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Colorgraphic VGA adapter cont.
Using
the card:
Hooking up the card was a breeze. Simply insert the VGA CF in
the device (in my case a Silver Slider 2), plug in the cable and hook
it up to the receiver (in my case a TV and then my 19" monitor).
I decided to first
hook up the Pocket PC to my TV. Since the composite input (yellow RCA)
was available up front I decided to try this one first. Once the cable
was connected, I simply launched the Colorgraphic utility that was installed
on the PPC. The utility lets you adjust the background color, landscape
or portrait view as well as the refresh time (interval between displays
screen shots) and of course the display type. You will also have to
select the output source: VGA, S-Video or composite (RCA).
The VGA adapter was a perfect addition to my Stowaway keyboard and though I did experience slow down in launching some apps it was a great experience to be able to type and view on a much larger display.
My next test was to try the S-Video connection; since my TV had an S-Video port, the test was quite simple: hook it up, select S-Video for output source and that's it. The display appeared on my TV. S-Video is still not too common on TVs or VCRs but newer models should have the option available. Most quality overhead projectors will also feature such connections. From a quality standpoint S-Video is indeed supposed to be better but unless you are a quality freak or would like to achieve DVD quality on an HDTV, you can probably get away just fine using the composite output.
Using Pocket Slides
was fantastic. Simply click on the screen to advance slides (for more
on that read the Pocket Slides section).
Next was hooking up the iPAQ to my 19" VGA monitor. Once again this was done without any problems. The only concern I had was that I couldn't set the definition to 1152*864 (had to settle for 1024*768; this migth have been fixed with the new driver available on the Colorgraphic website but I didn't have the time to give it a try). Here again the iPAQ hooked up with the Stowaway keyboard in order to type work documents or reply to emails; very cool!
While using the 19" monitor I also tried my NYDITOT landscape program. The program not only allows you to rotate your PPC screen but also to resize it. This time, I used it to match my PPC display to the monitor. The bottom right picture shows the calendar open full screen using NYDITOT and the Colorgraphic VGA CF adapter. Amazing!
Colorgraphic has also released an updated driver that improves Shadow performances as well as adds a couple extra display modes.Conclusion:
Colorgraphic has made an amazing product here. I've heard about other people (some other major Pocket PC sites) complaining about some bugs present with this product but did not find much wrong. Now can you go ahead and replace your desktop with your PPC? Well, let's not push it too far.
Colorgraphic's VGA CF adapter is a great tool that will let you show PowerPoint presentations without the need to bring a cumbersome laptop around. It will also be a great tool for viewing images that would not look as good on a 4" PPC display. Finally the Colorgraphic's VGA CF adapter is most definitely the most flexible unit available: you will be able to hook it up to a wide variety of displays (from TV to VGA and overhead) and use it in every single Pocket PC currently available (older units as well).Pros:
- Best bang for the buck.
- Hook it up to almost anything that has a screen.
- Excellent packaging, great tech support.
- Works flawlessly with presentation software.Cons:
Note:
- Not included are: cables (composite, S-Video and VGA), a true user manual (hard copy), and the full working version of Pocket Slides (that's another $30 there).
- Slows down quite a bit with certain programs and large display (especially PIMs).
- Biggest Cons I have: I have to return it! This was an evaluation unit that I've got to play with for 30 days. Time's up... gotta go :(. Too bad cause I could have used something like this... until my wallet fills up with greens I'll have to stick to my good old laptop/remote DSPl for PPC presentations.
I remember reading other reviews of this product and some complaints about heat. The VGA adapter will heat up quite a bit but nothing to worry about. I've been using an IBM Microdrive for over a year now and heat is simply common with this device. The VGA adapter won't even get as close to the Microdrive during MPEG playback. Same goes for power consumption: no worries here.Finally, I'd like to thank Brian Lemaster from Colorgraphic for sending me this test unit. Keep up with the great work.
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