Diamond DCM1521W

A 15in widescreen monitor with a very slim profile.

A new addition to the consumer/desktop LCD market is the DCM152W from Diamond Technology. With an impressively slim profile and flexible mounting options, it's likely to attract the design-conscious, but might disappoint.

The DCM152W is a widescreen monitor with a viewable screen measurement of 15.21in. This gives it an unusual resolution of 1,152 by 768 pixels (WXGA), but makes it highly suitable for playback of widescreen video sources, such as DVD movies.

To this end, it's fitted with analogue video inputs that include composite and S-Video alongside the 15-pin VGA port for PC connections. There's no driver to enable this resolution on your Windows desktop, but you can opt to resize a standard XGA image to fit the screen or choose a 1:1 pixel ratio.

It's also an analogue-only display, with no DVI port at the rear, and the overall performance is rather disappointing. Contrast ratio and brightness are both low, at 250:1 and 150cd/sq m respectively, and the same is true of viewing angles - 90 degrees horizontal, 40 degrees vertical limit.

The menu system is extremely clear and provides a range of options for PC and A/V connections. These include colour temperature adjustment, as well as the choice of two gamma modes. Picture-in-Picture (PiP) is supported for dual signals.

The attached stand sits very low for desktop use, but folds up against the back of the panel so you can wall-mount it without the need for additional equipment. A remote control is provided for convenient screen adjustments.

The DCM152W will appeal, but only if the ambient lighting isn't too strong.

Price: £465 (ex. VAT).

Fact file:

• Native resolution 1,152x768
• Viewing angles (H/V) 90/40
• Brightness 150cd/sq m
• Contrast ratio 250:1
• Response time 45ms
• I/O VGA, composite, S-Video

Diamond Technology (01628) 788500
www.diamondtechnology.co.uk