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Software Fine-Tunes Samsung LCD

Graphics-oriented 173P relies on MagicTune for perfect adjustments.

Randy Ross, PCWorld.com

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NEW YORK -- Gamers and others interested in a monitor for graphics-intensive applications have a new option: a high-end 17-inch Samsung LCD, unveiled at the TechXNY show here this week.

Samsung expects to ship the display in early October, priced at $550. The Samsung 173P uses special software to make high-end adjustments easier to perform, the vendor claims.

Software Controls

The 173P has just one button: an on/off switch. All adjustments for color, brightness, resolution, and contrast are made using MagicTune software, which Samsung provides on a CD.

The software includes a setup wizard that walks you through a six-step process for making adjustments. Then you can save the settings for a specific application, such as gaming or graphics. Or you can assign them to a specific user and lock them in place, if you share a PC someone else.

MagicTune is among the first applications to use the Display Data Channel Command Interface to communicate with a controller chip inside the monitor, according to Samsung representatives at TechXNY.

Other Features

The monitor has a maximum resolution of 1280 by 1024 and a fast 16-millisecond response time for high performance. The 173P sports a 700:1 contrast ratio and a 178-degree viewing angle, the largest currently available, Samsung representatives say.

The user can make height adjustments on the monitor, which has a thin bezel for better appearance, particularly in dual-monitor applications.

The monitor includes other popular features, too, such as inputs for both analog and digital sources.

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