Samsung T220 22" LCD Monitor Problems

[Unfetteredboi]

After laboring over this decision for months, I finally took the plunge and bought the above mentioned monitor, my first LCD.

After awhile I started noticing that the top of the screen was a bit darker then the bottom. I verified this in photoshop by opening the same image twice and placing one on the top of the screen and the other on the bottom and the bottom image was a stark difference. Was much brighter and washed out.

Tested it in a couple games I played as well and there too verified the difference.

It's not as noticeable in regular surfing, but very much so in gaming and photoshop.

I played with the tilt, settings, and read numerous articles about bleeding to no avail.

I ran a few bleed tests and it doesn't seem to have a bleed problem at all. It just seems to be dimmer across the top in the above mentioned applications.

Very disappointing and frustrating. I guess I'll have to exchange it, which i HATE to do with a PASSION.

[Rootstonian]

Bummer, but lemons do come off the assembly line; irregardless of product.

Just take it back and try again.

Oh, do you have enough graphics card to drive this monitor at it's native resolution? Are you using VGA or DVI inputs (some don't notice a difference, I do! )

And did you try changing the refresh rates or using "Auto Adjust" on the monitor?

[Unfetteredboi]

Yeah, returned it today and exchanged for same model, and got home to the same problem

Really surprised by all this because it's received so many good reviews at places like newegg. Maybe they didn't use it for any photo editing or gaming.

I have a nVidia 7800GS. The rest of the screen is great, just the bottom seems brighter and washed out, in photoshop and in games. Less noticeable in web surfing, but noticeable all the same.

In IE the blue bar that runs across the bottom of the screen is lighter then the top one.

As for refresh rates, its running at 60, as recommended. And you can't use auto tune in digital mode. But i fiddled with every other setting and ran multiple tests.

Maybe this is normal for these things, the guy at the geek squad at BB hooked my returned one up and said he saw what i was talking about but that it was barely noticeable and minimal. Maybe it's so noticeable to me because I've always had a CRT.

I'm just really disappointed because I had wanted one of these for so long, did my homework, and my expectations were pretty high. I was ready to be "wowed" and wasn't.

[Rootstonian]

Yeah, that is a bummer and I know what you mean; you pay good money and you want good (if not perfect) performance.

To tell you the truth, I've never been a widescreen fanboy even though I have an el cheapo Envision 19 ws. My main rig is lit up by 2 Samsung Synchmaster 931 B's 19" LCD's. I just like the dually monitor setup vs. a widescreen.

Hopefully the folks at BB will work with you and get you setup with something that you can enjoy!

Good Luck

A couple other points...you don't have unshielded speakers by the monitor do you? Have you tired another power outlet? Anything else on that circuit that could possibly be causing a problem? Lighting in the room; have you tried it pitch black or fully lit? (Probably not a help since BB had the same result, just tossing out some ideas )

Ok, just thought...ditch the unshielded speaker idea...that pertained to CRT's and a possible effect on the electron gun LOL

[KarmaKiller]

Yeah, there are good monitors out there, that don't have that problem.
Really, any LCD shouldn't have that problem though. I've read many good things about Samsung LCD monitors though. I've even seen them myself and they have looked great. I'm curious if BB just got a bad batch of them or something..

But the good thing for you is there are many other quality choices out there.
I know BB carries a couple of good brands.
Browsing through their website, I found this screen:
Samsung - 22" Widescreen Flat-Panel LCD HD Monitor - High-Gloss Black - 2232BW
This is one of the one's I've seen in person, and it's a great LCD.
Another good choice:
LG - 22" Widescreen Flat-Panel LCD Monitor - W2252TQ-TF

When you find the right LCD, you will be "wowed".
Good luck!

[Chapper]

Real bummer for you! I've been using a 20" & 22" both Samsung for over 6 months & couldn't be happier. Bought the 20" first. It had/has a shadow spot kind of irregulad like an ink blotch but didn't want to go thru the hassle of packing it up and doing an RMA especially when the shadow doesn't show at all except when there is no image on it.
That being said I plan to get another or 2 LCD's & because of my experience, they will certainly be Samsung.
Hope you get it straightened out. Also there are almost always deals on the web.

[Unfetteredboi]

Well i brought it back in again and exchanged it this time for an LG 22" Flatron L227WTG. Although a tad less noticeable, I am still noticing the same thing with the bottom of the screen being a bit brighter and more washed out then across the top.

I'm thinking i just must be being picky or something as it seems impossible that the exact same defect would follow three monitors in a row, from two different makers.

Perhaps its just the way it is, but amazes me the reviews that the two got from people that claimed to be graphic artists and they never noticed the difference.

I'm just going to keep it and see if i get used to it after a while, as it is an amazing display besides my one point. I'm probably just being overly picky and/or spoiled from years of perfect crt's.

I will just have to make sure i keep all images I'm playing with off the very top and bottom strips of the screen

Thanks for all of your comments.

[Rootstonian]

Have you tried adjusting the height and tilt. I know that on my lappy at work that I have to tilt the screen back almost 45 degrees to get a clear view.