Monitoring a Winner

And the 2230 is flat. Blissfully flat.

My test unit opened up about two feet of desk space over the existing cathode ray set.

Setup was also easy. ViewSonic has done a smart job of integrating the power cords and control cables into the back of the unit.

There is even an analog video input, a nice touch for today's more complicated, entertainment-oriented computer systems.

Picture quality was impressive, but be warned: These discount monitors are not world-class instruments. They will seem garish and overly bright against even an average better panel, such as a Pioneer Elite.

I popped in the latest episode of "24" and Jack Bauer was a blown-out mess.

But for office duty, the ViewSonic was solid. With a little fiddling, I backed off the brightness level by about half, and the ViewSonic rendered crisp images.

And there is no denying the 1,680 lines of horizontal and 1,080 lines of vertical resolution. These monitors do the job.

There are downsides, though.

You will be disappointed if you are looking for better materials. The unit is almost entirely plastic.

And the interface and software controls are the usual monitor Morse code: Decreasing the brightness took three clicks on one button on the side -- you have to guess which of five.

Then you have to pause at the right menu. Don't miss it, because if you do, it's five more clicks to get back to the same command.

Then two more clicks to get to the brightness controls, another tricky button change. Another click. Another pause. And then you are clicking away, backing down the contrast.

Honestly, don't we all have better things to do with our time?

But overall, the ViewSonic 2230 is a fine monitor. If you're using an older screen, I would seriously recommend an upgrade. And if the price just isn't enough for you, buy 10.

For $3,890, you could have one heck of a video wall.

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