Samsung SyncMaster 710MP 17" LCD Monitor with TV Tuner -Silver Review

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(More customer reviews)I've used this monitor as my primary office desktop monitor for almost two years. It's a great LCD with analog VGA connections to a PC. (Some but not all newer LCDs have all digital DVI connections for PCs and other digital inputs.)
Some reviewers note that TV pictures are not as sharp as computer images. This is true, but maybe unfair as the problem is more related to the resolution of the incoming TV signal than the performance of the monitor. At 1280x1024 pixels native resolution, the 710MP has far more pixels to fill than the 480 scan lines provided by a standard TV signal. The result when displaying standard TV on a higher resolution monitor is some fuzziness up close. Higher end digital TVs (like some of Samsung's own) cure this problem with an internal up converter that fills in added pixels with complex algorythims performed by dedicated video processors. The 710MP does not have any internal video processor to perform such image magic (nor should it be expected at this price point). This explains why the picture-in-picture (using only part of the LCD screen for TV) display is sharper than the full screen mode. Using an HDTV, DVD or other higher resolution signal cures the fuzziness by using the full available resolution of the 710MP screen.
For primary use as a monitor, I've been extremely satisfied. The built-in speakers are clean sounding and more than adquate, if you don't demand driving bass or surround sound for gaming.
If your PC video card supports digital DVI out to a monitor, you might prefer a model with DVI inputs. Most people's computer are still analog out to the monitor and the 710MP or it's 19" cousin the 910MP are good choices to allow you to work and monitor television (or other video signals) at the same time.
My experience is that the picture is better using the tuner in the Samsung monitor than using a PC based tuner and video-card to provide picture-in-picture capability in a pure monitor without its own tuner.
On another computer with a high quality 19" Dell LCD monitor and an ATI 9600 All-in-Wonder video card, artifacts resulting from video processing and low television signal resolution are worse than on the Samsung monitor with a built-in television receiver. The downside? The ATI card can record television (in this case through Windows Media Edition). The Samsung can only display television (not record it).
This monitor was my first Samsung product, but its quality construction and performance has me looking at Samsung as a preferred supplier as I consider larger LCD or DLP televisions.
If you understand the limits of technology you are buying, the Samsung 710MP is a great choice. It is first a computer monitor and secondarily offers television viewing, both picture-in-picture and full screen. It can display both standard television (with the included tuner) or HDTV (with an external tuner). HDTV is crystal sharp.
I highly recommend Samsung monitors and LCD televisions after my experience with the 710MP.

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SAMSUNG SyncMaster 710MP -- This beautiful 17-inch TFT-LCD display delivers next generation TV functionality with its built-in TV tuner. This three in one TFT display features computer, video and TV inputs.Aspect ratio -4 - 3Interface -AnalogViewing angles (H/V) -150 / 120 degreesHorizontal frequency -31-81 kHzInputs -15-pin D-Sub, S-Video, RCA Connector, TV (antenna / cable)Standard 75mm VESA wall mount compatible (with optional mounting hardware)Built-in power supplyFrame color -SilverWarranty -3 years Parts - Labor - Backlight

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