Using TV as my monitor ? ? ?

[jspeicher]

Does anyone use a tv for a monitor? I have a 27inch Sharp that is only a couple years old. Was wondering if I could use it as an extra monitor? Does anyone do this for applications or gaming? I'm not sure how well it would work - or look.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have an s-video input, and I'm not sure if an S-vid to RCA cord would work?

Anyone ?

thanks

 

[Cerb]

If your video card has a TV-out it should work fine. Probably won't look as good in composite, but it will work, and far better than scan converters. For gaming it isn't bad, esp. emulation. For normal use, I wouldn't use it...too fuzzy.

 

[PYROTAK]

2 year old tv = max res = 800x600

not a really good monitor if u ask me.

 

[Harvey]

TV picture tubes are not good for use as a computer vid monitor. Standard NTSC video is only 525 lines, max, and most good ones won't do more than 400 lines. That's not even standard VGA on a tube that's probably bigger than your present monitor. Also, TV refresh at 24 frames per second so they have phosphors with a longer persistance. That would cause blurring on moving objects.

Short version -- Don't expect much out of it.

 

[Cerb]

Harvey, using a PC with an 11-year old 25" TV for a monitor...nope. Aside from slight fuzziness, 640x480 works great, and 800x600 is good for tuner, movies and DVD (640x480 looks too aliased).
...and it's it's almost 30 frames per second NTSC.
For the last thing, TVs run with interlaced 60Hz. The output to a TV is typically 60Hz. In addition, those phosphors(sp) are refreshed many more times per second than 30 (can't remember the typical number off the top of my head). It works just fine. Not something I want to browse forums on, but for DVDs, good DivX rips and emulation, the TV is great. In addition, the 'ghosting/blurring' would actually be a good thing for gaming, even though it won't do it.

Experience is coming from an ATi AIW Radeon 7500 (S-video and composite--no VCR), AIW 128 (S-video, VCR using composite), and an S3 Virge through a scan converter (composite, VCR using S-video).