Sony FW900

[Goose74]

Hey guys


Just wondered if anyone has any experience of using this monitor for viewing HDTV ts? It looks like it has a comfortable widescreen res of 1920x1200 which should look pretty awesome on a 24 inch widescreen CRT.

Im thinking of buying one secondhand - just wondered if there are any issues I should be aware of?

Cheers

 

[Stephen Neal]

AIUI the 900 is a popular HD display option in the US - for displaying HDTV received on a PC.

Think the 16:10 aspect ratio is one of the reasons it is so possible.

Suspect you'll find it is a lot sharper, but not as bright as a normal TV. (By keeping the scanning spot "dimmer" you keep the spot size smaller)

 

[Stephen Neal]

However I'm not sure if the 900 will cope with a 50Hz native vertical scan - so you might find that Euro1080 will be a bit juddery if you have to run the PC you are using to feed the monitor at 60 or 75Hz?

Also the monitor won't be any use with Sky's HD service - as I'm pretty sure it won't have HDCP (i.e. DVI+HDCP or HDMI) - in fact ISTR it is quite an old design so may only have analogue VGA and separate RGB analogue inputs?

 

[Goose74]

Thanks Stephen

I was actually thinking of using it to display transport stream HDTV files (I have quite a few on DVD-r's) and WM9 HD. Im sure it wouldnt be ideal to watch HDTV direct since as you say it is now discontinued and doesnt have HDMI etc

 

[RAMiAM]

I've got the Sony GDM-FW900, it's a beast but IMHO money well spent


Because of it's 16:10 ratio the actual recommended resolution is 1920x1200 but it will happily display 1920x1080 @ 60/72/75/85Hz.
FYI the actual scan ranges are: Horizontal 30-121kHz, Vertical 48-160Hz.
I've never tried feeding at a 50Hz signal as I don't think my, or possibly many, GPUs support it.
Unfortunately it does not have any direct digital inputs, only analogue, 1x15 pin d-sub and 1x5 BNC.
Also note, something most people don't actually realise, is that it has a variable pitch size, ranging from a pin sharp 0.23 in the centre to 0.27 at the edges.

If you can find one for reasonable money I highly recommend it, especially if you're also into a bit of gaming... there's nothing like on-line Counter Strike running on a 24" widescreen CRT

RAMiAM

 

[Stephen Neal]

If you run Powerstrip I think you'll find most ATI video cards will support 50Hz interlaced (25Hz in Powerstrip speak as it refers to frame not field rates)

My PC is running in 576/50i via the VGA output (NOT a TV-out - into my RGB SCART standard def set.) Others are running 576/50p into projectors, so I don't think that will be a problem.

 

[Goose74]

well sadly I was outbid by £10 on ebay for one of these - gutted!

 

[stlic]

Goose how much did it go for in the end?

 

[Goose74]

It went for £350

 

[Goose74]

Anyone seen anything of the HP A7217A 24" CRT Monitor?
It looks smiliar to the FW900 but with slightly lower resolution

 

[rogeralpine]

...there's one on a buy it now for 350 - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1486&item=5754981495&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW - but it's a collect only from Oxford!

 

[Goose74]

Hmm

What's the difference between this and the Sony model?
The £350 doesnt include VAT and delivery is £40 so I think its overpriced

 

[rogeralpine]

...didn't notice the VAT. Not sure on the specs - I was just having a look around!!

..btw, how do you find the TS stuff - got a fair bit?

 

[stlic]

The Auction is for the older, non-flat 24" screen version of the FW900. Personally don't think it's worth £350.

 

[Goose74]

er I dont think Im allowed to talk about where I got the TS stuff from Im afraid