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I'm at work and just checked my white 20" iMac. Manufacturer is 0610 and model number is 9C59. It can't be AU Optronics, so maybe LG.Philips since the white 20" is known to have either LG.Philips S-IPS (same panel as the 20" ACD) or Samsung S-PVA panel. Either the manufacturer code is meaningless or some 2009 20" use something other than AUO.

For those of you wishing to find out the panel info, do the following:
1) Go to System preferences
2) Choose Display
3) Choose Color
4) Open Profile
5) Scroll down to number 13

The manufacturer code is meaningless. My code is also 0610.

My model number is 9C92.

I think Jay your info just figured this thing out. I am going to run a calibration test now and do use terminal to figure out my model number.
 
Could you post your panel number using the terminal method? At this point, it looks like we have a panel lottery and all the 2009 20" owners with LG.Philips LM201WE3-TLF7 are seeing contrast shift. You may be looking at the good bet in a panel lottery if you are truly not seeing contrast shift.

Well your right on that one, as well as my panel being a TN.

Model:M201EW02 VF

The model for the 07 and 08 models were a M201EW02 VB. That pertains only to the AUO panel imacs.

I don't know the difference between the two.

Calling AUO now.


RJP, yes you were right, ifixit.com rick rolled us all by posting the wrong model number. This also explains why AUO did not know what I was talking about when i asked about the model number M301EW02.

Thanks ifixit.com
 
Well your right on that one, as well as my panel being a TN.

Model:M201EW02 VF

The model for the 07 and 08 models were a M201EW02 VB. That pertains only to the AUO panel imacs.

I don't know the difference between the two.

Calling AUO now.


RJP, yes you were right, ifixit.com rick rolled us all by posting the wrong model number. This also explains why AUO did not know what I was talking about when i asked about the model number M301EW02.

Thanks ifixit.com

So, after all, what is the number of your 20" 2009 display?

If interested, the calibration SW I am using is available free from HCFR. It is discussed in this thread.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=983943
 
The AUO panel in question is a 8 bit panel. Hence the 16.7 million colors included on the spec page.

Also there are different variances of that model with different specs. The different model numbers are as follows.

M201EW02 V0
M201EW02 V1
M201EW02 V2
M201EW02 V8
M201EW02 V9
M201EW02 VB
M201EW02 VC

My model number is M201EW02 VF.

Quite different from that above. I really don't know what my specs are without buying 240 worth of calibration software. If anyone knows how to get the displays specs without breaking the bank I would greatly appreciate it.

To my knowledge some of these are 6-bit with FRC displaying 16.2 million colors via dithering, and some are true 8 bit displaying 16.7 million colors. Click here if you want to know if your panel is 6 bit or 8 bit.

This is a huge difference.

http://www.webdoodles.org/pages/screentest.htm

This would explain alot. A 8 bit panel would have a higher viewing angle and show colors more accurately. This is a big discrepancy in the 2009's panels. Some using 8-bit and some using 6-bit with FRC. Here is a good article explaining the issue.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/content/6bit_8bit.htm#8bit TN
 
Downloaded the HCFR software, now what? I cannot get anything to respond?

Hoe do you get your panel info? The user Manuel is in French?

You need to buy a colorimeter probe to put on the screen. The SW is used to control the probe and record the measurements and compute color values and errors. I use a probe called EyeOne Display LT. It costs about 140 US on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Xrite-EODLT-X...sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1239855150&sr=8-3

You can also get a Spyder probe for less. HCFR supports a variety of probes. Yes, the team is in France and all their documentntaion is in French, but the avsforum is full of supporting documentation including full step-by-step tutorials about how to calibrate using this SW. Also, the HCFR authors participate daily on that forum.

Calibration like this is not for everyone. It is pretty complicated, but if it is of interest to you I am sure you could learn what you need by reading this forum. It is a fun hobby, and you can use it on your HDTV too. Good luck!
 
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You need to buy a colorimeter probe to put on the screen. The SW is used to control the probe and record the measurements and compute color values and errors. I use a probe called EyeOne Display LT. It costs about 140 US on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Xrite-EODLT-X...sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1239855150&sr=8-3

You can also get a Spyder probe for less. HCFR supports a variety of probes. Yes, the team is in France and all their documentntaion is in French, but the avsforum is full of supporting documentation including full step-by-step tutorials about how to calibrate using this SW. Also, the HCFR authors participate daily on that forum.

Calibration like this is not for everyone. It is pretty complicated, but if it is of interest to you I am sure you could learn what you need by reading this forum. It is a fun hobby, and you can use it on your HDTV too. Good luck!


Thanks, but I am quite happy with the looks of my screen. I just wanted to know the specs of my screen. I appreciate the help.

It's a shame that the panel lottery going on with the 20's. I am fortunate to get a good 8-bit panel.
 
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The spec page says "Millions of colors at all resolutions."

I trust my eyes. I was at Microcenter today. The 20" iMac looks the same as the last-gen 20" iMac. Now the panel might be technically a different model number, but same result. Many products change model numbers just because the manufacturer gets a new supplier for a specific part or three. It doesn't mean it's an upgrade at all.

I think the panel is fine. It's good. But the 24" is nicer.

However personally I just sold my 24" iMac refurb (made >$100 even. :) ) My wife thought is was too overwhelming for her so I'm going to get her a 20" which we had before the 24". Just not sure if its going to be a new 20" or the $999 20" refurb which is close to the same thing except it has the 2600 pro, 800mhz DDR2 Ram and 1 less USB port along with a larger keyboard.
 
The spec page says "Millions of colors at all resolutions."

I trust my eyes. I was at Microcenter today. The 20" iMac looks the same as the last-gen 20" iMac. Now the panel might be technically a different model number, but same result. Many products change model numbers just because the manufacturer gets a new supplier for a specific part or three. It doesn't mean it's an upgrade at all.

I think the panel is fine. It's good. But the 24" is nicer.

However personally I just sold my 24" iMac refurb (made >$100 even. :) ) My wife thought is was too overwhelming for her so I'm going to get her a 20" which we had before the 24". Just not sure if its going to be a new 20" or the $999 20" refurb which is close to the same thing except it has the 2600 pro, 800mhz DDR2 Ram and 1 less USB port along with a larger keyboard.


Actually thats not true:

Here are some specs for the following AUO products. Notice how the "C" is much improved over the last model "B'. My model number which ends in "VF" which is not listed. All models sport 'true' 8 bit panels. Not 6-bit with FRC. Which is a inferior panel.

http://lcdtech.no-ip.info/en/data/m...br=&cr=&va=&rt=&int=&dim=&pwr=&blt=&wei=&coa=

Now the specs for the "other' panel:

http://lcdtech.no-ip.info/en/data/m...br=&cr=&va=&rt=&int=&dim=&pwr=&blt=&wei=&coa=

Notice how one uses 6-bit with FRC and one uses 8 bit. 6-bit with FRC uses a dithering method to achieve millions of colors. Dithering produces higher contrast shifts.

Take the test and see how you do.

http://www.webdoodles.org/pages/screentest.htm
 
What's not true?

I think you are incorrectly assuming a new panel # means an improved panel. That is what is just not true.

Really? The "VC' is not improved. What website are you looking at? If your theory was correct the specs should be the same for each, right?

http://lcdtech.no-ip.info/en/data/m...=&wei=&coa=&showobsolete=on&showunofficial=on


http://www.displaze.com/Html/ovManu_auo.html

On this site you can see what AUO panels are "in production'. As you can see, the M201EW02 models of AUO have different model numbers. My model number of M201EW02 VF is not listed but must either be the V8 or the VC. Since the M201EW02 V8 was produced in 2008 and the M201EW02 VC was produced in 2009 my panel most likely is the 'VC'. The "VF' may just stand for a model of the M201EW02 family that is 'Apple' specific.
 
Also, you can find out what panel you have by opening terminal and pasting the following command:
ioreg -lw0 | grep IODisplayEDID | sed "/[^<]*</s///" | xxd -p -r | strings -6

My 24" is LM240WU2-SLB1 and manufacturer is 0610, but I've seen this same 0610 code used for AU Optronics, which leads me to think the manufacturer code is meaningless. The model number is what's important.

Did you do the: ioreg -lw0 | grep IODisplayEDID | sed "/[^<]*</s///" | xxd -p -r | strings -6

What did you get?
 
I trust my eyes. I was at Microcenter today. The 20" iMac looks the same as the last-gen 20" iMac.

But we've just confirmed that the 2009 20" uses either a LG.Philips LM201WE3 or an AUO M201EW02 so unless you viewed both panels you can't make that claim. Dudeman's description of his M201EW02 in terms of colors and contrast shift seems vastly different from 2009 20" owners with the LG.Philips panel.
 
How many backlights does the panel have?

Really? The "VC' is not improved. What website are you looking at? If your theory was correct the specs should be the same for each, right?

http://lcdtech.no-ip.info/en/data/m...=&wei=&coa=&showobsolete=on&showunofficial=on


http://www.displaze.com/Html/ovManu_auo.html

On this site you can see what AUO panels are "in production'. As you can see, the M201EW02 models of AUO have different model numbers. My model number of M201EW02 VF is not listed but must either be the V8 or the VC. Since the M201EW02 V8 was produced in 2008 and the M201EW02 VC was produced in 2009 my panel most likely is the 'VC'. The "VF' may just stand for a model of the M201EW02 family that is 'Apple' specific.

The first link shows that the AU M201EW02 VC panel comes with 4 backlights. The other AU panels list 6 backlights. The panel that ifixit looked at also had 4 backlights. Coincidence? Any thoughts?
 
The first link shows that the AU M201EW02 VC panel comes with 4 backlights. The other AU panels list 6 backlights. The panel that ifixit looked at also had 4 backlights. Coincidence? Any thoughts?

Yes, and 92% color gamut too!

Lucky.

Of course the "VF" version may be a special 6-bit model made for Apple imacs for all we know.
 
Really? The "VC' is not improved. What website are you looking at? If your theory was correct the specs should be the same for each, right?

?

I looked at the monitor with my own 2 eyes.


And when it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck then it is a duck.

You're ignoring all the visits folks made to stores to see with their own 2 eyes that the panel is the same as the previous generation (walks like a duck) and you are ignoring all the reviews that back this up as well (quacks like a duck.)

Instead you are incorrectly assuming a different model # on the lcd means something other than a different model number.

The rest of us are counting the horse's teeth by walking up to the horse and opening up his mouth and looking at the teeth themselves.
 
But we've just confirmed that the 2009 20" uses either a LG.Philips LM201WE3 or an AUO M201EW02 so unless you viewed both panels you can't make that claim. Dudeman's description of his M201EW02 in terms of colors and contrast shift seems vastly different from 2009 20" owners with the LG.Philips panel.

I can make that claim. I said a different panel number doesn't mean it is improved.

Dudeman's whole claim in based on a different #.

While the rest of us have all confirmed, by looking with our own 2 eyes, at many more iMacs than Dudeman has, that the new 20" iMac has the same panel. All reviews of the new iMacs have also backed this up.

Is there a chance Dudeman is right? Sure there's a chance. Just like Jim Carrey had a chance in Dumb & Dumber.

But the burden of proof is on him because he has the million to one odds. Not on me or anyone else saying that the panels are the same.

Show me the money. Dudeman can take pics to back up his claim. A couple from extreme angles from the side. And a couple of pics from a fixed position showing the title bar at the top and at the bottom of the screen.

Funny how he has the proof in front of him, but instead is speculating on model numbers.
 
It would be correct to say a new model number does not necessarily mean it's improved. It may or may not be improved. However, based on Dudeman's descriptions on colors and contrast shift I'm giving him the benefit of doubt and say he's looking at an improved TN panel. That is, until someone with the same M201EW02 VF panel comes here and say the contrast shift is definitely the same as the predecessors.
 
It would be correct to say a new model number does not necessarily mean it's improved. It may or may not be improved. However, based on Dudeman's descriptions on colors and contrast shift I'm giving him the benefit of doubt and say he's looking at an improved TN panel. That is, until someone with the same M201EW02 VF panel comes here and say the contrast shift is definitely the same as the predecessors.

Yes that would be correct. It's also correct to say a new model # doesn't mean it's improved.

I'm the opposite. There is no reason to believe Dudeman until there's some more proof. There are many in this thread backing up that the panels are the same as before. Every review does as well. I've seen at least 3 different 20" 2009 iMacs in 3 different stores myself.

IN this case Dudeman needs to present some more proof. So far the evidence is stacked against him.
 
Doesn't mean anything, for those 3 different 20" 2009 iMacs could happen to have the LG.Philips panel and you were merely checking the same panel rather than comparing different panels (LG.Philips vs. AUO).

Means alot. What doesn't mean anything is one random guy on the internet saying something different from what everyone else sees with their own 2 eyes.

I say show some proof. Take pics from an extreme side angle. The dramatic color shift is easy to spot in stores. And it should show up well enough in a photo. That would at least be something.
 
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