Author Topic: using a tv as a monitor (Read 3341 times)

sanglant · « **on:** May 05, 2010, 02:48:56 PM »

i was moving some stuff and hooked up my 26inch 720p tv in front of my keyboard and thought i would post in case anyone else was thinking about trying it, it works pretty good you have to move back some. and working with pics is out(resolution is to low

[scratch that, you can do basic image manipulation but no detail work

pays to try stuff

]) but if your trying to save space for an e-mail/web box, it's good. you do have to move back about 3-5 feet for it to look good.

and you might have to increase your font sizes, but i kinda like it. if this was a 1080p set i could see using it in a single display setup.

here's the cable i bought.

(it's 15 foot, i was planing on setting up the tv as a second monitor off to the side for movies n such[thinking about netflix

]) sorry for wasting your time.

oh! you have to turn sharpness way down(yeah it affects the d-sub

)

ok, gaming is out.

there is at least half a sec input lag.

zahc · « **Reply #1 on:** May 05, 2010, 02:52:07 PM »

I'm still unclear about the difference between a LCD monitor and TV. It seems like they should be the same thing, but I'm not sure. I have a HTPC and my Sony tube TV is very suboptimal for the task.

Any tips on buying an LCD panel with the express intent of using it with a computer, to watch video, and possibly play games? What kind of features do you need to look for in a TV that make it suitable for this kind of use?

AJ Dual · « **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2010, 03:05:23 PM »

Interesting. Does your TV have HDMI input or DVI?

sanglant · « **Reply #3 on:** May 05, 2010, 03:27:37 PM »

if 27" is big enough i would start by looking at these.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005142
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824176125
they are monitors instead of tvs so i would be willing to bet they're much faster.

the first one has a tv tuner built-in.

i usually start at tom's hardware for monitor reviews(and pretty much all other computer stuff

) the biggest difference to me is the resolution

i'm used to 1600x1200 and 1366x768 is more than a little cramped.

so i would try to go 1080p.

(1920x1080)

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/259646-33-monitor-difference

my tv has 2 hdmi, 2 component, 2 s-video/composite, and a d-sub. hooking a computer up to the hdmi(my mainboard has a built-in video card with an hdmi adaptor) limits you to 480i/p 720p and 1080p and text is messed up on all of them.

the d-sub allows a list of resolutions.(my tv had them listed in the listed manual i think they would be different for each tv

) at 1366x768 you can set truetype to have text look ok.

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #4 on:** May 05, 2010, 03:29:07 PM »

my samsung 40 looks great as a monitor

AZRedhawk44 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 05, 2010, 03:30:44 PM »

Quote from: zahc on May 05, 2010, 02:52:07 PM

I'm still unclear about the difference between a LCD monitor and TV. It seems like they should be the same thing, but I'm not sure. I have a HTPC and my Sony tube TV is very suboptimal for the task.

Any tips on buying an LCD panel with the express intent of using it with a computer, to watch video, and possibly play games? What kind of features do you need to look for in a TV that make it suitable for this kind of use?

I run a Windows Media Center PC on my 42" LCD widescreen. The TV is 1080p, but I run the whole setup at 1600x900 resolution to make web browsing and other app use, bearable. Otherwise, fonts are just too small. I have yet to find a way to adjust fonts to be legible at 1080p resolution and have that setting stick. IE/Mozilla seems to be the weak spot.

I game on it sometimes, but mostly it runs Media Center and DVR's for me.

I like the setup. Thinking of changing over to a Ubuntu open source TV package though.

sanglant · « **Reply #6 on:** May 05, 2010, 04:06:49 PM »

AZRedhawk44 if your using firefox(if not at least think about it

) ctrl-+ zooms the entire page.

for the other apps, it depends on OS and what apps, but you can enlarge the fonts under display proprieties- advanced - general.

some apps it works some apps you can't read it at all.

Mabs2 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 05, 2010, 04:12:26 PM »

The thing with HD TVs that I've seen is that they're designed to be viewed from across the room distance.
You'd probably be better off with a 24 inch Dell, that is, unless the TV you got looks good at that range.

Iain · « **Reply #8 on:** May 05, 2010, 04:18:33 PM »

I do fine with a 37" 1080p TV as a media centre/pc.

I sit on the sofa with a wireless keyboard and mouse and happily browse the internet from about 8 foot away. Just adjusted some settings, upped font sizes and have Firefox default to 170% page zoom. Works really well.

Mabs2 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2010, 04:27:21 PM »

Quote from: Iain on May 05, 2010, 04:18:33 PM

I do fine with a 37" 1080p TV as a media centre/pc.

I sit on the sofa with a wireless keyboard and mouse and happily browse the internet from about 8 foot away. Just adjusted some settings, upped font sizes and have Firefox default to 170% page zoom. Works really well.

I couldn't do that. I can't stand sitting across from a screen. That's half the reason I stopped watching TV. Couches and recliners aren't comfortable and the TV is too far away. I prefer watching and playing games from my desk. Need to get a monitor one day that I can hook my consoles up to.

sanglant · « **Reply #10 on:** May 05, 2010, 04:52:14 PM »

edit: whoops got it backwards sorry.

~~mabs~~, try sitting closer. especially for movies.

kinda like the bacon salt, the first hit is free.

edit: oh, and if your tv looks really good at a distance but like crap up close turn your sharpness down!!!!!!!!!

when this is marked down to 15bucks it really is worth it.

better link

Mabs2 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 05, 2010, 05:04:44 PM »

Just something I've seen with other peoples' TVs. I don't have the money for one nor do I want one anyway.

sanglant · « **Reply #12 on:** May 05, 2010, 05:17:20 PM »

lol, you can get a monitor that works as a tv for less than one that don't now.

and if that's the case it probably was the sharpness making them look bad up close.(if they were 1080p) did you click the bottom link(the on i added on the last[unmarked] edit)

that's how close you can get to a set without seeing pixels. is handy for picking a pc monitor.

drewtam · « **Reply #13 on:** May 05, 2010, 06:14:25 PM »

to sum up what has been discovered in this thread...

sanglant · « **Reply #14 on:** May 05, 2010, 07:08:07 PM »

bazinga,

now check the dates.

Mabs2 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 05, 2010, 07:16:06 PM »

It impresses me because I still use a CRT monitor. :>
I'd buy an LCD, but I need the few dollars I make to buy food.

Cromlech · « **Reply #16 on:** May 05, 2010, 07:42:17 PM »

I was using a 1080p HDTV with my PC for about 1.5 years, though I've gone back to triple screens since.

^Crysis Warhead^

sanglant · « **Reply #17 on:** May 05, 2010, 09:03:13 PM »

nice.

coppertales · « **Reply #18 on:** May 06, 2010, 11:27:29 AM »

The owner's manual says I can use my 42 inch TV as a computer monitor if I want to. The wife says no to the thought of hooking my flight sim up to it.....chris3

sanglant · « **Reply #19 on:** May 06, 2010, 03:19:44 PM »

Quote from: coppertales on May 06, 2010, 11:27:29 AM

The wife says no to the thought of hooking my flight sim up to it.....chris3

party poopper.

most would at least say, lets see what it looks like.

News:

Author Topic: using a tv as a monitor (Read 3341 times)