Viewsonic Vt2430

I chose this TV because I live in a studio and don't have enough room for both a TV screen and a computer screen. I was already using my computer to watch movies and living without a TV, but only so much is available online (particularly live events). It was very hard to find a screen with high enough resolution to work as a computer monitor, but this TV was a perfect match!

First, on TV attributes, the picture quality is great and many non-HD channels give me an option to "zoom" and fill the screen if needed. I also have a 20-yr old Nintendo and a 25 year old Atari, another reason for getting the TV, which work terrific and automatically stretch to fill the entire widescreen without too much distortion. My only gripes are channel management is a bit clunky and the blue power button right on the front is a bit of a distraction. Sound is also mediocre but obviously you're not going to find $500 speakers on a $300 TV. I output the TV through my receiver stereo speakers and the sound is much much better.

As a computer monitor this TV really excels. Resolution is consistent with what you'd find on a standard widescreen monitor, so there's no blurriness common with outputting a signal through a standard CRT. Also after several LCDs over the years this is my first with no dead pixels. Great job to ViewSonic on quality control. I haven't tried gaming yet, I probably wouldn't push it anyways, but DVD movies output just as if I had a DVD player hooked up to the TV directly. Just perfect all around as a monitor, though if you use Windows I suggest switching the theme to one that allows extra large fonts if you find yourself squinting.

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Why a ViewSonic VT2430 24-inch 1080p? The VT2430 24-inch was selected as the smallest set compatible with our dinette area. The decision was helped by my experience with another 1080p. Some highly reputable reviewers tend to dismiss 1080p in a set this small (disclosure: We have a nice 19" Sharp 1080p, too).

One thing usually overlooked as regards sizing is how legible English subtitles appear at typical viewing distances. The 24-inch set gives ample legibility for the furthest viewer (11 feet) without sacrificing detail for the closest (7). Tech recommendations specify a minimum screen size of 40 inches for 10 feet viewing distance --- much too large to keep in our dinette.

The range of available sound power available is stunning. Why have an energy-saving LCD HDTV, if you have to add a power-burning amplifier to get adequate sound? With our VT2430 a family member with some hearing difficulty has absolutely no auditory problem. Except to test, we have never used a sound level much over half what the VT2430 delivers. With my older Sharp however, the maximum sound level is inadequate whenever a window air conditioner runs in a 10' x 16' room.

We were concerned about our over-the-air reception due to the effect of a new metallic roof on our attic-mounted antenna. With just a cheap, indoor, amplified antenna we pick up more stations than with pre-roof, standard TVs, and indications are that an external antenna will eventually restore the PBS stations lost due to their reductions of transmitter height with transition to DTV.

Set-up and remote use are very easy. The best surprise was perhaps the on-screen DTV program "Guide" the VT2430 provides. The program listing was not expected and is sometimes very convenient, as our local newspaper does not carry DTV channel listings yet. Wish my old Sharp had that feature.

With its many positives and superior quality this set would rate 5 stars. Since we have not owned our VT2430 a year, it would be unfair to attest to its durability so soon, however.

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This unit's main claim to fame is that, at this time, its about the only 1080p HDTV available in this size-range which has the full set of video inputs. I decided to take a chance and upgrade my old 23" 720p "HD-ready" bedroom set, since I was hankering to go up to 1080 with a built-in ATSC tuner. And yes I can definitely tell the difference from 720.

ATSC tuner: works fine, reasonable sensitivity, broadcast 1080i is spectacular of course.

QAM tuner: I've just been experimenting with clear-QAM, which my CableCo now provides quite a bit of (I do not yet subscribe to digital cable, and have no set-top box). The only annoyance is that when I use the set's handy programming function to manually "name" each channel (up to 8 characters I think) it sometimes looses some of the entries. Also every once in a while some "hidden" channels suddenly start showing up, and I have to manually "hide" them all over again. Luckily in Cable mode the tuner correctly intermixes legacy NTSC analog and clear-QAM digital channels transparently; I don't have to switch modes.

HDMI from DVD player: I use it with an upconverting DVD player; aspect-ratio has to be changed manually. Wide-screen DVDs look great.

HDMI from computer: from my older Mac laptop's DVI output; worked great and the Mac's video auto-sensed the full 1080 screen size and set it up as monitor #2 which was VERY convenient; I didn't have to adjust anything. The image was perfect. I suspect that if people experience problems with PC video, they may be encountering issues with their video cards or drivers, and not the monitor.

Composite video: I've used it with an old VCR, no problems. The upconversion is OK; this depends greatly on the quality of the source of course.

Sound: I don't use the built-in speakers; I've got the audio-output connected to my sound system.

I haven't tried these inputs: VGA / Component / S-video

The picture quality of the panel is reasonable for this low price-range - its certainly better than my old 720 panel, especially the black-levels - but its not going to win any videophile awards. Sometimes the blacks are a bit "plugged". I notice a very small amount of light-leakage around the edges when the screen is black.

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BEST BUY VIEWSONIC VT2430 30 SERIES 24" WIDESCREEN HDTV/LCD MONITOR COMBINATION

Description: The ViewSonic VT2430 is a 24-inch, LCD television.Compared to other LCD TVs on the market, it is inexpensive at around $390.This flat-TV is an LCD display, which is generally the best kind of flat-panel screen for viewing in brightly-lit rooms.

Pros: The 3:2 pulldown feature of this unit reduces artifacts that can occur when motion pictures are transferred to a digital format such as DVD.

Cons: None noted, given available product data.

Suitability: An LCD TV, suited for home entertainment.

Value: Given its inexpensive price, this TV has great features for the money.In terms of viewable size, LCD TVs with similar viewable size have an average cost of around $550.

Suggestions:

(1) For assistance in shopping for a new HDTV, read CNET editors' Ultimate HDTV Buying Guide.

(2) If donating or repurposing your old TV is not a viable option, CNET encourages households to recycle their electronics.Please explore the following website to find a recycling center in your area Electronics Take Back Coalition.

CNET's Product Briefs are generated by a software tool that combines product specifications with knowledge of our editorial experts. They do not reflect hands-on assessment or labs testing. For more information about how we create Product Briefs,

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BEST VIEWSONIC VT2430 30 SERIES 24" WIDESCREEN HDTV/LCD MONITOR COMBINATION

16:9 Full HD 1920x1080 resolution panel

Experience a new dimension in movie viewing and gaming with Full HD 1080p super resolution for the optimum richness and clarity in picture quality

Advanced image processing delivers clearer, crisper, sharper images

Advanced image processing eliminates noise, increases contrast and detail and optimizes color for rich, vibrant images. High-definition images look amazing and even standard television images are unbelievably smooth and sharp.

OptiSync® technology now features HDMI

Add versatility to your LCD TV with support for HDMI with high-definition content protection (HDCP) and analog (VGA) signals, plus component, S-video, composite, and TV/cable input.

Vivid graphics, clear text, stunning TV

Ultra-high brightness of 250-nit (typ), dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and 1360x768 optimum PC resolution provide vibrant video and crisp data images in the living room or on the desktop.

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BUY VIEWSONIC VT2430 30 SERIES 24" WIDESCREEN HDTV/LCD MONITOR COMBINATION

Feel the action in movies, games and sports on the 24" (23.6" viewable) VT2430 widescreen LCD HDTV.

• Full HD 1080p resolution delivers 100% of your HD signal for incredibly precise images.
• High brightness combines with 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for unparalleled definition and detail.
• Super-fast video response and advanced image processing ensures extreme clarity in all your HD entertainment.
• Integrated ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner
• Multiple connections including HDMI 1.3 give you all the inputs you need for game consoles, DVD and Blu-Ray™ players and computers.

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CHEAP VIEWSONIC VT2430 30 SERIES 24" WIDESCREEN HDTV/LCD MONITOR COMBINATION

• 24" Hdtv Lcd/Pc Monitor
• 1920 X 1080 Resolution
• 16:9 Aspect Ratio
• High Brightness & Fast 5Ms Video Response
• 10,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
• Clearpicture(Tm) Electronics For Better Picture & Sound
• Atsc/Ntsc/Qam Tuners
• Supports Hd Signals Up To 1080P
• 
  
• Hdmi(Tm), Component, S-Video, Composite, Tv/Cable & Analog Inputs

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VIEWSONIC VT2430 30 SERIES 24" WIDESCREEN HDTV/LCD MONITOR COMBINATION

• 
  
• 24" hdtv lcd/pc monitor
• 1920 x 1080 resolution
• 16:9 aspect ratio
• high brightness & fast 5ms video response
• 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
• clearpicture(tm) electronics for better picture & sound
• atsc/ntsc/qam tuners
• supports hd signals up to 1080p
• hdmi(tm), component, s-video, composite, tv/cable & analog inputs
• UPC Code: 766907329711
• Manufacturer: Viewsonic
• Vendor SKU: VT2430

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