout problem now and I think is only through the DVI-D cable at least it is with me - VGA is fine. Anyway whats the point of buying this monitor if you cant see it at its best! :eek: I am returning mine tomorrow and getting the: NEC MultiSync LCD2470WNX It doesnt have HDMI like the benq but at least it will work! I decided against the DELL due to ghosting issues....My best guess is benq made this monitor with a cheap part and it got through testing somehow and now they are just keeping quiet and hoping people will still buy it...:mad:
 
dpl2007 said:
I also have the Black out issue with my ATI HD 2900 and on top of this it stays black on startup untill I turn the monitor off then on again! This problem is not confined to NVIDIA as some people have thought. I have also tried a dual link cable (gold plated) - so basically a great cable and its actually slightly worse! I have also been in contact with benq and ATI for about a month and both are stumped and now have stopped replying to my emails! I have literally tried everything - setting drivers etc.. So anyone out there going to buy this product you do so at your own risk. There are a large number of people with this blackout problem now and I think is only through the DVI-D cable at least it is with me - VGA is fine. Anyway whats the point of buying this monitor if you cant see it at its best! :eek: I am returning mine tomorrow and getting the: NEC MultiSync LCD2470WNX It doesnt have HDMI like the benq but at least it will work! I decided against the DELL due to ghosting issues....My best guess is benq made this monitor with a cheap part and it got through testing somehow and now they are just keeping quiet and hoping people will still buy it...:mad:
Click to expand...

Your blackout problem is unique, not the typical one of FP241W. What other people experienced FP241W blackouts that only last 2 seconds or so, while your blackout happens on startup and requires turning off the monitor that is something not the typical FP241W. It sounds like more of a driver vs operating system issue. Many people with different types of monitors + nVidia cards and drivers have reported similar problems starting up Windows Vista.

Before you return the monitor, make sure to try a different computer on FP241W then you know if it is monitor's problem or your computer with ATI that is causing the problem before jumping on any conclusion. If other non-ATI video computer is causing the same problem then your FP241W is defected. Return it then!

At this time and age, don't tell me you don't have a spare computer laying around. Just borrow one from a friend or something.
 
Does anyone know a store in the UK where i can get the Sept 2007 firmware? Or were the overscan and 1:1 issues fixed in earlier revisions of the firmware over here as the Australian user a few pages back seemed to insinuate?

Or if you don't know the answers, are there and good UK tech forums that would have people that would have bought the FP241W? It's a big investment (£430/$860) to get something less than perfect..!

Thanks.
 
Sorry maybe I didn’t make myself clear enough by the first line of my post: " I also have the Black out issue..." I meant I am getting the 1 - 3 second black outs exactly the same way others are getting but I have an extra problem of: "...on top of this it stays black on start-up until I turn the monitor off then on again!" I thought I was pretty clear but never mind. It does start-up normally sometimes and then starts to randomly black out (and is always perfect with a VGA lead). And I have tried other monitors and PCs.

If I had seen all the reports of problems with this monitor I wouldn’t of bought it in the first place anyway so its definitely going back! Its like senza says: "It's a big investment (£430/$860) to get something less than perfect..!" and this is undoubtedly a less than perfect product by a long way! :eek:
 
i've purchased this monitor a couple of days ago from an austrian firm. the problem is that i can't get the settings done. if set contrast to 30, brightness to 10, a loose many colors, if i set it, brightness to 30 , contrast to 49 , the colors are fine but the white is really very bright. after working with the monitor i have a feeling like looking at a lamp or sun (well not that hard, but similar).. really thinking of returning it.. i really like it though and it is fine, but i just can't work with that white color.. any suggestions? i would really appreciate your help.

thx.
p.s. video card is nvidia 8800 gtx with latest drivers.
 
branana said:
864zuds.jpg


Nothing on this one either.
Click to expand...

You should be using http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/ Grayscale test to see your actual brightness, but your right it barely changes, I wouldnt say its perfect, Perfect to me is CRT lol, but its the best of its kind for sure. I get some very small brightness change on only the rightside of the letters.

Whereas my 245B had a whole different color change (blue letters on rigth side and the letters on the left side were red!!) bad bad bad TN models!!
 
Hey guys.

The pale pinkish looking colour you guys posted does seem to change slightly, but that's just normal.

Not everyone's eyes are the same.

For your information it is normal for such a change to occur, considering the viewing angle of the pixels in that area with respect to the viewing angle of the pixels on the opposite side of those pixels.

These monitors are wide, so the actual angles that they are being viewed at are different.

The viewing angle of the right side of the screen is different from those at the left side if you are either looking at the monitor from an angle to the left or the right.

Unless it's a dramatic change in colour, I think you're seeing nothing, that's just normal, don't worry your head about it and enjoy the monitor.

To the person who had the weird smudge thing.

Could possibly be condensation inside?

I say send it back. Shouldn't be anything like that from factory unless it is defective or if it's a refurbished model.

Even refurbs are packed very well, so I think it's just defective.

RB30> Whoa I can't believe your brightness is so low, but I don't change brightness settings too much on new monitors. I just try to adjust to the brightness level.

In this case though, I did turn it down after realizing that this screen is SUPER BRIGHT. My eyes started to hurt, haha.
I have it at 70. I didn't notice a huge different between 70 and 50.

Man I'm loving this thing to death. It's just a joy to watch from my bed now, especially with the adjustable stand.

Anyone try the auto swivel software?

It's kind of useless, but still a free function I guess.

Very useful for lawyers or other professions that require long pages of text.

I've been to many lawyers offices with many employees and lawyers themselves using widescreen monitors adjusted 90 degrees so it's taller and they can fit more text.

I tried it with the benq, and holy crap it's just too big to do that. Looks so tall.

Everyone try it!
 
brightness at 50 is just perfect for me.

Pivot to portrait view (vertical) is great for surfing web because most of webpages are narrow horizontally and fixed size (unlike Hard Forum), so portrait viewing will reduce scrolling. Because I use this monitor to play games, I just don't bother pivot.
 
kryptolus said:
I'm still running on 90 brightness. Am I crazy? It doesn't seem to be bothering me.
Click to expand...

absolutely nuts:D

90 for me is like looking into the sun, i have mine all the way down to 25-30.

you must be in a very well lit room, cause there's no way anyone can stand to look at that kind of brightness in the dark:D
 
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