Any Insights on best LCD TV that can double as a PC Monitor?

[spoon805]

In the next month, I'm in the market for both a flat-panel TV and a LCD monitor. Instead of spending money on two separate items, I thought I might look into a display that can fulfill both needs. My initial research has led me to two makes: Samsung and Viewsonic.

Samsung - The LT-P227W fits the bill for the most part and is the right price. Most importantly, the screen is large enough for me to watch TV or a DVD from the couch. However, there was a review, although poorly written, at Amazon.com that disclosed some technicaly limitations when using it as a PC monitor.

Viewsonic - I also looked at the N2700w. However, the price is a bit high and the reviews have been unfavorable.

So, can anyone recommend any other brands and/or models to look into? Are there any features or specification that I should look for? Does anyone have experience with the Samsung model mentioned above?

 

[mdahc]

Are you looking for HDTV support as well? If so, the Samsung would be a better choice since you get HD DVI and component whereas the Viewsonic only has HD DVI and regular component. I think that's about as good as it's going to get for the $1500 price range. I was actually considering the Sony KLV-23M1 since it also has 3:2 pulldown, but the extra inch of space and the 3:2 pulldown processing comes with an extra $300 in price. Anyway, good luck.

 

[imported_Thepunisher]

I have the dell w2300 which I think is awesome.Great color and does 1280x768 native and has a resonse time of 25ms which to me doesnt blur at all.



http://www1.us.dell.com/conten...mp;l=en&s=dfh&

 

[spoon805]

Originally posted by: mdahc
Are you looking for HDTV support as well? If so, the Samsung would be a better choice since you get HD DVI and component whereas the Viewsonic only has HD DVI and regular component. I think that's about as good as it's going to get for the $1500 price range. I was actually considering the Sony KLV-23M1 since it also has 3:2 pulldown, but the extra inch of space and the 3:2 pulldown processing comes with an extra $300 in price. Anyway, good luck.

Nope, HDTV isn't really a major criteria.

Hmm, that Sony is nice too. It's a shame it doesn't have PC input.

 

[spoon805]

Originally posted by: Thepunisher
I have the dell w2300 which I think is awesome.Great color and does 1280x768 native and has a resonse time of 25ms which to me doesnt blur at all.



http://www1.us.dell.com/conten...mp;l=en&s=dfh&

Wow, what a great price. $999 now. Time to look for some more review on this model. In the mean time, can you offer up any other comments on the model? Things you wished it had? Things it lacks?

 

[sunase]

You might want to look around for a deals/coupons. I got my W2300 for 830$ shipped from Dell, although I think their financial term was ending or something like that. Finding 10/20% off at least should be pretty easy.

Only complaint I have with mine is the black level is really terrible (even with the brightness all the way down). But I switched from a CRT, so I guess you have to expect the image quality is going to be worse. Also they took 5 weeks to ship it when the website claimed 2 (they did send a delay notice with an offer to cancel, though).

 

[clarkmo]

This should do it!

 

[spoon805]

Originally posted by: clarkmo
This should do it!

Hehe, I wish. At around $6k, I'm a but short.

 

[spoon805]

Originally posted by: sunase
You might want to look around for a deals/coupons. I got my W2300 for 830$ shipped from Dell, although I think their financial term was ending or something like that. Finding 10/20% off at least should be pretty easy.

Only complaint I have with mine is the black level is really terrible (even with the brightness all the way down). But I switched from a CRT, so I guess you have to expect the image quality is going to be worse. Also they took 5 weeks to ship it when the website claimed 2 (they did send a delay notice with an offer to cancel, though).

I read that the remote is somewhat weak. Are you experiencing any of that?

Also, does anyone know why the 23inch model has been discontinued? It's not coming up in the Home section.

 

[sunase]

Seems fine. Just tried the remote from 24' feet away (length of the room I have it in) with the batteries that came with it and only one minor problem. The IR sensor is at the bottom of the monitor (and stretched a bit horizontally) when you use the LCD in landscape mode. I almost always have the screen in portrait mode, however (it's mounted on an arm that lets it rotate). This puts the sensor over on the left.

When firing from the right a little ways it was rather insensitive (~50/50 signal worked moving the remote around a little, but still at that general angle). That would be firing from above the thing in normal TV use, though, not something common. Strangely enough firing from the left (below in normal use) was fine.

The remote is tiny anyway, and has little buttons that are slick and don't pop out much, so I'd never use it versus my much easier to use universal remote anyway. You can tell it was designed for looks rather than use. The screen is way too small to be a decent TV anyway, though, so I don't even have it hooked up as one making the remote kinda pointless. ^^

 

[mdahc]

Originally posted by: spoon805

Originally posted by: mdahc
Are you looking for HDTV support as well? If so, the Samsung would be a better choice since you get HD DVI and component whereas the Viewsonic only has HD DVI and regular component. I think that's about as good as it's going to get for the $1500 price range. I was actually considering the Sony KLV-23M1 since it also has 3:2 pulldown, but the extra inch of space and the 3:2 pulldown processing comes with an extra $300 in price. Anyway, good luck.

Nope, HDTV isn't really a major criteria.

Hmm, that Sony is nice too. It's a shame it doesn't have PC input.

The Sony has HDMI and HD component thus giving you the same connectivity (you'd just have to pay an extra $30 or so for an HDMI to DVI adapter). However, that's an extra $30 on top of the extra $300. So it all depends on your budget, I guess.

 

[spoon805]

I definitely want to keep this purchase around $1500 or less.

Actually, I was surfing last night and found out that the W2600 (26 inch LCD TV from Dell) is going for $1499. Anyone have any comments on that model?

 

[DaFanMan]

I'm in the same boat as you, looking to replace my 2001FP with an LCD TV to use as my TV and Monitor. That 26" Dell LCD looks pretty nice for the money, just wondeiing how well it performs as a PC Monitor as that will be its primary function in my case. I really wanted to stay at or above the 27" mark to make it worth upgrade from my current monitor.

I'll follow this thread and post any info I turn up on it, wish I could see one in person, no dell direct stores in my area though.

-Matt

 

[Arcanedeath]

Micro center has a 27" LCD TV that supports 1280x768 / HDTV resloutions it has both 15pin Dsub and DVI / HDMI + your stander compoent and composite inputs and it's at 799 after rebate, my father purchased one to use as his TV and PC monitor, it seems to work fairly well as a PC monitor, but I had to get an HD TV tuner to get it to put up a nice picture as using a normal NTSC tuner produced a pretty lousy picture.

Edit: also as an FYI it's a Syntax Olevia 27? LCD TV - LT27HV and it has a 16ms response time so no ghosting. Lots of places carry it so you can go see it in person but it looks darn good w/ an HD picture or DVD on it.

 

[spoon805]

Originally posted by: DaFanMan
I'm in the same boat as you, looking to replace my 2001FP with an LCD TV to use as my TV and Monitor. That 26" Dell LCD looks pretty nice for the money, just wondeiing how well it performs as a PC Monitor as that will be its primary function in my case. I really wanted to stay at or above the 27" mark to make it worth upgrade from my current monitor.

I'll follow this thread and post any info I turn up on it, wish I could see one in person, no dell direct stores in my area though.

-Matt

Same here in Houston.

The current deal for the 26in LCD is at 1399 now....until Monday.

Does anyone think a 25 ms reponse rate is a deal breaker for this unit? I don't really game.
My initial research: http://www.extremetech.com/art.../0,1558,1736064,00.asp

 

[DaFanMan]

Originally posted by: Arcanedeath
Micro center has a 27" LCD TV that supports 1280x768 / HDTV resloutions it has both 15pin Dsub and DVI / HDMI + your stander compoent and composite inputs and it's at 799 after rebate, my father purchased one to use as his TV and PC monitor, it seems to work fairly well as a PC monitor, but I had to get an HD TV tuner to get it to put up a nice picture as using a normal NTSC tuner produced a pretty lousy picture.

Edit: also as an FYI it's a Syntax Olevia 27? LCD TV - LT27HV and it has a 16ms response time so no ghosting. Lots of places carry it so you can go see it in person but it looks darn good w/ an HD picture or DVD on it.

I might have to drive out to Micro Center and check that one out again, I kind of casually browsed through all their Plasmas and LCDs but didn't pay much attention last time I was there.

 

[DaFanMan]

Thought I would update this thread,

I picked up the 30" Syntax Olevia LCD @ Microcenter this week and so far I'm impressed with it, as a PC Monitor its very nice, better than I expected, I have it hooked up via DVI running at 1280x768 and it looks great, DVD's look pretty good, I havent tryed analog TV yet, going to pickup some coax cable to hook up to my analog cable tomorrow and see how that looks, I plan to get an OTA HD Box soon, I downloaded some WMV HD Content and it looks amazing on this display. So far I reccomend it, I went from a dell 2001fp and wasnt sure if the lower resolution would be okay but no complaints.

Any questions just let me know
-Matt

 

[coolio99]

would this work?
http://product.samsung.com/cgi...prod_id=LTP326WX%2fXAA

 

[uOpt]

Are any of these capable of splitting the screen between TV and computer?

What I mean is - say - of a 1280x768 screen I get 1024x768 for one input and 256x768 for the other? Or window-in-picture mode?