With its handsome, easel-like, brushed-aluminum bezel and stand, the Sony MFM-HT205 looks like a luxury-model entertainment monitor. In addition to the expected DVI, this 20-inch wide-screen LCD has component, composite, and S-Video connections--even a TV tuner and a TV remote. The cost of $855 (as of 5/18/06) confirms the luxury-model status, but its performance doesn't keep pace with the price.
As a straight-up desktop monitor, the glossy-screened MFM-HT205 performs competently, but not marvelously. It received good scores on
The MFM-HT205 offers some advanced screen adjustments, such as four different gamma settings. It also includes treble, bass, and balance controls for the integrated speakers, which sounded bright and full for a desktop monitor.
This monitor's best entertainment extra is its TV remote. A handsome black unit with a silver faceplate, the curved remote fits nicely into larger hands. Though its contoured cut-away handholds didn't match up perfectly with my skinny fingers, the remote's not-too-chunky size and curved bottom made it sit comfortably.
To test the TV quality, I viewed various types of content over a DVI connection. Color looked pleasing on our HD and standard-def TV tests, but the picture appeared somewhat pale. Even in movie mode, the MFM-HT206 showed a soft, pale picture on our DVDs of
The Sony MFM-HT05's design stands out, but its screen doesn't make as positive an impression. Less expensive models from Acer and Asus offer better still-image quality. Another less pricey monitor, NEC's MultiSync 20WMGX2, tops that with better still- and moving-image quality--and it offers a TV tuner and most of the same video inputs.
Laura Blackwell
