First non-Apple Mini DisplayPort-compatible displays unveiled

I wonder why the bezel is so wide when other monitors are moving to thinner ones. IMO, that detracts from the esthetic value.

Adaptors aren't hugely unattractive IMO.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/30/m...ilable-for-20/

At least not enough to make me want to use a very expensive Apple display or some unknown brand display.

I'd rather just buy an adaptor to a port that is much more widely supported so that I have more options.

Yeah, non-IPS and the 24" can't do 1920 X 1200.
This is a fail for power users. Might be a decent complement to Mac Mini systems.

I can't find the post or thread, but I recall reading in AI that the Engadget adaptor is not "upgradeable" or something like that.

A little-known consumer solutions designer is laying claim to the first non-Apple external LCD displays for Mini DisplayPort-equipped Macs that are designed to look like the Mac maker's new LED-based Cinema Display offerings but retail for a fraction of the cost.

The trio of CinemaView LCD displays from Collins America are sized at 19-inch at 1440x900 pixels, 20.1-inch at 1650x1050 pixels, and 24-inch at 1920x1080 pixels. They're expected to be priced at $299, $399, and $499, respectively, when they're made available sometime before September.

Each model comes is wrapped in a diecast "UniFrame" aluminum enclosure and base stand that's been designed to match Apple's latest generation of Macs and mimic the look of company's relatively new 24-inch LED Cinema Display (review). Similarly, the rear of the displays are matte black like the backside of the aluminum iMacs and include a powered three-port USB hub, a push-button on/off switch, and one 3.5mm stereo audio jack.

For connectivity to Macs themselves, the CinemaView displays offers a 1.2 meters long cable, the final 200mm of which splits out into three separate connectors. One plugs directly into the Mini Displayport jack on any current Mac, another plugs into a USB jack, and the third plugs into the 3.5mm stereo headphone jack. The third connector on Apple's LED Cinema Display is actually a MagSafe connector, for which it holds a patent.

While the specifications of 24-inch CinemaView closely mirrors that of Apple's sole 24-inch offering, the third-party display sports a slightly lower resolution and not use LED backlighting like Apple's. It's also unclear from the CinemaView website whether the displays use lower-quality TN panels, and representatives for Collins didn't respond to requests for comment as of press time.

Nevertheless, Collins believes its "component and materials selections are superior" and its and its patent-pending "tilt mechanism and Aluminum base design are sexier" than those used by Apple. The Madison, Tenn.-based firm says each of its displays are "designed and engineered by obsessive-compulsive Apple fanatics in the USA and then built by one of the top computer monitor and LCD television factories in China."



Prospective buyers can reserve one of the CinemaView displays by placing an email reservation through the CinemaView website. Customers placing reservations before August 1, 2009 will receive free shipping to USA, Canada, and EU destinations, Collins claims.

The displays are also expected to be made available through Apple Specialist retailers and "a growing group of other independently owned Apple products retailers around the world" when they're released sometime before September 1st.



However, Collins maintains that it won't be making the displays available through Apple, Best Buy, Fry's, or other major retail chains because these companies "demand an extremely high profit margin from manufacturers, which forces the retail price to be artificially raised to the consumer."

"We have decided to support the hundreds of independently owned Apple resellers around the world by selling to them directly, and not needlessly inflate our suggested retail pricing to accommodate chain store demands," the company says on its website. "Specifically, to meet the channel discounts required to sell through chain retailers we would have to put our pricing at $699, $549, and $399 for the 24, 20.1, and 19-inch models."



Readers can compare the specifications of 24-inch CinemaView model (specs) with Apple's 24-inch LED Cinema Display (specs) while we await word on what type of panels Collins is using.

Update: A spokesman for Collins asserts that the company is using multi-domain vertical alignment (MVA) panels from a "tier one supplier" as it believes there's very little practical difference in quality between those and high-end in-plane switching (IPS) panels in modern LCDs. "Times change, and our panels match up well to the best from anyone," the spokesman says.

It's good that they are cheap as they don't have much else going for them.

They may look similar to Apples ACD's but they are low-res, and don't have the speakers or camera. I bet the panel is nothing to write home about also.

Thread merge with the one is Current Hardware please.

I'm generally not a fan of clunky knock-offs, but I suppose they do, in some form, validate Apple's decision to design and standardize on the Mini DisplayPort. If nothing else, they will provide yeoman service for back-end Mac Minis that require non-critical monitors.

Personally, I hope the industry adopts the Mini DisplayPort early on and we can skip the larger version altogether. Why encumber ourselves with two connectors that serve the exact same purpose (once Apple includes audio in their own products)?

I'm surprised they didn't take advantage of producing non-glossy versions.
If they do, they just might sell a boat load.

Done.

While super high resolution, LED lighting, speakers, build in video/microphone, and the Apple patented plug are significant differentiators on the cost, there are configurations and users who can be very happy with this product.

One work around that I have not solved is using a Macbook Air External DVD USB drive on a USB hub and/or display [presumably with an internal hub], unless its built by Apple.

My readings on line suggest that Apple has made some hardware adjustments such that the external USB DVD drive is not visible to the Macbook Air unless it is directly connected [thereby using up the only USB port] or using a new Apple display.

I wonder if the Apple 'fanatics" at Cinemaview paid attention to this market?

If these are "sexy" I'm a monkey's uncle.

Guys, FWIW, this is what Collins sent me in response to my question about what kind of panels they use... Not much to go on:

"Hi Kasper,

We're using the first panels from a tier one supplier based on the latest MVA technology. We have found little performance difference between IPS, PVA, and MVA panels in the newest, best offerings. 3-years ago, yes, IPS smoked the others. But, times change, and our panels match up well to the best from anyone.

Thanks for the note,

Jack
CinemaView Staff
"

Wow, what original industrial designs!

If it's a matte finish I'll buy it.

While the design is certainly similar to the 24" ACD, it is nowhere identical. How it looks like "in person" I can't say. As the 24" ACD does not have the color accuracy to match it's price point (despite LED backlight and H-IPS panel), I can see such a product making some sense. 500 bucks is a great point to make against 850. For most non-pro work a MVA panel is certainly sufficient, especially since the more expensive Apple offer is not up to color critical work anyhow.

I will wait for a height-adjustable and non-glossy IPS alternative though.

I'm definitely interested. And I like the extra wide bezel as it appears to frame the screen with more black, which is helpful when photo editing and colour correcting.

This place is two hours from my house! hmmmm

I'm assuming here that the rumours that these are TN panels are accurate. (Edit: Okay, I see above they are MVA)

I don't understand the timing, given that e-IPS panels are supposed to be on the market very soon, and should be price competitive with TN panels. In addition to their having the colour accuracy that Mac Users are accustomed to.

Maybe Apple locked up supplies of e-IPS panels early. Or maybe my info on e-IPS is wrong.

These look like sh@t.....I dont care how cheap these are.

They look like knocks offs....

I will pass.

Whooa!
Is this that Jack guy that used to run a fly by night operation making Mac peripherals years ago?
I can't remember the name.
Anyone?

Is DVI dead to Apple or what?
Looks like i'll be going back to Viewsonic when my Glass Apple Cinema HD Display goes.
I had a choice over this or the new aluminum ones (5 years ago). I made the right choice as the aluminum ones are crapping out. The glass ones look way better anyways. Always get 'wow' remarks when people come by the studio. They also sit better on a desk.

One of Apple's better products for sure. Except for the stupid ADC thing and the $150 adapter to make it go.

And yes, i've named the little dead spider inside the glass case, (most shipped with a tiny dead spider inside), his name is Earl.

Wish Apple would get back in the display game for the other 97% of us.

The photo shows it to be "glossy."

So we have "thick bezels" and "gloss". Why would anyone willfully want to pay money for that? Indeed, getting rid of the glossy-hell is the main reason to look outside Apple for other monitor choices.

"the third-party display sports a slightly lower resolution and not use LED backlighting like Apple's. It's also unclear from the CinemaView website whether the displays use lower-quality TN panels, and representatives for Collins didn't respond to requests for comment as of press time."

You get what you pay for.

http://www.collinsamerica.com/

If you look at the other 'quality' products that they offer, I think you might get a better understanding about this company. First, most is just junk and only one of ten items is a shipping product while the rest are pre-orders.

For a company that has been in business since 1971, that is pretty pathetic offering. I would most definitely wait for this to ship and get reviewed before spending any money.

Each to there own but i like the gloss screens better than the washed out looking screens you all seem to want...

I think they look great and certainly offer some value. Thumbs up.

Jack Campbell, and yes it is (http://whois.domaintools.com/cinemaview.com). It's funny 'cause the ad copy reads just like his old stuff--the clearly inflated quality claims and sheer chutzpah to try to out-Apple Apple.

Buyer beware.

yeah maybe, except the quality of the panel makes color correcting pretty pointless.

100% agreed. And if Apple is awarded a design patent on its displays and iMac, this company won't be selling for long if ever.

These displays stand too high on their feet.
In addition, for physiologic reasons (height of one's eyes) they should all line up with the tops of the screens, rather than the bottoms of the screens.

I, for one, spend most of my viewing near the top of the screen. The menus are there as well.

Ok, so they have miniDP, but do they support HDCP? You might be surprised if you find out that your shiny new monitor won't display your HD iTunes videos.

The monitors themselves don't look bad to me. But looking at the 10 products Collins America lists on their web site, it appears to me that only one is actually available for purchase at this time, despite their being 5 'current products' listed. Doesn't 'coming soon' mean something other than 'current'?

For reference:

http://www.aboutjack.com/faq.shtml

And:

http://www.aboutjack.com/bio.html#bio

Off his website....

Even considering the rest of the page, do we want to be buying stuff from him?
He still seems pretty shady..

For reference:

http://www.macintouch.com/mactable.html

These displays are really crappy. The 19" has a maximum resolution of 1440x900. even the 17" MBP has 1920x1200, and the 24" display only goes up to 1920x1080.

EDIT:
As an afterthought, I suppose these monitors are not really aimed at professionals.. They would go perfect with the Mac Mini. The Apple LED display costs $300 more then the Mac Mini, and no one would really spend that much more on a monitor.