Sony SDM-P234/B vs. Apple 23" Cinema

  • Thread starter Thread starter chris
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chris

How do they compare? Presumably they use the same guts (from Phillips?).
I read a review and they rate the Apple a bit higher, better color
continuity, etc. possibly due to brighter back lit? I am interested in
the Sony because it's cheaper. Should I go with Apple instead? Thx.
 
chris said:
Presumably they use the same guts (from Phillips?).
Click to expand...

If the Sony uses the same LG-Philips LM230W02 module that's
reportedly in the hp FPDs (and I don't know that it is), then
the HP 23"s would be worth a look just based on price. The
hp L2235 (P9615A) is apt to be several hundred $ cheaper.

Note, however, that this panel does have a reputation of
poor grayscale tracking (pinkish light grays). People have
complained about color management issues on the Apple 23
as well, although this may now be corrected. I'm not sure
I'd recommend any LCD for critical color work.

As always, make sure your graphics card can do 1920x1200
with the reduced blanking required to stay within the
capabilities of a single DVI-D link (unless you plan to
hookup in analog(VGA) mode, which I wouldn't recommend.

I'd also suggest avoiding refurbished LCDs. Factory-new
LCDs can be visually defect free, but the brands permit
themselves to sell you a panel with (typically) 5-to-8
duff pixels. The chances of getting stuck/hot/dead pixels
may be much higher with a monitor that someone else might
have already rejected.
 
How do they compare? Presumably they use the same guts (from Phillips?). I
read a review and they rate the Apple a bit higher, better color continuity,
etc. possibly due to brighter back lit? I am interested in the Sony because
it's cheaper. Should I go with Apple instead? Thx.

I have an HP 2335 and it is fantastic. I went out and visually compared the
Sony, Apple , HP and Samsung. The Sony and the Samsung had great features,
but didn't seem as bright or as crisp (moving image transitions/ghosting).
This brought me to the Apple and the HP. After looking at the options and
inputs the HP was a far away winner and the cheapest of the bunch.

I do a lot of graphic design and paste up work and I keep a process color
manual at my side to verify color and the variation has been so slight that
I've only needed to adjust colors a few times.

If you go with the HP make sure you get the 16ms screen and not the 23ms
screen they intro'd the monitor with. I recommend buying direct from HP as
some online stores say 16ms and then you get shipped a 23ms or a refurb
(stay far away from these).

Good Luck
Dana
 
ebow said:
Does the Sony DDM-P234 require a special graphics card.
Click to expand...

Is there a datasheet or manual you can download?

The P234 is presumably a native 1920x1200 display,
and ideally you want to feed it a 1920x1200 signal.
So you need a card that can do that (and the G550
can, at least in analog mode - dunno about DVI).
I use a Matrox Millennium G550...?
Click to expand...

If you connect via analog (HD15/Dsub15 "VGA" port),
you may need to use a Matrox tweak utility to enable
selection of 1920x1200 in Windows.

Because 1920x1200 was not anticipated in the original
DVI spec for single-link, it seems to be accomplished
by a "reduced blanking mode" hack, which both monitor
and card need to support.

According to hp, "If your digital graphics card provides
the 1920 x 1200 digital resolution using a single DVI
connector, then the reduced blanking mode is supported."

You can also ask in the Matrox forums. Search first,
as chances are someone already has.
 
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