ViewSonic PF77

The term 'digital' is often misused, giving the illusion of a superior and technologically advanced product. A classic is the coining of 'digital monitor', to define the same analog screen but with digital controls. With digital TFT displays, however, digital DVI connectivity was a godsend - bypassing needless digital-to-analog conversion, and giving you the optimal display your monitor was capable of. Cynics may dismiss the need for DVI in the CRT world, as the signal has to be converted to analog at some point anyway. And with a single channel cable you'll be limited to a lowly maximum resolution of 1,280 « 1,024 at 85Hz, which, while great for TFTs, isn't going to get the best out of a 22in CRT. Despite this, however, ViewSonic has included both D-SUB and DVI inputs on the new PF77 17in unit, and at £249 it certainly seems worth investigating.

Using the DVI input produces some stunning results - you only need to switch from using the DVI input to the analog D-SUB to see the distinction. The DVI display has a much higher contrast, producing bright and vibrant colours, but at the same time without compensating on clarity. The picture is also exceptionally sharp, while the colours remain pure and stable across the whole screen. The picture may not be as pixel-perfect as a TFT screen, but it's pretty close. It also dispenses with problems such as viewing angles and lower resolution anti-aliasing, creating a perfect compromise between the technologies.

Switching back to the analog D-SUB input also produced some impressive results, retaining the image quality you'd expect from an aperture-grille CRT. Where it showed its limits, however, was in its lower contrast, which makes it look dull in comparison; the DVI input's superior clarity and colour purity were apparent. Using the analog input also grants access to the higher resolutions, and it's capable of an impressive 1,600 « 1,200 at 77Hz, although the maximum DVI resolution of 1,280 « 1,024 at 85Hz is more than enough with a 16in viewable diagonal.

While the DVI input appears to boost the monitor's performance, the electronics were also superb. The screen regulation tests using DisplayMate Multimedia Edition were rock-solid, with the defocusing and blooming tests showing an even display across all brightness levels. As with the PF775 (see Labs, issue 65, p135), the only drawback was an apparent lack of horizontal resolution, resulting in tight vertical lines looking slightly fuzzy. The bottom right-hand corner was also slightly out of focus, but these complaints are negligible when compared to the overall improvement in image quality. Out of the box, the geometry was slightly askew, and it took some time to tweak the controls into giving you the perfect picture.

The OSD controls are intuitively designed, being organised into various subgroups of two from the initial main menu. The pairs are organised as a perfect complement to each other, with the horizontal shift one step away from the horizontal size, so that you can quickly get to the next stage without flicking back through the whole system. There are also horizontal and vertical focus controls and top and bottom hooking geometry options to get your picture as close to perfection as possible. The only downside to the controls was the single moirÚ option - although the monitor didn't appear particularly susceptible to interference, hitting the control appeared to make little difference.

If aesthetics are high on your list of priorities you're unlikely to find the square corners, large bottom bezel and box-like appearance appealing. However, its weight and cabinet depth are exactly what you'd expect from a monitor of this calibre. In addition, desk space won't be a concern, and it's easy enough for one person to move around.