Great LCD Monitor with TV tuner - SyncMaster 170MP

Introduction
It was only a matter of time before the TV was combined with the space saving technology of flat panel TFT computer display to form a multipurpose Display-TV. This is the case with the Samsung 170MP, a 17" TFT product that boasts the integration of a TV-tuner within the display itself.

The display is so versatile that it not only connects up to the computer via an analog cable, but can also be hooked up to RCA cables from a VCR, SV from a DVD player, or even a coax cable from your cable provider. Each of these four connections represents a separate 'channel' for the 170MP display - denoted by either PC, V1, V2, or TV.

In the world of flat screen displays there is little room for competition. With the 170MP, Samsung have gone after the competition all guns blazing. Not only is the display feature packed, but it has also broken the mold for what a flat panel is supposed to look like. The simple stand mechanism folds away allowing the entire silver and navy blue unit to be mounted to a wall bracket for zero-footprint applications. I was really impressed with the 170MP right out of the box.

Specs
17" Diagonal Viewable Size (a-si TFT active matrix display)
Dot pitch of 0.264mm (Horizontal/Vertical)
Contrast Ratio: 220:1
Luminance: 170cd/m2
Viewing Angles: 80/80/80/80 (up/down/left/right)
75 Hz Refresh Rate, consumes 52Watts power (max)
1280x1024 pixel resolution, analog connection
Monitor Dimensions: 17.6" x 17.2" x 2.5"
Weight: 14.3lbs
External universal power supply (100-240 Volt AC)
Comes with: Remote, batteries, PAL-NTSC connector, Stereo RCA cable, Stereo-stereo cable, RCA cable, s-VHS cable, CD-ROM, 6 foot power cord, 15-pin D-sub analog video cable, manual, AC-adaptor.

Review
Tucked below the main silver bezel are two small speakers that complete fully, the stand alone nature of this Display-TV. While the sound quality of the two small speakers is what you might expect from an speaker only a few inches across, they still manage to put out a fair bit of power. Realistically though, the sound is best when it is not pumped up more than 1/3 on the dial -- though I'm not sure how many watts that would be.

Audio can be fed into the display from the computer, from the cable-TV connection, or from a device like a VCR (left and right RCA channels). Additionally, audio from the TV can be brought out of the display to a secondary device, or a pair of headphones can be hooked up for some late-night Infomercial viewing.

The 170MP breaks new ground on several fronts, not the least of which are its' looks. Rather that continue with the beige look that has remained the standard in the computer industry for such a long time, the Syncmaster uses a two-tone, silver and navy-blue casing. The over all effect is quite neat, and makes the display look much more refined on the desk or hanging from a wall than a beige box ever could.

On top of this evolving standard the 170MP also employs some fairly high-tech buttons. The power on/off switch is back-lit green or orange depending on the status of the display, and the rest of the control buttons on the front panel are touch sensitive. That means each of the eight control buttons will only respond to direct contact with a finger. The buttons are metallic and appear to rely on the electrical signal from your body to be activated. Aside from the techno-savy aspect that has, the advanced buttons remove any issues associated with accidental adjustment if the display is being wiped down for example.

Four status LED's let you know what signal the display is set for - in the above example the display is set for picture in picture with the computer as the main signal, and the TV as secondary. The 170MP can switch between PC, V1 (S-Video), V2 (RCA), and Cable (TV) inputs.

The range of adjustments for the panel are a bit limited seeing as the display will only tilt back 15 degrees from the perpendicular. There is no need for an integrated lazy-susan as the panel doesn't weight all that much - so side to side movements mean rotating the entire display assembly.

Unlike many other flat-panel displays, the base is fully integrated with the display on the 170MP. Just below the main panel are a set of small stereo speakers. The speakers are mainly used when the display is acting as a TV, but they can be hooked up to a computer audio-output quite easily. The sound quality is what you might expect from a pair of speakers of only a few inches in diameter - decent in sound, but low in terms of bass.

It is really quite neat to be able to watch TV and work on the computer without having to twist your head around every few moments. While the 170MP can act as a full fledged television, it also supports picture-in-picture.

Since TV signals operate at a lower resolution than computer displays do, the shrunken down images are generally better quality in this regard. The main point to be aware of is that the PIP feature is completely removed from the computer, so no extra load is forced upon the processor or video card whatsoever.

Where the LCD display came in a bit different was on very slightly graduated colors. The best example of this would be the blue shaded screen during software installation in Windows. A CRT-based display shows the transition from dark blue to light blue as a very consistent image, whereas an LCD display will show the same image will less cohesiveness. The effect is very slight, but if you compare two identical screens you can see some color stepping on the LCD display. When watching TV through the LCD display this effect in no way affects the overall quality of the image, or vibrancy of the colors. When compared side by side it is noticeable, but with the LCD display on its' own, the effect is not exactly noticeable unless you look carefully for it.

What would a TV be without a remote? How would anyone be able to channel surf? The SyncMaster 170MP comes equipped with an Infrared remote to control both the television display, and the on screen menu. The remote has a small cursor pad that is surrounded by some greenish plastic that makes you think it lights up, in the dark for example, but it doesn't. The remote is fairly standard, though it does have a few keys that link directly into the OSD menu capabilities.

Conclusion
I am quite impressed with both the SyncMaster 170MP's non-beige styling and sheer usefulness. The convergence of TV, video and the PC display into one low-power unit is a very good step to reduce the amount of energy consumed, and the convenience of watching TV while you work on the computer is simply great.

As the TV-tuner is included within the display, this autonomous feature imparts no extra strain on the computer's video card or processor which is an added benefit. Finally, at a fairly reasonable price for a 17" LCD display, the SyncMaster offers a multitude of features that makes competition just fade away. The 170MP is an excellent display with tons of features that we wouldn't hesitate to recommend should you be in the market for a 17" flat screen for home.