Planar Planar PV174

WHAT'S HOT: Planar's PV174 came in second for overall image quality among the 17-inch LCD monitors we tested in our March 2002 comparison, earning very close to the top score for graphics. Photos and illustrations looked bright and vivid, without any loss of detail. Its performance on text was also strong; it gracefully rendered the curves on large letters, which can look jagged on LCD monitors. A test screen of black-and-white vertical bars, designed to reveal any tendency toward flickering, didn't faze the PV174--it showed none. At 17.4 inches, this model offers a little more screen than other models in its class. The PV174 uses an LCD panel with multidomain vertical alignment, which provides a wide viewing angle (160 degrees vertically and horizontally, according to the vendor specs) and fast pixel redrawing rates.

WHAT'S NOT: Like Planar's 18-inch PT1814NUV, this monitor suffers from some problems with usability. Its tilt function is balky, and the connectors are hard to reach, unless you pivot the panel to portrait orientation before connecting or disconnecting cables. The Power button does triple duty to call up the on-screen menu and select functions--we were a little afraid that pressing the button would power down the monitor when we wanted to adjust settings, although it turned out not to be a problem after we got used to the controls. Powering down the monitor requires multiple button-presses; the manual doesn't explain this step adequately. The four other control buttons are labeled with a plus sign, a minus sign, and left and right arrows. It's difficult to know whether to use the plus and minus keys or the set of arrow keys while getting to know the on-screen menu, and the manual doesn't clearly explain the difference (although all the menu options are fully explained). You must open the on-screen menu to auto-adjust the display.

WHAT ELSE: The PV174's short, printed manual has a few gaps (as noted above), but the quick-start guide is quite detailed and helpful. Its 11-step instructions on setting up the monitor cover everything from connecting the cables through setting the resolution and the number of colors in the Windows Display control panel. A printed FAQ section contains helpful troubleshooting advice, including several options for fixing a fuzzy display. We also credit Planar for noting in this FAQ section that LCD monitors can be run at different resolutions but perform best at their native resolution. (Most monitor makers don't mention that limitation.)

This model has a built-in, four-port USB hub and speakers, whose volume can be adjusted by pressing the plus and minus buttons on the bezel. The PV174 pivots to portrait mode, but it neither swivels nor adjusts for height. At 19.4 pounds, it's the heaviest 17-inch model in our March 2002 roundup. Planar's phone support lines are open only for 11 hours on weekdays. Except for the pivot driver, no software comes with this monitor.