CRT:Sony GDM-FW900
| Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sony | |
| Type | PC | |
| Tube Series | FD Trinitron | |
| Size | 24" | |
| Viewable Size | 22.5" | |
| Dot Pitch | 0.23mm - 0.27mm | |
| Mask | Aperture Grille | |
| Free-Scan | Yes | |
| Horizontal Scan | 30 - 121kHz | |
| Vertical Scan | 48 - 160Hz | |
| Unlocked Ranges | Yes | |
| Unlocked H. Scan | 30 - 130kHz | |
| Unlocked V. Scan | 48 - 254Hz | |
| Widescreen | Yes (47:30) | |
| OSD Color | Bias + Gain | |
| OSD Conv. | Yes | |
| Dynamic Conv. | Yes (135 points) | |
| Service Method | PC (WinDAS) | |
| Service Port | TTL serial | |
| VGA | 1x | |
| Other Inputs | 1x RGBHV BNC | |
| Dimensions | Width: 57.1 cm
Depth: 52.3 cm Height: 50 cm | |
| Weight | 42 kg (93 lbs) | |
| Earliest Date | 1999 | |
| Latest Date | 2003 | |
| Links | ||
| Chassis | G1W | |
| Tube | M57LRX15X (24TXF) | |
| Service Manual | GDM FW900 Service Manual | |
The GDM-FW900 was a late flagship model of CRT computer monitor manufactured and sold by Sony, built around an extremely fine pitch 24" flat aperture grille tube with a 22.5" / 57cm visible diagonal. First available in late 2000, it succeeded the older GDM-W900 as the only largely available CRT computer monitor on the market with a widescreen aspect ratio. It was targeted towards video and graphics professionals, touted for its high resolution, great color reproduction, and large screen area.
Sony produced three alternate variants of the monitor to be sold alongside professional workstations; they are functionally identical to the original with changes only to the cosmetics and/or the input ports.
Lineage and Naming
The GDM-FW900 came from Sony's first generation of computer monitors that employed an FD Trinitron tube, this was Sony's version of a CRT constructed with an externally flat faceplate. It was a replacement for the GDM-W900 which used a curved Trinitron tube with approximately the same screen area.
The first FD Trinitron monitor lineup consisted of several screen size options, ranging from the 15" CPD-E100, to the 24" GDM-FW900. The lineup was divided into several lettered series, with the GDM-FW900 belonging to the "F" series which advertised the highest image quality, specifically boasting a finer aperture grille pitch. The GDM prefix had been used since Sony's first foray into the computer monitor market in the 1980s. In later years with the rise in popularity of lower-end monitors for consumer PCs, Sony reserved the GDM name for professionally-oriented units and introduced the CPD and HMD lines for home use.
Sony released a second generation of FD Trinitron monitors, however this lineup only included the smaller 4:3 models with some electrical upgrades. The GDM-FW900 continued to be sold alongside these later models after the original 4:3 FD Trinitron monitors were discontinued.
Externals
The case is a minimalist and sleek design with a silver bezel and gray stand. The rear shell is mostly gray with the back plate colored a pale blue. Notably, the styling is more reminiscent of the second generation of FD Trinitron monitors which came later.
On the front panel, the controls are mounted on a cylinder which rotates and clicks into position, or can be turned to face upwards and hide the controls. Sony implemented a small four-directional joystick for accessing the on-screen-display, and a sliding switch to change between the two inputs.
In the base, there is a built-in powered USB hub with version 1.0 speed. It includes four downstream USB A ports and a type B port for upstream. The base is very wide and sturdy to support the 93lb / 42kg weight, and the stand is capable of rotating 270 degrees.
Looking around the back, you can find the AC power input, the two video inputs, and a small plastic panel that can be removed to expose the serial connection for WinDAS.
Picture Tube
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Chassis
For a more detailed explanation see the main article: CRT:Sony G1W Chassis
Electronics
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Firmware
The G1W chassis comes with a plethora of digital features available to the end user. It will recall geometry for up to 10 user-defined resolutions, can switch between various color temperature presets or manual RGB controls, and out of the box scans from 30-121kHz horizontal / 48-160Hz vertical. In addition to user controls, using WinDAS allows for extremely precise convergence adjustment, the most advanced of any Sony CRT computer monitor.
Like most FD Trinitron monitors, the GDM-FW900 supports DDC/CI with almost all the user controls available. When the on-screen-display is open, and DDC communication is initiated, the menu will immediately close.
Calibration
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Media
Back of Monitor