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A PC-free LCD monitor for public display.
SPECIFICATIONS
Diagonal Display Area 15''
Brightness 500 cm/m2
Contrast 450:1
Response Time 16 ms
Pixel Pitch (mm) 0.297
Viewing Angle (H/V Degrees) 140/120
True Panel Resolution (Max) 1,024 x 768
Display Colors 16.7 million
Inputs analog 15-pin D-sub/DVI-D/Digital Photo Frame
Horizontal Frequency (Max, KHz) 31-63
Vertical Frequency (Max, Hz) 56-75
Video Bandwidth (MHz) 25-80
Power Supply built in
Power Consumption (with DPF and TV Tuner) 50W
Casing Color silver black
Net Weight 7.7 lb.
Dimensions (W x H x D) 15.8'' x 15.5'' x 7.2''
Warranty 3 years parts and labor
With the LCD monitor business being so competitive, it's only natural that vendors would try to differentiate their offerings with unique features. Design and style elements are obvious ways to do that, as are adding speakers. With the FP591, BenQ has done both. However, BenQ has also taken a page out of the PC-free presentation book and added a memory card reader module for CompactFlash, Smart-Media, and SD/MMC cards.
BenQ's 15-inch FP591 (MSRP $479) is one of two BenQ monitors that share the same design and features. Its 17-inch sibling, the FP791, costs about $150 more. Both monitors feature a one-inch black bezel that has the appearance of being mounted right over the gratelike silver back panel that houses the SRS pseudo-surround-sound speakers. Slightly protruding in front of everything below the screen is a panel of six power, menu, and navigation buttons. Although the viewable area is 15 inches, the back panel puts the total monitor size at more than 20 inches diagonally.
It's been designed to make an overt, modern statement, and though the FP591 is handsome in isolation, you'll have to be the judge as to whether it fits your decor. Functionally, the design is a bit of a mixed bag. The front and center control buttons are easy to get to and operate, requiring just a light, high-tech human touch to make setup changes. Those buttons are great, though there are times when slow responsiveness, particularly when using the Digital Photo Frame (DPF) mode, makes you wonder...