HDTV or Monitor?

[Atty]

I'm looking for an HDTV for my 360 and as a main TV for my bed room. I've been looking at the 26'' Samsung HDTVs, 1366 720p/1080i, but I'm not quite sure if thats what I want.

What I'm wanting is a good HDTV (Or monitor I can use as an HDTV) for my 360. I'm playing Halo 3 on my 22'' but its not all that great, washy colors, stretching (my main reason for an HDTV is to keep the aspect ratio intact), etc.

So should I just go ahead and buy an HDTV? I'd use it as a secondary monitor on my PC (replacing a 17'' POS) and then use it for my 360/DirectTV HD. Or would I be better off with a monitor?

Things I want from a monitor (And HDTV) are very accurate colors, great blacks, zero ghosting (or as little as possible) and a lot of inputs preferable (At least 2 HDMI for a TV).

Any suggestions? I'm not really on a budget but I don't want to spent over a thousand here and it would be GREAT if whatever you choose is available at Best Buy, I've got some major credit built up with them.

 

[onlyCOpunk]

I was in the same dilema.

I found a sale on a 26" Insignia from Best Buy. As far as I've heard and read they are good HDTV's just without all the "frills" that the main brands offer you. I've sinced stopped using my 17" Viewsonic LCD and solely use my HDTV as the monitor (granted from an appropriate distance). It's hooked up DVI-HDMI and I must say I'm very impressed everything is crisp and clear, and the colors are great as well. Just warning though, once you start using your HDTV as a computer monitor you will never go back to your regular computer monitor. And I suppose it also depends on the video card you are using, as I've definately noticed a difference in quality between my old Geforce 6800 and the new x1950gt. The ATI card being better.

And also in the size of 26" 720p is standard, and really anything above that you wont really notice a difference video wise unless you sit really close to the TV.

I suppose a good starting point if you want to buy from best buy is go have a look at their TV's and ask them to hook up a laptop, a 360 and whatever you plan to use with whatever method you plan to connect them with and compare visually for yourself. They will do it for you, especially if they want a sale.

 

[boglwe]

Tell you what, I got the Sharp Aquos 32in 1080p. I LOVE IT. Here is a pic of it on my desktop, that is a 24 inch samsung next to it.

Here is a pic of my desktop

Link to a user review with tons of pics.

if you do go with a HDTV for a computer monitor, you will not be happy with anything but 1080P. Here is a link to a thread that reviews the Sharp HDTV I have. Its used by me for work with things like Indesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, etc etc. I also use it for gaming. Watching TV is amazing, regular and Hidef. NATGEO looks outstanding.

So far, for gaming, there is no match, its absolutely outstanding. Its not that expensive either.

 

[boglwe]

Originally posted by: onlyCOpunk
I was in the same dilema.

I found a sale on a 26" Insignia from Best Buy. As far as I've heard and read they are good HDTV's just without all the "frills" that the main brands offer you. I've sinced stopped using my 17" Viewsonic LCD and solely use my HDTV as the monitor (granted from an appropriate distance). It's hooked up DVI-HDMI and I must say I'm very impressed everything is crisp and clear, and the colors are great as well. Just warning though, once you start using your HDTV as a computer monitor you will never go back to your regular computer monitor. And I suppose it also depends on the video card you are using, as I've definately noticed a difference in quality between my old Geforce 6800 and the new x1950gt. The ATI card being better.

And also in the size of 26" 720p is standard, and really anything above that you wont really notice a difference video wise unless you sit really close to the TV.

I suppose a good starting point if you want to buy from best buy is go have a look at their TV's and ask them to hook up a laptop, a 360 and whatever you plan to use with whatever method you plan to connect them with and compare visually for yourself. They will do it for you, especially if they want a sale.

This is simply not true, Sorry.

 

[superbooga]

Originally posted by: boglwe

This is simply not true, Sorry.

Well he said video wise which in that case is true.

 

[boglwe]

Originally posted by: superbooga

Originally posted by: boglwe

This is simply not true, Sorry.

Well he said video wise which in that case is true.

Woooops, your right, sorry.

 

[Atty]

Originally posted by: boglwe
Tell you what, I got the Sharp Aquos 32in 1080p. I LOVE IT.

I originally looked into that TV back a few months ago when considering TVs and I saw a lot of reviews calamining it had some poor colors (which is a huge deal for me) although I'll look into your linked reviews to see if thats still true.

Best Buy caries the Sharp @ $1,400 which is double the price of the Samsung 720p 26''. Would I be that much better off taking the 1080p? Or should I just stick with the 720p (1080i is what I'd probably run my 360 at on it) TV?

Edit: I'm not going to be using this as a PC Monitor only, I've got my 22'' for PC usage and would only use this as a secondary screen. I'd probably watch movies, etc on the HDTV. Its main purpose will be 360.

 

[onlyCOpunk]

If you only plan to use the 360 and watching movies on it. What format of movies will you be watching, HDDVD? Blu Ray? If you don't plan on using any "real" high def formats with it, then there is no point in spending the extra $$$ on 1080p as well as it will become just a number. And right now, I don't believe any 360 games are 1080p although I could be wrong, I know that 360 upscales many of it's games like Halo 3, but whether or not any are true 1080p is a mystery to me, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Atty]

There are a few, all sports games though, none of which are worth while. I don't have a HD-DVD player or Blu-Ray (I won't until the format war is over, if it ever ends) so I don't need to worry about that. Should I just go for the 26'' Samsung? Or would the 1080p really be that much better?

 

[onlyCOpunk]

In your case, and the size you are choosing, I would say go with the 26", especially if it's just going to be used in your room, you don't want overkill, and it doesn't sound like you will need 1080p so there's no point in getting it as 1080i and 1080p are inherently the same resolution just one is progressive and one is interlaced one is 30hz and one is 60hz.

Also I use my computer on my 26" and 1280x720 is a perfect resolution, if I try and display the desktop in 1920x1080 it just becomes unbearable on the eyes.

 

[cmdrdredd]

The only thing I'm thinking about here is the fact that 1920x1080 is one hell of a high resolution to be trying to play these new games in. 1280x720 is much more bearable. I would suppose you could do 1280x720 and let the TV scale it up if it has to or do whatever it needs to do. 1920x1080 would be so horrible in the fps area in new games even with current high end cards.

Might need to wait until next year to see 1920x1080 be playable in new titles.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: iAtticus
There are a few, all sports games though, none of which are worth while. I don't have a HD-DVD player or Blu-Ray (I won't until the format war is over, if it ever ends) so I don't need to worry about that. Should I just go for the 26'' Samsung? Or would the 1080p really be that much better?

Just a side note here. Pretty soon you can get an HD DVD and Blu-Ray combo drive for your PC and output that to your HDTV. They are getting cheaper all the time too. I'd go that route, then you don't need to worry. I have the Xbox360 HD DVD player which I run to my PC, and am getting a BD-Rom drive to play all the Blu-Ray titles I cannot have on HD DVD and want to get also. Support both for now, then when/if one takes over I can just continue to purchase and view movies on that format.

 

[onlyCOpunk]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
The only thing I'm thinking about here is the fact that 1920x1080 is one hell of a high resolution to be trying to play these new games in. 1280x720 is much more bearable. I would suppose you could do 1280x720 and let the TV scale it up if it has to or do whatever it needs to do. 1920x1080 would be so horrible in the fps area in new games even with current high end cards.

Might need to wait until next year to see 1920x1080 be playable in new titles.

Agreed, I can play some games in 1920x1080 like Half Life 2, but it really just doesn't do it for me. Games look pretty stellar at 1280x720 with all the eye candy turned on. Although "hardcore" gamers will laugh at that resolution, but let them laugh.

Also I agree that a combo drive would be a good idea, kind of a la +r and -r, but it also doesn't hurt to wait a little bit, unless you're a big movie buff.

 

[boglwe]

Originally posted by: iAtticus

Originally posted by: boglwe
Tell you what, I got the Sharp Aquos 32in 1080p. I LOVE IT.

I originally looked into that TV back a few months ago when considering TVs and I saw a lot of reviews calamining it had some poor colors (which is a huge deal for me) although I'll look into your linked reviews to see if thats still true.

Best Buy caries the Sharp @ $1,400 which is double the price of the Samsung 720p 26''. Would I be that much better off taking the 1080p? Or should I just stick with the 720p (1080i is what I'd probably run my 360 at on it) TV?

Edit: I'm not going to be using this as a PC Monitor only, I've got my 22'' for PC usage and would only use this as a secondary screen. I'd probably watch movies, etc on the HDTV. Its main purpose will be 360.

Don't forget, there are two Sharp 32 inchers, One has loads of intpus, the other (the one I have) has a few on the right, but 2 hdmi. 999 from Newegg.