HDTV as computer monitor: feasiblity?

Does anyone out there know the feasability of using an HDTV as a computer
monitor? It seems like most vid-cards have DVI connectors (for flat-panel
displays). Aren't DVI connectors also used as inputs for HDTV's? It also seems
like most video card drivers support widescreen formats as well. How much would
a 24" to 25" HDTV with DVI inputs cost these days?

I'd imagine HDTV's can't handle text modes right? So and HDTV wouldn't be of
much use when booting a PC (viz. since you couldn't see anything until you get
into the GUI).

What kind of refresh rates can HDTV's handle? What kind of resolutions? Has
anyone else tried this? Any FAQ's out there?
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

Wblane wrote:

Does anyone out there know the feasability of using an HDTV as a computer
monitor? It seems like most vid-cards have DVI connectors (for flat-panel
displays). Aren't DVI connectors also used as inputs for HDTV's? It also
seems like most video card drivers support widescreen formats as well. How
much would a 24" to 25" HDTV with DVI inputs cost these days?

I'd imagine HDTV's can't handle text modes right? So and HDTV wouldn't be
of much use when booting a PC (viz. since you couldn't see anything until
you get into the GUI).

What kind of refresh rates can HDTV's handle? What kind of resolutions?
Has anyone else tried this? Any FAQ's out there?

A real HDTV works reasonably well as a monitor. What you have to watch for
is the ones that have a digital input that they then downscale to SD
resolutions, which is what most of the inexpensive sets do.

There is no such thing as a "text mode" for a PC monitor--as long as the
monitor can display 640x480 it can display the boot screens.

The highest res in the HD standard is 1080x1920, interlaced, and I don't
recall what the refresh rate is but it's not super high.

If the video board can put 720P or 1080i on the DVI output then you should
be in good shape. This is doable with most boards currently in production
using Powerstrip.

The only true HD TVs you're going to find that are smaller than 32 inches or
so will be flat panels and they aren't particularly cheap.

-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

You really are talking an LCD with inbuilt HDTV tuner?

"Wblane" wrote in message
...
Does anyone out there know the feasability of using an HDTV as a computer
monitor? It seems like most vid-cards have DVI connectors (for flat-panel
displays). Aren't DVI connectors also used as inputs for HDTV's? It also
seems
like most video card drivers support widescreen formats as well. How much
would
a 24" to 25" HDTV with DVI inputs cost these days?

I'd imagine HDTV's can't handle text modes right? So and HDTV wouldn't be
of
much use when booting a PC (viz. since you couldn't see anything until you
get
into the GUI).

What kind of refresh rates can HDTV's handle? What kind of resolutions?
Has
anyone else tried this? Any FAQ's out there?
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

sheer wrote:
You really are talking an LCD with inbuilt HDTV tuner?

"Wblane" wrote in message
...

Does anyone out there know the feasability of using an HDTV as a computer
monitor? It seems like most vid-cards have DVI connectors (for flat-panel
displays). Aren't DVI connectors also used as inputs for HDTV's? It also

seems

like most video card drivers support widescreen formats as well. How much

would

a 24" to 25" HDTV with DVI inputs cost these days?

I'd imagine HDTV's can't handle text modes right? So and HDTV wouldn't be

of

much use when booting a PC (viz. since you couldn't see anything until you

get

into the GUI).

What kind of refresh rates can HDTV's handle? What kind of resolutions?

Has

anyone else tried this? Any FAQ's out there?
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)




Actually, I've noticed that the DVI input of my HDTV doesn't really work
well with the DVI output of the video card. Generally the PC doesn't
know how to deal with the monitor to display things properly at correct
resolutions/etc....also many games refuse to deal with the display
altogether and just crash. Could just be my TV not being equipped to
deal with PCs.

However, ATI does sell a DVI (or VGA) to component adapter that plugs
into the video card.

http://www.ati.com/products/hdtvadapter/

I got this at newegg for $35 (including shipping).

This thing works pretty well. Through the standard display settings you
can specify which HDTV modes to use (480i/p, 720p, 1080i, and also a
16:9 for WS if you got it).

nobody wrote:
sheer wrote:
You really are talking an LCD with inbuilt HDTV tuner?

"Wblane" wrote in message
...

Does anyone out there know the feasability of using an HDTV as a
computer monitor? It seems like most vid-cards have DVI connectors
(for flat-panel displays). Aren't DVI connectors also used as
inputs for HDTV's? It also

seems

like most video card drivers support widescreen formats as well.
How much

would

a 24" to 25" HDTV with DVI inputs cost these days?

I'd imagine HDTV's can't handle text modes right? So and HDTV
wouldn't be

of

much use when booting a PC (viz. since you couldn't see anything
until you

get

into the GUI).

What kind of refresh rates can HDTV's handle? What kind of
resolutions?

Has

anyone else tried this? Any FAQ's out there?
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)




Actually, I've noticed that the DVI input of my HDTV doesn't really
work well with the DVI output of the video card. Generally the PC
doesn't know how to deal with the monitor to display things properly
at correct resolutions/etc....also many games refuse to deal with the
display altogether and just crash. Could just be my TV not being
equipped to deal with PCs.

However, ATI does sell a DVI (or VGA) to component adapter that plugs
into the video card.

http://www.ati.com/products/hdtvadapter/

I got this at newegg for $35 (including shipping).

This thing works pretty well. Through the standard display settings
you can specify which HDTV modes to use (480i/p, 720p, 1080i, and
also a 16:9 for WS if you got it).

My set doesn't have DVI so I use a VGA-to-HD Transcoder. I use a Sony
monitor driver for the set and powerstrip to pick the resolution. It works
well.

This is all beginning to sound too complicated. I remember the nightmare I went
thru a couple of years ago trying to get a 21" fixed frequency monitor to work
w/my 9500 Pro -- I don't want to go thru that again.

Just for the record are HDTV's fixed frequency devices? Do they support
standard PC resolutions? Do HDTV's support 60Hz refresh rates?

I live in an efficiency aparment (translation: small) and I need a new TV so I
was thinking why not combine the TV w/a big monitor and get an HDTV of some
type.
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

A big CRT and some type of tuner card is what I'm thinking now (since I can get
TV tuner card for dirt cheap right now and have my FIC VA503+ all ready to go).

Why not get a nice large computer monitor and use one of these. I have
one.

http://www.viewsonic.com/products/tv...sors/vb50hrtv/




-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

Wblane wrote:

This is all beginning to sound too complicated. I remember the nightmare I
went thru a couple of years ago trying to get a 21" fixed frequency
monitor to work w/my 9500 Pro -- I don't want to go thru that again.

Just for the record are HDTV's fixed frequency devices? Do they support
standard PC resolutions? Do HDTV's support 60Hz refresh rates?

Depends. Some do, some don't. Don't count on it, assume that any set you
look at is limited to the resolutions defined in the HDTV standards unless
the manufacturer (and not the store) specifically states otherwise.

I live in an efficiency aparment (translation: small) and I need a new TV
so I was thinking why not combine the TV w/a big monitor and get an HDTV
of some type.

You'd do better to get a big monitor and use the computer as the TV
receiver.

-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Keep in mind the resolution of HDTV may not be sufficient. From what I
remember reading about HDTVs, there are the 1080i (interlaced) and 720p
(progressive) standards, both with 16:9 aspect ratio, so a HDTV only has the
equivalent of 1280x720 max resolution. Projecting this onto a 36" display
could look ugly when you need to read text.

--
"War is the continuation of politics by other means.
It can therefore be said that politics is war without
bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed."


"Wblane" wrote in message
...
This is all beginning to sound too complicated. I remember the nightmare I
went
thru a couple of years ago trying to get a 21" fixed frequency monitor to
work
w/my 9500 Pro -- I don't want to go thru that again.

Just for the record are HDTV's fixed frequency devices? Do they support
standard PC resolutions? Do HDTV's support 60Hz refresh rates?

I live in an efficiency aparment (translation: small) and I need a new TV
so I
was thinking why not combine the TV w/a big monitor and get an HDTV of
some
type.
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 12:40:31 -0700, Willie Winger
wrote:


Why not get a nice large computer monitor and use one of these. I have
one.

http://www.viewsonic.com/products/tv...sors/vb50hrtv/

Actually, I have this one. N6.

http://www.viewsonic.com/products/tv.../nextvisionn6/