Just want an external monitor with sound, hdmi, and no blur!

[straygoat]

Hello all. I'm having trouble buying a tv/monitor to use with my macbook and wondered if someone could help. What I am looking for is:

Monitor or Tv with built-in speakers. I don't want to connect to other speakers.
High quality display of text (I do a lot of writing)
HDMI for macbook and Xbox connection
Preferably an adjustable stand, but not a deal breaker
1080p if poss
23" or less. I don't have room for anything bigger.

I have just sent a Samsung Tv back (was a UE22D5000) as it was blurry as hell. I also sent back an LG M227WDP which had a great picture, but made a horrible humming noise while it was on. I have hyper sensitive hearing, so that was a no-no for me.

I managed to get a great picture on my Sony tv, but that is way too big for where i need the computer to be.

Does anyone have any ideas? I have heard of all sorts of problems with Samsung and HP monitors, so am wary of buying those.

 

[alFR]

Try Dell - their 24" and up displays get good reviews anyway.

 

[straygoat]

Thanks, but I can't see any Dell monitors with built-in speakers.

 

[alFR]

They do a sound bar that clips onto the bottom of the monitor - not quite built-in, but the next best thing if you really need to save the desk space.

 

[snaky69]

I'm currently using the hp2159m. Perhaps you could look into them?

 

[straygoat]

Thanks. The 24" Dell looks good, but is a bit out of my price range tbh.

With the HP one, do you have that connected to a Mac? Is the text clear? I heard that there were problems with HP and Samsung monitors connecting to macs, and have experienced the Samsung problem first hand (blurry as hell, even on lower resolutions).

 

[snaky69]

Thanks. The 24" Dell looks good, but is a bit out of my price range tbh.

With the HP one, do you have that connected to a Mac? Is the text clear? I heard that there were problems with HP and Samsung monitors connecting to macs, and have experienced the Samsung problem first hand (blurry as hell, even on lower resolutions).

None of the issues you mention, and yes, it is connected to the mac via DVI.(I have an older mac with full blown DVI port.

I've never seen monitors go blurry except when crappy cabling was involved.

Were you mirroring displays by any chance? The image will look like crap on any LCD that isn't displaying it's native resolution, which is what mirroring the display would be forcing the external to do.

 

[straygoat]

To start with, I was mirroring, but I soon worked out the problem there. But when I put the macbook into shell mode and closed the lid, I was able to go to the monitor's native resolution. Which was really blurry, especially with text (this was over HDMI by the way). I looked online and found loads of forums with people complaining and it was all to do with Samsungs, with the odd HP one as well.

I will look into the HP one and buy a DVi cable (I have the connector, but not the cable...is it a male-male cable I need?)