XL2420Z

[Terra]

So, I am having doubt.

I am planning on getting the monitor but when paired up with a single GTX 970, I will probably not be able to play current games at ultra settings to take benefit of the 144hz.

Any help with this?

Examples game that I will be playing are: Eve Online, MGSV, Black Ops 3, Star Wars Battlefront, Witcher 3, War thunder and Fallout 4.

[Falkentyne]

You're missing the point of the XL (blur reduction 1.0) series.

It's not to take advantage of 144 hz.

It's for blur reduction.

 

Take a look at this picture.

 

http://www.blurbusters.com/faq/60vs120vslb/

 

BTW Lightboost persistence is about equal to benq blur reduction with a strobe duty value of 009 (with vertical total tweak active). or between duty 009-015 (without VT tweak at 60hz or 144hz).

So use blur reduction at 120hz  with VT 1500 tweak, or 100hz.   It will look MUCH better than 144hz without blur reduction

[Terra]

well i do get it now, 144hz is only for fps games, which can easily achieved high fps. 

 

but does the blur reduction or lightboost work for 60fps?

[Falkentyne]

Hi Terra,

The Benq blur reduction monitors (NOT the XL2730Z, however, due to a firmware/scaler bug) can use single strobed blur reduction at 60hz refresh rate, and can also single strobe through HDMI (for game consoles), so as long as you were not getting bad input lag, you could enable the single strobe setting in the service menu, and cap the FPS at 59 (vsync off) or 60 for 60 hz/60 FPS, but this will cause backlighit flickering just like a 60hz CRT.  Turning single strobe to "off" will cause official refresh rates from 60hz to 85hz (85hz is not a standard refresh rate, but you can create it manually in ToastyX CRU using automatic timings at 1920x1080), will cause a double strobe (strobing twice per every refresh).  This will prevent backlight flicker, but this can cause a double image effect which may or may not improve your game play over blur reduction off (never have single strobe off on the desktop lower than 100hz, if blur reduction is on...looks ugly).  , however, UNLESS you are one of those very special people who use 50hz--strobe information is missing for single strobe at 50hz so NEVER enable single strobe at 50hz).

 

Also if double strobing is enabled for 60-85hz, strobe duty and strobe phase strobe adjustments are ignored and use a preset setting.

 

At 100hz-144hz, the single strobe on/off setting is ignored and on V4+ firmware, the monitor will always single strobe.

 

"Lightboost" (3d vision 2) would single strobe at 100 and 120hz. (110hz looked a bit ugly).

Eizo Turbo 240 would double strobe (strobe twice per refresh) at 120hz, with no option to enable single strobe.  It did look smooth at least but VERY slight double image.

LG's motion 240 also double strobes as far as I know.

[Terra]

Hi Terra,

The Benq blur reduction monitors (NOT the XL2730Z, however, due to a firmware/scaler bug) can use single strobed blur reduction at 60hz refresh rate, and can also single strobe through HDMI (for game consoles), so as long as you were not getting bad input lag, you could enable the single strobe setting in the service menu, and cap the FPS at 59 (vsync off) or 60 for 60 hz/60 FPS, but this will cause backlighit flickering just like a 60hz CRT.  Turning single strobe to "off" will cause official refresh rates from 60hz to 85hz (85hz is not a standard refresh rate, but you can create it manually in ToastyX CRU using automatic timings at 1920x1080), will cause a double strobe (strobing twice per every refresh).  This will prevent backlight flicker, but this can cause a double image effect which may or may not improve your game play over blur reduction off (never have single strobe off on the desktop lower than 100hz, if blur reduction is on...looks ugly).  , however, UNLESS you are one of those very special people who use 50hz--strobe information is missing for single strobe at 50hz so NEVER enable single strobe at 50hz).

 

Also if double strobing is enabled for 60-85hz, strobe duty and strobe phase strobe adjustments are ignored and use a preset setting.

 

At 100hz-144hz, the single strobe on/off setting is ignored and on V4+ firmware, the monitor will always single strobe.

 

"Lightboost" (3d vision 2) would single strobe at 100 and 120hz. (110hz looked a bit ugly).

Eizo Turbo 240 would double strobe (strobe twice per refresh) at 120hz, with no option to enable single strobe.  It did look smooth at least but VERY slight double image.

LG's motion 240 also double strobes as far as I know.

 

well, i will just go for the XL2420Z then.

 

it cost USD 435 though at my place, worst case scenario, i will get the RL2455HM monitor which cost at USD 195.  

 

so yeah, price will be the next factor

[Falkentyne]

It's a fun monitor.
Tends to be best for former CRT lovers who could not handle the move from smooth motion CRT's (All CRT's were strobed backlights) to blurry LCD's

I was going to flash my XL2720Z with a XL2420Z V4 firmware to test something but I decided against it (Since even though it *MIGHT* work, I wouldn't want to tell people to flash their XL2420Z's just for the "hidden" AMA low mode).

 

Basically the XL2720Z has an AMA low overdrive mode that was added to V3 of that firmware (also works in V4 and V5) which lowers the overdrive intensity by about 50% (this must be combined with dropping the contrast; 5-15 work best for contrast here), while the XL2420Z and XL2411Z do not have this mode, for some reason.  It makes a pretty big difference on the XL2720Z compared to the default AMA high setting, and is VERY nice for 2D side scrolling games and emulators.

 

I have a Mstar ISP firmware programming unit so I can flash firmwares at will.   I was just curious if someone flashed their XL2420Z with a XL2720Z v4/V5 firmware to gain access to the AMA low mode....

[Terra]

oh, does the Mstar ISP firmware is a must have item?

[Falkentyne]

oh, does the Mstar ISP firmware is a must have item?

It's not a firmware.  It's a flash tool.  Or rather, a programming device.

 

http://www.cart100.com/Product/5278188206/LCD_TV_development_tool/

 

Awesome device.  It can flash a lot of flash chips in monitors.  I flashed my Asus VG248QE with the XL2420Z firmware and bricked it, then flashed it back and recovered it. (I backed up the VG248QE firmware first, of course).  It's usually only used by LCD manufacturer techs.

[Terra]

oh, that, l would not mind getting it if i have the extra cash