Subject: REVIEW: MicroVitec CubScan-1440 multi-sync monitor
From: [email-masked] (Saleem Khan)
Date: 26 Aug 1993 16:34:57 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews

PRODUCT NAME

	MicroVitec CubScan-1440 multi-sync monitor

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

	This is a 14-inch true multi-sync monitor that works with all Amigas
and can sync down to 15 kHz for games.

COMPANY INFORMATION

   (ENGLAND)

	Name:		MicroVitec PLC
	Address:	Bradford
			West Yorkshire
			BD4 7TU
			England

	Telephone:	(0274) 390011
	FAX:		(0274) 734944
	Telex: 		       517717

   (GERMANY)

	Name:		MicroVitec (Deutschland) GmbH
	Address:	Heinrich Hertz Strasse 4
			4006 Erkrath
			Bei Dusseldorf
			West Germany

	Telephone:	(211)   920010
	FAX:		(211)   9200115

   (US PARTS AND SERVICE)

	Address:	700 Ensminger Road
			Suite 112
			Tonawanda, NY 14150
			USA

	Telephone:	(716)   874-3630
	FAX: 		(716)   874-4309	

LIST PRICE

	The price now for this monitor varies.  Looking in the latest Amiga
Shopper magazine (issue #29), I see it is 429.99 UK Pounds.

SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

	HARDWARE

		A special 23-pin Amiga-to-multisync converter IS needed, but
		I think you will be provided with one in the box, as I was.
		(The lead to the monitor is the 9 pin VGA type.)

		Although it may seem irrelevant, RAM is an issue:  the
		higher screen mode you choose to have, the more RAM the mode
		will need to be displayed.

		CPU speed also plays its part here. If you have a high
		resolution display, then it will take more CPU time.  This is
		evident when I put this Amiga 500+ into PRODUCTIVITY mode
		(the drives start to sound stressed). :)

	SOFTWARE

		None required although existing programs can benefit by the
		higher display modes available.

COPY PROTECTION

	None.

MACHINE USED FOR TESTING

	Amiga500+ series
	2 MB Chip RAM, 1 MB Fast RAM
	2 floppy drives
	Kickstart 37.175 (2.04)
	Workbench 38.*   (2.1)

REVIEW

	About one month ago, I decided to get a monitor, as the old family TV
was a little rough on the eyes. :)

	Well I scanned the Amiga magazines. I was in search of a nice
monitor that would be a little future-proof as well as provide a nice
display.  Therefore, I had to find a .28mm dot pitch monitor to best suit my
needs... and lo and behold, it seemed that this was the one for me. :-)

	Looking at the monitor, I can say it's not the best looking one I've
seen, although it does look better than the CBM 1960 model.  I was going to
buy the 1960, but after reading in various posts of the problems, I decided
against that.  Also, the firm that makes the CubScan is based a few miles
away, so I would not have to wait long for any repairs if needed.

	One thing I like is that the monitor will remember the settings you
set it for in a particular screen mode:  the screen y axis and x axis as set
but the touch buttons on the front panel of the monitor.

	I have tested the monitor in all modes available to me, and it
performs VERY well:  great, in fact.  I have also used this monitor with
AMaxII (the Mac+ emulator), and again it performed very well in PRODUCTIVITY
mode.  Unfortunately, I was forced to use the family TV at first and had
installed a hack called Fuzzf to reduce the flicker (the screen mode was
super-hires interlaced).  When I loaded the emulator the hack would load and
reduce the screen to garbage (not a pretty sight).  :-)

	I have no other gripes about this product in any way.

SPECIFICATIONS

 HORIZONTAL RATE:	Operates at 15kHz to 40kHz infinitely variable	
 VERTICAL   RATE:	Operates at 48Hz  to 100Hz infinitely variable
 MAX. RESOLUTION:	Horizontal 800 dots non-int; 1024 interlaced
			Vertical 600 lines non-int; 768 interlaced
 VIDEO BANDWIDTH: 	40MHz (-3db)
			Switching and settling time <0.5sec
	    TUBE:	Long persistence or standard persistence CRT 14"
			(37 cm) USA 13"V. 00.28 mm dot pitch.
			90=B0 deflection. Anti-Glare. 57% transmission plate.
      MAIN POWER:  	110-240V AC 50-60Hz nominal (will operate from 90V
			to 256V AC 50-60 Hz with no adjustments).
         TYPICAL: 	less then 95 watts with full white screen.

 PHYSICAL DETAILS

	 CABINET:	Flame retardant Injection moulded plastic.
      DIMENSIONS:	392*362*400mm (including tilt and swivel base)
	  WEIGHT:	14.8kg (unpacked)

DOCUMENTATION

	Small A3 booklet with 10 pages of text.

LIKES AND DISLIKES

	Only one thing I miss. The monitor it seems has NO internal speakers,
so you must provide a way for the sound to be heard (no problem for me as I
have always used a HiFi).  :)

COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	Beats the family television hands down.  The other monitors I have
seen are the Phillips 8833II (which was not good enough) and the CBM 1960 (I
never liked this monitor because of the bad reviews it had in many Amiga
magazines).

BUGS

	Ermm... only dead ones found. ;-)

VENDOR SUPPORT

	Great!  I returned the monitor with a minor fault and it was
returned in one working day! (WOW!).

WARRANTY

	The monitor carries a three (yes 3) year manufacturer warranty
(parts and labour).

CONCLUSIONS

	Basically, BUY IT ALREADY! :)

	Seriously though, this is a great product if a bit pricey (more so
with the release of the 1942).  I do like the DMS feature (Digital Memory
Sizing, unrelated to the "DMS" disk program).  I quote from the booklet:
"MicroVitec DMS system identifies differing signals coming into the monitor,
then matches these automatically to information held in memory, displaying a
perfectly positioned picture every time".

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

	You may do with this review as you want as long as you don't claim
to have written it.  :)  (I also take no responsibility for the information
contained in this document which is correct as far as I know at this present
time.)

	 Copyright 1993 Saleem Khan.  All rights reserved.

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