Princeton president William Wang said that because of their prohibitive cost, LCD monitors have traditionally been targeted at the corporate market.
“Now, it is time for every computer user to enjoy the benefits of LCD monitors, and Princeton is pleased to be the first to make this state-of-the-art display technology affordable and available to everyone,” said Wang.
The LCD17 is about three inches deep and weighs 19.8 pounds. Princeton claims the display uses about 90 percent less desktop space than an equivalent CRT-based display. It also incorporates a tilt base to enable it to swivel for improved ergonomics. The display features a contrast ratio of 400:1 and a brightness level of 250 cd/m2. It also features auto-scaling to support images at any supported resolution.
Princeton’s PreVu on-screen display enables users to adjust various attributes of the display. The LCD17 also sports Coloright, a user-adjustable color balance control. To interface with the computer, the LCD17 features a VGA-style 15-pin D-SUB connector, so your Mac will need to have a VGA output in order to work with this monitor.
By comparison, Apple’s 15″ Studio Display Flat Panel is $100 less. The all-digital Apple monitor is limited to a maximum resolution of 1024×768, however, and sports a contrast ratio of 300:1, and a brightness level of about 230 cd/m2. The 15″ Studio Display is about 6.7 inches deep but weighs much less — only about 11.5 pounds. The Studio Display is also limited to use on Macs that sport an ADC, or Apple Display Connector — a specialized combination power/video/USB cable that only newer Power Mac G4s and G4 cubes can support.
Princeton says the monitor is compatible with Windows, UNIX and Mac OS, and meets TCO 99, MPR-II, EPA Energy Star, DMPS, and NUTEK emissions and power management standards. It carries a three-year parts, labor and backlight warranty.
The display is available from Insight and Fry’s, and can also be purchased online at CDW, Buy.com, Microwarehouse, Multiple Zones and more.