Introduction

Year 2003 was probably the last year when CRTs reigned as the mainstream monitor type sold on the retail scene and as well as in complete packaged systems from big name PC vendors. Some of the tall-tale signs were the lack of variety nor any renewed CRT monitor models. Plus there was a sharp decrease in the number of traditional monitor manufacturers/brands maintaining a CRT-based lineup. Even affordably priced whole computer systems around the S$1K mark have no problems specifying a 15-inch LCD as part of the standard package. Clearly, LCDs are more of a defacto standard these days for PC monitors. Three major reasons outline the reasons why LCDs are winning the hearts of most consumers - their slim profile occupying very little desk space, the sharp text display and their overall contemporary feel (as compared to the archaic CRT technology and its loathsome size/mass).

Not too long ago, we reviewed AOC’s 19-inch LCD counterpart but these are still out of reach to most consumers looking to upgrade the existing CRT monitors. A 17-inch viewable screen size grants a very decent amount of real estate and is available in the S$700 – S$1000 range. For many, this is still a considerable sum to put aside, hence the 17-inch LCD market is still most favored by PC enthusiasts and those who spend long hours in front of their PC rather than the casual users. As the price range indicates, entry-level 17-inch screens are available for less whereas higher-quality screens with better build (and perhaps other frills) tip close to the four-figure sum. Today, we’ll take a look at one of those lower cost 17-inch LCD monitors by the way of the AOC LM729 that just landed in our lab. On first appearances, we were quite surprised that it didn’t quite resemble a traditional AOC monitor that is typical of its simple squared motif. If you were afraid it looked anything un-hip like that of the old AOC LM720 17-inch monitor, the LM729 is a big departure from it.

The AOC LM729 is taking on more contours to fit a more modern world and it looks respectable too.

A standard AOC LM729 LCD monitor package consists of the following:-

AOC LM729 17” TFT LCD

Analog DB15 VGA display cable

DVI-D (18-pin) interface display cable

Power cord and adapter

Audio cable

Pivot Pro Software

Quick start manual (detailed manual to be downloaded from website)

Before we discuss more about the monitor on the following pages, here’s the monitor's technical specifications that most of you should find useful:-

AOC LM729 Technical Specifications

Screen Size	VIS : 17" (43.2cm) Diagonal
Panel	TFT Active Matrix  Color LCD, Slim cabinet, Hard Coating (3H), Anti-glare Treatment
Pixel Pitch	0.264mm x 0.264mm
Display Area	337.92mm x 270.34mm
Brightness	260 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	450:1
Response Time	25ms
Viewing Angle	140 degrees horizontal, 140 degrees vertical
Video Input	RGB analog interface (D-Sub 15pin), 0.7Vp-p, 75 OHM DVI-D digital Interface (24-pin)
Display Colors	16.2 million Colors
Dot Clock	135MHz
Maximum Resolution	1280 x 1024 @ 75Hz
Preset Display Modes	640 x 480 @ 60Hz / 75Hz 720 x 400 @ 70Hz 800 x 600 @ 60Hz / 75Hz 1024 x 768 @ 60Hz / 70Hz / 75Hz 1280 x 1024 @ 60Hz / 75Hz
Frequency	Horizontal: 30 - 83KHz Vertical: 55 - 75Hz
Power Consumption	42W (maximum)
Power Source	100-240VAC, 47-63Hz
Dimension	382(W) x 398 - 508(H) x 230(D) mm
Weight	5.0kg
Audio	2W + 2W RMS (Stereo)
Regulatory / Standards Compliance	UL, CSA, FCC, TUV/GS, CE, ISO 13406-2, TCO'99