Monitor vs. TV???

[TopGun]

Hey guys,

I'm not sure this is the right forum for this...kindly redirect me where to go if it's not.

I'm considering getting a 32" LCD TV for $500ish vs. a regular LCD 27" Monitor for $300-$350ish.

I would want to be able to surf the web, watch dvd's (and if a TV, also TV), and play online poker.

I've heard that the bigger monitor the better for playing poker (considering that I would be multi-tabling). I currently don't play any games (maybe at some point WoW again), so ultimate gaming experience not super important. I would be able to switch back to my current 22" monitor if the 32" TV didn't work out well enough for that purpose if/when the time came.

I never really knew the TV being used as a PC monitor could be a viable option before, so I'd like to know what exactly I need to be researching. Like would I need to use a special video card, or have hdmi connection, or minimum 1080 dpi, what resolution, how to switch between cable and PC use, etc. etc. I basically need a research outline and then I can get into more specific questions if I have any after that.

What would I be giving up and what would I gain by using a TV instead of a traditional monitor?

Thanks,
-TG...aka "The LCD TV being used as a PC monitor virgin"

 

[rolli59]

TV is fine but you will have to sit further a way from it than a smaller monitor. There is no reason to buy anything else than 1080P. The TV will have a MENU where you can switch between inputs. Connect the computer either with HDMI or DVI for the best picture quality.

 

[geofelt]

The maximum resolution you can get from a tv is 1080P which is 1920 x 1080--regardless if the screen dimension.

A 27" monitor can run at 1920 x 1200 which gives you a little bit more acerage. You can also buy a 30" monitor that has a resolution of 2560 x 1600.

Using a modern TV as a monitor should not be a problem since they will usually have a variety of inputs.

Some PC graphics cards will have HDMI output as well as dvi. HDMI carries sound, as well as video signals. So consider where you will send your sound.

For poker, it is not clear to me if bigger means screen resolution, or if it means diagonal inches.

You can also increase both inches and displayable pixels by using dual monitors

 

[TopGun]

I kinda ruled out the 30" monitors before because of the price, but now that you bring up the resolution...I'm thinking for poker bigger would probably mean the resolution. I haven't read anything about 27" monitors being the bee's knees whereas people would rave over the 30"er's.

Dang, and here I was thinking I was being so clever.

I guess I could even lower the size to a 23.6"-24" as far as the monitor goes as it would have the same resolution as the 27" monitor...I think there are good value deals for $190ish in this range vs. $350ish for the 27"er. I did find 1 27"er with 2048 x 1152 res as opposed to 1920 x 1080. There also seems to be a decent deal for a 40" TV.

So now the options become:

1)23.6"-24" monitor for $200ish, 1920 x 1080
2)27" monitor for $370ish, 1920 x 1080
3)27" monitor for $463ish, 2048 x 1152
4)32" LCD TV for $526ish, 1920 x 1080
5)40" LCD TV for $610ish, 1920 x 1080
6)30" monitor for $1176ish, 2560 x 1600

So, there seems to be quite a selection to deal with when I'm not sure exactly what I am looking for. You guys need to play poker so you can have a better idea of what I'm looking for...especially since I don't.

I'm a little wary of what 1920 x 1080 would look like on such a (relatively) huge screen for either TV option...but they are sooooo much more real estate. I also wonder if the 2560 x 1600 is really as magical as it's made to sound.

I'm currently using a 22", 1680 x 1050 if that helps any.

Thanks again,
-TG

 

[rolli59]

A 30" monitor with 2560 x 1600 resolution is going to cost lot more than a 32 "1080P TV

 

[geofelt]

I suggest you get a second 22" monitor exactly like the one you already have and use an extended desktop. I assume your poker program runs in a window which can be sized across both monitors.

That will give you effectively a 40" monitor with 3380 x 1050 resolution.

 

[TopGun]

Why ya gotta throw me a curveball like that?

In all seriousness though I do think I want to go with a single bigger TV/monitor. Keep upgrading as I build new systems. Great idea, but I would need quite a bit more convincing. Also, my e-pen** doesn't sound as big using 2 smaller monitors.

I'd actually be pretty content for a while if my current monitor hadn't developed a horizontal line running through it from top(ish) to bottom(ish).

By the way, can anyone explain what the contrast ratio is all about?

 

[geofelt]

OK, since your current monitor is going south, you need a new one.

If the monitor will be on your desk, I would not get anything larger than a 27" or 30" monitor.
Anything larger will show the dots/pixels that make up the screen image when viewed up close. If you use a larger TV, you should probably plan on locating it farther away from you than your desktop.

I had a pair of 27" Samsung 275T monitors(1920 x 1200) on my desktop for a while, and they worked well. I replaced them with two Samsung 305T 30" monitors.

Here is an explanation of contrast ratio:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrast_ratio
Relatively speaking I think it does not mean much.

What is of importance is the horizontal and vertical viewing angles of the display. A good number like 178/178 which the samsung T monitors have lets you see good color even if your eyes are not positioned directly in front of the center of the display. Lesser monitors will have 160/160 degree viewing angles, and the image will look washed out when viewed somewhat from the side.

Regardless of what you get, eventually consider dual monitors for desktop usage. It was one of the best PC purchases I have made.

 

[TopGun]

OK, since your current monitor is going south, you need a new one.

If the monitor will be on your desk, I would not get anything larger than a 27" or 30" monitor.
Anything larger will show the dots/pixels that make up the screen image when viewed up close. If you use a larger TV, you should probably plan on locating it farther away from you than your desktop.

Regardless of what you get, eventually consider dual monitors for desktop usage. It was one of the best PC purchases I have made.

I was wondering about the dots/pixels thing.

The longer term plan is eventually to get the 2 monitors. Not affordable atm though.

 

[geofelt]

When you have two monitors, you want them to be exactly the same. With that in mind, plan accordingly with buying the first one.