Sony's MFM-HT205 high-def 16:9 TV and monitor

Sony just announced a new 20-inch display meant to pull double-duty as both a TV and PC/Mac monitor. The MFM-HT205 features a 16:9, 1680 x 1050 LCD, 6-milliseconds response, 1600:1 contrast ratio, and a built-in analog NTSC (not digital ATSC) tuner with Picture-in-Picture support allowing for simultaneous use of both your PC and TeeVee. Connectivity options include S-video, component, composite, HD-15 VGA, and DVI-HDCP inputs. Sorry, no HDMI here, but then again, Sony's gunning for the desktop with this box, not the living room. Expect release in April for a reasonable $900 green.

[Via HDBeat]

[100 ipod movies @ Mar 17th 2006 9:02AM]

Sweet! I like the design.

[Galley @ Mar 17th 2006 9:49AM]

My 21" Gateway has 90-degree pivot, but no tuner, and was only $540. All other specs are pretty much the same as the Sony.

[Jason @ Mar 17th 2006 10:09AM]

I have the Gateway 21" too, and I agree for the cost it is a much better deal. If the sony had a digital ATSC turner built-in, it might be worth it.

[JeroenV @ Mar 17th 2006 10:53AM]

1680 x 1050 is not 16:9, it's 16:10 (like most widescreen computer monitors).

[cawpin @ Mar 17th 2006 11:43AM]

It is also not HD, as that would be 1080 lines.

[bigglare @ Mar 17th 2006 12:38PM]

Gee an Analong Tuner in a display that will be released in April, then banned in march because of the analog tuner. WHEEEE!

I heard Sony is working on 25inch widesscreen monitor with HDMI, Digital Tuner, Blue Ray player and the best thing...its BLACK and WHITE!

[Brandon Hopkins @ Mar 17th 2006 12:48PM]

JeroenV, you'll have to take the aspect ratio of 16:9 up with Sony, they list it as the same:

http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/6544

Brandon

[Mike @ Mar 17th 2006 12:53PM]

Looks like the bastard love child from a drunken night of hot Sony-On-Apple action. A PowerMac inspired silver shell combined with the existing Sony LCD monitor designs.... very original.

[Ravi @ Mar 17th 2006 2:54PM]

In my opinion, XBRITE is worth the $900 right there.

Go compare Sonys with XBRITE next to any other LCD monitor, and you'll see what i'm talking about.

[Andrew Fee @ Mar 17th 2006 3:27PM]

Typical; the 7-day return policy has just run out for me on the MFM-HT75W I bought. It's basically a 17" version of this screen, and is very, very good. I've recently spent �6k on LCD HDTVs, and they all went back. Bought this as a stopgap, and don't plan to upgrade for some time now it's so good. (which was surprising, as I was disappointed with the 26" BRAVIA I had)

The specs aren't nearly as good as this new one either; 800:1, 16ms. Still, at least I can display 720p natively on mine, rather than having it scaled to 1680x1050...

[Charles @ Sep 16th 2006 9:18PM]

Here's my opinion toward the Sony MFM-HT205.

I have done 4 months of research for a "dual purpose", "multi-functional", PC-TV flat screen monitor where the primary focus is for the personal business desktop instead of primarily entertainment. The Sony MFM-HT95W 19" (the quick upgrade of the Sony MFM-HT75W 17") and the Sony MFM-HT205 are the best PC-TV flat screen monitors on the market as of 12-Sept-2006.

I did this research for my father who now owns and uses the Sony MFM-HT95W as an external monitor for his business laptop, and I have worked on the MFM-HT95W for the past few days. The only negative of the MFM-HT95W is the normal glare experienced from the usual CRT (cathode ray tube) television and lack of adjustability. When the monitor is in use, the glare is hardly noticeable unless the monitor is unconveniently placed relative to a flourescent light, which can make the glare quite noticeable. Fortunately, even though my father's office has two huge office windows and four flourescent lights, he was able to place the monitor where he desired while receiving the minimal amount of glare.

From looking at the pictures and specifications of the Sony MFM-HT205W, I am hoping for the best from the HT205W. However, to the geeks reading this, we are aware to well of what happened when the Dell UltraSharp 1905FP was "upgraded" to the Dell UltraSharp 1907FP.

If you are looking for a robust, digital (HDMI, 1080p), PC-TV flat screen monitor (under 31 inches and under $1,000) where the primary focus is for the personal business desktop, than I believe you will have to wait at least another year. To give you an idea why, the Sony MFM-HT75W, the best for a PC-TV 17" size under $1,000, was released in the middle of 2005.

A monitor "focused for the personal business desktop" is when the monitor can display the precise accuracies of text without any noticeable visual distortions at the native resolution, and the primary use for the monitor is not for entertainment.

I do not "game" so I do not have anything to say in the "gaming" context.

If you do not want to wait a few months or possibly years for the release of the truely magnificent monitor the previous author "bigglare" mentioned, then buy the Sony MFM-HT205W (20") or Sony MFM-HT75W (19").

I bought the Sony MFM-HT205 online yesterday because, from my long period of researching through all the varius google search results, consumerreports.org, cnet.com, manufacturer websites, and reviews, I found the Sony MFM-HT205 to be the best for a 20" PC-TV under $1,000. I am hoping for the best.

FYI, there's a huge difference between a 20" and a 19", which is the native resolution. Make sure your desktop's video card or laptop's external video output can satisfy the native resolution. Configuring a display resolution outside the LCD monitor's native resolution will produce negative visual results.

Going to do a small, quick rant. Pleast stop comparing PC monitors without the television tuner feature to PC monitors with the television tuner feature. When you do make this comparison, you are comparing apples to lettuce. If I wanted a single purpose (without tv tuner) PC monitor, then I would have researched for and bought a single purpose PC monitor.

I wrote this post to be informative.