NEC Monitor query

[John B]

I have a new NEC Monitor SpectraView 2190 and a colleague has a similar NEC but the Photo Edition. We both understood that by rotating the screen from Horizontal to Vertical format the images would also do the same.

My friend has made several phone calls to NEC this week and really has not been given the answer we are looking for. Both models seem to have the same settings, using OSM menu and an advanced menu.

I have checked all the settings, it is set so that when rotating the screen from Horizontal to Vertical format the image and programme (Photoshop) rotates as expected. The problem however is the Vertical format (portrait) gives an image that is full height, but very narrow. Letterbox image). I can't find any on the menu adjustments that give a full portrait image

Do we need special software to give us a full screen Portrait image?

My question is :- should the image automatically adjust by just rotating the screen.

It the answer is yes, what are we both doing wrong.

[Stephen Best]

I have a vanilla 2090 and it works (or rather doesn't work) the same. You need software on the host to detect the rotation and reconfigure accordingly. I believe Eizo provides this for their monitors, but not NEC. This is something I tried out when I first got the monitor but don't bother with it now. The good thing about 4:3 monitors is that you're not as disadvantaged with portrait vs landscape as you would be with a widescreen monitor.

[John B]

Hi Stephen, Thanks for that, I was told late yesterday that NEC supply a programme called "Pivot Pro", I certainly did not receive this, when I spoke to NEC yesterday on phone this could not be confirmed one way or another. I was told it would be looked into and I would get a phone call some time next week. It's such a simple question I don't understand why NEC can't help. I was hoping that another NEC monitor may have has this problem.

Thanks

[Stephen Best]

Hi Stephen, Thanks for that, I was told late yesterday that NEC supply a programme called "Pivot Pro"...

News to me. The software looks to be the same as this:

http://www.portrait.com/us/products/pp_overview.html

Windows only. On the Mac there's a Rotate option in the Display Preferences panel so I guess the authors of the above software figured people weren't going to pay $40 when all you have to do is click a button. Hmmm, maybe I should use this more myself.

[John B]

I have ATI Rad graphics card and it has settings that allow me to rotate the displays for both my monitors to 90 degree. CW & CCW etc - seems to work fine. The portrait display portrait mode does allow PS to display my images proportionally correct.

The down-side of this however that when rotating my monitor back to landscape position all my desktop icons have been jumbled up all over the place, and I have a lot of them in certain positions' where I need to find them.

I can't believe that paying almost £1,000 for a monitor one has to purchase further software.

[John B]

I have just found this on another forum:-

Photo quality monitor


Pros: This display is targeted at graphics and photo pros. The color and tonal performance is near CRT-quality. The monitor has a black level control for precise adjustment of near-black values. The display profiled well using my Monaco XR Optix tools. This display is identical to the LaCie 321 (new model) but costs hundreds less at this time.

Cons: The equivalent LaCie display is more expensive, but unlike the NEC it includes a hood, LaCie's calibration software and, most important, the Pivot Pro 8 software necessary to use the pivot feature. Consider these factors when you compare prices. I have the older LaCie 321 and I found their calibration software to be clunky. The hood is helpful, as is the Pivot Pro software when you need a large workspace for vertical images.

Other Thoughts: NEC includes a URL for downloading their Naviset software, a utility that offers display setting adjustment without using the display's button controls. The software doesn't provide black point adjustment control, so it's not especially useful with this display.

It looks as if "Pivot Pro is required"