NEC MultiSync FE79SB

This 17” CRT monitor, with a viewable screen size of 16”, uses aperture-grill technology–a series of alloy strips that run vertically inside the picture tube, resulting in a brighter picture. This also enables CRT monitors to use the clear type font feature of Win XP. 

We tested the monitor with a SiS Xabre-based video card with 64 MB RAM. It gave the best results with its recommended resolution of 1280x1024 at 85 Hz. The picture was very bright, natural and gave very good contrast. It was also less stressful to read text for long periods of time. The maximum resolution supported by the monitor is a whopping 1600x 1200 at 76 Hz.

It can also automatically adjust the brightness depending on the app you are running–if you open a Web browser in full mode, it automatically reduces the brightness and makes it easy to read the text. A good brightness controller software (NEC Mitsubishi Brightness Controller) is also available for this monitor from http:// necmitsubishi.com. With it, you can change the brightness of the Windows background without affecting the brightness of any video app like Windows Media player. The monitor has an OSM with which you can control basic parameters, and SuperBright, with which you can use pre-defined brightness levels that can be turned off or set with the help of a single button (SB MODE). 

This is a high-quality monitor with more brightness and an LCD’s benefits. Though, it costs much more than an ordinary CRT monitor, it should be good for CAD applications. The only limitation might be the screen size, for which NEC has other options also.

S N   A   P   S   H O   T
Price	:	Rs 17,500 (three-year warranty)
Key Specs	:	Pre-defined brightness, good picture quality
Contact	:	Shiba Comp, Delhi.
Tel	:	27430278/082.
E-mail	:	shiba@del2.vsnl.net.in

Anindya Roy