Dear DC,

Hello, I am writing to put forward my own views on the M1438S Microvitec Monitor for the Amiga. I feel that it is a bad, bad, thing. I have one and I too, like Mark, wanted to feel as if my money was well spent. Unfortunately I do not feel that that is the case.

I usually run my Monitor in Multiscan Productivity Mode as there is absolutely no flicker, unlike DoublePAL. I accept that the DoublePAL mode doesn't flicker as much as Hires Interlaced but there is still a little something noticable. But with both of these screen modes there is about an Inch between the edge of the Monitors Screen and the image. There is absolutely nothing that can be done about this due to a lack of knobs. That is to say there is no way to elongate the screen where there is with all of the clones' Monitors.

I suggest that the A1200 owners who want a monitor should buy an external ScanDoubler from PowerComputing (See a mag for details) for about £80 and a VGA Adaptor for £15 and get a PC monitor. PC monitors will be cheaper and better and the scan doubler will allow the 15kHz scan rate screen mades to be displayed. It is possible just to use the Adaptor on systems which will not use the often default 15kHz screen modes. Games developers now put up Gui's on the Wb to get your requirements, but with the old stuff you'd be knackered.

In conclusion the review made by Mark was, in my opinion, understandably biased and glossed over the major defaults of the Monitor. Mine also has a rather short cable.

Richard Fletcher

It is certainly true that the gaps left on the side of the screen can be frustrating at times. To be fair, though, at the time of the review, I was unaware of the scan doublers (I believe the Power Computing model is a recent release). Now that it is possible to get a scan doubler, I would agree that it would be a worthwhile consideration compared to the Microvitec. £80 may seem a lot of money, but a 14" VGA monitor can of course be picked up for far less than £200, and you get a lot more choice.

Mark Harman