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From: kenk@algedi.UUCP (Ken Koster (N7IPB))
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: RE: Samsung Multisync  ( or what monitor NOT to buy )
Message-ID: <0308.AA0308@algedi>
Date: 10 Jul 89 03:15:32 GMT
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga
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Evan Mitchell writes asking about the Samsung Multisync
>.28.  I don't know of any other specs.  Is it a good moniter for the Amiga?

In a word NO.

In a lot more words.

        1. Purchased Samsung multisync in January (mail order).

        2. Problems noted:
                a. The screen tilted down to the right ( I kept falling out of my
                   chair while reading the screen :-) )

                b. The vertical center third of the screen had a slight
                   difference in color saturation (lighter) just enough
                   to be annoying. This was most noticable on solid color
                   screens such as dark blue or green.

                c. The purity was off. A green screen was red in the lower right
                   corner.

        3. I took the monitor to the local authorized service center where
           they kept it for 2 weeks. Upon receiving it back the only thing
           fixed was the purity, all the other problems were still there.
           The repair center said they could not find anything else wrong.

        4. At this point I borrowed several samsung monitors from a friend
           who used them on his MSDOS machines. They all showed the same tilted
           screen and vertical bar problems when hooked up to the Amiga, but NOT
           on the MSDOS machines. The Amiga worked fine with other multisync
           monitors (NEC, Mitsubishi). At this time I also observed that icons
           were a different size near the edge of the monitor than they were in
           the middle. The difference in size was 0% vertical 25% horizontal.
           This meant that the horizontal linearity is poor.

        5. I returned the monitor to the repair center where it stayed for over
           a month awaiting a new crt and yoke assembly. At this point Samsung
           had eaten more in warranty charges than I had paid for the monitor in
           the first place.

        6. This should be the point at which I reort that the new crt and yoke
           fixed the problem, but you guessed it, Nothing was different.

        7. It appears that in their desire to provide a wide range multisync
           monitor, Samsung compromised the horizontal linearity in their design.
           As long as the monitor is run at high horizontal sweep rates the
           linearity is acceptable ( <10% on an EGA system). The color change
           near the center appears to be related to the non-linearity. But when
           operated at 15.75khz the monitor is unusable.

I was lucky, I was able to return the monitor for my full purchase price. I must
say that throughout this Samsung was very cooperative and helpful and I would not
hesitate to buy one of their monitors for a less demanding application, But on the
Amiga, No way.

Lesson learned:

        Try the monitor of your choice on the system of your choice. Just because
        it looks good on an IBM with an EGA card does not mean it will look good
        on an Amiga.


What did I end up with?
        I now have a Mitsubishi Diamond Scan. It has a slightly longer persistance
        phosphor that goes a long way toward making interlace usable.
        The colors are good and the horizontal linearity is excellent.




--
Ken Koster (N7IPB)     algedi!kenk@pilchuck.Data-IO.COM or
12653 NE 95th          ...uunet!pilchuck!algedi!kenk
Kirkland,Wa 98033