UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted December 2, 2009 Hi All My rather boring 19" TFT Monitor is coming to the end of it's serviceable life. At a mere 1280 x 1024 max res...it has never been state of the art. I want to go Bigger, and my Brother, who flies FSX has bought a TFT HD TV with an HD cable, and is very pleased with it. I just wanted to get a bit more feedback, before making a decision. Compared to the price of a large Monitor, they seem to be reasonable, and have a few obvious advantages.. I am not a hugely fussy person, and as long as the res is better than my current monitor, I would be quite happy. Feedback most welcome as always Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siggi 10 Posted December 2, 2009 Hi All My rather boring 19" TFT Monitor is coming to the end of it's serviceable life. At a mere 1280 x 1024 max res...it has never been state of the art. I want to go Bigger, and my Brother, who flies FSX has bought a TFT HD TV with an HD cable, and is very pleased with it. I just wanted to get a bit more feedback, before making a decision. Compared to the price of a large Monitor, they seem to be reasonable, and have a few obvious advantages.. I am not a hugely fussy person, and as long as the res is better than my current monitor, I would be quite happy. Feedback most welcome as always I think you'd find the combination of TV res plus close proximity to your eyes would = yuck. Even a high-definition TV is going to have a poor dot-pitch up close. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tamper 9 Posted December 2, 2009 I think Siggi makes a point. PC monitors express resolution in a number of horizontal pixels (by) a number of vertical pixels. My 19" widescreen monitor, for instance, is 1440x900. (Oddly enough, PC monitors sometimes are 16:10 aspect ratio, where widescreen TVs are always 16:9). The important number to consider is the smaller of the two - the horizontal pixels. This will tell you whether an LCD panel is HD capable. (I'm only considering 'native' resolutions here, which all LCDs have - native being that the resolution number is equal to the number of actual pixels; otherwise, the image must be 'scaled', which involves displaying parts of pixels on each pixel, and isn't very good looking). HDTVs, even for "full HD" (1080P) feature native panel resolutions of 1920x1080. (720P=1280x720). So, even on an HDTV, you're not getting a great deal more pixels than your 1280x1024 19" monitor. And those pixels, rather than being spread out over a screen roughly 16"x10" (19" widescreen) are now spread out over something that is much larger depending on how big a TV you use (for a 32", it's roughly 28"x16"). So, each pixel is much bigger (and/or, to a much lesser extent, the spacing between pixels might increase). Which is all fine and dandy if you're sitting across your living room - but not necessarily when you're parked 2 feet from the screen. It might help to think of big screen TVs as monitors that are designed to be shared by a room full of people, not so much to make a really big screen for 1 person. I've read a lot of internet 'chest pounding' about how this guy has a 32" TV for a monitor...followed by the guy who has a 42" monitor...and so on. But I think that's all it is - "Mine's bigger than yours". The only way I can imagine it would work out well is to have some whole multiple of the base number in pixels (say, twice the pixels - on a 1080P TV, that would be 3840x2160. A whole multiple would allow same resolution without 'scaling'...and although I admit not having looked into it at all, I can't imagine what a TV with that number of pixels would cost. Maybe a good idea to borrow a TV and hook it up before you commit to buying anything. I hope this helps. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fubar512 1,350 Posted December 2, 2009 It depends. For most windows tasks, the resolution of even a top-end LCD TV monitor leaves something to be desired. For example, fonts look really bad, despite having 40+ inches of screen to display them on. As for as simming, gaming & video playing are concerned, all I can say is Wow! I run a DVI to HDMI convertor cable from my PC to my LCD TV, and mostly use it to watch streaming video and BluRay movies. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted December 2, 2009 Thanks Chaps, very interesting reading! Fubar has said exactly what my Brother has said..it's the HDMI converter cable (about £50 for a good one) that turns a TV if you like..into a Monitor...that's the link! So, still looking at all possibilities...I might go and ask someone in a suitable shop to give me a demonstration of the Monitor abilities of LCD TV's with such a cable Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FastCargo 412 Posted December 2, 2009 Also, certain HDTVs come with a VGA input already (Samsungs). Like other's have said, an HDTV to do actual computer work in isn't that great. However, as a game/sim/video playing monitor, it works awesome. FC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted December 2, 2009 Thanks for all your input guys! I have decided to buy a 24" Monitor. Much as I would like to have a large TV to play games on, I also have to consider the fact this is my work PC too..and designing in Photoshop etc as I must, and with the clarity of fonts etc at issue...I played safe! Thanks again all Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HotNess 2 Posted December 2, 2009 Anyone use an HD TV as a monitor? .....No there you go,a nice straight answer to your question,so im absolutly no help what so ever to you LOL xx v xx Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OvS 8 Posted December 2, 2009 Thanks for all your input guys! I have decided to buy a 24" Monitor. Much as I would like to have a large TV to play games on, I also have to consider the fact this is my work PC too..and designing in Photoshop etc as I must, and with the clarity of fonts etc at issue...I played safe! Thanks again all Good choice Widow... I always believe in keeping the two separated. Nothing better than a dedicated 24" LCD on the PC! OvS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Muesli 2,161 Posted December 2, 2009 I do have an HD monitor (iiYama 2208 HDS) which I am very satisfied with and I also use for watching DVDs and telly. It's very good! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siggi 10 Posted December 2, 2009 Nothing better than a dedicated 24" LCD on the PC! OvS What's wrong with a 30" one? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OvS 8 Posted December 2, 2009 What's wrong with a 30" one? I dunno about you... I just don't know... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icarus999 70 Posted December 2, 2009 I use a 37 inch 1080P Westinghouse LVM-37W3SE HD monitor it was designed to eliminate the font issues that plague HD TV's. It is an absolutely kick a** solution for all of my studio/ work and gaming needs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted December 2, 2009 What's wrong with a 30" one? OOO...Nothing at all Siggi...would love one!...But it's a cost issue at the moment, with Crimbo fast approaching Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted December 3, 2009 Widowmaker, a friend of mine (with a well paid job) plays "STALKER Call of Pripjat" on his HD TV. It's more than one meter wide, and when we sit on his sofa, about 1,5 Meter away (mayne two) it looks incredibly good, andstill very big. (But that screen cost 1.200,- Euro, which keeps it in Dreamland for me). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tamper 9 Posted December 3, 2009 OK, well, I see this deteriorated rapidly into "mine's bigger than yours"...I didn't want to have to do it, but I suppose I'm obligated: I'm finishing my basement currently; by about Christmas, I'll be done. Drywall is done, primer coat is on. Acoustic ceiling, done. Brand-new 7.1 surround system, check. Custom theater reclining seats, check. 720P HD DLP projector, got it... ...but, because this is all about 'my monitor is bigger than yours'...the 100" motorized screen is already hung. I'll be seated about 10' away from it, with a wireless HID setup. So there. Now, will I play OFF on it? Probably, at least as a test...but the PC connected to the theater setup is more for browsing, etc., not necessarily a gaming machine (built to be small and quiet, not necessarily fast). It's not about the PC, anyway; this is primarily all for movies. Do I think for a moment that the image will be as good as what I see on the 19" Viewsonic my OFF machine has? Nope. Not because it's not HD (it is; just not full HD), but for the very same reason I mentioned above. My little 19" monitor has more pixels, in a much smaller area - therefore guaranteed a better, sharper, clearer picture. I don't care what kind of scaling technology a given TV uses to cover pixel count mismatch or upsizing a minimal base pixel count, it's still scaling - the bane of the big-screen world. Like I said, unless you have a whole number multiple of 720 or 1080 pixels horizontally, your display is scaling, somehow. Oh, and that 3840x2160 resolution I mentioned above (the 'first-order' multiple of full HD)? Well, it's actually called "Quad Full HD" (since being twice the pixels in both directions means you can display 4 full HD pictures all at once). Sony makes one...56" for a mere $77,000.00; others are beginning to appear as well, in the $50-70K range. Seems at least some manufacturers understand what scaling is, why it's nasty, why big screens at relatively low pixel counts are an issue, and the complications involved in getting it right. All the best, gentlemen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
appraiserfl 0 Posted December 3, 2009 OK, well, I see this deteriorated rapidly into "mine's bigger than yours"...I didn't want to have to do it, but I suppose I'm obligated: I'm finishing my basement currently; by about Christmas, I'll be done. Drywall is done, primer coat is on. Acoustic ceiling, done. Brand-new 7.1 surround system, check. Custom theater reclining seats, check. 720P HD DLP projector, got it... ...but, because this is all about 'my monitor is bigger than yours'...the 100" motorized screen is already hung. I'll be seated about 10' away from it, with a wireless HID setup. So there. Mines 120" ;) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/l88bastard/091920096389.jpg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siggi 10 Posted December 3, 2009 Aah, just one lottery-win away from nirvana. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted December 3, 2009 I've got a massive cock!....so there! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tamper 9 Posted December 3, 2009 Mines 120" ;) http://img.photobuck...91920096389.jpg *lol* I knew it!! But, geez, it took over 12 hours before the inevitable 120" screen came along. What's become of the Internet? (Very nice screen, though I didn't post a pic because I still have quite a lot of work to do *sigh* It's been over a year in the making; there was nothing there when I started except the studs and joists) UKW...*lmao* now *that's* the spirit!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted December 3, 2009 (edited) Widowmaker, I - MISSED - THAT - ! - Lord Flashheart strikes back! Edited December 3, 2009 by Olham Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted December 3, 2009 Heehee... WOOF WOOF! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OvS 8 Posted December 3, 2009 Lord Flashheart ROCKS!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bigfish3 0 Posted December 4, 2009 Widowmaker, I changed to a 24" monitor a few months ago, and after TIR it's the best 200 quid I spent. OFF in widescreen is just awesome. You'll love it. PS 35 pound mirror yesterday, 12mm pop-up at 110 yards!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fortiesboy 3 Posted December 4, 2009 PS 35 pound mirror yesterday, 12mm pop-up at 110 yards!! Now that'll confuse 'em! lol BTW - well done Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
