The Philips 150MT 15in flat-panel monitor is part of a new breed of devices aimed at users who flit between their PC and TV. It is designed with ease of use and maximum connectivity in mind and has a wide array of ports at the back.

PCs hook up via a standard VGA connector, and there is a separate mini-jack socket provided for audio-in; for TV or DVD there is a standard coaxial TV antenna-in. On top of this, a Scart connection allows DVD players or games consoles to be connected. There is also a composite video port for VCD players and VCRs.

The setup procedure is very easy. The Auto button on the front of the monitor handles the usually difficult task of optimising your PC to fit the screen. Windows drivers are provided, but all you need to do is reset your display settings to the recommended 1,024x768 at 75Hz.

The picture's sharpness is surprisingly good. While watching a DVD, we noticed a bit of pixelation, but this was only slight, and with the fast refresh rate there was no detectable shake or smearing during action scenes.

The enhanced brightness and wide viewing angle produced clean, vibrant colours.

The built-in TV tuner is straightforward to use. It has a switch on the front panel to flip between PC and TV. A good extra feature is the Picture-in-Picture button, which allows you to display the TV screen in three different sizes in the top-right corner of your computer desktop. If you fancy keeping an eye on the TV while you work, this is perfect. The input selector, which toggles between the different video outputs, is child's play to use.

Specifications

Price: £689 (including VAT)
Contact: Philips: 020 8689 4444
www.philips.co.uk