Anyone have the Gateway FPD2185W monitor?

It's a relatively new widescreen 21" monitor that doubles as an HDTV. Appears to meet all my needs (size, widescreen, pivots, component input) and my budget ($599) but am concerned about the quality of the picture for CS2 photo editing (S-PVA monitors are reportedly among the worst for accurate color reproduction, but I can't find "good" one with the features I need at a price I can afford.

Anybody use it for photo editing and would like to comment?

Thanks!
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Roscoe
Big ones eat the little ones, little ones got to be fast. - The Radiators
http://www.rossdillon.smugmug.com

I have one that I just got for $530 at Costco. I really like the size and most things about it. The color is neutral and easy to adjust. I wish it had more gamma latitude, because shadow detail is a little lost. I am a little spoiled with my Eizo monitors color and gamma, but this FPD2185W is really useable.

I can't get the EZTune software that comes with the monitor to load on my machine and the makers of the software (portrait.com) don't have a fix for me. They blame my graphics card Nvidia 7800GTX (albatron). I haven't quite got the perfect settings for color and contrast dialed in so it matches as close as possible to my Eizo monitor, but if I didn't have it (the Eizo), I wouldn't be a bit sorry I got the Gateway FPD2185W.

Great monitor for the price,
Great monitor for the size,
Great monitor for the features,
Good monitor for the color.

I might get another one and sell my Eizo because I like the Gateway so much.

Mine does have a bit of a red glow in the shadows however that I haven't quite cured. I will be pulling out my Eye1 display2 calibration system to see if I can't cure the problem.

I went and looked at this at Best Buy... I brought my thumb-drive with photos so I knew what they should look like. I was so impressed that I came home and ordered it direct from Gateway. It arrives tomorrow.
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Tirzah
http://www.tirzah.smugmug.com/

DRebel XT, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Sigma 105mm Macro, Sigma 18-125mm, Sigma 70-300mm APO
CP8700, Casio QV-3000EX, Casio Exilm, Pentax ME Super
CATS MEMBER #69

Great to hear...the monitor really looked good.

Thanks!
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Roscoe
Big ones eat the little ones, little ones got to be fast. - The Radiators
http://www.rossdillon.smugmug.com

Hi,

Just curious, is there an advantage in ordering from Gateway as opposed to getting it from Best Buy?

Thanks,
Bob Schoner

Big advantage... no tax, free shipping and Best buy wants $120 for the extended warranty while Gateway only charges $30 for the 2 added yrs. You could go to Circuit City as they have it on sale for $569.99 and the warranty for $50. But for me the best price was Gateway.
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Tirzah
http://www.tirzah.smugmug.com/

DRebel XT, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Sigma 105mm Macro, Sigma 18-125mm, Sigma 70-300mm APO
CP8700, Casio QV-3000EX, Casio Exilm, Pentax ME Super
CATS MEMBER #69

Hi,

The no tax is interestung; what state are you in? I'm in Calif and the larger stores that have a presence in Calif charge tax. I just assumed Gateway would charge tax. I think I have seen Gateway stores around.

Thanks,

Bob Schoner

I'm in MN... I would be willing to bet that CA would be charged tax. All the Gateway stores here have been closed.

btw... I take delivery today and can't wait... I'll report back with my thoughts later this evening.
--
Tirzah
http://www.tirzah.smugmug.com/

DRebel XT, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Sigma 105mm Macro, Sigma 18-125mm, Sigma 70-300mm APO
CP8700, Casio QV-3000EX, Casio Exilm, Pentax ME Super
CATS MEMBER #69

Now I can't wait...living vicariously through you!
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Roscoe
Big ones eat the little ones, little ones got to be fast. - The Radiators
http://www.rossdillon.smugmug.com

This is a great monitor... 21" is more than enought space (I was orgiinally worried) I see no ghosting, no bleeding, no dead pixels and while I have yet to calibrate it, the photo I printed was a awfully darn close. I did have to turn the brightness down to about 30 as it was quite bright.

I say get one... I seriously don't think you'll be dissappointed at all. The specs are great. All the guilt I felt for spending $600 on myself at the holidays vanished the moment my desktop appeared on the screen. LOL
--
Tirzah
http://www.tirzah.smugmug.com/

DRebel XT, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Sigma 105mm Macro, Sigma 18-125mm, Sigma 70-300mm APO
CP8700, Casio QV-3000EX, Casio Exilm, Pentax ME Super
CATS MEMBER #69

Quick question for you fellow FPD2185W owners - I can't get Windows to recognize this monitor under "display properties/settings". The display is simply labeled "windows plug and play". I'm using an ATI 9800 Pro video card with a dual monitor setup (19" Dell P991 as my second). According to the "drivers" section under "advanced" it's still showing a 2001 Windows driver. However, the widescreen resolution options are all there, but I'm not sure if there's a Gateway-specific driver out there that I'm not taking advantage-of. The EZTune software installed without a hitch, AFAIK. I probably would have never noticed this until I reviewed the monitor at Best Buy and it clearly showed a "Gateway FPD2185W" under display properties. Does anyone else have a similar issue?

That being said, the monitor is working flawlessly and I've got every video input plugged in with no issues. For those of you looking to buy, I also use it as a second monitor via VGA for my file server, and TV for my Dish / External DVD & VCR via the respective SVideo, component, and composite inputs. Switching between all of these is a simple button push. This is an EXCEPTIONALLY versatile monitor.

As to the performance, I'm an architect and the extra side real estate is invaluable for my CAD software. The lines are crisp and the color rendition is excellent, IMO. My only minor beef is using it to remote desktop to a 16x12 Sony LCD at work. Regardless of how I adjust my settings at home, I always have to readjust my desktop icons / background at work. Again VERY minor beef, since the extra side real estate on the FPD2185W more than makes-up the difference.

Thanks in advance for any advice on the driver issue,

Keith

you are so full of it. costco doesn't stock gateway monitors i looked on their website and calles the corporate office. if i'm wrong prove or sink into your cartoon world creep!!!!

your qoutes at the bottom are as sophomoric

my quote to you:

up your nose with a rubber hose

I was just looking at the subject 21' display at my Stockton Costco two days ago. Many items stocked at the warehouse stores are not carried on their website and vice versa.

did you ever get an answer to your question because I have the same problem. it's not listed in settings.

Ross Dillon said:

(S-PVA monitors are
reportedly among the worst for accurate color reproduction, but I
can't find "good" one with the features I need at a price I can
afford.

Click to expand...

The TN type panales are the worst. The PVA/MVA type panales are the second best ones for photo editing. See the following link for more detail.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/display/lcd-guide.html

I have looked at that Gateway panel at Best Buy and liked it pretty much. But after reading the above x-bit labs article, I went with the Dell 2005FPW panel which is S-IPS based.

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Nelson
http://pbase.com/nelsonc

I got one of these monitors at a Costco in Oregon and love it! You really made a fool out of yourself I think.