Use HDTV as monitor?

[me]

I can't decide between getting a big 24" or so computer
monitor and using that for TV watching (install tuner
card in desktop) and computing vs getting a 26" HDTV
and using THAT for TV watching and computing?

Is it a wash? Or is there some fundamental diff that
makes one better over the other?

By using an HDTV I feel like I can just turn the TV
itself on for light TV only watching since it will have
built in tuner and speakers.... and wont need to power
up the entire PC system.

But I'm unsure if a computer monitor and TV tuner card
may actually give me better contrast, etc.

Advice?

 

[Dave]

I can't decide between getting a big 24" or so computer
monitor and using that for TV watching (install tuner
card in desktop) and computing vs getting a 26" HDTV
and using THAT for TV watching and computing?

Is it a wash? Or is there some fundamental diff that
makes one better over the other?

Yeah, there is a fundamental difference. It boils down to, HDTV monitors
typically do not run at the extreme resolutions of computer monitors. Even
if they are capable of doing so (in terms of number of pixels anyway), they
are often crippled by internal electronics from actually doing so. Unless
you buy a really high-end HDTV, the actual resolution that you will see from
the computer will be less than ideal. This assumes that you can even find a
resolution in your video card software that closely matches what the HDTV is
looking for! This might involve a bit of manual tweaking, if it's possible
at all.

In contrast, the computer monitor is made to be run at extreme resolutions
to begin with. So when you try to display HDTV content on a PC monitor,
this is actually (usually) a lower resolution than the monitor is made to
handle. No problem! Like squeezing two small adults into an eight
passenger minivan. Works quite well.

Or to put it simply...

You can pour a quart of water into a liter jug, but doing the opposite
doesn't work so smoothly. Using an HDTV as a computer monitor is like
pouring a liter of water into a quart jar. Are you willing to lose a bit of
resolution and put up with text that might be a bit blurry? It can be done,
but it's not suggested. It's better to have a computer monitor BE a
computer monitor. If it's also used an HDTV monitor, that's cool. -Dave

 

[HP Really Sucks]

Yeah, there is a fundamental difference. It boils down to, HDTV monitors
typically do not run at the extreme resolutions of computer monitors.
Even if they are capable of doing so (in terms of number of pixels
anyway), they are often crippled by internal electronics from actually
doing so. Unless you buy a really high-end HDTV, the actual resolution
that you will see from the computer will be less than ideal. This assumes
that you can even find a resolution in your video card software that
closely matches what the HDTV is looking for! This might involve a bit of
manual tweaking, if it's possible at all.

In contrast, the computer monitor is made to be run at extreme resolutions
to begin with. So when you try to display HDTV content on a PC monitor,
this is actually (usually) a lower resolution than the monitor is made to
handle. No problem! Like squeezing two small adults into an eight
passenger minivan. Works quite well.

Or to put it simply...

You can pour a quart of water into a liter jug, but doing the opposite
doesn't work so smoothly. Using an HDTV as a computer monitor is like
pouring a liter of water into a quart jar. Are you willing to lose a bit
of resolution and put up with text that might be a bit blurry? It can be
done, but it's not suggested. It's better to have a computer monitor BE a

I've recently learned many of the HDTV devices are now being sold with PC
interfaces. I don't know how that may or may not be pertinent to what Dave
has explained as his comments made sense and may be why the weasels at
Circuit City will not demo an HDTV with a PC connection as I've asked them
to do when recently shopping for a new HDTV.

It may be more cost efficient --for the time being-- to buy a large format
LCD computer monitor and a high quality TV card. The WinTV card that came
with the HP Media Center m8200n PC I'm now using is nothing to brag about.
The quality of the TV picture is very very poor when watching live TV.

 

[me]

It's better to have a computer monitor BE a
computer monitor. If it's also used an HDTV monitor, that's cool. -Dave

Ok thanks that's just the laymen's explanation I
needed!!

Now..... if I go ahead and get say a 24" computer
monitor..... is there any harm in getting the cheaper
analog ones vs the digital ones? Dell has two lines of
LCD monitors.... one analog and another higher priced
one digital. What to get and why?

 

[me]

I've recently learned many of the HDTV devices are now being sold with PC
interfaces. I don't know how that may or may not be pertinent to what Dave
has explained as his comments made sense and may be why the weasels at
Circuit City will not demo an HDTV with a PC connection as I've asked them
to do when recently shopping for a new HDTV.

Have noticed the above as well.... that most all HDTV's
have a "computer input" whatever that means.... and
exactly why I posted the question

It may be more cost efficient --for the time being-- to buy a large format
LCD computer monitor and a high quality TV card. The WinTV card that came
with the HP Media Center m8200n PC I'm now using is nothing to brag about.
The quality of the TV picture is very very poor when watching live TV.

Hmm..... what do you think is wrong with your TV card
that it performs so poor?

 

[Dave]

Ok thanks that's just the laymen's explanation I
needed!!

Now..... if I go ahead and get say a 24" computer
monitor..... is there any harm in getting the cheaper
analog ones vs the digital ones? Dell has two lines of
LCD monitors.... one analog and another higher priced
one digital. What to get and why?

Haven't looked at them. BUT, if you are buying a computer monitor today,
you want both DVI and VGA (D-Sub) inputs on it. If you can't have both, go
for DVI. Any other connections (such as HDMI) are optional, and bonus
connectors. -Dave

 

[Bob Horvath]

On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:59:00 -0600, Bob Horvath wrote:

Another thing to watch for when you get a 24' monitor is to make sure
that your video card will supply/support the native resolution that
the monitors needs.

 

[Restore the Constitution]

Have noticed the above as well.... that most all HDTV's
have a "computer input" whatever that means.... and
exactly why I posted the question


Hmm..... what do you think is wrong with your TV card
that it performs so poor?

Don't know. I don't have the time for it at the moment.

 

[sbb78247]

Yeah, there is a fundamental difference. It boils down to, HDTV
monitors typically do not run at the extreme resolutions of computer
monitors. Even if they are capable of doing so (in terms of number
of pixels anyway), they are often crippled by internal electronics
from actually doing so. Unless you buy a really high-end HDTV, the
actual resolution that you will see from the computer will be less
than ideal. This assumes that you can even find a resolution in your
video card software that closely matches what the HDTV is looking
for! This might involve a bit of manual tweaking, if it's possible
at all.

Powerstrip should solve the resolution matching problems, but as stated, the
HDTV normally does not have as high resolution as a dedicated computer
monitor.

In contrast, the computer monitor is made to be run at extreme
resolutions to begin with. So when you try to display HDTV content
on a PC monitor, this is actually (usually) a lower resolution than
the monitor is made to handle. No problem! Like squeezing two small
adults into an eight passenger minivan. Works quite well.

Or to put it simply...

You can pour a quart of water into a liter jug, but doing the opposite
doesn't work so smoothly. Using an HDTV as a computer monitor is like
pouring a liter of water into a quart jar. Are you willing to lose a
bit of resolution and put up with text that might be a bit blurry? It can
be done, but it's not suggested. It's better to have a
computer monitor BE a computer monitor. If it's also used an HDTV
monitor, that's cool. -Dave

--
sbb78247

resident redneck alt.os.windows-xp

you aint frum 'round here are ya boy!

 

[me]

but as stated, the
HDTV normally does not have as high resolution as a dedicated computer
monitor.

Still tho I read a lot of reviews in NewEgg on HDTV's
that people are using as computer monitors for their
laptop and desktops and they seem to be happy and it
works.

So what gives? What am I missing?

 

[Dave]

Still tho I read a lot of reviews in NewEgg on HDTV's
that people are using as computer monitors for their
laptop and desktops and they seem to be happy and it
works.

So what gives? What am I missing?

Viewing distance. Up close, the HDTV is going to look like crap, if you are
trying to use it as a computer monitor. If you have a large HDTV, sit a
good distance from it, and have some kind of wireless keyboard/mouse setup,
it might work OK. -Dave

 

[me]

Viewing distance. Up close, the HDTV is going to look like crap, if you are
trying to use it as a computer monitor. If you have a large HDTV, sit a
good distance from it, and have some kind of wireless keyboard/mouse setup,
it might work OK. -Dave

Ahh.... I see

Thanks so much guys!!

 

[me]

Viewing distance. Up close, the HDTV is going to look like crap, if you are
trying to use it as a computer monitor. If you have a large HDTV, sit a
good distance from it, and have some kind of wireless keyboard/mouse setup,
it might work OK. -Dave

OK one more dumb question on my part if you will...

Does the effect above only become a problem with BIG
HDTV units?

Example.. take a look at this 19" HDTV in link below.
It has 1440x900 as its native resolution.Isn't that the
native resolution of ANY PC only monitor in 19" size?

IOW..... is this low resolution problem of HDTV units
only in the bigger sizes such as 26" and above? and
would that 19" HDTV unit above work fine as a TV AND a
computer monitor both?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889107034

 

[sbb78247]

Still tho I read a lot of reviews in NewEgg on HDTV's
that people are using as computer monitors for their
laptop and desktops and they seem to be happy and it
works.

So what gives? What am I missing?

pixel density - pcworld had a good write up about it in the February or
January issues if i remember correctly. take a look at it and you will see
it has to do with the native resolution of the screen and the viewing
distance as dave said.

--
sbb78247

resident redneck alt.os.windows-xp

you aint frum 'round here are ya boy!

 

[Larc]

OK one more dumb question on my part if you will...

Does the effect above only become a problem with BIG
HDTV units?

Example.. take a look at this 19" HDTV in link below.
It has 1440x900 as its native resolution.Isn't that the
native resolution of ANY PC only monitor in 19" size?

IOW..... is this low resolution problem of HDTV units
only in the bigger sizes such as 26" and above? and
would that 19" HDTV unit above work fine as a TV AND a
computer monitor both?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889107034

That's model NX1932w. Viewsonic makes a model VX1932wm monitor that
sounds as if it's cut from the same cloth. I also noticed this on the
page you linked:

"Use it as a TV or brilliant computer monitor ideal for web surfing,
gaming, or exquisite graphics."

I'll admit I'm guessing here, but I suspect this HDTV with its
resolution would work fine as a computer monitor. I have a 32" LCD
HDTV with less progressive resolution than this 19" Viewsonic has.

Larc



§§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§

 

[me]

I'll admit I'm guessing here, but I suspect this HDTV with its
resolution would work fine as a computer monitor. I have a 32" LCD
HDTV with less progressive resolution than this 19" Viewsonic has.

OK..... but I guess what I'm trying to learn is...why
do the BIGGER HDTV sets have less resolution than this
smaller 19" HDTV set?

 

[DonC]

OK..... but I guess what I'm trying to learn is...why
do the BIGGER HDTV sets have less resolution than this
smaller 19" HDTV set?

'cuz you're normally 7 to 10 feet away from the screen when viewing an HDTV
display.

You're typical viewing a 19" display from 14" to 20" away.

 

[Conor]

OK..... but I guess what I'm trying to learn is...why
do the BIGGER HDTV sets have less resolution than this
smaller 19" HDTV set?

Cheaper to produce the panels. The proper 1080p panels have a far
higher resolution than the 19's.

--
Conor

As a Brit I'd like to thank the Americans for their help in the war
against terror because if they'd not funded the IRA for 30 years, we
wouldn't know how to deal with terrorists.

 

[DonC]

Cheaper to produce the panels. The proper 1080p panels have a far
higher resolution than the 19's.

Huh? A typical 1080p panel is 1920 x 1080 while a typical 19" WS LCD is
1440 x 900. I wouldn't consider that "far higher resolution".

And even though a 1080p has 60% more pixels, it has far fewer pixels per
square inch: 4734 p/si vs. about 8000 p/si for a 19" widescreen.

 

[me]

Huh? A typical 1080p panel is 1920 x 1080 while a typical 19" WS LCD is
1440 x 900. I wouldn't consider that "far higher resolution".

And even though a 1080p has 60% more pixels, it has far fewer pixels per
square inch: 4734 p/si vs. about 8000 p/si for a 19" widescreen.

Kinda what I thought as well..... but what do I know?!