By Tikkler - July 4, 2000

I've noticed that I've been cluttering up my Windows desktop way too much, and it's beginning to look like my actual computer desk. If you're like me, and you have 5 Internet Explorer windows, Microsoft Word, CuteFTP and CuteHTML open at the same time, with ICQ taking up about 1/5 of my desktop space, you'll find that it gets really annoying to have to continually switch between application and application, or minimize and maximize applications just so you can get some work done. Imagine working with all this on a 15" monitor. A year ago, I made the switch to a 17" monitor, and it made me happy... for about a year. Like all things, I eventually grew out of it. 2 weeks ago, I made the switch again, this time to a 19" monitor, and I'm going to share with you which monitor I tried, and eventually stayed with.

I wasn't looking for the "luxuries" some might be looking for in a monitor such as a perfectly flat Sony Trinitron tube, or a short-necked monitor. I just wanted a descent monitor that will allow me to crank that resolution setting in Windows up one or two notches so I can have more desktop space. So, I guess the low-end, price-conscience monitor was exactly what I was looking for. I eventually tried out two monitors, the KDS VS-190 and the Optiquest Q95, one of which I stayed with. So, without further a due, let's bring up the specifications!

	KDS VS-190	Optiquest Q95
Web Sites	KDS Corporate Page, Product Page	Optiquest Corporate Page, Product Page
CRT Size	19" (18" viewable)
Horizontal Dot Pitch	0.27mm	0.23mm
Screen Treatment	Anti-reflective, anti-static	Anti-reflective, anti-glare, anti-static
Signal Input	15 pin D-sub (0.70 V p-p)
Screen Treatment	Anti-reflective, anti-static	Anti-reflective, anti-glare, anti-static
Operating Frequency	Fh: 30-90kHz Fv: 50-120Hz	Fh: 30-86kHz Fv: 50-160Hz
Maximum Resolution	1,600 x 1,200 @ 75Hz	1,600 x 1,200 @ 69Hz
Electrical Voltage	100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz	90-264 VAC, 50/60 Hz
Power Consumption	< 120W	< 110W
Electrical Voltage	100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz	90-264 VAC, 50/60 Hz
User Controls	On-screen, digital controlContrast, brightness, H/V size/position, color temperature, H pincushion/trapezoid, raster rotation, degauss, H/V moiré	OnView, On-screen digital controlContrast, brightness, H/V size/position, ViewMatch color temperature, V pincushion, H pincushion/trapezoid/pin-balance/parallelogram/top hooking/bottom hooking, degauss, H/V moiré, tilt, H/V focus
Physical Dimensions (W x H x D)	460 x 480 x 442 mm	466 x 481 x 480 mm
Weight	24.0kg (46.3 lbs.)	21.0kg (52.9 lbs.)
Regulations	UL1950, CSA, TUV G/S, FCC Class B, DHHS, MPR-II, TCO 92, ISO 9241-3, SEMKO, DEMKO, FIMKO, NEMKO, CE, TCO 95	UL, DDHS, FCC Class B, CE CSA, DOC-B, CB, NOM, MPR-II, Energy 2000
Warranty	3 year limited parts and labour
Price	$499 CDN (Office Depot) and $50USD mail-in and $50CDN in-store rebates (est. $374 w/ rebates)	$484 CDN (Onvia.com Canada)

At first look, it looks like the Optiquest is a much better monitor overal, although it was the more expensive one. The Optiquest has an incredible dot pitch, a larger range of supported frequencies, uses less energy and pretty much has more of everything than the KDS; however, the fact that the KDS costs about $110 less than the Optiquest (after rebates, of course), I decided to take a gamble on the KDS.

On to: KDS VS-190