Computer Graphics World

March/April 2014

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42 ■ CGW M a r ch / A p r i l 2 014 M O N I T O R / T A B L E T Most of you who have seen the film Jurassic Park can recall the phrase "spared no expense" uttered by John Hammond, the billionaire respon- sible for creating the park. While the Wacom Cintiq 22HD Touch tablet/monitor is unable to bring dinosaurs back to life, it is an engineering marvel destined to summon the words "spared no expense" in its own industry. Aside from pen input, the addition of touch control heightens an already impressive package. Setup When I opened the box to peer at this special technology, my stare was a mix of childish excitement and artistic glee, and then all that turned into, how am I going to set up this thing? When you open the box, you'll need to form a strategy as to how you'll get it from the box to your desk in one piece. In Ikea terms, this thing is a walk in the park, but when you examine its girth and weight, you begin to question your own technical expertise. There are two parts to this equipment: the stand and the monitor. Numerous labels fixed to the stand and monitor unit describe in no uncertain terms that what you are about to do must be done with great care. For example, when posi- tioning the base unit, you are instructed to lift the piece from specific contact points. Failure to do so may break your $2,500 equipment. Once you get over that worry, you then have to place the actual monitor unit on top of the stand. It is a bit unset- tling when you slide the monitor unit down into its slot, listening for some form of click or snap or pop – anything – until you realize that there isn't one. The monitor unit fits into a freely rotat- ing circular slot that allows for flexible orientation of the monitor. For those of you who desire a fixed horizontal setup, you can insert supplied lock screws into two holes on the back. The monitor comes with the cables already attached. You get DVI and VGA plugs as well as the power cable and a USB plug. The Stand The monitor is capable of rotating in its "socket," which allows the artist to fully control the visual position relative to the screen. In an upright position, it cannot rotate completely vertical. In a lowered position, you can rotate it a full 180 degrees in either direction. The stand sports paddle "shifters" – one on each side just behind the moni- tor for adjusting the incline level. The one on the right lifts the unit, while the one on the left lowers it to a flat position. In the lowered position, the monitor becomes flat, about a 10-de- gree angle. The full inclined position is 25 degrees and is useful for touch-tap applications. The paddles offer smooth operation, and the stand has wheels on the back legs, allowing the adjustment to happen with nary a painful sound. The Monitor To turn the unit on, you reach behind the top center of the unit – there's a little hidden button there. Press it and you are on your way. The monitor is an H-IPS LCD display with a 1,000-to-1 contrast ratio. This tech allows for 179-degree horizontal viewing angles. The maximum Wacom Cintiq 22H D Touch By Carey Chico r e v i e w CINTIQ 22HD $2,499 Wacom www.wacom.com SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS PC: Windows 7 (32/64 bit), Windows 8 Mac: Mac OS X, 10.6.8 or later (Intel Processor), USB port

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