Author Topic: LCD Tv's as monitors? (Read 305 times)

Furball · « **on:** August 10, 2005, 02:44:19 AM »

anyone use an LCD TV as a monitor on their computer? does it work well? How is it for gaming? I am thinking about buying one, nothing too fancy, probably 25 - 32 inch depending on what i find.

Many thanks in advance

gatso · « **Reply #1 on:** August 10, 2005, 03:30:33 AM »

They are very good. I think I get 1280x1024 out of mine, a 26" LCD job.

Get one with built in Digital and your sorted. I've seen a couple come onto the market with HD TV recorders (PVR) built into the main TV so the only box underneath it needs to be a DVD player/surround sound decoder.

I paid £800 for mine from Ebay about 6 months ago when they were all going for about a grand. Called into Richer Sounds two days ago and you can't move for 26" £800 TV's!

For gaming its tricky because you have to sit a fair distance from the screen so it takes some getting used to. Also remember that the aspect ratio of a widescreen is a bit funny so in things like AH it chops the top and bottom off the screen making some dials a bit tricky to read. I use mine mainly for DVD's and the odd bit of dual screen work, not gaming.

Its still my favourite toy 6 months on.

Gatso

Nilsen · « **Reply #2 on:** August 10, 2005, 03:36:37 AM »

Ive tried it at a friends house. (32")

As long as you sit far away from it then you are ok, but if you get abit close you can see that the pixels are huge and the joy of it all goes away abit.

FUNKED1 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 10, 2005, 05:37:42 AM »

My friend uses one, 1280x1024 19" I believe. He's very happy with it.
As you get into the larger sizes (like the 32" Nilsen described) you need a lot more resolution to keep it looking good.
But as far as I know the technology works.
I am saving my pennies for a Dell W2600.

Nilsen · « **Reply #4 on:** August 10, 2005, 05:50:27 AM »

Let us know when you get it funked. Its one of a few options im looking for to have in the bedroom. I may go smaller, but 26 sounds sweet. Anything bigger is just too expensive and not comfy to have as close to the bed as we need to have it.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #5 on:** August 10, 2005, 06:50:18 AM »

Careful when buying an HD LCD TV. The DVI port may not be electrically compatible with the computer's DVI port. The TV information will normally tell you if the DVI port can be used with a computer.

Nilsen · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2005, 07:17:38 AM »

Dell doesnt market it as HD or HD ready (atlest over here) and they usually do if there is just the slightest chanse that its even remotly capable of any of the HD standards.

If you want HD then wait a few months and then make a choise after carefully reading reviews.

Furball · « **Reply #7 on:** August 10, 2005, 11:00:27 AM »

I got a Sharp Aquos... it is awesome. AH looks unbelieveably beautiful with it (HDTV ready)

This is the one i got, brought it from Richer Sounds for £595

http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/content/products/details/html/SHA-LC26GA5E.htm

Chairboy · « **Reply #8 on:** August 10, 2005, 11:13:00 AM »

The most important thing is gonna be the inputs. Being an LCD TV means nothing if all it has is an NTSC input like RCA or CoAx. You need to make sure it has one of the following:

VGA input
Component input (essentially VGA, just need an adapter)
or
DVI (and as Skuzzy said, make sure it's the right kind)

Firewire: Bzzzt. Sounds like it should work, but it won't.
HDMI: Another negatory.
S-Video: Ain't nothin super about NTSC, no matter how much effort you put into splitting the chroma out.

FUNKED1 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 10, 2005, 10:54:52 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Nilsen
Dell doesnt market it as HD or HD ready (atlest over here) and they usually do if there is just the slightest chanse that its even remotly capable of any of the HD standards.

W2600 has component inputs and will display 480p and 1080i etc. That's all you need if you have a HDTV cable box or want to play HD PS2 titles. I don't think it has any facility to display on-air broadcasts, but I haven't watched an on-air broadcast since sometime in the late 70's.

Nilsen · « **Reply #10 on:** August 11, 2005, 03:04:15 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by FUNKED1
W2600 has component inputs and will display 480p and 1080i etc. That's all you need if you have a HDTV cable box or want to play HD PS2 titles. I don't think it has any facility to display on-air broadcasts, but I haven't watched an on-air broadcast since sometime in the late 70's.

Aha i see.

So it will support HD from DVD players etc?

FUNKED1 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 11, 2005, 03:08:57 AM »

Yes. It will work with any device that outputs HD signal over Component or DVI. Go here if you need more info.