Sceptre X37SV-Naga Widescreen HDTV
Introduction & Specifications
When LCD screens were first introduced they were plagued by many problems, but they also had some advantages over CRT monitors. LCD's were lighter, thinner, and used less power. And so they caught on and the technology incrementally improved. Early generations were limited to lower resolutions, tight viewing angles, really slow response times, and they carried a hefty price tag. The screen size was also limited because of the early production technology. The main market for them at that point was laptop screens, as the LCD technology offered exactly what was needed in that space.
Later on they were introduced as Desktop PC displays, but they still suffered from the same problems and slow response times which made them unusable as screens for gamers or anything that involved fast motion. Throughout the years though, prices have dropped and the technology has evolved in the LCD market. So where are we at today? We will be looking at an LCD screen made by Sceptre, which has a very large, high resolution and low response time panel, to see just how far the technology has progressed.
Sceptre Incorporated has been manufacturing LCD screens since 1993 and is an American based company with their headquarters in the City of Industry, California. Their main focus is on producing budget LCD screens including LCD TVs, monitors, and touch screens. The size of the LCD panels used in their products range from 15" to 42", with the larger panels being used in their TV displays. The product we have in the lab today is the 37" Sceptre X37SV-Naga Widescreen HDTV/Monitor, which is the product that has put Sceptre in the spotlight, to a certain extent, this past year.
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LCD Panel
Inputs
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Audio functions
Power
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Control Functions
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Regulation
Size & Weight
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Warranty
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What makes this HDTV and monitor so special is the AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) LCD panel it uses, and its price (under $1700). The AUO Super MVA panel allows for full 24-bit color replication, a wide viewing angle, and 8ms response times. Unlike the majority of LCD HDTV's currently on the market with 1366x786 or lower resolution, the X37SV (and also the recently released X42SV) has a native resolution of 1920x1080.
Another main feature of this LCD set, is that not only can you use it as an HDTV, but also as a PC/HTPC monitor using the VGA or DVI inputs.