Monitor Reviews

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Pros
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*. Almost instant assembly. Did take a minute to sort out the provided wires.
*. The 20in size in UXGA is fantastic Can watch a movie in reasonable size and still have reasonable space left order for other things.
*. Pivot software is provided for when the monitor is rotated. However, software pivot screen first, then physically rotate it. Moving the mouse on a rotated screen takes some getting used to.
*. The USB Hub is great. Helps keep the clutter on my desk minimized.
*. Using the native resolution 1600x1200 (from 800x600) takes some getting used to. After a couple of days I actually like it considerably.
*. The provided base seems very stable. I wish there was a means to actually LOCK-IN the height so rotating the screen could not change it.
*. Customer service was helpful and friendly even for the stupid question I called on. The screen was fuzzy to me and between my stigmatism and resolution size being new I needed to make sure it was not the monitor. Actually looks great now.
*. All pixels were working and accounted for.
*. Gaming experience is awesome. Unreal, Quake, Half-Life, and others on my desktop game out sharp and clear with no lag issues.
*. The front controls are very easy to use.

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Cons
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*. Need to look into why my Nero movie software won't play a video when the screen is pivotted. Screen goes black. Wanted movie on top and browser on bottom.
*. Cables were not long enough to go behind the desk to my pc. Had to move the pc closer to the back of the desk.
*. All the wires attach to the monitor which also move every time the monitor is rotated. With the cable length issue this can result to tugging on the connectors when the screen is rotated.
*. The wire guide down the back of the monitor is not very durable. Some wires keep popping out during screen rotations. Need to also tie them I guess.
*. Two on/off. A switch and a button. At first I thought the monitor was broken since it would not turn on when I pressed the on button. This is really a "PRO" but it wasn't in the manual.
*. Documentation is SPARSE. They want you to use the installed pdf file. I personally prefer a hardcopy user manual.

All in all I am very satisfied and would recommend this product to anyone. The price is steep but the extra size is definitely worth it.

1. No stuck or otherwise abnormal pixels
2. The 400:1 "reduced" contrast is superb and is MUCH better than my CRT monitors. (I briefly ran a 14" NEC CRT monitor next to the ViewSonic and must say that the difference is DRAMATIC).
3. I run the monitor with the DVI interface but it looks just fine connected to analog VGA.
4. Videos look fantastic on the monitor. I can detect no smearing
5. The 68" digital video cable is too short for my fairly standard setup (monitor on a desk and computer on the floor) I ran out to CompUSA to pick up a 10' cable and was stung for $80.00! The cables are much cheaper from Amazon (I should have ordered one when I ordered the monitor)
6. There is no video noise at the top of the screen as was reported by a reviewer of the VP201b.

In summary, I am extremely happy with this monitor and recommend it most enthusiastically! (just think about the video cable when you order yours)

the only bad thing about these is that

its not for pleasure of music

defenetly not for 3 hours of classic music

but you get to hear the pure quality of music

which is the main purpose of using a big sterio DJ headphones.

nice bass

and cool design

some people says that it cracks

but it doesnt if you take good care

peace

The base map included in the Legend only shows major highways and major streets. This is similar to the maps you get from a car rental agency. It's perfectly fine for doing rough navigation from city to city. At first, I tried using Rand McNally's StreetFinder and TripMaker Deluxe on my laptop with the Legend. The setup worked, but having to deal with the serial cable and using a laptop in the car was not very practical.

After I've had my Legend a while, I had a chance to borrow and use a Vista. The owner of the Vista upgraded it with detailed street-detail maps from Garmin's MapSource "Metroguide USA" CD .... The detailed street map is a really nice feature -- especially because you can look up addresses. Having such a detailed map in a small portable device is a delight! I decided to get the Metroguide for myself.

From my usage comparison, I found two things missing in the Legend compared to the top-end etrex Vista.

First, the Legend has only 8 MB of expansion memory instead of the 24 MB in the Vista. This turns out to be a big issue for me, as I would like to have a complete metro guide of the greater Los Angeles area. With 8 MB, I could only fit 6 of the 18 MetroGuide map sets that I would have liked. This means, I am missing coverage of a large section stretching roughly from Compton to Long Beach to Lynwood to Cerritos to Irvine that I would have wanted. In contrast, the Vista held all of greater Los Angeles area, plus some San Francisco, San Diego, and Las Vegas.

Second, the Vista has sensors for barometric altitude and magnetic compass heading. The Legend estimates altitude via GPS, and calculated heading based on your travel speed vector. If you are a trail-hiker, these sensors improve your navigation.

Used as-is from the factory (i.e., only the American basemaps), the Legend is perfectly fine, and I was quite happy with it.
I could live without the Vista's sensors;

But, having hit the 8 MB memory limit (trying to load Los Angeles), I would definitely go with the Vista now.

The Metroguide maps sizes of other cities may or may not be an issue for you. Go to the Garmin website and use their MapSourec Map Viewer and count the number of "yellow squares" you'll need to cover you area of interest. Each square roughly represents between 500K to 1.5 MB of data (with the smaller, "dense" squares being toward the 1 MB to 1.5MB size). You'll find that most of the big cities will have enough squares to easily exceed the 8 MB of the Legend.

Basically, the Legend is the Vista without the electromagnetic compass or air-pressure altitude indicator, and 8MB (vs. 24) of RAM. On the plus side, the Legend has longer battery life, which is a real consideration.

The only feature I miss from the Vista is the electromagnetic compass; a very useful thing to have when you're trying to triangulate on a bearing and projecting waypoints out from a fixed bearing. The 8MB of map memory is plenty; you can cover half of California with it.

Firmware-wise, I'd like to see waypoint names longer than just 10 character with lower case, for the benefit of round-tripping your descriptions from products like DeLorme's XMAP and Topo USA.

An excellent device, durable and compact - tracks great even on the front dash of your car. Worth 4.5 stars, really.

So far it's a good compass and speedometer, but it thought I was on a parallel road to the freeway for a half-hour during my test trip this morning. Maybe the accuracy level can be set somehow but between the six manuals that come with the system haven't stumbled upon this item yet.

The 4 street maps I downloaded from the CD disappeared when I changed batteries. Warning! Make sure your unit runs out of juice while you're in your car (while running) and the unit still plugged into the lighter. This is the only way to avoid re-downloading maps.

It takes forever to punch in letters/numbers under "find." You can't delete elevation numbers (no delete button)

The backlight goes off, but hopefully stays on when dark.

I'm sure a lot of my complaint is due to my own impatience, but this attribute is what gets me lost in the first place! GPS should be designed for stressed people with a short attention span.

I have found the 19mb memory to be more than sufficient for holding maps. I live near Washington DC and can fit the whole area into the unit. For long trips, you don't need to download detailed maps of your entire route. The base map built into the GPS V deluxe is plenty good for navigating major interstates, exits, and services. You only need a detailed map(s) of your destination areas or specific areas where you will be travelling local secondary roads (like neighborhood streets or rural roads).

I recently took a 600 mile trip down to Georgia and all I needed were a few maps of my destination. All major roads and highways are included in the built in base map (a lot of people seem to not know this). I was able to navigate all of my gas, food, and logding stops along the way without detailed maps. The base map worked fine. No need for a detailed map just to make quick stop for gas and bite to eat.

There is a slight learning curve when using the GPS V Deluxe. But once you figure out all of the "bells and whistles" it's easy to use. I am new to using a GPS and after purchasing this unit I am very satisfied. If you are the type of person who can't find their way out of a paper bag - this unit is for you.

The included pc cable and software are pretty much idiot proof. I'm no pc whiz and didn't need to be. Downloading maps is as simple as clicking the area you want to download and clicking the "download" icon. The GPS does the rest.

The unit works great in the car and while hiking. It also has a backlit screen for night use which is nice. Battery life is about 20 hrs (pretty good). Also comes with cigarette lighter car adapter.

I did have to purchase the "beanbag holder" for my dash since the included dash mount wouldn't sit right on my SUV dash. So far, it hasn't moved even on sharp turns.

All in all, this is an excellent GPS and has many added features that most cheaper units do not have. The autorouting feature is great and has saved me more than once late at night when I have been lost. Just tell the GPS where you want to go and it will start navigating you there with turn by turn directions, distance to the next turn, time to the next turn, etc.

Also, I never really knew how fast I was travelling in my SUV since I added larger off-road tires. The GPS now accurately calculates my true speed and I was able to get the dealer to adjust my spedometer (I was going way faster than what the spedometer in my dash said I was).

Finally I purchased the Garmin V and was not disappointed. In addition to all of the capabilities of the GPS 12 that I have become so fond, the G-V added several new capabilities to the formula.

The "FIND" or Auto-Routing has been a terrific bonus. I recently located a piece of property that was listed for sale. It was tucked away in a very obscure part of the area, and would have been nearly impossible to locate with "turn by the blue house; go straight until you reach the tree" kind of "human" directions that it would have required. Instead, we drove confidently to the location, knowing where we were every step of the way.

We also love looking up Points of Interest (Restaurants, Shopping, etc.) - it has enhanced our travels by encouraging us to take the road less traveled knowing that at least we can find our way in and back out!

Adding the external antenna greatly increased the reception quality of the unit. We routinely get accuracy reported to within 15 feet!

The unit is compatible with other Garmin accessories I already own, is feature-rich yet intuitive for users like me. I have already been able to convert and use several of the hundreds of tracks I recorded with my GPS 12.

Combine this unit with City Select and Topo and you have a combination that will take you to some of the most interesting (and sometimes well hidden) places on the planet. You will know what time you can expect to arrive, find a place to get a meal, and even get some fishing tips if that's your fancy. Tonight we wanted to check a restaurant for specials and waiting times. I looked it up on the GPS on the way to the location and called ahead for the answer to all my questions!

For the price of this unit and the map software, you can hardly go wrong. If you want to reach a new level of freedom, take a good look at the Garmin V!

Well-packaged. Small screen is still very readable. Controls are fairly intuitive once you get used to them.

Sucks up battery power. If you don't need constant updates be sure to use the unit in the "Battery Saver" mode. I've found that to be more than adequate for typical use (in a car, for instance, when you can't be looking at it constantly anyway).

Note the software version you have. I'm new to Garmin products but according to their web page they update the software regularly. The eTrex Vista that I bought had version 2.28 of their firmware and they were up to version 2.50, three versions past mine. No big deal, I downloaded the latest version and installed it easily. The only catch was that they said to put the unit in Simulator Mode during the download--even though there is no such thing described anywhere in the manual. I did some reading and it seems to me that they must have meant Demo Mode. That's what I put it in and the download proceeded seamlessly. They warn you that downloading firmware may delete waypoints and other data you may have saved. It didn't delete mine but I'd still recommend getting the latest firmware right away before you have any data to lose.

In summary . . . Bad: The unit I bought from Amazon didn't have anywhere close to the latest firmware. Good: It's easy to get the latest firmware.

Along with the new software you can also download the latest version of the manual in PDF format.

I plan to get one of the MapSource CDs in order to download more detailed map data into the unit. If you do that, however, the base map that the unit comes with will be erased (according to the Garmin website). You can get it back (again, by downloading the original database from their website) but I really don't know why the different databases can't play nicely together.

Overall I'm very happy with my eTrex Vista.

Cons:
-screen is small
-screen detail is somewhat pixilated
-panning/scrolling on map is slow. Screen goes blank for a moment. Then it takes it awhile to redraw the map.
-occasional loss of satellite lock when under moderate tree cover (although this is probably true of all gps)
-designed for left hand use if this is an issue
-data cable is included but car adapter is not
-must be outside of backpack in order to receive signal (I guess gortex is too thick)
-cause an accident by watching the gps rather than the road

Pros:
-compact
-good intuitive use of menus except for marking waypoints
-excellent trip data: distance, elevation, average moving speed time or overall average, how long you have moved or stopped for, elevation, current speed and direction and more
-works inside the car
-excellent car navigation
-excellent hiking navigation
-has altimeter and compass
-detail on base map gives major hwys and roads
-detail on extra map excellent (eg., will give street numbers of individual houses)

Eddy

The biggest problem is that even after fine-tuning every manually adjustable setting and/or using the auto-adjust feature, the screen output is somewhat fuzzy at its native resolution. There is a slight shadowing on text at low contrast levels (increase the contrast to reduce this), and there are some blurry vertical lines (the clock speed isn't manually adjustable -- you're left at the mercy of the auto-adjust). These conditions can be somewhat improved if you have Windows XP by turning on ClearType and I find that I can live with it better that way.

Now this isn't to say that this monitor is all bad. The screen is very bright and movies and games look very nice (they don't blur or shadow unlike some of the other LCD monitors I'm using). It supports more resolutions than a typical LCD monitor (i.e., 1280x960, etc.) and lower resolution full-screen pixel extrapolation is actually one of the best I've seen on any LCD monitor (e.g., switching down to 1024x768 or 800x600). This is also the first LCD monitor I've owned that has ZERO dead pixels, amazingly enough.

Overall, given the price and performance, I would probably recommend this to anyone looking for a bargain monitor that lives up to its price.

Installation on a Windows98 system was effortless using the enclosed CD-ROM. Upon initial start-up I was impressed with the brightness and contrast level of the picture. There were no dead Pixels at all. The picture was sharp and clear for both text and graphics. Very impressive! On-screen controls were intuitive and easy to set.

I had initiall looked at the Samsung line of LCD monitors as I have had very good luck with their CRT units. The Cornea MP704 seemed to have equal or better specs for considerably less money. Cornea offers a 3-year advanced replacement warranty and toll free support (which I haven't used).

Using this unit with the Viewsonic tuner produced a good, if somewhat overly sharp television picture. Certainly good enough for casual viewing.

All in all this is an excellent unit fo rthe price and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a mid-sized LCD monitor in the sub-[$$$] range.

Con's: I live in a new development and my home street is not on the map. Software updates to the unit must be done with a serial port (included in box). The problem is that my new laptop does not have a connector for the included cable. Had to spend an additional $13 on a USB to 9 pin serial cable and Garmin said its only a 80% success rate that it will transfer the neccessary data. The Mapsource CD's which contain detailed information on cities can only be used one time. In order to use the CD's initially, you have to go to the Garmin website and get an "unlock" code. Therefore, if you purchase a newer computer, you have already used your unlock code and would have to purchase an addition code and these can range from $80-$100.
Since installing the Mapsource data, my comp has crashed 3 times. I do not think it likes Win XP.

The only complaint I have is with regards to the battery life. This unit is a battery hog. But when you use it in your car along with the adapter (included) it turns itself off when you you turn off the ignition.

Bottom line is this navigation system gives you great features at a much lower price. Did I mention no monthly fees?

Con's: I live in a new development and my home street is not on the map. Software updates to the unit must be done with a serial port (included in box). The problem is that my new laptop does not have a connector for the included cable. Had to spend an additional $13 on a USB to 9 pin serial cable and Garmin said its only a 80% success rate that it will transfer the neccessary data. The Mapsource CD's which contain detailed information on cities can only be used one time. In order to use the CD's initially, you have to go to the Garmin website and get an "unlock" code. Therefore, if you purchase a newer computer, you have already used your unlock code and would have to purchase an addition code and these can range from $80-$100.
Since installing the Mapsource data, my comp has crashed 3 times. I do not think it likes Win XP.

The only complaint I have is with regards to the battery life. This unit is a battery hog. But when you use it in your car along with the adapter (included) it turns itself off when you you turn off the ignition.

Bottom line is this navigation system gives you great features at a much lower price. Did I mention no monthly fees?

When I went to download the pictures onto my laptop, I opened up the manual and guess what it says? "Do not use battery power to download pictures to computer. You must use the dc power supply". Hmmm... So I rummage through the box and guess what there's no power supply. You have to buy it seperately!

You'd think that for $..., Sony could throw in a stupid power cord! I mean charge me more for it or whatever but I was pretty...[mad] that it didn't come with the camera. Also, it only comes with regular batteries - which is fine but using them to download pictures drains batteries dead.

So if you want the power supply and perhaps the battery it's going to cost you another $... You can get the Starter Pack which includes battery, charger, and case for $... If you seriously want this camera order it at the same time to avoid frustration.

thanks,
Jag

I'm glad I went with the P-50. Here is my pro and con list for the P-50:

Pros:
* 3 optical zoom (it zooms fast)
* Uses 2 AA batteries. Don't get the battery pack. Just get 6 NiMh batteries with a rating of at least 1600mha, which are inexpensive. I got 4 Energizer 1600 mha NiMh batteries and a recharger at Target for only $... NiMH batteries last twice as long as alkalines and I haven't had to worry about my batteries dying.
* MPEG and Clip (GIF) movie modes are real fun. No sound on the MPEG, but spending an extra $... for a camera with sound wasn't worth it to me. For you who design web pages, you'll love the Clip (GIF) movie mode.
* Memory Stick, although expensive, is much more compact and stores more memory. However, the 4MB stick that comes with the camera is lame unless you plan to take only lower quality resolutions. I got a 64MB stick and at FINE quality (if using STANDARD quality, double all the numbers below) can hold the following: 67 1600x1200, 174 1024 x768, 400 640x480. As you can see that's alot of pictures.
* ISO flexibility and twilight mode. This helps when shooting in low light. The AF illuminator really helps the camera to focus in low light.
* Can crop pictures and cut MPEGs.
* If you change the Power Save mode to "off", then the camera lag time (a common complaint in these reviews) after you take a picture is very minimal. It's actually fast compared to other digital cameras I've used.
* Very fast transfer rate using the USB driver. The camera becomes another drive in Windows Explorer that you just drag to your hard drive. Very fast. I have Windows ME which allows Windows Explorer to view in thumbnail mode, so I can even preview all the pictures before moving them to the hard drive.
* The video out mode is cool. Just plug in the supplied jack cord to your P-50 and to your TV or VCR and see a slide show of your pictures you just took.
* If you auto-focus by pressing the shutter button half way, then the camera takes the picture very fast with almost no lag time, unlike other digital cameras in this price range,
* 37mm threads and the fact the optical zoom stays within the camera allows you to use an UV filter for better picture quality and as a lens protector.
* You can view your pictures taken also in thumbnail mode. Also, the camera tells you your settings (i.e shutter speed, iso, EV, etc.) of the picture.
* The camera allows the option to imprint the date onto your digital photos. This is a must for me as I never remember the date of the picture without this feature.
* The lens cap comes with a lens strap so you won't lose your cap.

Cons:
* 41mm lens. If you know photography, you will realize that most SLRs and point and shoots have 35mm lens. The lower the number, the better the wide angle, which allows you to take more area from the same distance making your objects also larger. However, the above pros by far outweigh this. If you're not a camera junkie like I am, you probably won't even notice this.
* The viewfinder only shows approx 70% of the actual picture taken and is slighty "skewed" to the left. If you think you got your object centered using the viewfinder, you'll will find out that the subject will be slightly left in the actual picture. The way around this is to use the LCD, which shows 100% of the actual picture and is not skewed.

All in all, in the 2.1 megapixel range and under $... as of 9/8/01, I feel this camera is the best one.

Most suited for portable digital music devices. Some of the other "studio" headphones suck up all your portable player's amperage, this one needs less juice to give you louder sound.

I use them with a mp3/fm player, and have found that the mdr's long cord makes for great FM reception, (even when most of its length is folded up somwehere).

These headphones have a weak spot on the headband where two peices of plastic meet. I broke it on one side, duck-taped it fixed, and then broke it on the other side as well, (just for stuffing it in to a jacket pocket). So don't test the plastic. It can't take pressure.

Before you get these ones, look at the Sony MDR-501LP headphones listed in 'similar products'. They look like great sounding headphones...

While it might not have the range my old set did (approx. 10 foot long cord versus the Panasonic model's 15 feet), and it's not quite as adjustable nor as comfortable to wear, I've yet to hear as high a degree of sound clarity and separation from other models in the same price range. Needless to say, the audio quality these bad-boys put out is perfect for listening to your fave CDs, DVDs (I couldn't believe how amazing the Dolby surround on my movie platters sounded through these!), and/or digital cable channels. All in all I found these more than worth the shekels I forked over for 'em.

On the downside, you can also hear the background hiss in your older cassette and VHS tapes a lot better with these. And it remains to be seen whether or not they possess good durability...

'Late