Samsung Adds HD TV Tuner to new P2370HD LCD Screen

Some of Samsung's 2008 line-up of computer monitors included TV tuners, but only at standard definition.  Their successors, however, come equipped with  support for Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution as well as a built-in HD digital tuner.

Samsung P2370HD     Pixmania.co.uk  179.00  E-buyer  198.98  OYYY  203.56  Misco UK  211.49          Compare prices

The latest model is the P2370HD--and this time, it really is HD, so there will be no embarrassing renaming like with the T220.  Originally sold as the T220HD, Samsung received numerous complaints from the authorities as the screen was not, in fact, HD.  To avoid customer confusion, it was hastily renamed the T220MD.

This new screen is the T220xD's replacement, and it maintains one of that monitor's best elements: an impressive range of connectivity options, including HDMI, DVI, VGA, component and composite video inputs as well as an audio jack line out and a pair of speakers.

Less impressively, it also includes two other features that could have been upgraded:

- a TN panel, which is less suited to use as a TV because of its poor vertical viewing angles.

- an unresponsive screen, with an average response time of 5 ms.  That was  mediocre three years ago, but now it's just infuriating to see ghosting in panning shots.

In keeping with the integrated TV tuner, a remote control is also included.

One thing that's missing from Samsung's description of the new screen is any mention of video correction.  The T220MD included circuits to correct for electronic noise and a dedicated upscaling chip.  Will the same features be included on the P2370HD, or will they even be upgraded?  

For the time being, it remains a mystery, but as we know from some of our recent tests, Samsung is definitely a leader in this field.

We've also recently tested another Samsung monitor, the P2270: it doesn't include a TV tuner but it has the same transparent base as the P2370 and a sharper response time of 2 ms.  The manufacturer claims that both monitors are more energy efficient than some of their predecessors, and we found that was true when we measured it in our lab.  It had an average power consumption of around 20 W, while most of its rivals are around 30 W.

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