Review on Enhance your Viewing Experience with the ViewSonic VG2230WM 22 Inch Widescreen Monitor – Crisp 1680X1050P Resolution, Wide LCD Screen by Roderick Carson

I've had this monitor for about a year and a half (April 2008). It's a huge screen, crisp display, and a big improvement over the old CRT I used (which probably still works, although I threw it away when I got this one). goes black for a few seconds and then turns back on by itself. It used to be rare, but then it started happening every day. It didn't bother me much because it only went out for a second or two. I thought it had something to do with the cable connections and after fiddling with it it seemed to fix the problem (I later found out it probably had nothing to do with it). Just yesterday my monitor went dead, the power light is on but the entire screen is black. Adjusting the menu options doesn't show anything on screen (i.e. I can't see controls for things like brightness and contrast, so I know it's something with the monitor itself). I tried connecting it to several other computers including a laptop - nothing worked. I checked online and it turns out this is a common problem with Viewsonic monitors and some LCDs in general. A google search for my problem led me to pages about swollen capacitors and faulty LCD backlight. I called Viewsonic support and was able to get someone in touch (Sunday so good for them). I described the problem and all the cross checks I had done on different computers before I could finish. The rep said it was most likely a faulty backlight (I got the impression this was a common occurrence). I have an RMA number and a shipping address. It's still under warranty, so I only have to pay for shipping the LCD. Unfortunately I don't have the original packaging (make sure you keep it) so I have to be extra careful with packing and sourcing good packing material. Also, I searched the internet to learn more about Viewsonic's repair procedure and other people's experiences. . Not very comforting. Many people seem to have complained about the lack of information about the status of the repair, the repair took longer than originally stated, and in some cases the product itself was lost by Viewsonic. Consumers seem to have to call the company every day for status updates (they have a website to check for updates, but it doesn't seem to tell you anything even weeks after receiving the product). As I said, I haven't shipped the product yet, but I hope I don't have the same experience as others who have sent this product back for service. Overall the LCD was great while it worked. Didn't compare purchases too much as it was recommended by another friend (not sure how his LCD is doing). The price is pretty good, but I'm sure there are other competitors offering similar prices - it seems like anyone can make a monitor these days. I'm generally lucky with my purchases, maybe I just "have to" have it. of them eventually fail me. However, I'm surprised that this (fairly new) monitor didn't survive the Dell Dimension Desktop (from 2004) it ran for me. My plan was to ditch the LCD and upgrade the computer - it didn't seem to be working as I expected. Viewsonic says repairs will take 15 to 21 days, but most people's experience is closer to a month and a half. I'm not a "fanboy" (or the opposite) - I just wanted you to be aware of your issues before making a final decision.