HDTVs as Computer Monitors?

[Franklinwallbrown]

Is it hard? What card should you have? What are some good ones? Are their pictures better than computer LCDs? How are they for gaming?

[Ravenas]

Originally Posted by Franklinwallbrown

Is it hard? What card should you have? What are some good ones? Are their pictures better than computer LCDs? How are they for gaming?

LCD is the only thing that should be used for gaming. You will most likely need a DVI to HDMI cable (unless your HDTV has a DVI port). You will also need a way to output your audio, since dvi to hdmi has no sound transfer.

[DaMulta]

The response time will not be as good, but you can do that.

[Franklinwallbrown]

Hmm...well, as you know, I'm looking for a Good gaming/movie watching screen for a computer. So far I am stuck on the WestingHouse 24"er. What do you guys think of it (lol, the billionth time).

[Irish_PXzyan]

Response time and contrast ratio is pretty bad. only 1000:1 and 8ms response time!

If I were you...3000:1 contrast ratio should be your target and 2ms response time if you are to spend that kind of money!
Seriously...check the samsung Pebble 22"...fantastic monitor!

[Franklinwallbrown]

Only thing about that one that I could even argue about are the pixel pitch, price ($411) & brightness. It displays 16.7 million colors, it looks good, ultra fast response time, HDCP (don't understand it), & all good reviews. What more can you ask for?

[BullGod]

Originally Posted by Ravenas

LCD is the only thing that should be used for gaming.

Errr... why? The fastest LCD I know of has response time of 2ms, mine has a response time of 0.002ms. In my opinion LCD's are crappy for gaming, especially the cheap ones. Many top gamers around the world still refuse to play on a LCD screen.

[DaMulta]

HDCP is where it will let you play protected HD-DVD Blue-ray movies in HD.

[BullGod]

Originally Posted by Franklinwallbrown

Is it hard? What card should you have? What are some good ones? Are their pictures better than computer LCDs? How are they for gaming?

Well it's doable. I've seen a 20" Samsung TV that had a response time of only 3ms and also had DVI inputs, so you could use it as a monitor. It only costed 300 euros. Sharp also has a line of gamer TV's, don't know the exact name, google it.

[Irish_PXzyan]

HDCP: You can watch HD dvds and blu-ray movies. " I think you can watch blu-ray "

The only thing I dont like about the monitor is the 1680x1050

Its fine..but thats the only let down.
Its extremely fast!

I bought mine for 330 Euros..Its well worth it!

EDIT: thanks Damulta for clearing that up

[tzitzibp]

Originally Posted by Ravenas

LCD is the only thing that should be used for gaming. You will most likely need a DVI to HDMI cable (unless your HDTV has a DVI port). You will also need a way to output your audio, since dvi to hdmi has no sound transfer.

You can use an HDTV for gaming with a DVI to HDMI cable , and if your mobo supports HD sound and the graphics card supports sound connection from the mobo you can have sound through the gfx card....(it actually shows up as a second soundcard)

I use a setup like this on my media centre with a SONY 32 inch HDTV

[tzitzibp]

Originally Posted by DaMulta

The response time will not be as good, but you can do that.

it is not...... scan frequency 60hz

unless you have a 100hz HDTV

[tzitzibp]

Originally Posted by DaMulta

HDCP is where it will let you play protected HD-DVD Blue-ray movies in HD.

I AGREE!

[Cybrnook2002]

Originally Posted by Ravenas

LCD is the only thing that should be used for gaming. You will most likely need a DVI to HDMI cable (unless your HDTV has a DVI port). You will also need a way to output your audio, since dvi to hdmi has no sound transfer.

Actually, if you havent purchased anything yet. The ATI HD 2000 and 3000 series cards come with a HDMI adapter for the DVI port. The sweet thing about it, it HAS SOUND through the HDMI. check it out.

http://ati.amd.com/products/Radeonhd2900/index.html

5.1 surround through your HDMI. not to mention the 2900 series is dirt cheap if you can find them becasue ATI just launched the new 3000's.

[Franklinwallbrown]

I don't want an HDTV as a monitor. Thanks for helping me out, though. I learned a bunch.

[Irish_PXzyan]

Samsung Pebble it is

[Franklinwallbrown]

No, Westinghouse MVA 24"er. Wile E explained it's greatness to me. While it isn't the best for games; it is the best compromise for me with regard to HD movies/gaming.

[Irish_PXzyan]

I see your point
When it comes to HD I leave it for the TV in the living room
For me..its always the BEST monitor for gamers for my PC

[Franklinwallbrown]

Yeah, I'm always on my computer. It is my TV, Game console, Office device & internet. Basically the computer is my life & probablly will continue to be.

[Mediocre]

I bought this last year (sceptre 37" 1080p).

Fricken love it. BF2, WoW, COD4, AMAZING in widescreen from about 24" away.

In addition to response times and contrast ratio, if you get an HDTV, MAKE SURE ITS 1080P (1920x1080)

1366x768 SUCKS @ 37". It's OK for gaming, but I can't stand when the start bar is 2" wide...


HDTV tuners (inside) and Picture in picture is friggen awesome as well. I'd say dump the westinghouse LCD, and grab a 1080p HDTV

[Threeflow]

Originally Posted by Irish_PXzyan

Response time and contrast ratio is pretty bad. only 1000:1 and 8ms response time!

If I were you...3000:1 contrast ratio should be your target and 2ms response time if you are to spend that kind of money!
Seriously...check the samsung Pebble 22"...fantastic monitor!

Your post is full of misinformation.

The 3000:1 contrast ratios you see advertised on today's LCD monitors are dynamic contrast ratios. This means the monitor can 'shift' the contrast ratio up and down depending on what colours are being displayed at any given time, should you leave it in the dynamic mode.
Most monitors that claim 3000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, actually have a TRUE contrast ratio of 1000:1, such as the Samsung 226BW (of which I own one).


--

Originally Posted by Mediocre

I bought this last year (sceptre 37" 1080p).

Fricken love it. BF2, WoW, COD4, AMAZING in widescreen from about 24" away.

In addition to response times and contrast ratio, if you get an HDTV, MAKE SURE ITS 1080P (1920x1080)

1366x768 SUCKS @ 37". It's OK for gaming, but I can't stand when the start bar is 2" wide...


HDTV tuners (inside) and Picture in picture is friggen awesome as well. I'd say dump the westinghouse LCD, and grab a 1080p HDTV

I have myself a little HTPC with an 8800GTS inside it, hooked up to a front projector being displayed on a 92" screen at a resolution of 1280x720.
1280x720 at a distance of 15 feet isn't bad, in fact it looks great!
The closer you are to your monitor, the higher the resolution you should choose, simply because these factors;
(1) viewing a lower resolution
(2) on a bigger screen
(3) at a closer viewing distance
will result in being able to detect pixelisation.

At one point I played around with a 32" TV with 1366x768 resolution on my desk connected with VGA, and I agree at that short of a viewing distance, the resolution is a big drawback.
Having said that, my next projector upgrade will be to a 1080p model (1920x1080) on a 120" screen

--

Originally Posted by Cybrnook2002

Actually, if you havent purchased anything yet. The ATI HD 2000 and 3000 series cards come with a HDMI adapter for the DVI port. The sweet thing about it, it HAS SOUND through the HDMI. check it out.

http://ati.amd.com/products/Radeonhd2900/index.html

5.1 surround through your HDMI. not to mention the 2900 series is dirt cheap if you can find them becasue ATI just launched the new 3000's.

Consider this, what is the point?

So lets say you manage to get the audio running through your HDMI-out on your PC, what do you do with it then? Hook it up straight to the TV?
TV's don't have 5.1 speaker systems integrated into them, so that 5.1 audio becomes pointless.
If you have a 5.1 setup, you need your video output to go to the TV (sometimes via your receiver as a pass-through or upscaling etc), and your audio output to go to your receiver. Given that the vast majority of people who have an HTPC will have it located next to or very close to their receiver and other home video/audio equipment almost negates the need for video and audio to be transmitted via a single cable instead of two different ones, as the likelihood of those cables being visible anyway is low.

Another point to consider, is that most games that support 5.1 audio will NOT support their surround sound over a digital audio connection. I learnt this the hard way. I have to use several 3.5mm to RCA cables from my soundcard to the 'multi channel' analogue inputs on the back of my receiver to get surround sound to work properly for everything on the PC.
When I used the digital optical out on my sound card to my receiver, the only time I could possibly get surround sound was when I was playing a Dolby Digital or DTS source (ie a DVD movie), and even then I had difficulty getting that to work properly. The games, along with everything else, would only play in stereo sound, which puts my audio setup to waste, so analogue it has to be.

Eventually games will start using Dolby or DTS for their audio like their console brethren, instead of Creative's EAX and others. When this becomes the trend, gaming with digital audio connections will become a possibility

[Boneface]

Originally Posted by Cybrnook2002

Actually, if you havent purchased anything yet. The ATI HD 2000 and 3000 series cards come with a HDMI adapter for the DVI port. The sweet thing about it, it HAS SOUND through the HDMI. check it out.

http://ati.amd.com/products/Radeonhd2900/index.html

5.1 surround through your HDMI. not to mention the 2900 series is dirt cheap if you can find them becasue ATI just launched the new 3000's.

Sorry for jumping here jsut wondering how that sound thing work and how to get it to work?

[Franklinwallbrown]

WoW! That Sceptre is crazy big! The Westinghouse is beyond 1080P.

WoW! You guys are hardcore. 120" screen!

I heard ATI is good for sound. All I know.

[Apocolypse007]

Ive had this multimedia display for a few years now, it was a black friday special (down to $500 from $1000).

http://www.olevia.com/en-us/Products...6HVXLCDTV.aspx


I use it for my 360, direcTV (satellite), computer, and wii and it works great with them all. It goes up to 1080i (1280X1024 @75hz on computer). This was all several years ago, the tech has advanced enough that you shold be able to find a 1080p set with support for higher resolutions.

[Franklinwallbrown]

Nice deal. I have.