Sticky, Using HDTV as a computer monitor.

**rimmerchant** · 07-31-2006, 11:46 PM

Mod. please make this sticky if possible.

I've been reading alot of people asking about HDTV for PC use recently. so instead of answering each individually.
I'll just do this post so other people don't ask the same question.

I got a the WestingHouse 42" LCD HDTV it's 1080P

To Sum it up using a widescreen HDTV as monitor:

PROS:
- Awesome for watching movies. (big widescreen picture)
- Awesome for playing games. nothing like blasting aliens and demons with a shotgun at 42" of goodness.

Go here to get a list of games and hacks that let your play current games in widescreen custom resolution:
http://forum.tigerdave.com/viewtopic...b4d7745b20fda2

Someone mention that you need at least a SLI rig to run game smootly on a HDTV.... WRONG! even the high resolution 1080p sets (1920x1080) the pixel count is not really any higher than 1600x1200. So if your rig can play games smoothly at 1600x1200 then you can play games smoothly on a 1080p set. My x800XT can play most current games at 1080p smoothly with all eyecandy. Heck if your HDTV set is only 1366x768 or 1280x720, I'm sure even a midrange video card can run games smoothly on it since the pixel count is not that high.

You don't really need a high end video card for desktop/movie use. my x800xt can play 1080p WMV fine.

- Using a PC to upscale dvd/movies to the HDTV is generally better quality than a stand alone DVD player
so it is good for a HTPC

CONS:
- high cost per pixel as compared to regular computer monitor LCD
- not good for regular office/web type work. especially the lower res (1366x768 or 1280x720) because resolution is kind of low to display much.
-not good for using a monitor for work purpose. and it's kinda awkard to place a keyboard/mouse close to it.
at close enough range to see the fonts your eyes have to move more to see the entire desktop. causing eye fatigue.
- In general 4:3 aspect ratio is more efficent for work than widescreen aspect ratio
- from what I hear some HDTV sets do not support full 1080p resolution for PC use even tho the set is capable of it physically. (do your research on the set before buying) Personally my Westy 42" have no problem using full 1080p resolution through DVI,VGA,HDMI and my PC detect the monitor resolution right away with no driver install.

- I never heard of it but some HDTV sets have gamming lag.
http://gear.ign.com/articles/712/712352p1.html. Personally I don't have that problem with my set. Again do your research on the set before buying.

COMMENTS:
- a HDTV is nice, but to me the only real use for it is Movies and games. dont' get it if u plan to use it as your primary/only monitor for work/school purpose. As for the same cost factor or even less $ you can get 3x 20" lcd for multimonitor setup or a dual monitor. That is much more efficient for work. trust me in this I got multimonitor setups too.

- I have my 42" set for a little over a month and to tell you guys the truth I only use it for TV, moves and games. I find using the 42" for anything else is annoying. I like dual/triple monitor much better for work,web, email.

- given a $2000 budget to spend for monitor.. I would get 3x 20" LCD multimonitor setup as oppose to a 42" 1080P HDTV. why? because I do work 95% of the time.

Well this is it for now. I hope this post clear up some question for so of you

**Un4given** · 08-01-2006, 12:13 AM

Well, since I'm not into the big screen, HDTV crap, I'll make this sticky.

**pualo** · 08-02-2006, 02:32 PM

sometimes you just want to access your stuff from the couch. Seems like a hdtv should be able to do that, or rather a big screen with a lower pixel/screen size ratio. I was trying to get one of those WestingHouse 42" LCD's cause they have no tuner at all (dont want one), but online their about $2500 and i heard bestbuy used to have them for $1500 (now i think they only have the ones with the tuner). Want to get one in that price range.

**pualo** · 08-02-2006, 03:02 PM

Is it true that 1080p are only capable of displaying that resolutiion from over the air broadcasts and not from inputs from other sources. I read that this month they are coming out with tvs that can display that resolution from any input source, what type of descriptions will they give to differentiate between the two.

**ua549** · 08-02-2006, 03:18 PM

Over the air is the only way I use my HDTV. I get 27 OTA digital channels though only 16 of them offer HD. Soon there will be lots of movies available on optical media offering 1080p. There may be some out there now as there are some 1080i DVDs available.

**pualo** · 08-02-2006, 04:41 PM

yea other than over the air their is not a lot of hdtv stuff, the other hd inputs i'm reffering to are recorded hdtv stuff on the hard drive,highdef rips and so on, also games at resolutions of 1080. Apparently even if a present tv is 1080 capable it wont show pc sources at 1080, only over the air sources.

**rimmerchant** · 08-03-2006, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by pualo

Apparently even if a present tv is 1080 capable it wont show pc sources at 1080, only over the air sources.

WRONG WRONG WRONG.

1080p = Progressive (full resolution)
1080i = Interlaced (****)

HDTV signals OTA (over the air) have max of either 720p or 1080i. There are NO 1080p material OTA or even through Cable or Satellite source due to to bandwidth limitations.

1080p is only possible through source such as PC or HD-DVD/BlueRay.

If your PC can display 1080p but your TV can't accept it, then you got a crappy 1080p HDTV sets. (I have heard of some set that is capable of 1080p but for some reason they won't let you use the full 1080p for PC use. Pretty stupid/lame if you ask me)

also 1080p is only available through DVI/VGA/HDMI connections. Coax, Composite A/V, S-Video, and Component video cannot do 1080p

Coax, Composite A/V, S-video can only do 480i signal
Component can do 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i

**rimmerchant** · 08-03-2006, 05:28 PM

as for HDTV material....

I personally don't really care. I don't have a HDTV tuner and even at the stores I see HDTV shows and I can see alot of compression artificts in the shows kinda annoying.

**pualo** · 08-04-2006, 01:22 AM

Thats cool cus it would be weird for a any monitor which has dvi and 1080p capable not to be able to accept it from a pc.

**soupnazi** · 08-09-2006, 09:44 AM

Also, www.widescreengamingforum.com is great for mods to make games run in widescreen.

http://www.widescreengamingforum.com...Games_List_-_A

**syk0** · 08-15-2006, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by rimmerchant

WRONG WRONG WRONG.

1080p = Progressive (full resolution)
1080i = Interlaced (****)

HDTV signals OTA (over the air) have max of either 720p or 1080i. There are NO 1080p material OTA or even through Cable or Satellite source due to to bandwidth limitations.

1080p is only possible through source such as PC or HD-DVD/BlueRay.

If your PC can display 1080p but your TV can't accept it, then you got a crappy 1080p HDTV sets. (I have heard of some set that is capable of 1080p but for some reason they won't let you use the full 1080p for PC use. Pretty stupid/lame if you ask me)

also 1080p is only available through DVI/VGA/HDMI connections. Coax, Composite A/V, S-Video, and Component video cannot do 1080p

Coax, Composite A/V, S-video can only do 480i signal
Component can do 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i

"There are NO 1080p material OTA or even through Cable or Satellite source due to to bandwidth limitations."

I don't understand this quote. Maybe I'm misunderstanding.

In Canada a lot of our TV infastructure is built around coaxial cable and don't use air signals like much of the U.S for HD. I work for a cable company that has had HDTV digital cable boxes for years now and can produce 720p and 1080i resolutions (IE. Motorla 5100,6200,6208,6412).

From my understanding the analogue information from the coax line is then decoded from the HD box and then displayed on your TV. HD is very bandwidth intensive, so I hear if you do try to stream a feed from your HD box to your PC using software, your hard drive fills up with raw HD data at a tremendous rate (I heard you need Windows Media center or something to decode the data).

So I'm not sure where the bandwidth limitation part comes in, in terms of not being about to do HD at all over coax cable / sattelite. I suppose we are kind of streched for bandwidth overall, and have to slowly get rid of analogue chs which take up too much bandwidth to begin with, but currently there is around 10 HD chs here (and not a bunch of duplicate feeds either like sattelite). I also know the fastest residential internet connection around here is 7 Mbps, which is not too shabby.

**rimmerchant** · 08-15-2006, 05:17 PM

don't know about canada but here in the USA.

the max HDTV resolution of Over the Air HD, Digital CAble HD, or Satellite HD is 1080i. the only way to get 1080p source is is from a PC, HD-DVD/Blue-Ray player.

to be clear when I mean Coax. I don't mean the coax to your cable box. I mean the old coax. like from the old days how you hook up your NES to at TV or VCR. (analog)

**Johnmcl7** · 08-19-2006, 08:31 AM

"- In general 4:3 aspect ratio is more efficent for work than widescreen aspect ratio"

I totally disagree with this, I much prefer widescreen for general office work especially for working with several Word documents or large Excel spreadsheets at once, I find it difficult to go back to 4:3 now - all my own machines are now widescreen.

John

**James** · 08-20-2006, 11:21 PM

I can now say that I have experienced the 42" 1920x1080 Westinghouse LCD monitor first hand. And my word it looks sweet. Very crisp and easy on the eyes, and an absolute dream for those 1080p Quicktime HD trailers....

Media Center PC's now have a reason to exist.

**rimmerchant** · 08-21-2006, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by James

I can now say that I have experienced the 42" 1920x1080 Westinghouse LCD monitor first hand. And my word it looks sweet. Very crisp and easy on the eyes, and an absolute dream for those 1080p Quicktime HD trailers....

Media Center PC's now have a reason to exist.

welcome to the club my brother from another mother.

Load up doom3 on it and set the resolution to 1080p and turn off all the lights.. it's like a whole new experience playing on a say 19" LCD.

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