Viewsonic VP191b is now 16ms !!

[motir]

Hi,

Yesterday I have noticed that on the Viewsonic site the VP191b model specifications were changed and now claim it is a 16ms model (previously 25ms). Also, the contrast ratio was upgraded from 1:600 to 1:700. All other params were kept the same.

I emailed the VS customer service and they've confirmed that the model was upgraded!

Here is a quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for contacting ViewSonic Technical Support.

The hardware in the VP191b has been upgraded to a 16ms response time and 700:1
contrast ratio. I do not have the reasons for this upgrade but it is unlikely anyone
will find grievance with it. Any websites showing the older spec either have not
updated their information or are still carrying older production units. All VP191bs
manufactured from this month on will comply with the new specifications. The same panel
type is still being used and all other hardware remains the same which is why the
model name has not changed. It still supports a refresh rate of 50-85Hz, although
60Hz is the optimal setting at all times.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Way cool !

I previously checked the VP191b and really liked it, but was unhappy about the refresh rate. Now that it's 16ms I will probably get one soon. The only question that remains is how to make sure you're getting the new model and not the previous one.

Cheers!
Moti

 

[vmsrules]

Does anybody here have this monitor?
Can you verify the 16ms change?

 

[Achilles97]

I'm wondering about this too. I think it's stupid to make technical changes to a product and keep the same model number. How do I know if I'm buying the upgraded version or the 25ms version?

Did they go to a 6-bit panel to get the 16ms? I absolutely hate shopping for LCDs. They need to say 8-bit or 6-bit straight out and quite screwing around.

 

[motir]

It is very easy to tell.
If the monitor supports 16.2M colors it is 6 bits
If it's 16.7M colors it is 8 bits

 

[Achilles97]

Originally posted by: motir
It is very easy to tell.
If the monitor supports 16.2M colors it is 6 bits
If it's 16.7M colors it is 8 bits

But they don't tell us this either. Their site and their downloadable pdf manual don't mention colors at all. It's like they are hiding something.

I just picked up an NEC lcd1935nxm and I can notice some color loss due to it's 6-bit panel and it's really bothering me. I'm going to replace it but I want to be sure that I'm getting a true 8-bit panel.

 

[motir]

Originally posted by: Achilles97
I'm going to replace it but I want to be sure that I'm getting a true 8-bit panel.

Here's a great link that will help you:
Prad Forum

This is a german forum. Very good one.
Most of the text is in german (although they have a relatively dead English forum as well).

But use the above link to get a list of almost every monitor on the market. You can easily select monitors and then compare them. You get almost every possible detail about every monitor, including the color depth etc.

Hope it comes handy !

Moti

 

[Achilles97]

Originally posted by: motir

Originally posted by: Achilles97
I'm going to replace it but I want to be sure that I'm getting a true 8-bit panel.

Here's a great link that will help you:
Prad Forum

This is a german forum. Very good one.
Most of the text is in german (although they have a relatively dead English forum as well).

But use the above link to get a list of almost every monitor on the market. You can easily select monitors and then compare them. You get almost every possible detail about every monitor, including the color depth etc.

Hope it comes handy !

Moti

Thanks, I'll check it out.

 

[Achilles97]

I got an email response from Viewsonic.

My question:

Is the "updated" VP191s with the 16ms response time a 6-bit or 8-bit
panel? What is the maximum amount of colors it can produce?


The response:
-------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005 08:21:34 -0800
From: ViewSonic <tsonline@viewsonic.com>
Subject: E7A8716429A0B ViewSonic LCD/CRT Escalation

Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for contacting ViewSonic Technical Support.

The updated VP191S is a true 8-bit panel that is able to produce 16.7M colors.

Van N.

Regards,

ViewSonic Technical Support
ViewSonic Corporation
381 Brea Canyon Road
Walnut, CA 91789

---------------------------------------------------

 

[Waylay00]

The vp191b has been 16ms for a while. The VP912B is 12ms.

 

[QuestionsandAnsweres]

so is this monitor or the VP912B better for gaming. Sure the VP912B has better response time but the VP191 is a true 8bit and ahs a higher contrast?

 

[Achilles97]

Originally posted by: QuestionsandAnsweres
so is this monitor or the VP912B better for gaming. Sure the VP912B has better response time but the VP191 is a true 8bit and ahs a higher contrast?

Is the VP192B a 6-bit?

If it's true that the VP191 is an 8-bit, why do they even make the 192, they are basically the same thing except 12ms for the 192 and 16ms for the 191. It really makes me think they moved to a 6-bit panel is the 16ms version of the 191.

I can't stand it. They should be required to state the panel specifications and it should be labeled on the monitor itself, not just the documentation.

 

[motir]

The difference is big.

While the VP912b is a TN panel, the 191 is an MVA one.
This leads to differences between them:

1. Better viewing angles on the 191

2. Better colors on the 191 (true 8 bit)

3. MUCH better response rate on the 912, as response time on MVA panels can get as high as 100ms for gray-gray transitions.

Bottom line: if you're not a gamer, I would recommed the 191. If you require very quick response time, go for the 912.

 

[SalientKing]

Im a gamer, but id still like a true 8-bit panel. If i get the 191, will i be unhappy with the performance?

I play mostly fps games such as doom3 and ut2004

 

[slpaulson]

Originally posted by: motir
The difference is big.

While the VP912b is a TN panel, the 191 is an MVA one.
This leads to differences between them:

1. Better viewing angles on the 191

2. Better colors on the 191 (true 8 bit)

3. MUCH better response rate on the 912, as response time on MVA panels can get as high as 100ms for gray-gray transitions.

Bottom line: if you're not a gamer, I would recommed the 191. If you require very quick response time, go for the 912.

Are you sure it's an MVA panel and not a S-IPS panel? It doesn't say anywhere in the specs...

 

[SalientKing]

So does anyone have one of the new vp191?

 

[Waylay00]

Hey guys, my friend recently bought a VP191B from the Egg. All I can say is wow! It's a great monitor! I didn't hardly notice any ghosting at all. So I think that the VP191B would be a better all around choice.

Well how great...666 posts...what a lucky day...

 

[cbehnken]

Originally posted by: motir
Hi,

Yesterday I have noticed that on the Viewsonic site the VP191b model specifications were changed and now claim it is a 16ms model (previously 25ms). Also, the contrast ratio was upgraded from 1:600 to 1:700. All other params were kept the same.

I emailed the VS customer service and they've confirmed that the model was upgraded!

Here is a quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for contacting ViewSonic Technical Support.

The hardware in the VP191b has been upgraded to a 16ms response time and 700:1
contrast ratio. I do not have the reasons for this upgrade but it is unlikely anyone
will find grievance with it. Any websites showing the older spec either have not
updated their information or are still carrying older production units. All VP191bs
manufactured from this month on will comply with the new specifications. The same panel
type is still being used and all other hardware remains the same which is why the
model name has not changed. It still supports a refresh rate of 50-85Hz, although
60Hz is the optimal setting at all times.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Way cool !

I previously checked the VP191b and really liked it, but was unhappy about the refresh rate. Now that it's 16ms I will probably get one soon. The only question that remains is how to make sure you're getting the new model and not the previous one.

Cheers!
Moti

Refresh rate is completely irrelevent to LCDs. They do not refresh at all. You can set it to anything in spec and it won't cause flicker.

 

[slpaulson]

Does anybody know how the image quality of this monitor compares to Viewsonic's 12ms 19" monitor? Right now I'm trying to decide between the two. The response time isn't that big of a deal to me because I'm used to my 30ms 1800fp.

 

[karma4jake]

So do both the 191 and 912 have 8bit color? If they both are 8 bit, is it worth $80 to go with the 912 and get 12ms over 16ms.

 

[slpaulson]

Originally posted by: karma4jake
So do both the 191 and 912 have 8bit color? If they both are 8 bit, is it worth $80 to go with the 912 and get 12ms over 16ms.

Viewsonic says that they both do. The VP191 has a higher contrast ratio and better viewing angles though. Unfortunately I haven't seen any in depth reviews of the new version, so I don't know how the image quality differs between the two.

Whether or not difference in response time is worth it is sort of personal preference. Personally I'd rather have better image quality and a 16ms monitor, then again I've been gaming on a 30ms monitor for a couple years now.

 

[motir]

Originally posted by: karma4jake
So do both the 191 and 912 have 8bit color? If they both are 8 bit, is it worth $80 to go with the 912 and get 12ms over 16ms.

MOST DEFINITELY NOT!

I don't care what VS says, the 912 CANNOT POSSIBLY be 8 bit.
It is a TN+Film panel, identical to the Sony HS94P.

It is 6 bit + diethering.
You can tell by the relatively low contrast ratio + low viewing angles + it's the same panel as Sony so you can find some info about the HS94P.

I must say I saw the sony in my own eyes. It looks amazing. I wouldn't know it is a 6 bit panel if I haven't read it before.


EDIT: It is easy to tell if a monitor is 6 or 8 bits by the number of colors supported. 6 bit monitors have 16.2M colors while 8 bit have 16.7M. Strange enough, VS doesn't include the number of colors supported in their spec sheet...

 

[slpaulson]

Originally posted by: motir

Originally posted by: karma4jake
So do both the 191 and 912 have 8bit color? If they both are 8 bit, is it worth $80 to go with the 912 and get 12ms over 16ms.

MOST DEFINITELY NOT!

I don't care what VS says, the 912 CANNOT POSSIBLY be 8 bit.
It is a TN+Film panel, identical to the Sony HS94P.

It is 6 bit + diethering.
You can tell by the relatively low contrast ratio + low viewing angles + it's the same panel as Sony so you can find some info about the HS94P.

I must say I saw the sony in my own eyes. It looks amazing. I wouldn't know it is a 6 bit panel if I haven't read it before.


EDIT: It is easy to tell if a monitor is 6 or 8 bits by the number of colors supported. 6 bit monitors have 16.2M colors while 8 bit have 16.7M. Strange enough, VS doesn't include the number of colors supported in their spec sheet...

On their comparison .pdf it says the VP912 has 16.7M colors.
I've also seen quotes that it's a 6+2bit panel, whatever the hell that means.

 

[motir]

Originally posted by: cRazYdood
On their comparison .pdf it says the VP912 has 16.7M colors.
I've also seen quotes that it's a 6+2bit panel, whatever the hell that means.

So their PDF is crap.
You know, it's amazing what manufacturers are allowed to do.
The new Sony HS95P has totally different SPECs between different sites, some of them are Sony official sites! The contrast runs anywhere between 1:450 and 1:1000.

It is indeed a 6+2 bit panel.

The technique that is used is dithering. The idea is that the number of colors is very limited on these screens, actually it is only 262144 (far FAR from 16.2M).

Read more about dithering here:
http://www.webstyleguide.com/graphics/dither.html

 

[SalientKing]

Id still like to hear more about this panel from people who own it. Im thinking about buying a 19 inch LCD screen. Its going to replace my primary display. I game quite a bit but I also watch movies, edit photos, and spend countless hours coding.

Would the VP191 suit my needs?

 

[SalientKing]

bump