Using a TV for a Monitor?

[hmsrolst]

I want to set up a system in our kitchen so my wife can check and send e-mail while she works there. I want to use the TV set for the monitor, but need advice as to whether there are cards that can be used with just a TV, but no regular monitor. I was advised that TV out cards typically allow the use of a TV set as a auxilliary display but require a regular monitor to boot into Windows. Is anybody doing what I want to set up?

 

[darth maul]

She will kill you if you try to make her read email on a TV. I would get a 15inch monitor, and a ATI AIW, so the monitor can be easily used as a TV. Or if you can afford it, a LCD panel monitor would be even better.

 

[hmsrolst]

I was thinking of an LCD, but she's really interested in not having extra stuff if it can be avoided.

 

[Workin']

NO graphics card has TV-out that produces legible text on a small TV (or, arguably, on ANY TV).

ATI cards will boot with only a TV attached.

 

[SsZERO]

I know it's not related to this application, but if you get a VGA to Component video crossover cable and you happen to have an HDTV, you can get pretty decent 640x480 @ 60 Hz (480p SDTV) on a TV, and it looks ok...much less "fuzzy" than it would with RCA or SVIDEO connection.

But yah, you best bet for here is to pick up a small LCD screen or TV. They're so small, it's not like you'll be taking up much space.

-= SsZERO =-

 

[hmsrolst]

Workin', is it just AIW's that will boot to a TV or LE's too. Or others? Thanks.

 

[Workin']

<< Workin', is it just AIW's that will boot to a TV or LE's too. Or others? Thanks. >>

Any ATI card that has TV out doesn't need a monitor attached, ever. Not to set it up, not to run it, never.

 

[hmsrolst]

thanks

 

[MANKOU]

I think that your wife will suffer from headaches every night. If this is not your purpose, buy a monitor and a TV tuner. She will be *grateful*😀

 

[theplanb]

my Nvidia chip card doens't need a monitor to be attached to boot. 😉
It's not very pretty at 800 x 600, but the texts are 'readable" under 640 x 480. I think it would also help a lot if you set the tesst size big and.. all. I'm not sure whether clearfont can be a good thing or bad thing though. You can always try out yourself.
But I second the LCD idea. People in USA get pretty much anything cheaper than anywhere else. (in my opinion..)

 

[SsZERO]

Actually, I got my Dreamcast while I was in Japan back in Jan 2000, and it cost 19,900 yen...which worked out to be $180 USD...sooooooo...the US isn't ALWAYS the cheapest place. 🙂

-= SsZERO =-



<< my Nvidia chip card doens't need a monitor to be attached to boot. 😉
It's not very pretty at 800 x 600, but the texts are 'readable" under 640 x 480. I think it would also help a lot if you set the tesst size big and.. all. I'm not sure whether clearfont can be a good thing or bad thing though. You can always try out yourself.
But I second the LCD idea. People in USA get pretty much anything cheaper than anywhere else. (in my opinion..) >>