22" or 24" lcd pc monitor as main tv (1 Viewer)

xipzou

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October 9, 2007
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Could i just hook up an "ordinary lcd widescreen" monitor to my htpc and use that as a TV??

can a pc screen run HD??

What are the best connection?? dvi or??:D
 

Taipan

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  • February 23, 2005
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    The simple answer is "yes". The more complicated answer is....

    Full HD is 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) and 16:9 aspect ratio. But for some odd reason (which I don't understand) PC monitors are made in 16:10 aspect ratio (1920 x 1200) - which means that you will end up with "black bars" (60 pixels high) at the top and the bottom of the screen with 1:1 pixel mapping.

    I have tried both VGA and DVI and cannot pick the difference - theoretically, DVI should be better (since it avoids a D to A and an A to D conversion of the video signal), but I suggest you try both and see which you prefer?

    HTH ... ?
     

    whoey629

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    I'm no expert... HD is 1280x720p y 1920x1080i right?

    I have a 22" (widescreen) Samsung 226BW as my PC screen (1680x1050). My TV is 29" (CRT!) normal non wide, and has a max res of 1024x768... I usually have my HTPC running 800x600 because it's not as crisp, and hard to read text on the desktop at higher resolution. (At the moment I'm forbidden by the wife from buying a new TV as ours is barely 4 years old) I sometimes watch things on my monitor, (and it's great!) but my couch is way more comfortable... I guess it depends how far away you plan to sit from the screen... Obviously if I got a nicer new LCD TV things would be a lot different...

    I'm guessing for a little bit more money you could get a nice HD LCD TV that's a bit bigger than a 24" monitor... There's one thing that has remained constant through all my experience with PCs... never skimp on the screen, it's the one thing you're likely to keep for the next 2 or 3 PCs... the price of my screen has dropped about 100eur in the 6 months since I bought it... prices are dropping like crazy here on screens...

    As for connections... DVI seems great here... there's a big difference between my old 19" CRT (dsub) running 1280x1024 and my 22" LCD, mainly brightness & vividness of color... it stunned me at first... (I was running both side by side, desktop mirrored)

    that's my 2 cents... someone feel free to shoot it down!
     

    Taipan

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    I'm no expert... HD is 1280x720p y 1920x1080i right?

    Well, the definition of "HD" seems to be a bit elastic - in general it is any of 720p, 1080i and 1080p. However, I was referring to "Full HD" - 1080p, since if your monitor can display 1080p, then it will certainly handle the lower resolutions of 720p and 1080i.

    However, I failed to mention that for NTSC it is a 60Hz refresh rate and for PAL it is 50Hz refresh rate. So, the monitor should ideally handle both those refresh rates, too - or at least the one for your country.
     

    xipzou

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    phew!! thanks for all the replys :)

    i´ll go grab me a 24" one of these days... if i cant live with the booting htpc to watch Simpson´s ill get a refund and get a 26" hd lcd instead (a difference of about 1000 euro´s if i get the sweet designer HD lcd and get the cheap 24" lcd)
     

    Luke Roberts

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    Hi Xipzou,

    Wait a moment....

    The main difference between LCD TVs and large LCD computer monitors is not only the tuner and the remote control.

    The main difference is usually found in contrast and brightnes. Computer screens are designed to be watched at a distance of about 1 meter. The TV is designed to be watched at a greater distance and is also designed to work under different lighting environments. If you buy a cheep LCD computer monitor, don't expect the contrasts and brightnes to come anywhere near those of a LCD TV.

    I suggest you ask the LCD monitor salesman, if you could hookup a computer and fire some test video's at it, to see if you like the picture.
     

    mba

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    September 16, 2005
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    Hi xipzou

    Did you ever buy that 24" LCD monitor or did you drop it again? If yes, what is your experience using it for television on daily basis? I'm thinking about buying a LG L246WH-BN, but I just can't make up my mind. I have an old PS2 that I would like to hook up on the component input and my htpc on the DVI. But some say that upscaling old PAL signals looks awfull. I also want to be able to use it for a PS3 some time in the future but I don't know if it has HDCP capabilities.


    Best regards
    Martin
     

    xipzou

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    Hey martin

    nope decided against mostly because of viewing angles!! I borrowed a 22" from work hooked it up... when i was in the far corners of my couch i got the whitish glare...

    going for a px80 instead when my credit card will let me :)
     

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