Envision readies glossy-framed media LCDs
updated 03:00 pm EST, Wed February 6, 2008
Envision G917 and G2219
Envision today took a different approach to its normally minimal displays by adding both the 19-inch G917w1 and 22-inch G2219w1 to its roster of Professional Series LCDs. Instead of a matte finish, the new screens are given a glossy black shell that fits more neatly alongside more stylized desktop PCs or as a miniature home theater when detached and mounted on a wall with a VESA attachment. Both also support HDCP encryption on their DVI ports to guarantee playback of certain protected HD videos when a computer's video card supports the secure video path.
The 19-inch display is the most vivid of the two and pushes the contrast ratio up to 3,000:1 while maintaining a 5ms pixel response time. The 22-inch display has a more conventional 1,000:1 ratio but the same performance, Envision says. Both G-series displays are due to ship by April and will sell for $200 and $270 respectively.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2005
Professional?
I fail to see how a glossier black frame makes the display better suited for a professional. Glossiness, while seeming to saturate colors and darks better than matte, dials up glare which reduces image quality. While putting it on the frame wouldn't necessarily hurt the quality of the panel itself, it would still make for distracting glares when, say, someone walks between you and the offending light source.
As for lowering the contrast ratio on the larger display, why? Larger color spaces and contrast ratios are what professionals who use displays for their image quality demand, and will pay through the nose for.
It would be nice if truly professional displays were as inexpensive as these, but for now, that isn't the case. Here we yet again have MacNN pimping a product for more than it is.
On the upside, for those poor ppl who have to deal with HD downgrading because their current display won't encrypt the signal (wonder Vista feature, that) this is an inexpensive fix