The first time I ever heard of a custom LCD for a computer case the name Matrix Orbital was spoken. Since that time I have had their web page bookmarked and have visited it many times to eye the hardware displayed there. Their reputation has preceded them every time since then that I have heard anyone speak of LCDs. With that in mind I had very high expectations of the unit and as you will see I was not disappointed.
The front of the Matrix Orbital MX213 also has a set of buttons that you can program to activate a certain screen you wish to view. For example setting up the F2 button to display your local weather when you press it is a cool feature. Or a press of the arrow key to scroll through your current ram loads.
I chose the red with black face plate, model # MX213. This model was described by CrazyPC as having USB interface and packed with the software LCDC. Upon arrival the unit was in perfect condition and carefully double boxed, the matrix orbital box inside of yet another box.
Inside the box was an installation information card, the unit itself and a mini CD containing the LCDC software. In my limited experience with LCD displays I had also heard of this software many times in various forums and work logs. The installation card was short and to the point. Being the type of guy who usually throws the instructions away as my first step, I can appreciate this. I was surprised by how simple everything sounded as I have read many long complicated threads on setting up and using an LCD. The LCDC software came in a small plastic sleeve with a serial/registration number printed on the disk.
The unit itself is well made and quite heavy. In my book heavy equals quality. The USB cable was already attached and I expected to find it hard wired to the unit. Instead they have an actual USB port on the unit. Really nice touch in case you want to use your own longer cable or perhaps you wish to build your own separate enclosure for the LCD and require a 6 or 10 foot USB cable. Looking at the unit closely I am very impressed with the fit and finish. Matrix Orbital obviously takes pride in their product, nothing on the unit seemed cheap or poorly assembled.
The back of the LCD has pin outs for connecting thermal probes and fans. When attaching fans or thermal probes the help file recommends having the unit set to “high power” mode, this is accomplished with a jumper and a floppy power connection to the unit. The MX 213 will attempt to adjust the fan speeds like a thermostat once configured to your needs. This added feature makes the unit function as a fan bus without the knobs and adds greatly to the overall value of the MX 213.
Following what I remembered from the installation card before I threw it away, I began the very simple install process. The unit is designed to fit into a standard 5.25″ bay and has 4 mounting holes to secure it with screws.
After securing the LCD I routed the USB cable out the back of my pc and plugged it into an open USB port. Windows XP actually showed the name and model number when auto detecting the hardware and a few clicks was all that was needed to get the drivers in place.
Next came the LCDC software. Since I have auto play disabled on my CD drive I had to manually run the installation from the CD. During the Installation there is a detailed version log that you can read. This log gives you a ton of information about possible conflicts and errors you may experience, along with all the stuff that’s been fixed through newer versions of the software.
The last step on the installation card describes the software registration. A small form must be filled out at www.lcdc.cc/bundled to obtain your registration number, which you will need to complete the installation of LCDC. This was pretty painless and quick.
After completing the install I was greeted with a screen and the option to run LCDC. Next we take a look at LCDC a bit closer.
Aside from admiring the beauty of the Matrix Orbital MX213 and the simple install, most of a customer’s time spent with this product will be with the control software. After using it I can now see why Matrix Orbital has chosen to use LCDC with this product. Let’s spend a few moments going over LCDC. The tutorial and help pages that come with LCDC are easy to use and offer even the uninitiated of us an easy understanding of how to get started. In fact after only about 10 minutes I felt right at home with LCDC. The only thing that I noticed to be lacking with the documentation of LCDC was a few typos in their help file, not a big deal, but hey I noticed it.
The software appears as a series of boxes. As you click an option the new box opens for you to submit changes or alter options. I must say there are enough buttons and plug-ins here to keep any gadget fiend very happy for many hours of tinker time.
According to the tutorial most people will want to jump into the plug-ins section, this is located under the Configure/Test button. There are 19 plug-ins to chose from and configure, from weather forecasts to Monitoring the health of your PC. More plug-ins can be had from fan sites and the LCDC support forums. I chose to test out the news feed plug-in as I like to read news from Slashdot. LCDC generated the appropriate code in the box when I clicked on an option, which tells me, at one time this could have been a very complex process, but LCDC makes it very simple and pain free. As a noob I must say I feel rather un-noob like when using LCDC. You may further customize LCDC with up to 15 simultaneously running plug-ins.
After running through the tutorial and configuration/test functions to make sure the display is sending and receiving info correctly, you will jump into the screen builder. The Screen Builder allows you to create and modify each “screen” of information the LCD will display.
By checking a box to the left you can build a series of screens that will play in the order listed. You can also add an entirely new screen and configure it to say pretty much anything you want in any order you want. After playing with LCDC in its stock form, I wanted to see what kind of community support is out there. After visiting the LCDC forums I must say that amount of gizmos and gadgets that have been written for it are amazing. There are programs that allow you to create custom graphics and animations for your screen as well as many plug-ins, including one for Window’s Media Player 9 which I found useful. I know, I know WMP, send flames too…. I have included a small video of the unit in action below, just click play. If you are unable to watch the video below you can click here to download it.
Conclusion
A few things pleasantly surprised me about this piece of hardware. For one the screen is very bright and the brightness can be configured through LCDC. Although it is described as a red display, it is a cross between red and a deep orange which makes it look very unique.
I have received many comments and questions from people when they see the LCD for the first time. The ohh and ahh factor is very high. I also like the random transitions between screens, from fades to wipes, this add interest and keeps things looking fresh.
The pack in software is critical to a positive experience with this product and LCDC is feature packed and easy to use. The price for this unit ranges from 85-100$ which is very well worth all the functionality it offers and the cool factor it brings. When you consider a fan controller is typically 20-30$ or more by itself and quality software included as well, the value really shines.
I have had the display running for about 5 days non stop with no visible problems or errors of any kind. The USB interface eliminates much of the complexity that is associated with setting up and running an LCD. There have been many long winded discussions on setting up and running older parallel and serial displays. Another benefit of the USB is the data transfer rates over the older legacy ports.
With all its customizing options sleek looks and well thought out design the Matrix Orbital MX213 is a great way to customize your PC. Overall I am going to give this product a 10/10 and award it the OCmodshop Seal of Approval. CrazyPC is currently offering this unit for $84.99. They also have a great selection of other model Matrix Orbital displays and accessories, head over and check them out.
Pros
- Sleek looks. Really bright red orange LCD color
- Tons of options and customization
- So simple to set up and operate
- Fast response times via the USB interface
- Top notch fit and finish
- Awesome software included
- Doubles as a fan controller and thermal monitor when used with optional thermal probes
Cons
- None