LCD TV vs PC monitor

[konakona]

I have noticed LCD TVs of comparable size are consistently cheaper than their PC monitor counterparts. If I am getting this right, the TVs only give up some resolution doing that, which is not necessarily a bad thing depending on what you are using your display for.

Now, if I were to look for a cheap yet good looking display exclusively for desktop use, which would be the ideal type and size?

I mostly use my monitor for viewing anime (tends to have many near-static scenes) and playing games (some FPS, MMORPG, 2d fighters and all sorts of stuff). As of now, most everything comes encoded in SD (1280x720), some in HD (1920x1080) occassionally. Native res at 2560x1600 would force me to go multi GPU which I would rather not. Outside of that, there is a bit of web surfing and such that I see all too trivial. I don't need a whole lot of desktop space, I am perfectly happy with 1280x960 on my 22'' diamondtron, even after moving back from my dead 1920x1200 P-MVA. Extra inputs mean next to nothing to me, I don't have anything to feed the display with other than a computer or two.

H-IPS seems to dominate the hearts of PC monitor enthusiasts, while most high-end LCD TVs seem to be made with S-PVA inside. I vaguely remember reading a theread at avsforum that said something along the line of S-PVA based big TVs are free from slow response and vertical color shift of mainstream S-PVA monitors. Does this have to do with how far you sit away from your respective display type? When I watch stuff, I pause, rewind and take screenshots so many times I can't imagine sitting anywhere further than 2 feet away.

Unfortunately, I never had a chance to compare H-IPS and S-PVA side by side, so I am not sure which one I would be happier with. All I know is S-PVA is known to have superior black level even now, and H-IPS tends to be quicker. Since I rarely invite my friends to my house, horizontal viewing angle is of little interest to me. Not sure if vertical viewing angle would bother me on S-PVAs.

Then there is the whole question of size. Aside from that 3007WFP-HC currently on sale, I can't think of any affordable quality 30'' monitor. I have lived with a 24'' LCD for about a year, and felt 30'' would have been a nice jump. Common wisdom says the bigger the better, but given the distance of 2 feet between the viewer and the screen, wouldn't there be a certain limit on how big is "enough"? My friend's 46'' was definitely too big for that kind of distance.

To sum it up, I am kind of indifferent about input variety, desktop resolution, viewing from far away and such, but do care about good colors, black level and adequate speed for FPS type of games. Are LCD TVs on par with high end monitors in that regard? The two things that got me concerned is
1) high end monitors are often sought for photo editing and I shall have none of it
2) LCD TVs are usually viewed from afar, are they equally good up close?

Last but not least, I hear conflicting verdicts on whether latest plasma screens are fit for desktop use. Some claim lingering issues of burn-in and such all have been sorted out. Is there any truth to it?

Moved from Hot Deals.
Sr Moderator allisolm

 

[LostPassword]

don't know about burn-in with latest plasma, but nowadays people argue against plasma because for smaller plasma TVs, the majority of them are only 720p resolution (which is low IMO for monitor use), while more and more lcd tvs even smaller ones are going towards 1080p resolution.

probably a 32 inch 1080p lcd tv will be good for monitor use.

also, on a side note, i think you posted in the wrong forums.

 

[konakona]

ugh, you are right. I swear I thought I was in the video forum. Thanks for the friendly reminder.

 

[skywhr]

 

[Macgyversite]

32's make great monitors if you can sit back a few feet. Price isnt important imho. The cheaper the better unlees it breaks.

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: skywhr

My humble apologies. This is what happens when you have too many tabs open at one time

 

[hans007]

basically all TVs 30" and up are IPS displays.

A lot of people use 1920x1080 30 to 32" displays as their monitors now. Especially if you are not into super small type (i generally dont mind, but older people like my uncle who try to use 1280x800 on a 24" probably would be better off just using a TV).

I'd proably recommend using an actual LCD tv and not a plasma as most plasma tvs do not have square pixels from what i know so they will use a scaler to fit your image on the screen which might affect how your actual desktop looks on screen.

 

[konakona]

I didn't know that, isn't samsung/sony pretty big in the LCD tv market? I thought all those samsung branded TVs are S-PVA pwoered.
Anyway, 32'' @ 1920x1080 sounds great. Did you have any particular models in mind? Maybe I should have picked up that cheap Dynex a while back

 

[arkcom]

Here's a 37" 1080p for $409 after Bing cashback.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/app...974&sku=S197-3704%20BX

 

[BenSkywalker]

Either Sony or Samsung are good choices, the cheaper you go the more I would lean towards Samsung, the opposite at the high end.

Stay away from Panasonics in that size range. I have one in my bedroom, like it a lot, but off angle viewing is absolutely horrible, as bad as any TN monitor I have seen.

SD is 720x480, 1280x720 is HD, 1920x1080 is "full HD".

That you watch a lot of content at a scaled resolution would tend to have me reccomending a TV over a monitor in general, TVs scale video much better- particularly the better TVs.

Plasmas are a no go for your uses, while they have improved they still suffer from burn in and useage as a PC monitor will do it sooner rather then later(burn in isn't a real concern for normal TV viewing, but it certainly is for monitor useage). Yes, burn in has been largely 'solved' for normal viewing, but you still see IR on even the best plasmas after a couple hours of a static image(a fixed desktop will be a major issue).

As far as going with a really cheap display- you mentioned you watch a lot of video? While some people may try to debate the point, there are VERY clear differences in the quality of 1080p displays even within the same general price range. Some of my friends get amused as we can walk into a store and from 50 yards I have no problem spotting the Sony's and Sammy's at places like Target and Sears(solely due to the picture quality on the displays, even using their crappy video feeds).

Your best bet in making a choice is going to a B&M and looking at the displays yourself. Unless you start talking about the XBR8 series(think $4K and up range) you can't really say there is a clear cut 'best' set out there for you. Each display has its' own strengths and weaknesses, your best bet is to go to the store, one that will let one tweak settings ideally, and check them out for yourself(even if you only do this so you can decide which one to order online).

A good quality TV can easily go toe to toe with a monitor with certain minor caveats, lower resolution which means the pixels are going to be a bit larger, you absolutely MUST use HDMI(or DVI for the few sets that have it) never use the "PC" connector on a TV- your picture is certain to look like garbage if you do, and the speed isn't as good as the fastest TN panels(if you can't see the difference between the fastest TN panels and a CRT, you won't notice the difference on most TVs).

If I was you, don't worry about the panel type- use your eyes. No matter how much expertise anyone may have, they are not going to be able to tell you what you like the looks of. I mention Sony and Sammy as they have markedly superior IQ in the traditional sense and that is what most people like, but you may find yourself a big fan of say Westinghouse(which is popular for monitor use and tends to be quite a bit cheaper then Sony/Sammy).

 

[ICE66]

I was using an lg commercial series 20.1" lcd until a couple of weeks ago. I now have a new panasonic 600mhz plasma panel, 1080p, that I am using for my computer monitor. It really looks awesome. I use a DVI to HDMI cable to hook it up. I have it set @ 1920X1080, and man is it sweet. Who needs an lcd, lol


ICE

 

[alcoholbob]

Offhand I know Hitachi, Sharp, and LG use IPS panels on their TVs.

One thing you may want to consider is that IPS screens are typically washed out (white glow) when you view it from extreme angles. For those with extremely large living rooms VA is a superior format for televisions because you are more likely to have seating in the far extremes.

But a regular two chair + center sofa is better served with IPS. LG manufactures their S-IPS panels, while Hitachi and Sharp use more advanced panels from IPS Alpha, which is a reason why their panels are quite a bit more expensive. In fact I think Hitachi may have the most expensive LCD panels I've seen.

 

[konakona]

thanks everyone,

I forgot the scaling issue. Would it matter that KMP has an option to force any kind of resolution for full screen output? So it sounds like monitors don't offer anything over TVs other than the higher resolution and associated lower pixel pitch.

Point taken about plasmas, I see why most people stay away from it for desktop use.

Heh, maybe I will take a trip to the local target store for a day or two.. Wonder if they would let me play around with the controls and stuff. Plus I would have a better idea how to calibrate them right before walking doing that.

When I was using the P-MVA, I didn't think speed ever bothered me.

Oh, and that 46'' bravia looked pretty good thru d-sub connection, maybe I am just not all that sensitive? I remember hearing how that particular model needed extensive calibration with HDMI to get it right. I think we did get it to look good with HDMI in the end.

I thought it was more of the black level thing as to why they mostly recommend S-PVA over IPS. Maybe it is combination of both black level and white glow at slanted angles.

 

[Winterpool]

I read the AVS Forum regularly, and there do appear to be a decent number of viewers reporting (and many more worrying about) colour shifting, input lag, etc on PVA panels. Note, however, that the closer you sit, the smaller the distance required to significantly change one's viewing angle.

Usually I sit right in front of my monitors, but sometimes I do watch movies sitting or lying down, so a good vertical angle is important to me (yes, I've an IPS display). The IPS white glow from extreme angles can be compensated for by A-TW polarisers (see the NEC LCD...WUXi displays), but I don't know of any TVs which employ these.

As one might expect, Samsung uses PVA panels in their TVs, LG uses IPS (mind you these are seemingly all S-IPS -- if H-IPS matters to you...). Sony uses Samsung PVA for their better TVs but are starting to obtain panels from Sharp, and there are rumours they will start sourcing from LG as well. I know I'd be quite interested in trying a Sony IPS telly...

The other big IPS manufacturer (v LG.Philips) is IPS Alpha, which like most LCD fabs is a co-venture. I know at the very least Hitachi and Panasonic are involved. On the AVS Forum, almost every serious gamer / PC user at least considers Panasonic LCDs, so that might be the first place I'd look.

Sharp is a stranger case, because they claim to be making 'ASV' panels, but these appear to be a sort of *VA panel.

The respective advantages of IPS and PVA tend to suggest that IPS might be better for gaming / computer uses, whilst PVA might be preferable for video / movie viewing (contrasts, black), but these are simplifications at best. As always, you should try to view LCDs in person before making your decision.

As far as speed and input lag, I'm not a twitch gamer, so I must yield to my betters' judgement. Many *VA owners do claim to experience little lag, on TVs or monitors. I can report, oddly enough, that one of my co-workers never realised what input lag was until he connected his Xbox to an LG (presumably S-IPS) telly. Mmm.

(Though I ordered a Pioneer KURO this spring and agree with the conventional wisdom that qualite plasma is probably the best HDTV tech available right now, almost all Pioneer owners are paranoid enough about their plasmas that they won't use them for extended computer / game use. Image retention is supposedly much less of a problem, but no one wants to risk a $2000 to $5000 display, especially from a manufacturer getting out of the business. In any case, plasmas are probably too big for your use.)

Personally, if I were going to use my display principally from my desk (less than one metre distance), I'd probably want a 24 or 26-inch 1920x1200 computer monitor, not a 32-inch telly. The dot pitch is too large / resolution too low on 32-inch HDTVs.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I use a 32" Toshiba LCD TV as a monitor and I sit 3-4 feet from it with it on 13x7. I think I could go as large as 37" and still sit close comfortable. I kind of wish I had a 19x10 resolution, but considering my computers pretty aged at this point it's probably best I don't.