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Cheap 27" 2560x1440 monitors based on S-IPS panels
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  • is there anyone who has had the chance to compare one of these calibrated with the right hardware to a studio monitor?

  • Ok, thanks anyway :)

  • If you have fluorescent light I'm afraid it won't look right :(

  • @DrDave Do you think that you could upload your calibrated catleap monitor profile? Of course we might have a different room setup, but it might still be a good place to start.... (I'm basically in a room with no daylight and overhead fluorescent light.)

  • Wow, accessorieswhole shipped the Crossover 27Q yesterday and I received it this afternoon. Overall the screen is excellent. There is one dead pixel at the bottom left and minor bleeding around the edges. I can't complain, my old LCD looks like it is covered in dust compared to this. I'm trying a pixel reviving program on my dead one. It most likely won't work but worth a shot.

  • Purchased a "Matrix" WQHD Monitor from eBay. Shipped from South Korea to my porch in New Mexico in 2 days. Gorgeous, built in speakers (kinda crummy but work for now), tilts and swivels, and in pristine condition. Very satisfied.

  • Of the 3 most popular Korean monitors I found the Shimian QH270 to be most affordable. The Catleap Q270 is generally a little more expensive, with overclock potential and better aesthetics (IMO). The Crossover 27Q is even more expensive for a metal chassis, optional pivot base and the best look (Again, IMO).

    The "accessorieswhole" eBay seller has a 3 dead pixel policy, 1 year warranty, proper power supply and 99.9% positive feedback on over 10,500 sales. Most sellers have a 5 dead pixel policy with varying warranties, power supplies and feedback. The price difference between the Shimian, Catleap and Crossover is very little from "accessorieswhole". That simplified the choice for me.

    There are even more Korean monitors that I did not want to spend time researching. Also, I read that many ordering a "pixel perfect" monitor still find a dead pixel and of course other issues like bleeding, etc. There is a ton of info floating around on these monitors. Ultimately, you just have to sift through it and decide what is best for you.

  • Just so people will know, many people like some of the other brands than Catleap because of the different base options. You get the same basic panel with maybe some minor cosmetic differences. The Catleap base is your typical ring style, minimalist base and looks fine, but it is definitely on the thin side. It resembles my Asus IPS base. It does swivel and tilt, however. Whether the electronics are different is hard to say. Some people report "hum" from the electronics, which could just be different batches.

  • Bought the Crossover 27Q with pivot base: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110869169169?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

    I will update with results!

  • I have an Asus IPS and of course the Catleap. The Asus has better window resistance. The Catleap has better color, uniformity, sharpness, resolution, etc., etc. I find the light bleed of the Asus much more annoying than the glossy issue. But the gloss is an issue, so I placed it away fro the window. If I had to choose between a smeary, blurry anti-reflective coating and a window I would buy a window shade.

  • The problem with non glossy screen protector mounted on top off glossy screen is that often the distance between actual pixels and surface is larger than on native native non glossy. So you loose more sharpness. So i will wait until a non glossy version is available.

  • you can always get a non glossy screen protector. I myself bought a glossy one (because of price, obviously) in spite of me being a non glossy fan. but i dont have a window behind me while working so i gave it a go. and its not a big deal. :)

  • Anybody found non glossy models?

  • just received my QNIX 2560 Perfect Pixel from ebay. Took 4 days to Germany from over there. Amazing thing. Cost me 300 euros, no bleeding, no dead pixels as of now. :)

  • @bheath

    Dual Link DVI is one port. Check that your notebook has dual link DVI.

  • hi thanks for this. Question - SO if my notebook has only one dvi port, can I use this as a second monitor? Thanks

  • I read this review, and I think the review is very positive. "After calibration, almost all values ​​are close to optimum." (translated from German, naturlich). High praise indeed. I see no problem for professional use if properly calibrated. Basically, what they are saying is that you get the best results with the brightness turned up, but the monitor is not very bright, and you need some dynamic range--you can't calibrate a dark monitor. So, you have to calibrate the monitor, but you have to do that anyway, or use a profile that someone posts online. You can't buy a monitor that does not need calibration, because the calibration depends on ambient light, which changes during the day. They also said is was great for movie playback, which it is. One thing they mention is the buzz or noise from the monitor. Mine is completely silent. So there may be electrical differences between the Shimian and the Catleap, or this could be differences in batches. I suspect there are differences. I would also recommend ppl do not buy one with extra electrical crap in the circuit path, meaning the on-board audio and crappy video controls. It probably is the cheesy extra circuit board that causes the buzz. Spend the extra money on a Huey, DOH! @Perder I know what you mean, but what YouTube is calling 4K is 2048x1536. For example I uploaded this video in 4K (4096x2304)

    And if you select "original" (meaning, not original) you get the so-called YouTube 4K of 2048x1536. The Catleap has resolution of 2560x1440, so it is close (not perfect, obviously) to the YouTube faux 4K. Even better is that if you are running video wider than 16x9, those extra pixels fall in the unused black bars, so you are covered. I don't plan on uploading a lot of 4K video, but being able to view and check "youtube 4K" is a huge plus. BTW the Hobbit looks all fake and play-doh, but the resolution is amazing.

  • @DrDave It's closer to 1080p than 4K, but damn, I still wanna see that shit.. Anyone in PAListan have one of these? How does 25p content look?

  • very good german montor tech site tested 27" and 30". I waited for this test and after this i will stay with my Nec2690Wuxi², cause isn't optimal for CC, image processing and also gaming.

    http://www.prad.de/new/monitore/test/2012/test-shimian-qh270.html http://www.prad.de/new/monitore/test/2012/test-shimian-qh300.html

  • Follow up--after using this 27" monitor (I have the Catleap) day in day out for Premiere editing mainly and some surfing, I report that my copy is still perfect, with no tint, no dead pixels and minimal bleeding. I'm glad I did NOT opt for the glass. My copy is also dead silent. As far as Premiere goes, it is great, but you know for a lot of editing it is nice to have more "stuff" at the bottom of the screen, so I may get an extra monitor to handle some of the windows. What I'm saying is that there is no real advantage for editing to have the dimensions match 16x9. Color: after color correction (I have the Basic Huey Pro), the colors look very good, richer with more shadow definition and better transitions than my ASUS ips monitor. Turn off the Huey and it is Bluey. Hobbit trailer in 4K: looks awesome. Except where the idiots who made the trailer messed up the sound sync (can you believe it?) This is a great small 4K TV (4K is not always 4K). Audio editing: totally freaking rocks for audio editing. Lots of tracks, lots of room. w00t! Viewing angle: well, you can of course still see it from the side. What is good is that the color does not really change if you move your head. Don't expect perfect quality from the side, but it works like a good IPS monitor should. Size: bigger than two full size pages, great for booklet layout, music score editing and brochures. Reflections: well, don't use it near a window. Pixel size: they are so tiny, the images have an almost analog look Photoshop: great for photoshop. You see a lot of the raw detail. Stand: my Catleap stand is adjustable, works fine. Feels like it could break if you pushed it too hard. Remember, the whole thing is very thin. Re tech report review: if you can't figure out how to adjust the brightness with the brightness button, you should not be writing a review. Epic fail.

  • Any of those Monitors working with 50hz INTERNALLY? Not accepting 50hz or 75hz and coverting to 60 internally, but real, true, 50hz motion resolution. This is what we urgently need in PAL Land. As far as I remember one EIZO monitor worth €1000 does this, but maybe there is a cheap alternative...

  • To put Shimian 27" 2560x1440 and Hanns-G HH281 28" monitor 1920x1200 (notice different pixels quantity), would I need some special video card which would send 1920x1200 signal to one monitor and 2560x1440 signal to other???

    Most modern cards, even cheap one are ok.

    New 27" will require one dual link DVI. And you old monitor will work using other port.

  • I have a Hanns-G HH281 28" monitor 1920x1200. Bought it more than 2 years ago for £200. It has it's pros and cons: awesome for multitasking (especially if you are a web-developer who likes to have many screens open in front of you), plus Premiere Pro is actually manageable.

    I'm gonna build a new montage computer soon, and after reading this thread I'm tempted to get Shiman 27" as the second monitor for the editing suite. My question is: To put Shimian 27" 2560x1440 and Hanns-G HH281 28" monitor 1920x1200 (notice different pixels quantity), would I need some special video card which would send 1920x1200 signal to one monitor and 2560x1440 signal to other???

    My other question is: with a screen that has this kind of pixel quality, do we need one of those super-expensive broadcast monitors any more for the editing suit?