Still another computer question

[alpha]

I have seen several 26" flat screen HDTV's on sale. They have a computer connection. Does anyone know how well they would work as a computer monitor? Anything I should look for in buying one? Does anyone actually use one for a computer monitor?


Bob

[crokett]

They will work just fine for a computer monitor. I know more than one person who does this, but then they also use the TV as a TV. It might be an expensive computer monitor if that is all you use it for.

[Uncle Cracker]

Yup, like David said... If you're not gonna use it as a TV, you're paying for a lot of tuner hardware and other crap you won't need.

[sparkeyjames]

A friend of mine sends the video of his computer out to his 56" DLP rear projection TV. The video games play great on it. So I think those flat panel TV's would probably work just fine. Depending on what type of inputs they have available.
It all comes down the inputs on the back of the TV.

[alpha]

Actually, I first started researching a backup for my wide screen HDTV. When I started looking I noticed that most of the TV's have a PC connection, particularly in a size 24" to 26". Also a lot of the computer monitors in that size include a tv tuner.

I started to think, I would just use the new backup TV as a computer monitor if it would work as good as my 19" flat screen monitor.

Bob

[LinuxRandal]

Some thoughts from someone else considering this. Make SURE your video card has the RGB connection, or HDMI, as it is next to impossible (haven't found one yet) to find a LCD tv, with DVI-D.
The reason I would like DVI-D, is my father has spoken about issues he has come across (still tech support of sorts), when using HDMI on Windows machines. I also haven't had or tried HDMI on Linux (my prefered os). Also some higher end video cards don't have RGB connectors. (gamer type cards)

TV's in this size, typically only do 720P, while monitors in the same to smaller range, can do 1080P (stupid way of getting more money out of you IMHO).

The advantage of this IMHO, is I could have a TV tuner(s) recording, while watching another show on the TV (something my mom has asked me about). Also it would be a space advantage (her office).

[alpha]

Some thoughts from someone else considering this. Make SURE your video card has the RGB connection, or HDMI, as it is next to impossible (haven't found one yet) to find a LCD tv, with DVI-D.

Are you saying the VGA and DVI-D connections will not work when using as a PC monitor? Aren't those the "standard" computer connections?

You are probably referring to using a TV connection through the computer? I would use it only as a computer monitor while connected to my PC. I would only use it for TV purposes in an emergency situation when my regular TV would happen to go out (like right before the super bowl). I would just unplug it from my PC and take it to the other room and attach a cable to my DVR or my outside antenna.

[LinuxRandal]

RGB will work IF YOUR VIDEO card has it. Some video cards I have looked at, no longer have RGB. Show me a lcd tv with DVI-D as I have looking.
There are also some DVI-D to HDMI adapters, but I haven't looked at them enough to know anything about them.
As for the tv part, it won't run through the computer, that would be done by a tv tuner card. The tv tuner card would be for recording programs, while the tv would be for live tv.

[mpc]

Check the specs on the PC input for whatever TV you're looking at. Panasonic plasmas have a VGA input port... but it's limited to something like 1280x1024 or 1366x768 even on the full 1080p plasma TVs. PC resolution is not "one for one" to the native pixel resolution of the panel. That'll make the screen a little fuzzy in PC mode.

Using HDMI from the PC to the Plasma or LCD screen (on Panasonics) instead of the VGA port gets around this limitation. The issue then becomes can the PC's video card & driver software support the right resolution? Many video cards will do 1920x1200 but can't output a TV-matching 1920x1080 (1080 hi-def) pixel resolution.

DVI-D is basically digital video; HDMI is digital video PLUS the audio. Cables to convert PC DVI-D to HDMI are readily available and should work fine for the video... some even have the audio lines broken out to separate connectors (at the PC end) if you have a digital audio output jack on your PC. That would put the PC sound on the TV's speakers.

mpc

[jziegler]

It should work fine, but I wouldn't want to for a primary computer. The TV displays are just too low resolution compared to most monitors. 1920x1080 is the highest a TV will be (and most cheaper ones will be lower, with most having only 7xx lines), a high quality 26" monitor 1920x1200, and those extra lines make a big difference.

And to restate, any TV with HDMI can accept video from a DVI port with the proper cable. DVI and HDMI are the same signal for video, but on physically different connectors. HDMI also adds audio, and uses a smaller, more friendly connector.

If you want one screen for both TV and computer, I presonally think that a computer monitor connected to a computer with a TV tuner card (and a remote control) is better for the computer side of things. Plus it lets you watch TV in a window while working on the computer.

Jim

[iceman61]

I have been using my Vizio 47" TV as a secondary computer monitor for some time now. My current video card has a RGB output & a DVI output so I can run both 2 monitors at the same time. I can use my desktop computer from either the 22" monitor in the office or from the 47" TV in the livingroom.

The video card came with a DVI to HDMI adapter so I ran an HDMI cable thru the wall to my TV & sound is carried though the same adapter and cable into my HDMI #2 input. Sound is carried from the audio output on the back of the TV to my surround sound reciever. I have a second wireless keyboard & mouse in the livingroom to run the computer from there.

I am storing all of my movies on my hardrive & can watch them via Windows Media Center on my 47" as well as work on my computer from the livingroom.