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-- Using an LCD HDTV as a Monitor...?
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I have no idea how the forums on this site compares to others out there...but I recently found this one helpful, especially for finding the best prices out there:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com

Ok so here's the deal... I went into Future Shop last night and I took the LCD I'm looking at over to the computer section and hooked it up to a computer. I used a Monster DVI cable. The TV worked as soon as I plugged it in, which is fantastic... however, the display was pretty blurry. So, I switched the resolution on the computer to match the native resoltuion of the TV (1366x768)... but the video card said this was an invalid resolution. So I ended up using something like 1360x766. It was much clearer, but there was still a slight blur in the display. Understandably, I would be sitting back a couple feet, but it still wasn't quite as crisp as I would like to be spending that kind of money.

Couple questions... how clear are your displays? Could this slight difference in the resolution setting be the reason? Can those other programs match it exactly? Will this solve the blur problem?

OR...

Could it be that I'm using a Prima? I know the brand has come a log way and is now considered a great purchase, but it's certainly no Sharp/Samsung. If I'm going to do this it will have to be the Prima because of the price I can get it for. I can get the 26" Sharp Aquos for about $1200... but I'd rather not spend that much... I'd probably end up buying the Gateway 22" LCD Widescreen. The picture on this monitor is unbelievable and since my gf is the manager at Future Shop, I'll get a sweet ass deal on it. But I'd still prefer a 27" TV............

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Get the Sharp, apparently they make the best LCDs out there.

I dislike LCD monitors, it would be nice to run this to an HDTV though for when I watch movies or play video games.

quote:

Originally posted by VERTiG0 Get the Sharp, apparently they make the best LCDs out there.

Well the Gateway will cost me $750 after taxes... the Sharp will cost me $1200-1300 from my friend... I just can't justify it unfortunately since I'll be sitting within a reasonable range of the screen anyways. The Prima would have cost me about $900 after taxes... which was a reasonable jump in price for me if I can get it to look clear enough.

I was just told by a bunch of nerds that if you can find a Daytek, get it... They're cheap, and Daytek is an OEM for Sony. Exactly the same thing as any Sony LCD, but with the Daytek name slapped on it.

http://www.costco.ca/en-CA/Browse/P...erPath=79*3316*

quote:

Originally posted by Tygon Ok so here's the deal... I went into Future Shop last night and I took the LCD I'm looking at over to the computer section and hooked it up to a computer. I used a Monster DVI cable. The TV worked as soon as I plugged it in, which is fantastic... however, the display was pretty blurry. So, I switched the resolution on the computer to match the native resoltuion of the TV (1366x768)... but the video card said this was an invalid resolution. So I ended up using something like 1360x766. It was much clearer, but there was still a slight blur in the display. Understandably, I would be sitting back a couple feet, but it still wasn't quite as crisp as I would like to be spending that kind of money. Couple questions... how clear are your displays? Could this slight difference in the resolution setting be the reason? Can those other programs match it exactly? Will this solve the blur problem? OR... Could it be that I'm using a Prima? I know the brand has come a log way and is now considered a great purchase, but it's certainly no Sharp/Samsung. If I'm going to do this it will have to be the Prima because of the price I can get it for. I can get the 26" Sharp Aquos for about $1200... but I'd rather not spend that much... I'd probably end up buying the Gateway 22" LCD Widescreen. The picture on this monitor is unbelievable and since my gf is the manager at Future Shop, I'll get a sweet ass deal on it. But I'd still prefer a 27" TV............ Thoughts? Thanks!

A wide screen tv or monitor has an aspect ratio of 16:9, which means, if it has 768 vertical lines, then it should have a horizonatal rez of 1365 (16:9 = 1.7, 1.7*768 = 1365)

Are you sure the video card on the computer was capable of such a rez? if it was a display computer it could have been a very crappy model, and not been up to par with the tv.

These damn resolutions bother the fuck out of me, cause it aint easy. Honestly i would just suggest getting a normal 21" monitor, and beind done with it, but then you dont get wide screen.

let me do some reading, and i will get back to you.

quote:

Originally posted by VERTiG0 I was just told by a bunch of nerds that if you can find a Daytek, get it... They're cheap, and Daytek is an OEM for Sony. Exactly the same thing as any Sony LCD, but with the Daytek name slapped on it. http://www.costco.ca/en-CA/Browse/P...erPath=79*3316*

Yeah that does look pretty sweet actually... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

quote:

Originally posted by Orko A wide screen tv or monitor has an aspect ratio of 16:9, which means, if it has 768 vertical lines, then it should have a horizonatal rez of 1365 (16:9 = 1.7, 1.7*768 = 1365) Are you sure the video card on the computer was capable of such a rez? if it was a display computer it could have been a very crappy model, and not been up to par with the tv. These damn resolutions bother the fuck out of me, cause it aint easy. Honestly i would just suggest getting a normal 21" monitor, and beind done with it, but then you dont get wide screen. let me do some reading, and i will get back to you.

Thanks for the info.

Take a look at that Gateway monitor link I posted earlier. The specs are unreal... and it is widescreen. The more we talk about it, the more it seems like the best option....... much clearer than I'd probably get with a TV. Is it worth the extra money to get an additional 5" when I'll be no more than 2-3' away? I'm thinkin no... If it was going to be for more entertainment use rather than computer use, I might lean the other way. But its primary use will be production use.

Besides, the reason I wanted bigger was to fit MORE stuff on the screen... and with a resolution like 1366x768 of a TV, I wouldn't be getting as much as I would with the monitor. Plus I'll be saving a few hundred bucks... which I'll just put into more equipment... hehe

quote:

Originally posted by Orko CRT - Cathode Ray Tube, old style tv, glass. LCD - Liquid Crystal Display. New flat, thin monitors/tvs. I - Interlaced. When an image is drawn on the screen, only ever other line is drawn. Thats why with regular tvs, when you go up close, you can see black lines in between. Those are the lines that are not beind drawn. P - Progressive Scan. Every line is drawn. Only applies to HDTVs, and computer monitors. THere are no black lines. HDTV - Progressive scan capabilities. Can draw on every line. Regular TV 480i - 480 vertical lines, but only every other line is drawn, so you only get 240 vertical lines of information. HDTV 480p - 480 lines drawn in progressive scan mode. So you get a full 480 vertical lines of resolution. 720p - 720 lines drawn in progressive scan mode. So you get a full 720 vertical lines of resolution. 1080i - 1080 vertical lines, but only every other line is drawn, so you only get 540 vertical lines of information. 1080p - I think you get the picture(no pun intended). These tvs are just coming on the market, and uber expensive. You can only really tell the diff if you are up close. And yes, 720p does look better than 1080i. Ask and you shall recieve

Right on dude thanks alot! If I may ask a few more questions: What are the pros and cons of CRTs/LCDs/Plasmas? What's so special about contrast ratio and what's an avg 'figure'?

Cheers.

quote:

Originally posted by r5a Right on dude thanks alot! If I may ask a few more questions: What are the pros and cons of CRTs/LCDs/Plasmas? What's so special about contrast ratio and what's an avg 'figure'? Cheers.

Ask away!

CRT:
Pros:
- most enthusiasts will say they still look the best. I completly agree. I would much rather look at an old/big tv than a new thin one.
- they do not have native resolutions(best setting), so they can be scaled to your preference.
- The response times, the time it takes for a new image to appear on the screen is still the lowest. Best for gaming.
Cons:
- HUGE. Heavy. Size is the main drawback.
- Burn in, if you leave a still image on the screen for too long, like a desktop background, the image can be perminantly burnt in, ruining your tv/monitor.

LCD:
Pros:
- Size. They are small, thin, and light. That is their main advantage.
- No Burn in. You can leave still images on them, and they will be fine, thats why they are ideal for computer monitors.
Cons:
- Native resolution. If you want anything but the native, it wont look as clear.
- Dead pixles. Sometimes right of the box, you can get dead pixles, little sections of the screen which dont work. Most electronic stores dont take back LCDs with dead pixles, unless they have above a certain amount. So if you have only 3, and the cut off is 5, you are stuck. Applies to tvs, camcorders, digi cams, everything with lcds.
- Price, but it is coming down.
- Response time, but again, those are coming down to CRT levels.

Plasma:
Pros:
- HUGE. Thin. You can get ones that are wall mountable.

Cons:
- Expensive. Will always be expensive.
- Burn in. These are the most prone to burn in. Sales people wont tell you, but some models can burn in, as quickly as 10min. I would never get one, for this reason alone.
- Average Life Span. Most plasmas, have this defined when you buy it. So if you are a heavy tv watcher, your plasma might die in a few years.
- You can only get them in wide screen. So if you watch a lot of tv, which is not wide screen, you get black bars on the sides.

Contrast Ratio:
This is the difference, in intesity, between the blacks and whites. Basically how deep, and dark are the blacks, and how rich and bright are the colours? The higher the ratio, the more vibrant the colours.
A good test to see the diff, is to put on a dark dvd, something like the new Batman movie. Look at the blacks, are they whitish, or just purely black? In my opinion CRTs are the best. Plasmas are good too, and I am least impressed by the LCDs.

Average figures vary widely. I know a lot of LCDs claim 500:1, and some Plasmas get up to 5000:1. I think it is really subjective. I say just go out and see it. Most CRTs dont have these figures(they rock!) hehe.

I have all CRTs at home. A 20" monitor, a 17" monitor, and a 27" HDTV. At work they gave me a LCD, i asked for a CRT instead. lol. They all looked at me like i was crazy. I just found that if i look at LCDs for too long, my eyes start to hurt.

quote:

Originally posted by Orko Plasma: - Average Life Span. Most plasmas, have this defined when you buy it. So if you are a heavy tv watcher, your plasma might die in a few years.

New plasmas have 60,000hr half-lifes, that is to say, 8 hours per day, every day, for 10 years before it degrades.

quote:

Originally posted by VERTiG0 New plasmas have 60,000hr half-lifes, that is to say, 8 hours per day, every day, for 10 years before it degrades.

yeah good point.

@ Orko:
DLP? Prons and Cons of it?

And I think that about does it! Thanks alot. I'll do some googling and wikipediaing later today to get some more detailed junky stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by r5a @ Orko: DLP? Prons and Cons of it? And I think that about does it! Thanks alot. I'll do some googling and wikipediaing later today to get some more detailed junky stuff.

Well, the colour wheels wear out in about 2.5-3 years, and need to be replaced at those intervals. They're about $300-400 a pop depending on the manufacturer.

quote:

Originally posted by r5a @ Orko: DLP? Prons and Cons of it? And I think that about does it! Thanks alot. I'll do some googling and wikipediaing later today to get some more detailed junky stuff.

DLP:
- A new way of projecting stuff really big. Before for projectors you would have a tiny CRT, and a magnifying glass would blow up the picture and project onto the screen.
- With DLPs, a single beam of light is shot at a rotating colour wheel. The wheel has the three primary colours, and for each frame, each colour is drawn at one time. They do it so fast that all three colours are drawn seperatly, and it just looks like one picture.
- When the light passes through the colour wheel, it then hits a mirror which sends the light to the right part of the screen.

Pros:
- Cheap, like most projectors are.
- Nice quality compared to old projectors.
- They dont burn in like regular projectors. With the old style you could easily burn in that tiny CRT, because it was so bright. here you dont really have to worry.

Cons:
- Replacement costs. For a projector, you have to replace the bulbs because they burn out. That could set you back 300-600 depending on the models.
- As Cale said, you could also have to replace the colour wheel, but in my experience its more the motor that drives the wheel that is the problem. It becomes cloged by dust, and could seize up.
- So in the end, they are cheap to buy, but they have replacement costs.
- Rainbow Ghosting. Because the colours are drawn one at a time, there are some side effects. If you get a chance to see a projector up close, go up to the wall its being projected at, and wave your hand back and forth. You will see each different colour. Now this can also apply to fast action shots, and if you move your head back and forth. So the picture/colour isnt as defined as other technologies.

Projector vs TV:
- Essentialy they are the same, but the execution is a tiny bit different.
With projectors, you draw the image on the wall, and with TVs, its on the built in screen. Either way you have a bulb, a colour wheel, and tiny mirrors.

One more thing. If you are ever in the market for a DLP projector, do your research.

Some of the companies produce two different versions of the same model.
1) has a home theater name and badge slapped on it
2) the other one will be a 'computer' model.

The home theater model will be waaaaayyyy more expensive, but its the exact same hardware. Its amazing what these tech companies get away with when they cater to the home theater crowd.

how does a TV tuner card work?

and bobby = nerd! lol

and that is good

quote:

Originally posted by StereoPrincess how does a TV tuner card work?

Im gonna be using terms ive already explained so:

All computers display stuff in progressive scan. All tv signals (normal, not HD) are in interlaced format.

A tv card just turns the interlaced singal(240i), into a progressive signal(240p).

And, just because you have a progressive scan signal now, does not mean you have HD. Normal cable is still transmitting at 240i.

ATI did come out with a HDTV card, but it does no good for people in Canada, because HD signals are not broadcast for free here, and so the card is not sold here in Canada.

quote:

Originally posted by StereoPrincess and bobby = nerd! lol and that is good

only when i need to be

So if you were the one getting a big screen, what would you get, DLP, Plasma, LCD Projection, or LCD? We're talking 40" or bigger.

quote:

tw1tch wrote on Today 16:34: What do you think of Sony's LCD Projection TV's? I'm thinking about this one in particular http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/se...th=n32050n45260 Would you get one?

Honestly, with the new stuff is where I start to loose touch. I would definitely suggest reading a dedicated HD forum, like http://www.highdefforum.com/

The people on there are more educated about specific tvs and models.

Plus I will never buy another Sony product again, because I really do not agree with their business practicies towards the consumer and preserving market stability.

But in terms of technology, and cost/quality(because I dont have alot of money) i would go with a projector, and not a projection TV. If you have the space, they are great because first of all, you can scale them to what ever size you want, and you can usually hook up a computer with no problems.

If you play a lot of video games, projection TVs are very dangerous, because they tend to burn in. I think with LCD projection tvs, that problem maybe solved due to the fact that they dont use a CRT projection lamps anymore.

I still need to get back to Tygon, so hopefully i can do some reading this week, and get back to both of you.

quote:

Originally posted by tw1tch So if you were the one getting a big screen, what would you get, DLP, Plasma, LCD Projection, or LCD? We're talking 40" or bigger.

My uncle has a 60" LCD projection and to be honest I have never seen anything so awesome.

Watching HD PGA golf on that TV was unbelievable and playing PS2 NASCAR was even better.

The only problem with projector LCDs is that the blacks are washed out.

For bigass TVs, it seems that plasma is the way to go.

{edit} HOLY FUCK

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&productId=1001424&navigationPath=32050n100203

quote:

Originally posted by VERTiG0 The only problem with projector LCDs is that the blacks are washed out.

It looked great (no noticeable wash) in his basement home-theater he built.

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