<a class="spoiler-link H-spoiler-toggle" href="#"><strong>CLUB UNDER CONSTRUCTION. DONT MIND THE MESS</strong> <span class="spoiler-help">(Click to show)</span></a><div class="spoiler-hidden">

<div class="bbcode_center" style="text-align:center;"><br><span style="font-size:72px;">Achieva Shimian Club</span><br><br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/59/59b768f9_ShimianQH270-Lite_032.jpeg"><img alt="544" class="bbcode_img" data-id="775284" data-type="61" height="544" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/59/600x544px-LL-59b768f9_ShimianQH270-Lite_032.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/06/06825379_ShimianQH270-Lite_01.jpeg"><img alt="453" class="bbcode_img" data-id="775295" data-type="61" height="453" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/06/600x453px-LL-06825379_ShimianQH270-Lite_01.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/5d/5d5f262d_ShimianQH270-Lite_101_thumb.jpeg"><img alt="427" class="bbcode_img" data-id="775296" data-type="61" height="427" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/5d/550x427px-LL-5d5f262d_ShimianQH270-Lite_101_thumb.jpeg" width="550"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/3/30/309727a3_ShimianQH270-Lite_07_thumb.jpeg"><img alt="602" class="bbcode_img" data-id="775299" data-type="61" height="602" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/3/30/550x602px-LL-309727a3_ShimianQH270-Lite_07_thumb.jpeg" width="550"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/0b/0b4cda39_ShimianQH270-Lite_06_thumb.jpeg"><img alt="435" class="bbcode_img" data-id="775300" data-type="61" height="435" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/0b/550x435px-LL-0b4cda39_ShimianQH270-Lite_06_thumb.jpeg" width="550"></a><br></div>

<hr class="bbcode_rule"><b><span style="font-size:24px;">Vote in the above poll once your monitor arrives, and you test it.</span><br></b><br><br><div class="bbcode_center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:24px;">To be added to the club, please post your comments/pictures in this thread <b><span style="text-decoration:underline;">FIRST</span></b>.</span><br><span style="font-size:16px;"><br><br>

You will need to <b>RIGHT CLICK</b> and <b>COPY</b> the link address of your post:</span><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f0/f07094db_218x32px-LL-d9398f71_Untitled-Copy-Copy.png"><img alt="32" class="bbcode_img" data-id="972074" data-type="61" height="32" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f0/218x32px-LL-f07094db_218x32px-LL-d9398f71_Untitled-Copy-Copy.png" width="218"></a><br><b>^^RIGHT CLICK YOUR POST NUMBER^^</b><br><span style="font-size:16px;">Then <b>PASTE</b> the link in the "<span style="text-decoration:underline;">Comments & Experience</span>" and "<span style="text-decoration:underline;">Pictures of your new monitor</span>" sections of the form.</span><br><span style="font-size:16px;">Your pasted link will look something like this: "<a href="http://www.overclock.net/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-90hz-achieva-shimian-qh270-and-catleap-q270/100_100#post_16537913">http://www.overclock.net/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-90hz-achieva-shimian-qh270-and-catleap-q270/100_100#post_16537913</a>"</span></div>

<div class="bbcode_center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:24px;">Here is the link to the Club <b><a class="bbcode_url" href="Insert%20URL%20Here"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">FORM.</span></a></b> Please do not forget to link your post(s).</span></div>

<br><br><br>

Original Post:<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">I found an "Achieva Shimian QH270-Lite" 2560x1440 monitor for $460 new. That's a steal... in fact, it seems too good to be true. As paranoid as I am, I'm afraid to even post the link, as stock is limited. I'm skeptical, so, I turned to OCN.<br><br>

Has anyone used this monitor before? Should I go for it?</div>

</div>

</div>

<br><br><br><br>

I found an "Achieva Shimian QH270-Lite" 2560x1440 monitor for $460 new. That's a steal... in fact, it seems too good to be true. As paranoid as I am, I'm afraid to even post the link, as stock is limited. I'm skeptical, so, I turned to OCN.<br><br>

Has anyone used this monitor before? Should I go for it?<br><br><br>

EDIT: I went for it. In a nutshell, if you don't mind the risk of buying a monitor without a warranty, get it.<br><br><b><span style="font-size:24px;">Vote in the above poll once your monitor arrives, and you test it.</span><br></b> Knowing how many come DOA will help establish how risky this purchase is. Please note that the vast majority of the panel flaws are minimal, and dead pixels are hard to notice with this kind of resolution.<br><br>

In this post, I'll try to consolidate as much info from the thread as possible. If you plan on reading this monster of a thread (which I recommend), I suggest going to your profile and selecting 20 or more posts per page. I use 100.<br><br><span style="font-size:16px;"><b>Answers to FAQ:</b></span><br><ul class="bbcode_list"><li>Variants of these monitors are all 2560x1440, 27" IPS monitors sold in Korea, not the US. They retail for ~$250 in S. Korea, and end up being ~$400 in the US after shipping. In other words, they're $700-$1000 monitors with higher potential refresh rates for 1/2 the price.</li>

<li>Sorry, the group buy isn't happening here on OCN, for various reasons. You're free to organize a group buy outside of OCN, and buying them in bulk/selling them on the marketplace would be fine.</li>

<li>All the Catleap monitors seem to hit 85hz+ (<span style="text-decoration:line-through;">97hz</span> 100hz being the highest so far, which is the GPU's limit at this resolution), while my Achieva can't go above 70hz.</li>

<li>No 240V/120V step down transformer or EU adapter needed. All you need is a <a class="bbcode_url" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325&tag=overclockdotnet-20&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPC-Computer-Power-Supply-Cable%2Fdp%2FB002Y2053Y%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1331251843%26sr%3D8-1" target="_blank">generic PSU cable</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=overclockdotnet-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;">.</li>

<li>It's a glossy display, no AG coating</li>

<li>1 Dual Link DVI input, audio input, and 24V DC input. That's it.</li>

<li>It's an 8 bit display. There are "10 bit" variants out there <span style="text-decoration:line-through;">but not</span> on Ebay. From what I understand, it's not a true 10 bit panel anyway. <a class="bbcode_url" href="http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/126/860437" target="_blank">Useful info about 8 vs 10 bit color,</a> thank you SJetski71</li>

<li>No OSD (on this basic "Lite" model), just LED backlight brightness and volume.</li>

<li>It has an LG IPS LCD panel, the same one found in 27" iMacs. The Dell u2711 uses the LM270WQ2, I think this uses the LM270WQ1. Not sure what the difference is.</li>

<li>The discussed Catleap variant uses the same display, as far as I know</li>

<li>Initially, it was ~$460, I bought it just as the price dropped to $398. The Catleap was down to $370 once. Prices have been rising with demand.</li>

<li><span style="text-decoration:line-through;">The Ebay squaretrade warranty doesn't apply, as far as I know. You can buy it, but if the monitor breaks, you'll simply get a refund for the warranty, as this isn't a product intended for the US.</span> Squaretrade reps say that they'll cover this monitor, but we won't really know until someone tries to send in a monitor under warranty.</li>

<li>Yes, it's fine for gaming. Due to the lack of <span style="text-decoration:line-through;">a scaler or</span> any extra inputs, input lag is on par with my 720p TV.</li>

<li>It's 60hz default, not 97hz or 120hz.</li>

<li>Both the Achieva and Catleap have VESA mounting points.</li>

<li>I don't remember paying any import taxes. The seller (dream seller) handled shipping, I never got a tracking number. It got here in about 3 business days.</li>

<li>My Achieva does not have a glass surface, other variants do. I'm not sure if the bezel is removable, but it doesn't seem to be.</li>

<li>There are multiple reports of very small amounts of dust stuck behind the glass of the IPSB model. In terms of reliability, the non glass models have a better track record, and glass doesn't improve the display quality.</li>

<li>The Achieva QH270-lite from Dream Seller on Ebay is the IPSBS model, with speakers and no glass.</li>

<li>There is a UK variant of the monitor, the Hazro HZ27WC, but it's significantly more expensive. Achieva is Hazro's OEM. As the manual and any OSD will be in Korean, the Hazro manual may be helpful.</li>

<li>There may be a valid manufacturer's warranty, but don't get your hopes up. See quote below.</li>

<li>The (Achieva) stand does tilt back.</li>

<li>My Achieva from dream seller came in bubble wrap, as have some monitors from every other seller. <a class="bbcode_url" href="http://www.overclock.net/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-achieva-shimian-qh270-does-anyone-read-korean/500_100#post_16593940">Others did not.</a></li>

<li>dcSamsungMall ships by Fedex. Dream Seller ships by EMS, which is ultimately handled by the United States Postal Service. Shipping times and methods vary.</li>

</ul><br><br><br>

Variants explained. The two high end models (IPSM,IPST) also have variants with DisplayPort, and have a DP added to the end. The IPSB is the only Achieva with glass, Catleap variants may have it too.<br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/0e/0eccb6a8_Capture.PNG"><img alt="525" class="bbcode_img" data-id="760038" data-type="61" height="525" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/0e/600x525px-LL-0eccb6a8_Capture.PNG" width="599"></a><br><br><br>

Tenative info about the warranty. Thank you for the find and translation p33k.

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>p33k</strong> <a href="/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-achieva-shimian-qh270-does-anyone-read-korean/300_100#post_16567589"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br>

I got my wife to translate the A/S info on Achieva's monitors. The monitors have a 1 year warranty from date of purchase, if you don't have proof of purchase then 15 months from manufacture date. You must ship it to them. Their dead pixel policy is good for the first month you have it and they only exchange your product for a new one. qh 270-ipst, qh270-ipsm(bypass) - if they have more than 4 dead pixels and qh 270-ipsb(s),qh 270-ipsb(bypass) - if they have more than 10 dead pixels.</div>

</div>

If you can somehow ship them back to Achieva in Korea, these monitors have a warranty. In theory.<br><br>

This is what a few dead pixels look like.<br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/a/a4/a424868b_oXEG5h.jpeg"><img alt="337" class="bbcode_img" data-id="776362" data-type="61" height="337" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/a/a4/600x337px-LL-a424868b_oXEG5h.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br>

Dead pixel response from Dream Seller.

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>CrazzyRussian</strong> <a href="/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-90hz-achieva-shimian-qh270-and-catleap-q270/1300_100#post_16648348"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br>

I asked dream-seller about my dead pixel (I though it was black but it seems to be able to show the color blue) and about the small amount of dust in my tempered glass Shimian and this is what he said:<br>

"Dear ____________________,<br>

Hi!<br>

Thanks for your message.<br>

By the way, sorry for the inconvenience with the product.<br>

As we don't open your product box and check it before dispatching, we are sorry to hear that.<br>

Let me introduce you the regulation about this product in Korea. We contacted the manufacturers of this monitor and they answered back to us as the following story.<br>

About the dead pixel, up to 10 pcs of dead pixel, manufacturers of monitors in Korea don't replace the monitor with dead pixel with a new replacement. It's a part of law in Korea. We are really sorry for this inconvenience.<br>

And QH270-IPSB tempered glass monitors are mostly used at PC rooms in Korea. Monitors at PC rooms are used for PC games, and to PC gamers, dust inside the glass is not a big problem to play computer game. So the owners of PC rooms don't care much about dust in monitor glass and therefore, manufacturers don't have any regulation with the dust in monitors and they don't take return back the product with dust. Sorry for this inconvenience.<br>

Again, we are sincerely sorry for this inconvenience. We'll wait for your reply. Please send a message back to us. If you have any further question, please feel free to ask. Or, if you have any other idea, please tell us. We'll listen to it. We'll try our best to help you out as far as we can. Thanks in advance.<br>

Best Regards,<br>

- dream-seller"<br>

I honestly wasn't even planning on returning the monitor because of the dead pixel. It bothers me very little. Unlike being a bright blue dot in the middle of my screen, the dead pixel is black and the high ppi makes it barely noticeable. in fact, I only see it when browsing.<br>

EDIT: It still saddens me that I'll be stuck with a black dot near the middle of my monitor since I had as much of a chance as anybody to get a flawless one but ended up with a flawed monitor. Who knows, maybe the dead pixel will go away after a while or one day I'll take the thing apart and try to massage the area around the pixel and see if anything happens.</div>

</div>

<br><br>

Link to Achieva bulk monitor prices, not including shipping. This'll give you an idea of how much you should pay. Remember that shipping is expensive.<br>

<a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/61830124/Spec.%20sheet%20for%20Shimian%20series.pdf" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/61830124/Spec.%20sheet%20for%20Shimian%20series.pdf</a><br><br>

If it gets lost in the thread, this is my initial review (click the link, or <a class="bbcode_url" href="http://www.overclock.net/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-non-ag-achieva-shimian-qh270-does-anyone-read-korean/100_100#post_16537913">this</a>).

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>brucethemoose</strong> <a href="/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-non-ag-achieva-shimian-qh270-does-anyone-read-korean/100_100#post_16537913"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br>

A picture's worth 1000 words, so I'll start there.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f7/f7b0cb48_IMG_5238.jpeg"><br><img alt="700" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753601" data-type="61" height="700" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f7/467x700px-LL-f7b0cb48_IMG_5238.jpeg" width="467"></a><br><br>

The monitor came just like this: covered in bubble rap.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/6/6b/6b2772c4_IMG_5239.jpeg"><img alt="700" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753603" data-type="61" height="700" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/6/6b/467x700px-LL-6b2772c4_IMG_5239.jpeg" width="467"></a><br><br><br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/59/597ecfd6_IMG_5328.jpeg"><br><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753608" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/59/600x400px-LL-597ecfd6_IMG_5328.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br>

The box was inside of all that.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/2/2f/2f813bf7_IMG_5327.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753611" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/2/2f/600x400px-LL-2f813bf7_IMG_5327.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br>

A Dual Link DVI cable, a Korean power cable, an audio jack, a Korean Instruction book came in the box.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/8/88/882d51b7_IMG_5324.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753621" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/8/88/600x400px-LL-882d51b7_IMG_5324.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/d/dc/dc417285_IMG_5316.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753623" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/d/dc/600x400px-LL-dc417285_IMG_5316.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br>

The power brick seems to be rated for 240V, not 120V. But my voltmeter read 24V DC when the brick was plugged into a 120V socket, and it runs the monitor just fine without heating up much. No step down transformer needed.<br><br>

Interestingly enough, the power brick uses the exact same connector as my Samsung TV and as my Xbox 360. I have an extra 360 cable lying around, so I didn't even need an adapter.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/e/ee/ee3b2f2d_IMG_5314.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753626" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/e/ee/600x400px-LL-ee3b2f2d_IMG_5314.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br><br>

The screen is about as big as my old 1360x768 Samsung TV. Out of sheer convenience, I'll be comparing it to this monitor. For shots, I'll be using my trusty Cannon Rebel XS.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/7/7b/7bb622e4_IMG_5244.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753634" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/7/7b/600x400px-LL-7bb622e4_IMG_5244.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br>

The MASSIVE pixel pitch change hit me when I first turned on the monitor. Zoom in enough, and you can see the individual red, green, and blue parts of each pixel (Sorry if these uploads are owning the server's bandwidth, I compressed everything else). It's easy to tell the Samsung and the Shimian apart.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/8/80/8094d07b_IMG_5241.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753641" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/8/80/600x400px-LL-8094d07b_IMG_5241.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/c/c4/c4956a6b_IMG_5240.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753642" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/c/c4/600x400px-LL-c4956a6b_IMG_5240.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br>

Moar screen space. 4x more, in fact.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/0d/0dfcf273_IMG_5320.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753643" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/0d/600x400px-LL-0dfcf273_IMG_5320.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/7/79/792fb121_IMG_5319.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753645" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/7/79/600x400px-LL-792fb121_IMG_5319.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br>

I always thought my Samsung TV had some sort of IPS panel, but this monitor has much better viewing angles. Both screens are at the same brightness when viewed straight on.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/8/86/861088fd_IMG_5258.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753647" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/8/86/600x400px-LL-861088fd_IMG_5258.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br>

AND... drum roll please... <span style="font-size:36px;">NO ANTI GLARE COATING!</span><br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/e/ea/ead40c2c_IMG_5255.jpeg"><img alt="700" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753648" data-type="61" height="700" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/e/ea/467x700px-LL-ead40c2c_IMG_5255.jpeg" width="467"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/2/23/23ed0929_IMG_5284.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753658" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/2/23/600x400px-LL-23ed0929_IMG_5284.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br>

You can see the thick coating on the old Samsung, while the Shimian is as clear as a mirror.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/12/1217088c_IMG_5264.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753659" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/12/600x400px-LL-1217088c_IMG_5264.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br><br>

There's a little backlight bleed in the top, but hardly any on the rest of the screen. This shot was a bit overexposed: subjectively, the Samsung's white halo was more annoying on a black screen, but even that was minor.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/15/1536e94d_IMG_5247.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753664" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/15/600x400px-LL-1536e94d_IMG_5247.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br>

I ran a little monitor test for comparison, but all my shots seemed underexposed <img alt="doh.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.overclock.net/images/smilies/doh.gif"> Once I find my tripod, I'll take some RAWs and post some better pics. Left is the Shimian, right is the Samsung TV.<br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f1/f1794b87_IMG_5253.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753678" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f1/600x400px-LL-f1794b87_IMG_5253.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br><br>

Guess which one's which? I'm a believer now: IPS has better color. Photos don't do it justice, and the TN monitor you're watching doesn't either. Sadly, I can't afford/ don't know how use equipment to calibrate the monitor and test color gamut.<br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/e/ea/ea062fc5_IMG_5299.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753685" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/e/ea/600x400px-LL-ea062fc5_IMG_5299.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/3/3b/3b11b661_IMG_5304.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753686" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/3/3b/600x400px-LL-3b11b661_IMG_5304.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br><br>

I'll run a more in depth ms test with that TFT review program soon, but the two monitors seemed close.<br><br>

As far as ghosting goes, results were... inconclusive. First 2 are the Samsung, 2nd two are the Shimian. I'm no hardcore FPS gamer, but Half Life looked just fine (I had some awful driver related tearing issues in Skyrim, BF3 and SWTOR were updating, then I gave up. I'll play some more games later). That block is rapidly moving across the screen, and it's a 1/250 second exposure.<br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/a/ae/aeebf4e5_IMG_5278.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753697" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/a/ae/600x400px-LL-aeebf4e5_IMG_5278.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/b/bf/bfb7768e_IMG_5276.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753698" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/b/bf/600x400px-LL-bfb7768e_IMG_5276.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/e/e1/e1d9aea0_IMG_5279.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753694" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/e/e1/600x400px-LL-e1d9aea0_IMG_5279.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/9/9c/9c5d1d44_IMG_5274.jpeg"><img alt="400" class="bbcode_img" data-id="753692" data-type="61" height="400" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/9/9c/600x400px-LL-9c5d1d44_IMG_5274.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><br><br><br><br>

The stand is probably the worst thing about this monitor. It's cheap, un-adjustable, and almost tippy, but it's also very easy to overlook with a $400 monitor this good. If you need a good stand, this monitor does have wall mount screw holes in the back, which means you can just buy a better stand anyway. The Catleap variant, however, has a very nice stand.<br><br><br>

There's a power button, 2 brightness buttons, and two volume buttons on the upper right hand corner of the monitor. Oh, and there are speakers in the back, which I might get around to testing.<br><br><br>

All in all, is an AMAZING monitor for the scant $400 I paid for it. You get the same, non AG panel you get in 27" iMacs for less than 1/2 the cost of a Dell u2711. While I wouldn't trust any shipping company or seller that far overseas, shipping was suprisingly fast, packaging was good, and the monitor was exactly what I ordered.<br><br>

Where to get the monitor test I used:<br>

<a href="http://tft.vanity.dk/" target="_blank">http://tft.vanity.dk/</a><br><br><br><br>

Company site, with specs (thank you,windfire)<br>

<a href="http://www.achieva.co.kr/product/product_03_lcd.htm?cate1=1222158329&cate2=&cate3=&code=1296293755" target="_blank">http://www.achieva.co.kr/product/product_03_lcd.htm?cate1=1222158329&cate2=&cate3=&code=1296293755</a><br><br>

Korean review, with specs and better testing (thank you noak)<br>

<a href="http://www.slrclub.com/bbs/vx2.php?id=slr_review&no=215" target="_blank">http://www.slrclub.com/bbs/vx2.php?id=slr_review&no=215</a><br><br>

And remember, you're on your own as far as any sort of warranty goes. This monitor's a steal, but it's also very risky.<br><br>

It's 1:15 AM, and I've got to get up early in the morning. After I play with this monitor a bit more, I'll post my experiences. Good luck to the 4 others who ordered it!</div>

</div>

<br>

More pictures.<br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>brucethemoose</strong> <a href="/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-achieva-shimian-qh270-does-anyone-read-korean/100_100#post_16551847"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/07/07bd2472_PhotoFeb2435609PM.jpeg"><img alt="448" class="bbcode_img" data-id="755873" data-type="61" height="448" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/07/600x448px-LL-07bd2472_PhotoFeb2435609PM.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f4/f486a310_PhotoFeb2435910PMHDR.jpeg"><img alt="448" class="bbcode_img" data-id="755874" data-type="61" height="448" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f4/600x448px-LL-f486a310_PhotoFeb2435910PMHDR.jpeg" width="600"></a><br>

The stand feels cheap, but as far as appearance goes, it doesn't look half bad.<br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/a/a8/a8ff608c_PhotoFeb2440101PMHDR.jpeg"><img alt="448" class="bbcode_img" data-id="755877" data-type="61" height="448" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/a/a8/600x448px-LL-a8ff608c_PhotoFeb2440101PMHDR.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/2/28/285f587c_PhotoFeb2440115PMHDR.jpeg"><img alt="448" class="bbcode_img" data-id="755879" data-type="61" height="448" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/2/28/600x448px-LL-285f587c_PhotoFeb2440115PMHDR.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/9/95/956de821_PhotoFeb2440125PMHDR.jpeg"><img alt="448" class="bbcode_img" data-id="755880" data-type="61" height="448" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/9/95/600x448px-LL-956de821_PhotoFeb2440125PMHDR.jpeg" width="600"></a><br>

I'll get back to you on shipping.<br><br>

I'm guessing this does not qualify as an item intended for the US market.<br>

Sorry for not being able to post much. Ever since the review, I've spent about 10 minutes total with this monitor, and I won't have much time until tonight.</div>

</div>

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>brucethemoose</strong> <a href="/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-achieva-shimian-qh270-does-anyone-read-korean/100_100#post_16547945"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br>

About that...<br><img alt="445a0bb9-88ae-b092.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://img.tapatalk.com/445a0bb9-88ae-b092.jpg"><br>

I may be missing something, but this is my first monitor with no VGA input. HDMI = DVI + audio though, so an hdmi adapter would be cheap.<br><br>

And I just tried to use the OSD buttons. They're totally disabled, and feel different than the functional buttons.<br><img alt="445a0bb9-8918-2402.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://img.tapatalk.com/445a0bb9-8918-2402.jpg"><br>

No OSD. Your graphics card can do adjustments if needed, but this is truly a bare bones monitor if there ever was one.</div>

</div>

<br>

First pictures of the Achieva QH270-IPSB, the one with glass and no speakers. <span style="text-decoration:line-through;">Thank</span> Bless you AchuSaysBlessYou<br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>AchuSaysBlessYou</strong> <a href="/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-achieva-shimian-qh270-does-anyone-read-korean/400_100#post_16585524"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/16/16b967e0_IMAG0156.jpeg"><img alt="338" class="bbcode_img" data-id="761530" data-type="61" height="338" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/16/600x338px-LL-16b967e0_IMAG0156.jpeg" width="600"></a><br>

So... the weird thing about this one, is that the back has holes for the speakers... like the OP... but there are NO speakers... there's a hole for the jack on the back, but it's empty<br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/7/79/79031bcf_IMAG0155.jpeg"><img alt="338" class="bbcode_img" data-id="761531" data-type="61" height="338" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/7/79/600x338px-LL-79031bcf_IMAG0155.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/3/39/39e08038_IMAG0158.jpeg"><img alt="338" class="bbcode_img" data-id="761532" data-type="61" height="338" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/3/39/600x338px-LL-39e08038_IMAG0158.jpeg" width="600"></a><br>

see the hole?<br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/5b/5ba9478a_IMAG0159.jpeg"><img alt="700" class="bbcode_img" data-id="761533" data-type="61" height="700" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/5b/395x700px-LL-5ba9478a_IMAG0159.jpeg" width="395"></a><br>

wires that came with the monitor, one end is the generic 3 prong cable for things that need this sort of power (as you can tell, my knowledge of cables is pretty low)<br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/b/b2/b230e4a3_IMAG0160.jpeg"><img alt="700" class="bbcode_img" data-id="761537" data-type="61" height="700" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/b/b2/395x700px-LL-b230e4a3_IMAG0160.jpeg" width="395"></a><br>

so i bought this one off amazon: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325&tag=overclockdotnet-20&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB0000510ZO%2Fref%3Doh_o00_s00_i00_details" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000510ZO/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details</a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/c/c2/c202d0a6_IMAG0161.jpeg"><img alt="338" class="bbcode_img" data-id="761539" data-type="61" height="338" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/c/c2/600x338px-LL-c202d0a6_IMAG0161.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/a/a0/a00198e3_IMAG0162.jpeg"><img alt="338" class="bbcode_img" data-id="761540" data-type="61" height="338" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/a/a0/600x338px-LL-a00198e3_IMAG0162.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/10/1088deaa_IMAG0166.jpeg"><img alt="338" class="bbcode_img" data-id="761541" data-type="61" height="338" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/10/600x338px-LL-1088deaa_IMAG0166.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/6/6c/6c997933_IMAG0165.jpeg"><img alt="338" class="bbcode_img" data-id="761545" data-type="61" height="338" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/6/6c/600x338px-LL-6c997933_IMAG0165.jpeg" width="600"></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=overclockdotnet-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;"></div>

</div>

<br>

Tiny spec of dust under the glass model. Not really noticeable.<br>

<a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/5a/5a9b9456_2012-02-2817.33.35.jpeg">http://www.overclock.net/image/id/1909828/width/600/height/450/flags/LL</a><br><br><br>

The Catleap variant. This is the first evidence of <b>60hz+ refresh rates</b> on the Catleap monitors, necriss got his all the way to <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><b>97hz</b></span>.<br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>necriss</strong> <a href="/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-achieva-shimian-qh270-does-anyone-read-korean/600_100#post_16604349"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br>

My catleap arrived today, ordered on Sunday evening, arrived the following Friday morning.<br>

packaging on arrival, nicely bubble wrapped<br><img alt="ygoyfox3.kll.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://iforce.co.nz/i/ygoyfox3.kll.jpg"><br>

declared as a monitor with a value of $50 usd<br><img alt="gqfgpipm.nfj.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://iforce.co.nz/i/gqfgpipm.nfj.jpg"><br>

unboxing<br><img alt="1hnw0bb5.m42.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://iforce.co.nz/i/1hnw0bb5.m42.jpg"><br>

2 thumbscrews to lock into stand<br><img alt="yu135zna.n0k.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://iforce.co.nz/i/yu135zna.n0k.jpg"><br>

1080p video on native res, pic doesn't do justice<br><img alt="cnam1u0n.xwe.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://iforce.co.nz/i/cnam1u0n.xwe.jpg"><br>

97hz on native resolution<br><img alt="lx4mpxja.axb.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://iforce.co.nz/i/lx4mpxja.axb.jpg"><br>

bf3<br><img alt="nabpymi0.isg.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://iforce.co.nz/i/nabpymi0.isg.jpg"><br>

no dead pixels as far as I can tell, however there is a slight color temperature shift towards the bottom of the screen which only seems to affect white (white turns a little beige).<br>

also the glare is much easier on the eyes than apple screens which are glass reinforced (compared with macbook pro).<br>

regarding OSD, there is none only a simple brightness up and down.</div>

</div>

<br>

Proof of the 85hz+ refresh rates on the Catleaps.<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>ToastyX</strong> <a href="/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-90hz-achieva-shimian-qh270-and-catleap-q270/700_100#post_16611926"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br>

It leans about 1/4" when measuring edge to edge. I tried pushing it to the left but it doesn't help.<br>

My comment about the backlight was actually a pro, not a con. It doesn't flicker more than a CCFL monitor.<br>

The pixel response times seem typical of an IPS panel without overdrive.<br>

85 Hz proof pics (catleap):<br>

I set the camera's shutter speed to 1/10th of a second and took pictures at 60 Hz and 85 Hz.<br>

I used <a class="bbcode_url" href="http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1423433" target="_blank">Refresh Rate Multitool</a>, which is a program that synchronizes with the monitor's refresh rate and draws a bar moving from left to right once per frame.<br>

60 Hz:<br><img alt="catleap-bars-60hz.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://www.monitortests.com/yamakasi-catleap-q270-led/catleap-bars-60hz.jpg"><br>

85 Hz:<br><img alt="catleap-bars-85hz.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://www.monitortests.com/yamakasi-catleap-q270-led/catleap-bars-85hz.jpg"><br>

Notice how more bars are drawn in the same amount of time at 85 Hz, and no bars are skipped.<br>

I also did the old mouse cursor test:<br>

60 Hz:<br><img alt="catleap-mouse-60hz.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://www.monitortests.com/yamakasi-catleap-q270-led/catleap-mouse-60hz.jpg"><br>

85 Hz:<br><img alt="catleap-mouse-85hz.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://www.monitortests.com/yamakasi-catleap-q270-led/catleap-mouse-85hz.jpg"><br>

Notice how more cursors are drawn in the same amount of time with less spacing between each cursor. The movement is perfectly smooth with no skipped frames.<br>

Note: If you do the cursor test, make sure to use a 1000 Hz or 500 Hz mouse, otherwise it may look like it's skipping due to mismatched rates.<br>

For reference, this is how skipped frames look like:<br><img alt="mouse-ds.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://www.toastyx.net/mouse-ds.jpg"><br>

This is the real deal. It can actually do higher refresh rates properly, and NVIDIA users might be able to get more than 85 Hz if the pixel clock is not limited to 330 MHz.<br>

The 97 Hz limit seems to be due to the pixel clock hitting the DAC limit of 400 MHz. I bet it could hit 100 Hz if the timing parameters were bumped down a bit, but I don't have an NVIDIA card to test this with.</div>

</div>

<br>

Alternative seller. Use at your own risk, not sure how many ordered from this one.

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>jumpdownlow</strong> <a href="/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-90hz-achieva-shimian-qh270-and-catleap-q270/600_100#post_16597855"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br>

Catleap is a lot cheaper when bought through MinarinShop, if any one is interested in that.<br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/1d/1d01c930_difference.png"><img alt="242" class="bbcode_img" data-id="763674" data-type="61" height="242" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/1d/575x242px-LL-1d01c930_difference.png" width="575"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url" href="http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=245885061&pos_shop_cd=EN&pos_class_cd=90000001&pos_class_kind=T&keyword_order=2560+1440" target="_blank">Gmarket Q270</a><br>

could be cheaper here, not sure how auction site works because i can't read korean.<br>

<a href="http://itempage3.auction.co.kr/DetailView.aspx?ItemNo=A592430189&cc=AA02&keyword=2560%201440&Fwk=2560%201440&scoredtype=0&frm2=through&acode=SRP_SV_0301" target="_blank">http://itempage3.auction.co.kr/DetailView.aspx?ItemNo=A592430189&cc=AA02&keyword=2560%201440&Fwk=2560%201440&scoredtype=0&frm2=through&acode=SRP_SV_0301</a></div>

</div>

<br>

More Catleap pics.

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>ScribbyDaGreat</strong> <a href="/t/1202319/build-log-the-waterlogged-skeleton/0_100#post_16635733"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br><span style="color:#315d78;">Thank you! <img alt="thumb.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.overclock.net/images/smilies/thumb.gif"><br>

Here are some pics of my new monitor for the work set up. You can read all about this here - <b><a class="bbcode_url" href="http://www.overclock.net/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-90hz-achieva-shimian-qh270-and-catleap-q270/0_100#post_16472827">CLICKY</a></b> - I will say this is a GORGEOUS monitor and the price shipped to me was only $400! Check out the thread for all the details, but I highly recommend picking up one of these bad boys (I may get a second one for the office). I purchased mine from Dreamseller. There are other eBay sellers, he/she was awesome and I received the monitor in a week (from S. Korea - yea a week!) Again, have fun in the thread as there are over 1100 posts by now. I can answer some questions of my experience and monitor if you are interested as well.<br><b>Catleap 27" Monitor - straight outta South Korea! Bubble wrapped for your protection.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/4/45/45f27635_IMG_1302.jpeg"><img alt="675" class="bbcode_img" data-id="769856" data-type="61" height="675" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/4/45/600x675px-LL-45f27635_IMG_1302.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>Normal boxing - everything looking good.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/4/4b/4b2025c2_IMG_1303.jpeg"><img alt="436" class="bbcode_img" data-id="769857" data-type="61" height="436" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/4/4b/600x436px-LL-4b2025c2_IMG_1303.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>All the extras. Monitor comes with base (screws on easily), power brick and funky cord, DVI cable, and manual in Korean. As noted in the thread above, you simply need to use any standard 3 prong monitor plug to use the monitor since the power cable that is supplied is for European/Asian outlets.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/5f/5f5e89e8_IMG_1304.jpeg"><img alt="417" class="bbcode_img" data-id="769860" data-type="61" height="417" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/5f/600x417px-LL-5f5e89e8_IMG_1304.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/5a/5aebccd4_IMG_1307.jpeg"><img alt="700" class="bbcode_img" data-id="769861" data-type="61" height="700" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/5a/528x700px-LL-5aebccd4_IMG_1307.jpeg" width="528"></a><br><b>The back of the monitor and inputs.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f1/f1dd54f8_IMG_1305.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="769862" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f1/600x450px-LL-f1dd54f8_IMG_1305.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/0d/0d71cc41_IMG_1306.jpeg"><img alt="700" class="bbcode_img" data-id="769863" data-type="61" height="700" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/0/0d/525x700px-LL-0d71cc41_IMG_1306.jpeg" width="525"></a><br>

I currently have this bad boy running a custom refresh rate of 95 although I will probably back it down since I cannot tell the difference between say 75 and 95 for everyday use. I can bump it up when I play some games, but since I am using this as a work monitor the higher refresh is really not necessary.<br><b>Adding a few more pics of my screen and setup for you OCers out there!</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/50/509998ee_IMG_1309.jpeg"><img alt="538" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770168" data-type="61" height="538" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/5/50/600x538px-LL-509998ee_IMG_1309.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>Here's a crappy iPhone shot of the full screen.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/d/d2/d2d66820_IMG_1310.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770173" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/d/d2/600x450px-LL-d2d66820_IMG_1310.jpeg" width="600"></a><br>

You can definitely see the lean that others have mentioned in the monitor. Mine is off by about a 1/4" (slopes down to the right pretty clearly.) I have wall mounts coming tomorrow to mount this monitor along with its sister coming next week (and two other 22s.) I mounted one of the 22s this afternoon and will post a pic of them once they are up. The wall mounts are slick and not too pricey. I'll add some unboxing shots of the wall mounts as well. Cheers!<br></span></div>

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<br>

Catleap calibration info. Thank you ToastyX

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>ToastyX</strong> <a href="/t/1215866/reviewed-400-2560x1440-ips-no-ag-90hz-achieva-shimian-qh270-and-catleap-q270/1200_100#post_16638968"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br>

Measurements and color information for the catleap:<br>

The brightness ranges from 25 cd/m² to 315 cd/m². There are 30 levels of brightness, and each button press averages around 10 cd/m².<br>

Native contrast is around 1025:1 in the middle of the screen. Calibration will bring that down to around 875:1 or higher, depending on the white point.<br>

Native gamma is actually pretty close to 2.2 out of the box.<br>

The native white point is too green, and the brightest white has a different hue from the rest of the grayscale. This is not unusual for LG IPS panels, but most IPS monitors with color controls have the default contrast set one or two notches below the brightest white to avoid this. Since this monitor has no color controls, it just shows the panel's native output. In my experience, the white point being too green is also common with LG IPS panels, but this can vary from panel to panel. These are the main reasons why it looks "off" to me out of the box. With calibration, it looks great.<br>

Several points I should add, colorimeters are not totally accurate with white point measurements, and measurements can drift with age, so results can vary from unit to unit and between different colorimeters. The results can also vary on different parts of the screen since most monitors are not perfectly uniform. My particular panel is slightly redder at the top edge and slightly yellower at the bottom edge, but most of the middle is consistent. Colorimeters also need different filters for different backlights (especially for wider gamuts), so that also affects accuracy. This monitor's gamut is close to sRGB, so that's not a major problem.<br>

I have three colorimeters:<br>

Retail Eye-One Display 2 (oldest)<br>

SpectraView-branded Eye-One Display 2<br>

ColorEyes-branded XRite DTP94B<br>

The SpectraView Eye-One Display 2 was unusable on this monitor. I don't know if this colorimeter is failing or if it just has different filters for wider gamut monitors, but it wanted to add way too much red.<br>

The retail Eye-One Display 2 and the DTP94B were pretty close to each other. Both removed a lot of green along with some red, with the DTP94 leaving slightly more green. I always preferred the Eye-One Display 2 over the DTP94B because the DTP94B always left a little more green than I liked. The retail Eye-One's result looks more natural to me, but I have no way of knowing for sure which one is more accurate without a spectrophotometer.<br>

Another problem I should mention is the Eye-One Display 2's brightness measurement drifts downwards when it gets warmer. The DTP94B doesn't have that problem, so I did the brightness measurements with the DTP94B. Black point measurements are also hard for colorimeters, so it's hard to get exact contrast values. The DTP94 only reports to two decimal places.<br>

I don't usually like to post color profiles since colors can vary from unit to unit, but since this monitor benefits greatly from white point calibration and the gamma doesn't change much, I will include three profiles here (all gamma 2.2):<br><a class="bbcode_url" href="http://www.monitortests.com/yamakasi-catleap-q270-led/catleap-6500k.icm" target="_blank">catleap-6500k.icm</a> - This is the one produced by the retail Eye-One Display 2. Contrast is around 875:1.<br><a class="bbcode_url" href="http://www.monitortests.com/yamakasi-catleap-q270-led/catleap-d65.icm" target="_blank">catleap-d65.icm</a> - This is the one produced by the DTP94. This one has slightly more green. Contrast is around 900:1.<br>

*** Edit: I just noticed the Eye-One's profile makes blues purplish in color-managed programs, so the DTP94 (D65) profile is probably the better one to use. ***<br>

To get 115-120 cd/m² with those profiles, use 10 button presses up from the lowest brightness.<br><a class="bbcode_url" href="http://www.monitortests.com/yamakasi-catleap-q270-led/catleap-native.icm" target="_blank">catleap-native.icm</a> - This one keeps the native white point while adjusting the rest of the grayscale to match. Since the white point can vary from unit to unit, use this if the other two profiles look strange to you. This one preserves the native contrast ratio.<br>

To get 115 cd/m² with this profile, use 8 button presses up from the lowest brightness.<br>

I also need to write up how to load these profiles. ATI/AMD GPUs are capable of displaying 8-bit color from a 10-bit LUT with dithering just like professional LCD monitors do, which allows you to calibrate without getting banding, but you'll need a third-party LUT loader because the LUT loader in Windows only supports 8-bit values. I don't know of a way to enable dithering with NVIDIA cards in Windows, so NVIDIA users will get some banding when using a color profile. Mac OS X enables dithering for both ATI/AMD and NVIDIA GPUs, so gradients should always be smooth there.<br>

That leaves me with a conundrum:<br>

ATI/AMD: no banding with calibration, but can only get 85 Hz<br>

NVIDIA: banding with calibration, but can get 100 Hz<br>

I wish there was some way to get one or the other to do both.</div>

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<br><br>

How to mount the Catleap.

<a class="spoiler-link H-spoiler-toggle" href="#"><strong>Warning: Spoiler!</strong> <span class="spoiler-help">(Click to show)</span></a><div class="spoiler-hidden">

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>

<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>ScribbyDaGreat</strong> <a href="/t/1202319/build-log-the-waterlogged-skeleton/0_100#post_16643049"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif"></a><br><br><span style="color:#315d78;"><br>

I really didn't like the stand on the Catleap monitor and knew I needed to change that up in a hurry so I went ahead and purchased some wall mounts. I plan on having two of these mounted one on top of the other with 2 22" on each side. Below is a step-by-step (or there about!) of how to remove the bezel, stand, and rear silver arc.<br><b>First, remove the 8 screws around the outside of the monitor (not shown - pretty obvious.) Next, you need to find a location that is separating easily - mine was right next to the power, brightness, volume buttons. While separating the two bezels gently pry the pieces apart with a flat blade screw driver. Don't be rough! As long as you are applying enough pressure on the bezel with your hand the screw driver will easily pop the little clips. Continue around the bezel the same way - separate and pop. You will notice that it is best to pry the bezel apart at the very point where the two pieces do not want to separate easily - this is a tab.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/fb/fbe3e378_bezelremoval.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770943" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/fb/600x450px-LL-fbe3e378_bezelremoval.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>Once you have the outside bezel removed, turn the monitor over and you will see 4 silver screws around the outside corners. Remove these.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/6/66/66a9a92c_4screws.jpeg"><img alt="700" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770944" data-type="61" height="700" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/6/66/525x700px-LL-66a9a92c_4screws.jpeg" width="525"></a><br><b>SORRY FOR THE CRAPPY PIC!! Once you have the 4 screws removed tilt the screen up and you will find it plugged in at 3 locations. Simply unclip each one and the monitor is free from the housing. The top two clips require you to press the edges of the clip inward for them to be removed. The bottom one (white cabling) is like a PSU tab - lift and the lines will separate.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/2/25/257d721d_blurrywiring.jpeg"><img alt="700" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770948" data-type="61" height="700" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/2/25/525x700px-LL-257d721d_blurrywiring.jpeg" width="525"></a><br><b>With the monitor out this is what you see. The four boxes are the screws you need to cleanly remove the silver arc piece. I didn't! See below.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/3/31/3149c8c8_backlcdremoved4screwssquare.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770951" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/3/31/600x450px-LL-3149c8c8_backlcdremoved4screwssquare.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>Here are the top screws for the silver arc.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/7/7e/7ebbbfea_topscrewsforbacking.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770970" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/7/7e/600x450px-LL-7ebbbfea_topscrewsforbacking.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>Here is the bottom of the back panel and the mount for the stand. Remove the red box screws to release the silver arc. The green box screws hold the stand in place.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/c/c8/c833cbc3_backwithallscrews.jpeg"><img alt="381" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770955" data-type="61" height="381" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/c/c8/600x381px-LL-c833cbc3_backwithallscrews.jpeg" width="599"></a><br><b>Here is the bottom connector for the silver arc - see how these pieces are broken? I thought you could simply pull the arc off - ummm, no, you can't.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/19/193771f4_bottomofbackpiecebroken.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770958" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/19/600x450px-LL-193771f4_bottomofbackpiecebroken.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>Here is a shot of one side of the stand mount. You could remove the two nuts holding the stand to the swivel mount if you want. These are 10mm nuts. I was going to go this route but found it really tight in there to get a 10mm anything to get the nut free so I just removed the whole bracket (saves a few ounces in weight!) Remove these screws - and two not pictured - to release the stand bracket.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/16/16ae2620_standbracket1.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770971" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/16/600x450px-LL-16ae2620_standbracket1.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>Here is the back with the stand bracket removed. Re-insert screws here for the panel hold down.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/d/df/df73b78c_withstandremoved.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770967" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/d/df/600x450px-LL-df73b78c_withstandremoved.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>Here is the stand and bracket removed as one piece. As you can see it is held in place with a total of 6 screws.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/14/143bdee2_standremoved.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770976" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/1/14/600x450px-LL-143bdee2_standremoved.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>Here are some pics of my wall mount solution - look China and South Korea working together to bring me awesome video!</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/fb/fbd714a0_mount1.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770978" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/fb/600x450px-LL-fbd714a0_mount1.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>This is an up close of my wall mount and the power brick mounted to the wall with velcro.</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f4/f48a92be_mountexample.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770979" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/f/f4/600x450px-LL-f48a92be_mountexample.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/b/b3/b38e941a_powerbrickwall.jpeg"><img alt="567" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770980" data-type="61" height="567" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/b/b3/600x567px-LL-b38e941a_powerbrickwall.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><b>Finally, some shots with the monitor mounted - both off and on. Enjoy!</b><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/e/ec/eced3d12_FINALOFF.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770981" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/e/ec/600x450px-LL-eced3d12_FINALOFF.jpeg" width="600"></a><br><a class="bbcode_url H-lightbox-open" href="http://cdn.overclock.net/3/39/39948f22_FINAL.jpeg"><img alt="450" class="bbcode_img" data-id="770982" data-type="61" height="450" src="http://cdn.overclock.net/3/39/600x450px-LL-39948f22_FINAL.jpeg" width="600"></a><br>

I will post some final pics once I get all four monitors in place. Looking like I will finish up Tiamat this week so this bad boy will get some real progress next week! Can't wait!! <img alt="thumb.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.overclock.net/images/smilies/thumb.gif"><br></span></div>

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</div>

<br><br>

How to run your monitor at a higher refresh rate, particularly if you have an AMD/ATI card (as Nvidia users can already set a custom refresh rate). The program someone over at hardforum made is the easiest way to do it, though other more effective ways are being investigated. Again, thank you ToastyX.<br><br>

Program: <a href="http://www.toastyx.net/cru-preview.zip" target="_blank">http://www.toastyx.net/cru-preview.zip</a><br>

Release notes: <a href="http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1038342324&postcount=6" target="_blank">http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1038342324&postcount=6</a><br>

See also: <a href="http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/7947-force-dvi-hdmi-resolutions-refresh-rates.html" target="_blank">http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/7947-force-dvi-hdmi-resolutions-refresh-rates.html</a><br><br><br>

Translated reviews of the Catleap, Achieva, and Crossover brand monitors.<br>

<a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.playwares.com%2Fxe%2Findex.php%3Fmid%3Dmaingame%26page%3D2%26category%3D19628503%26document_srl%3D21449157" target="_blank">http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.playwares.com%2Fxe%2Findex.php%3Fmid%3Dmaingame%26page%3D2%26category%3D19628503%26document_srl%3D21449157</a><br>

<a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.playwares.com%2Fxe%2Findex.php%3Fmid%3Dmaingame%26page%3D3%26category%3D19628503%26document_srl%3D20925987" target="_blank">http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.playwares.com%2Fxe%2Findex.php%3Fmid%3Dmaingame%26page%3D3%26category%3D19628503%26document_srl%3D20925987</a><br>

<a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=www.playwares.com%2Fxe%2Findex.php%3Fmid%3Dmaingame%26page%3D5%26category%3D19628503%26document_srl%3D19660691" target="_blank">http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=www.playwares.com%2Fxe%2Findex.php%3Fmid%3Dmaingame%26page%3D5%26category%3D19628503%26document_srl%3D19660691</a><br><br><br>

Good info on the Yamasaki Catleap: <a href="http://www.wapy.com/entiz/read.php?num=5299" target="_blank">http://www.wapy.com/entiz/read.php?num=5299</a><br><br>

Achieva unboxing: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2FQjo9fTok" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2FQjo9fTok</a><br><br><a class="bbcode_url" href="http://red.cachefly.net/TimeScapes4K2560p.mp4" target="_blank">2560x1440 test video</a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><span style="font-size:16px;">Here's the Yamasaki Catleap club, for more info on that variant:</span> <a href="http://www.overclock.net/t/1225919/yamakasi-catleap-monitor-club/0_100">http://www.overclock.net/t/1225919/yamakasi-catleap-monitor-club/0_100</a><br><br><br><br>