HDTV as a pc monitor

[hideaf]

Hello,
I've just built a new pc, and have been looking at lcd pc monitors for the last few days, [ using crt right now] and I am now wondering why I cannot use a lcd tv monitor, as the price of a 32 inch lcd is around 300$ to 400$ at sam's club, and are "pc capable" according to the info on the box. The largest pc screen I've seen is an HP @ 27 inches [ it was part of a total computer offering] and I'm pretty sure it isn't cheap.
The bigger question here is, my computer is used for moderate gaming, and from what I read, the monitor should have a response time of less than 5ms to avoid ghosting/artifacts for quick on screen movement. The hdtv [ 720p] I was looking at had no info on the response time, so I am stuck for an answer right now.
Anyone out there using a lcd tv for a computer screen? [ with gaming?]
A large screen [ those 23 inchers are puny imo.] would be awesome but also may not work for me?
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
PS I have hdmi,dvi, and vga input on my new graphics card

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
Chris

[MrBoylan]

Hello,
I've just built a new pc, and have been looking at lcd pc monitors for the last few days, [ using crt right now] and I am now wondering why I cannot use a lcd tv monitor, as the price of a 32 inch lcd is around 300$ to 400$ at sam's club, and are "pc capable" according to the info on the box. The largest pc screen I've seen is an HP @ 27 inches [ it was part of a total computer offering] and I'm pretty sure it isn't cheap.
The bigger question here is, my computer is used for moderate gaming, and from what I read, the monitor should have a response time of less than 5ms to avoid ghosting/artifacts for quick on screen movement. The hdtv [ 720p] I was looking at had no info on the response time, so I am stuck for an answer right now.
Anyone out there using a lcd tv for a computer screen? [ with gaming?]
A large screen [ those 23 inchers are puny imo.] would be awesome but also may not work for me?
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
PS I have hdmi,dvi, and vga input on my new graphics card

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
Chris

Hi, Chris,

One reason large PC monitors are generally more expensive than comparably size TVs is resolution. The Gateway XHD3000 30-inch monitor, for example, is 2560 x 1600 pixels (same as the Apple 30-inch monitor), which is roughly twice the resolution of 1080p. These ultra-high resolution displays come in handy when you're very close to the screen so you don't notice the pixel structure.

The cheaper TVs which double as monitors are frequently less than 1080p resolution. They may be 1280x720 (720p) or they may be 1366x768. And even some of the TVs that *ARE* 1080p support lower resolutions when you connect a PC.

If your video card has DVI-D or HDMI output, then you should be able to use most 1080p "TVs" as a monitor, as long as your PC supports a 1920x1080 output resolution.

There are some bargains to be had in monitors, which also work as HDTVs, like Samsung's T240, which Tiger Direct has on sale for $269.99 shipped right now:

Samsung Touch of Color T240HD 24" LCD HD Monitor - 5ms, 1080p, 1920 x 1200, 1000:1, HDMI, DVI, Rose/Black at TigerDirect.com

This is specifically designed as a PC monitor so it features a 16:10 (not 16:9) aspect ratio and a PC-friendly 1920x1200 resolution. In addition to VGA and DVI inputs, it also includes component and HDMI inputs for hooking up other A/V components. Not sure if this one is big enough for your purposes, but if it is then it's a pretty sweet deal on a nice monitor. Its refresh rate is 5 ms and dynamic contrast is 10,000:1.

Hope that helps.

-CB

[hideaf]

Thanks, CB

You've cleared up most of the questions I had, and after checking the specs on my video card, the dvi to hdmi interface will "drive a resolution of a digital display up to 1920x1200 or higher" So I'm good to go there.
The only question left is the response time of 5ms on the monitor you recommend. If while "gaming" will there be lag time or artifacts with this higher resolution? I know this is not really a pc forum, but with the knowledge of monitors on this forum, I hoped to get my answer here. I would rather have accurate info than someone's personal preference.
Thank you for the specs to look for, and I'm hoping for an answer for the above question.

regards,
chris

[MrBoylan]

Thanks, CB

You've cleared up most of the questions I had, and after checking the specs on my video card, the dvi to hdmi interface will "drive a resolution of a digital display up to 1920x1200 or higher" So I'm good to go there.
The only question left is the response time of 5ms on the monitor you recommend. If while "gaming" will there be lag time or artifacts with this higher resolution? I know this is not really a pc forum, but with the knowledge of monitors on this forum, I hoped to get my answer here. I would rather have accurate info than someone's personal preference.
Thank you for the specs to look for, and I'm hoping for an answer for the above question.

regards,
chris

Panel response times, like contrast ratios and brightness ratings, are provided by the manufacturer and there is no real standardized testing procedure or specification that needs to be met in order to state the claimed response time. But Samsung is a premier brand and legit company so they're not going to be making any crazy claims in their specs that they can't back up.

My feeling is that 5 microseconds would be plenty fast for gaming as it it would feel almost instantaneous in response to controls and should be quick enough to prevent too much motion blur. For the money, I think it's a great overall HDTV/monitor.

-CB

[hideaf]

Panel response times, like contrast ratios and brightness ratings, are provided by the manufacturer and there is no real standardized testing procedure or specification that needs to be met in order to state the claimed response time. But Samsung is a premier brand and legit company so they're not going to be making any crazy claims in their specs that they can't back up.

My feeling is that 5 microseconds would be plenty fast for gaming as it it would feel almost instantaneous in response to controls and should be quick enough to prevent too much motion blur. For the money, I think it's a great overall HDTV/monitor.

-CB

CB,
Thanks again.
I checked out the link you provided and I see that this hdtv is also available in a 26 inch as well.
I'm going to check out a few brick and mortar stores for this first.

Thanks again
chris