Dell Lcd Tv

Dell has embraced the consumer electronics market with the release of several new products recently, including the W1700. Although its price ($699 direct) is in line with that of units in this group, Dell did not cut any corners.

For example, the bundle includes both a D-sub analog VGA port and a digital DVI-D port for computer signals. It was the only model in the group with a stand that offered tilt, swivel, and height adjustments. And there was no skimping on the cables: The W1700 was the most complete set of all the units, and the only one to include the DVI-D cable. Add $10 or $20 for each cable you have to buy for some of the other displays in this group and the Dell starts to look like a real bargain.

The W1700 is easy to set up, even though the panel comes detached from its base. The cable cover over the video connections is easy to negotiate, though the cable connections for the computer and power are a bit cramped at the bottom of the panel. The front has chrome control buttons with embossed legends that are a little difficult to see in the silver bezel. One pair of buttons gives you direct control of the speaker volume, which is a plus. The full-size remote control is well-designed and easy to use.

Computer images were very good, with excellent image quality even at extreme viewing angles. The panel was weak on dark gray shades and had some faint banding in color ramps but was excellent otherwise. Color tracking was good, and auto-sync eliminated all pixel jitter. The display's controller includes Faroudja's DCDI technology, which made for excellent video processing, including edge detection and deinterlacing. The broadcast television reception was very good, and automatic channel identification did a good job of finding available stations without including those signals that were too weak to view.

In sum, price, performance, and features all add up to make the Dell a very good choice for a desktop display for both work and entertainment.

Copyright © 2003 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.

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