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-- Using an LCD HDTV as a Monitor...?
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Using an LCD HDTV as a Monitor...?

The idea is to run my DVI connection from my Radeon 9800 to an LCD flatpanel HDTV. I figure for the price of a large monitor, I may as well go the TV route. I believe the resolutions of these TVs are something like 1366x768... so... this should be fine for computer use. Since I work a lot with production software, my goal is to get as much on the screen as possible...

Has anyone ever done this before? I realize that computer monitors will have a more defined resolution... but I wanna go big. Any advice? Suggestions?

Do it, it is fucking awesome and it's what we're putting in our recroom down here, albeit a 42" plasma (hooray 60,000 hour half-lifes now!) hopefully.

Mmmmm huge huge monitors. I can't believe how cheap bigass LCD displays have become. Thank you Samsung and your huge factories.

Yes you should be fine. If you were to use a normal HDTV, i would say stop because normal CRT tvs cannot be adjusted properly for computer resolutions.

But, since you are using LCD you should be fine. Just make sure to check one thing out:

There are two types of DVI connections. DVI-D, and DVI-I. Check with your ATI manual, to see which one your video card has, and check with your TV manual to see which one it has. I believe the DVI-D will work with both connectors, but the DVI-I will only work with another I.

Yes it is stupid and they should have just created one connector, but they wanted to distinguish between Digital and Analog. D = digital/analog, I = just analog.

www.highdefforum.com <--- really good resource.

Awesome thanks guys... makes me feel more confident about this.

27" of sweet picture quality here I come! hehe

Its a go for sure. Shouldnt have any issues.... but man. bling bling

$$$$

quote:

Originally posted by Orko www.highdefforum.com <--- really good resource.

Wow... the more I read here the more I realize this isn't as easy as simply plugging in the TV... in fact... it seems like it's really pretty difficult... because of the TVs refresh rate and overscanning. Some of the settings to switch on both the TV and the computer seem pretty comlpicated!

Have you guys actually done this? Used software like MonInfo or PowerStrip?

quote:

Originally posted by Tygon Wow... the more I read here the more I realize this isn't as easy as simply plugging in the TV... in fact... it seems like it's really pretty difficult... because of the TVs refresh rate and overscanning. Some of the settings to switch on both the TV and the computer seem pretty comlpicated! Have you guys actually done this? Used software like MonInfo or PowerStrip?

yup, I have done it all, and no it is not as easy as pluging it in.

Unfortunately it is actually annoying as hell, if you have a standard CRT HDTV.

MonoInfo -> easy to use. pretty self explanatory, and simple to figure out. Print out your reading, it really helps.

PowerStrip -> I never actually got it to work with my video card/tv combo. The Nvidia Software was screwing things up.

The over scan issues are supposed to be null and void with LCDs because they have the computer resolutions natively built in. PowerStrip is mainly there to FORCE your tv to work at a resolution which is within its specs.

Just make sure to go by the specs you get from MonInfo. Do not start using refresh rates and resolutions that are outside the given guidelines, that's just bad news. If you HEAR something weird, disconnect or cancel that setting, its probably your TV being damaged.

Try and disable the ATI software if you can, when you are using powerstrip.

There is one mod on that forum, that knows everything. Follow his advice(he is all over the place), and you will be golden.

just think... now EVERYONE will be able to read your email!

Yay!

Cool thanks a lot man! We'll see how it goes!

On another note, I'm running a Samsung 1701MP LCD display, 1280x1024. I usually run the refresh rate at 60Hz.

In WinXP when I switch it to 70Hz, some of the text looks slightly odd. I'm talking like minute changes in colour between one part of a letter to the next, like, 10% of the letter O here on TA is light blue and the rest of it is slightly darker.

It's fucking wierd and is messing with my eyes. I've got Cleartype enabled (hooray!), but it's always done this. Any ideas?

quote:

Originally posted by VERTiG0 On another note, I'm running a Samsung 1701MP LCD display, 1280x1024. I usually run the refresh rate at 60Hz. In WinXP when I switch it to 70Hz, some of the text looks slightly odd. I'm talking like minute changes in colour between one part of a letter to the next, like, 10% of the letter O here on TA is light blue and the rest of it is slightly darker. It's fucking wierd and is messing with my eyes. I've got Cleartype enabled (hooray!), but it's always done this. Any ideas?

All LCDs have native resolutions and refresh rates. By a rule of thumb, most LCDs have a native refresh rate of 60hz. They do not work like CRTs, and are not scalable to what you want.

If you run an LCD at anything but its native settings, it wont look as crisp as it should. Its a limitation of the technology.

CRT for life!

On a side note, I just got a new video card (GeForce 6600GT), so I am going to try all this business again.

quote:

Originally posted by Orko By a rule of thumb, most LCDs have a native refresh rate of 60hz.

Gotcha. Thanks dude.

Orko, don't be surprised if I contact you when I go through with this

quote:

Originally posted by Tygon Orko, don't be surprised if I contact you when I go through with this

haha ok, its been a few months, but i will try and put myself through this again, so i can help.

mine really was as easy as just pluggin it in, and I would NOT recommend using it as a monitor, even on low brightness settings it still burns my eyeballs.

quote:

Originally posted by jon jon mine really was as easy as just pluggin it in, and I would NOT recommend using it as a monitor, even on low brightness settings it still burns my eyeballs.

Well yeah, sitting a few inches away from a huge screen is never a good idea.

I only used mine for gaming.

What brands/models do you guys have?

23' Sony LCD

Samsung 27" CRT (dont know the model name, its crazy long)

The most important thing to look for:
720p, 1080i compatible, make sure these two are stated, because a lot of tvs claim to be "HD ready". But if they dont have those specs, they are useless.

If you can get a 1080p tv in your price range, then you are laughing.

I wonder if there is a guide for serious beginners explanaing all the diffrent types and stuff. For HDTVs/LCDs/CRTs/I & P stuff.

I am uber noob.

I'm also gearing up to do such a thing in the New Year.

Wish List:
- 42" LCD or DLP rear-projection (not 100% sure which yet) with HDMI / DVI inputs for sure.
- Xbox 360 (connected to the wireless network and new TV)
- New PC (looking at Dual-Core systems) which will probably go in the living room connected to the wireless network and to the new TV. I'll leave the old PC in the back room for email and surfing.

For Christmas I'm buying myself:
- Sony Upconverting HD DVD Player (DVPNS70H) (HDMI\optical outputs)
- Monster Fibre Optic THX I100FO-8 8' Digital Cable

Which will all connect to the Logitech Z-5500 Digital, a THX-certified, 500-watt 5.1 surround sound speaker system already hooked up....

Just a matter of time now...
So exciting!

quote:

Originally posted by r5a I wonder if there is a guide for serious beginners explanaing all the diffrent types and stuff. For HDTVs/LCDs/CRTs/I & P stuff. I am uber noob.

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

quote:

Originally posted by Tygon What brands/models do you guys have?

Samsung Syncmaster 1701MP 17" LCD. Has a built-in TV tuner

sounds like you are going ot have a pretty slick studio!

quote:

Originally posted by NuERA sounds like you are going ot have a pretty slick studio!

for sure! I think he needs to have some of us over to "christen" it . blast some trance. We can all get loaded and then trash the place

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