Labs

A few months ago, we looked at the first punch-proof TFT from Asus (web ID: 120491), which had a protective glass layer over the screen. This 19in TFT from Belinea may not be as resistant to random acts of aggression, merely allowing for "repetitive touching and handling", but it features a similar layer over the screen, which brings its own foibles.

The problem with such a coating is that it reflects too much dark blue and

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purple, so during dark scenes you'll often find yourself staring at a mutant version of yourself rather than the action onscreen. That said, it's a small price to pay if you want a sturdy screen for a public place, and you can always reduce the effect by dimming the lights in your room.

Reflections aside, the 1970 S1-P is a decent-quality 1,280 x 1,024 monitor, with both DVI and VGA connections, and a pair of reasonable 1W speakers. We had to lower the contrast slightly from default - the power button right in the middle of the OSD controls proved irritating at this point - but that was the only tweak required.

Both black and white levels were good without excelling, and we couldn't help noticing a slightly uneven backlight in our test sample, but, overall, colours were accurate and we saw no blurring or other artefacts. The stand is impressive, capable of lifting 115mm, swivelling and even pivoting 90 degrees.

Such durable TFTs will certainly have their uses, so for schools and other public places you should consider the Belinea 1970 S1-P. But home or office users will find better deals elsewhere this month.