LCD TV or Widescreen Monitor

[Mad Cat]

I'm going to buy a nice new big screen for my PC.
I'm going to choose between a 26-32" LCD TV (which will probably be about 1366x768 pixels native) or something like a Dell 2405FPW 24" Widescreen LCD monitor (which displays a native resolution of 1920x1200, much better than the TV). Is the extra screen space worth the lower image quality, and will browsing and PC gaming be as good on a 32" LCD TV?

I've also seen some LCD TVs that say they display 1280x1024 optimum, 1280x1024 for PC compatibility (http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktopdisplays/lcdtv/n2750w/#specs). I'm not sure if this means it will stretch the picture to fit the display or it actually has a 1280x1024 panel, which I doubt. Any help would be appreciated.

[clocker]

Get the Dell, dude.
Bigger screen=nice.
Lower resolution=bad.
Big screen+lower resolution =OK for CSI Miami, but crap for Doom3.

2405, FTW.

[silent h3ro]

Yep get the Dell since you got the dough. :p

[ApacNTS]

man take pics of that in use when u get it *wideeyed* heh nice

[TurpoUrpo]

Dell for computer use, tv for watching tv.. As simple as that.

[matt526]

I have the Dell 20" wide screen and I love it
so I would go with the dell 24"

[Mad Cat]

Dell for computer use, tv for watching tv.. As simple as that.

Can't afford both, don't watch much so much TV either. Pretty much purely for a PC display, though I would watch TV on a 32" LCD if I got one.

[Virtualbody1234]

Plasma!!!

[Mad Cat]

Plasma!!!

I only looked at a couple of Plasmas, and they had 640x480 PC compatibility. It doesn't seem right to me, but I'd prefer an LCD to a plasma anyway. Plasmas can't be put on their sides, they're bastards if you want to do anything at all inside of them, they look clunkier than LCDs.... I don't trust them, I think LCD will win out as the better technology eventually too.

Edited for tenses (have to had, didn't read much into them).
EDIT2: http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatv/samsung-ppm50h3q.html
VGA, SVGA, XGA, it says, meaning 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768. Thats no good. I'm guessing it'll be scaled up to 16:9 too, which will look nasty.

[Virtualbody1234]

Plasma!!!

I only looked at a couple of Plasmas, and they had 640x480 PC compatibility. It doesn't seem right to me, but I'd prefer an LCD to a plasma anyway. Plasmas can't be put on their sides, they're bastards if you want to do anything at all inside of them, they look clunkier than LCDs.... I don't trust them, I think LCD will win out as the better technology eventually too.

Edited for tenses (have to had, didn't read much into them).
EDIT2: http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatv/samsung-ppm50h3q.html
VGA, SVGA, XGA, it says, meaning 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768. Thats no good. I'm guessing it'll be scaled up to 16:9 too, which will look nasty.
I don't understand you. The link you posted shows a Native Resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels but you keep referring to lower values.

[silent h3ro]

Are you going to be gaming a lot with this pc?

[Mad Cat]

I only looked at a couple of Plasmas, and they had 640x480 PC compatibility. It doesn't seem right to me, but I'd prefer an LCD to a plasma anyway. Plasmas can't be put on their sides, they're bastards if you want to do anything at all inside of them, they look clunkier than LCDs.... I don't trust them, I think LCD will win out as the better technology eventually too.

Edited for tenses (have to had, didn't read much into them).
EDIT2: http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatv/samsung-ppm50h3q.html
VGA, SVGA, XGA, it says, meaning 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768. Thats no good. I'm guessing it'll be scaled up to 16:9 too, which will look nasty.
I don't understand you. The link you posted shows a Native Resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels but you keep referring to lower values.

It probably would work at 1366, yeah, but then I don't see why it only talks about VGA, SVGA, XGA. If it were the fullscreen, it should show WXGA or something similar, I think. Look at
Data Signals
It confuses me.
VGA, SVGA, XGA

[Busyman]

Go with the Dell dude. Unless you were getting an LCD HDTV, don't bother.

I've played Xbox 360 games on my friend's 55" HDTV and it is gorgeous.

I have my dash on my modded Xbox in 1080i HD and it too is gorgeous....the games only play in 480p, however, so I don't get the full benefit.

Computer games would be another story but I imagine you'd need an HD card.

[Mad Cat]

Go with the Dell dude. Unless you were getting an LCD HDTV, don't bother.

I've played Xbox 360 games on my friend's 55" HDTV and it is gorgeous.

I have my dash on my modded Xbox in 1080i HD and it too is gorgeous....the games only play in 480p, however, so I don't get the full benefit.

Computer games would be another story but I imagine you'd need an HD card.

It'd be a 720p/1080i HDTV LCD that I'd get. The 1080p HDTVs would probably be a great idea, but they're only few, and very very expensive.
I will be doing a fair bit of gaming. Why would I need a HDTV card? My graphics cards maximum display is about 2048x1536 I think. I heard things about ATI's AVIVO, but didn't think it would matter.

[silent h3ro]

I only asked if u gamed a lot because with higher resolution grafics come higher gfx cards needed to display the game at resonable framerates and scaling the resolution down doesn't look too good. Although I heard something about how Dell monitors scale images down correctly somehow...

[cpt_azad]

dude, get the widescreen LCD TV i do not regret getting this tv at all, it kicks dell's ass and then some, right now im running at a resolution of (btw the TV has VGA input) 1360x768, and honestly it's an awesome resolution. I've played doom3, hl2, and a lot of things on it so far, and the resolution kicks ass, and yes I have tried it on a widescreen monitor (not dell) and 1900 resolution just isnt as great as compared to a huge widescreen TV w/ the lower res. u can't even freakin tell the diff.

edit: and yes, if you're going to buy an LCD TV, make sure it's HDTV out of the box, mine has 480i/480p/720p/1080i and yes 1080p :D, and it only cost me 890 bucks :D:D:D (go futureshop! w00t lol)

[silent h3ro]

Noice Azad!!!! What is ur screen size????

[ApacNTS]

heh, 890 isnt bad at all. got my attention hehe. i always noticed how i could see the individual pixels in my tv. it's 25inch, but as soon as i got it i saw em. now that i shifted my room it only got worse cause im right smack in front of it. blah, all this new stuff looks so nice it's like 3 things have jumped on my list for the new year: computer, xbox 360, hdtv/lcd(may have to double for computer to haha)

[Busyman]

heh, 890 isnt bad at all. got my attention hehe. i always noticed how i could see the individual pixels in my tv. it's 25inch, but as soon as i got it i saw em. now that i shifted my room it only got worse cause im right smack in front of it. blah, all this new stuff looks so nice it's like 3 things have jumped on my list for the new year: computer, xbox 360, hdtv/lcd(may have to double for computer to haha)
I just found out that the 360 does not upconvert DVDs to near-HD quality.

That just sucks.


My HDTV LCD, DLP, or plasma but it's 65" and has an excellent picture. My friend's 55" LCD looks pixelated and it's a Sony Grand Wega...I don't understand it.:huh:

[ApacNTS]

dont plan to watch dvd's on it, just play games with the 360 that is. are you saying it does that for the games as well?

[Busyman]

dont plan to watch dvd's on it, just play games with the 360 that is. are you saying it does that for the games as well?
Nah. My Xbox (1) upconvert my DVDs to 1080i and the picture is stunning. I used to be pissed after watching TV programs in HD and then popping in a DVD to be disappointed.

I STILL have not finished watching Batman Begins. I've been playing FarCry Instincts and Battlefield 2.

I still don't know if my Xbox is upconverting 'cause it's modded or if it normally does it.

[3RA1N1AC]

I still don't know if my Xbox is upconverting 'cause it's modded or if it normally does it.
you're usin' an add-on program, right? like xbox media center or whatever. cause as far as i can remember, the dvd-video program built into the MS dashboard doesn't even play movies in 480p (native resolution of dvd-video). so yeah, the modding would be the reason you're able to get 1080i.

there are some xbox games that support 720p or 1080i, but they're relatively rare and i'm not exactly sure what's going on in those. my guess would be that xbox doesn't have the horsepower to render very good 3D graphics in high-def, so those games might render at 480p and upconvert to high-def.

x360 won't upconvert dvd-video until MS offers a DVI or HDMI cable for it & decides to enable upconverting. component cable or vga cable = no upconvert 'cause they're not digital and can't be monitored & locked down. it's an orwellian hollywood thing.

[Busyman]

I still don't know if my Xbox is upconverting 'cause it's modded or if it normally does it.
you're usin' an add-on program, right? like xbox media center or whatever. cause as far as i can remember, the dvd-video program built into the MS dashboard doesn't even play movies in 480p (native resolution of dvd-video). so yeah, the modding would be the reason you're able to get 1080i.

there are some xbox games that support 720p or 1080i, but they're relatively rare and i'm not exactly sure what's going on in those. my guess would be that xbox doesn't have the horsepower to render very good 3D graphics in high-def, so those games might render at 480p and upconvert to high-def.

x360 won't upconvert dvd-video until MS offers a DVI or HDMI cable for it & decides to enable upconverting. component cable or vga cable = no upconvert 'cause they're not digital and can't be monitored & locked down. it's an orwellian hollywood thing.
Not true. DVI and HDMI are not neccessary for upconversion.:huh: There are many DVD player thats upconvert thru component.

Also the reason I question whether the upconversion is resident in the original Xbox is because the Xbox dashboard is where I chose 1080i. I accidently chose 720p ONLY and screwed up my screen (my screen doesn't do 720p,curiously). I then hooked up my Xbox through regular cables and went into the dash and this time under video it only game me the options of NORMAL, LETTERBOX, and WIDESCREEN. Hooked up to HD it gives 480P, 720P, 1080i.

I had to remember the proper button presses to remove 720p 'cause the I could see nothing.

[3RA1N1AC]

Not true. DVI and HDMI are not neccessary for upconversion.:huh: There are many DVD player thats upconvert thru component.
players currently being manufactured? and sold by mainstream u.s. retailers? my impression was that some manufacturers included this feature for a while, until h-wood started flexing its muscles on the issue (http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/767521/Main/736837/) and then these "upconversion only thru DVI or HDMI" players started coming out -- as the two-way communication of the digital formats make it harder to record the high-def signal.

as for the dashboard... the mod allows more features on the xbox, like upconversion, but your replacement dashboard, xbmc, emulators, etc still check the configuration file of the original MS dashboard to see what resolutions you enabled. on an unmodded xbox, the resolution options would only tell the console what resolutions it can use to display games on your tv -- it would have no effect on dvd movies.

[Busyman]

Not true. DVI and HDMI are not neccessary for upconversion.:huh: There are many DVD player thats upconvert thru component.
players currently being manufactured? and sold by mainstream u.s. retailers? my impression was that some manufacturers included this feature for a while, until h-wood started flexing its muscles on the issue (http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/767521/Main/736837/) and then these "upconversion only thru DVI or HDMI" players started coming out -- as the two-way communication of the digital formats make it harder to record the high-def signal.

as for the dashboard... the mod allows more features on the xbox, like upconversion, but your replacement dashboard, xbmc, emulators, etc still check the configuration file of the original MS dashboard to see what resolutions you enabled. on an unmodded xbox, the resolution options would only tell the console what resolutions it can use to display games on your tv -- it would have no effect on dvd movies.
So you are saying that the 1080i option IS there on the Xbox dash or not?

I don't know about when HDMI/DVI doohickys were started for upconversion or not. I just know there are players that will do it thru component....if it even has that connection.

My main point was that component does not automatically equal no high-def.

[3RA1N1AC]

So you are saying that the 1080i option IS there on the Xbox dash or not?
the ability to run all kinds of programs in high-def, and to upconvert dvd movies... it's in the xbox hardware and the kernel (the operating system). the dashboard is little more than a menu (and dvd player) sitting on top of that, dictating what you can & can't do with the machine. the dash doesn't really DO anything, except hide the nuts & bolts of the system. the MS dashboard says "no, 1080i is only allowed for official xbox games, not allowed for dvd movies."

using an alternate dashboard just gets rid of a lot of the restrictions that MS places on the user; it's a new menu for the exact same operating system, just with fewer restrictions on what you're allowed to do.

[Busyman]

So you are saying that the 1080i option IS there on the Xbox dash or not?
the ability to run all kinds of programs in high-def, and to upconvert dvd movies... it's in the xbox hardware and the kernel (the operating system). the dashboard is little more than a menu (and dvd player) sitting on top of that, dictating what you can & can't do with the machine. the dash doesn't really DO anything, except hide the nuts & bolts of the system. the MS dashboard says "no, 1080i is only allowed for official xbox games, not allowed for dvd movies."

using an alternate dashboard just gets rid of a lot of the restrictions that MS places on the user; it's a new menu for the exact same operating system, just with fewer restrictions on what you're allowed to do.
I'm gonna test this on my friend's unmodded Xbox. He has an HDTV.

[3RA1N1AC]

I'm gonna test this on my friend's unmodded Xbox. He has an HDTV.
i hope you don't mean you're gonna check to see whether the MS dashboard literally says "no 1080i for dvd movies." cause it doesn't. :P

i just mean that them's the restrictions. unmodded xbox restricts dvd movies to standard 480i resolution. not even 480p (dvd's true resolution). sucks, man. i was pretty surprised to learn this, when i first got my xbox and hadn't modded it yet. was expecting that i could just unplug my stand-alone dvd player and watch dvds on the xbox, but nope. 480i. same resolution as a fugglin' vhs deck. until you get it modded, anyway.

[Busyman]

I'm gonna test this on my friend's unmodded Xbox. He has an HDTV.
i hope you don't mean you're gonna check to see whether the MS dashboard literally says "no 1080i for dvd movies." cause it doesn't. :P

i just mean that them's the restrictions. unmodded xbox restricts dvd movies to standard 480i resolution. not even 480p (dvd's true resolution). sucks, man. i was pretty surprised to learn this, when i first got my xbox and hadn't modded it yet. was expecting that i could just unplug my stand-alone dvd player and watch dvds on the xbox, but nope. 480i. same resolution as a fugglin' vhs deck. until you get it modded, anyway.
I read that if you pressed both triggers at any time on the dash, it'd change to progressive scan but who knows.

I'll just simply hook up his Xbox thru component, change the settings, pop in a movie, and check the TV's resolution while the movie's on.

If that isn't a resident feature then I just became one lucky fella since my only expense for modded Xbox was the cost ($70) for a 200GB drive.

Fuck, my coworker's friend gave me the modchip free. It says XECUTER2 (or was it 3) on startup and has a blue Xbox logo.

Not am I playing games free when I wasn't games at all but I saved $200 'cause I didn't buy that Oppo DVD player.

Life is quite noice sometimes.

[cpt_azad]

Some LCD tv's are fucked up, don't ask me why I don't know, but at this point I couldn't care less cuz mine works like a charm.

Brought over my friends 360 the other day, put in PGR3, w/ component HD cables....i was blown away by the quality. no pixalation what so ever, quality was even better than the ones that EBgames has on display (Panasonic i believe). My point is the price difference between an LCD Monitor and an LCD TV (if u can find the right one) is not that much, so why not just go for the bigger one?

edit: ill try to get my neighbours digital cam, ill upload a pic of the TV online, but pictures won't do it justice :D, i love this TV :D:D:D

[cpt_azad]

forgive the quality, it was a camera phone :(


Once you go widescreen, you will never go back :D:D 16:9 kicks ass

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/cptazad/11441944_37538776_0.jpg
lol, puretna :P ;)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/cptazad/11441986_37538918_0.jpg

:lol: just realized that i forgot to move sweater/hoodie from there, whats done is done :P

once i again, i cannot stress enough how pictures will not do this TV justice, the quality is freakin superb, i cant even glance at another monitor without squinting and my eyes hurting after 30 seconds of agonizing pain lol

which brings up my next case, who wants to buy a 19" LCD monitor, HP, dont know the model number (i can find out), lol since i use the TV as my monitor anyway (when im not using it, TV is off, or I'm playing xbox, or watching TV itself :P )

[silent h3ro]

Fucking awesome TV. What is the screen size on that?

[cpt_azad]

@gameguy, its 27",

but guess what I found today :O :O ??? Same brand TV but 36" widescreen, with a price difference of only 93 dollars jesus christ, I'm taking this thing in tomorrow and trading it for that one, it hasnt been 15 days yet so I'm covered for exchanges :D:D:D:D:D:D , this TV is huge as it is, but 36"...dear god, ill post pics when I get it :D

edit: theres only 2 of the 36" left in all of lower mainland, one's at langley, the other on burrard (i think), i told em to hold it for me but they said its first come first serve, ill have to be at the store like 10 min. b4 they open tom. w/ my 27" tv fuck lol :P

[cpt_azad]

More pics before I return this baby for 36" monster lol:

(camera phone = sux, but will have to do for now)

teh box:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/cptazad/11480100_37662824_0.jpg

"comparison" to room/table

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/cptazad/11480118_37662882_0.jpg

msn+wmp+widescreentv= :)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/cptazad/11480145_37662969_0.jpg


Edit: The only downside that I can even remotely think of about widescreen tv's being used as a computer monitor is that most downloadable video is 4:3 ratio, only a very few are ever true 16:9, here's 2 screens to show you what i mean:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/cptazad/11480424_37663837_0.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/cptazad/11480405_37663777_0.jpg


but honestly I don't even care about it, it's totally fine by my standards :D

[3RA1N1AC]

If that isn't a resident feature then I just became one lucky fella since my only expense for modded Xbox was the cost ($70) for a 200GB drive.

Fuck, my coworker's friend gave me the modchip free. It says XECUTER2 (or was it 3) on startup and has a blue Xbox logo.

Not am I playing games free when I wasn't games at all but I saved $200 'cause I didn't buy that Oppo DVD player.
yah, you got lucky. although... one can pretty easily soft-mod an xbox (basically all the same functionality of a chipped xbox), by buying (or borrowing) an action replay memory card writer, using the action replay program on a pc to copy a hacked game-save file onto a memcard, and then loading that game-save with the game it's intended for. first editions (later editions had the security holes fixed) of 007 agent under fire, mechassault, or splinter cell... there's a different hacked save for each of those. this boots up a reasonably simple install program which inserts the alternate dashboard n designates it as the default dash.

the very first soft-mods were pretty flakey and difficult to figure out, but the newer ones are very easy & reliable.

[Busyman]

If that isn't a resident feature then I just became one lucky fella since my only expense for modded Xbox was the cost ($70) for a 200GB drive.

Fuck, my coworker's friend gave me the modchip free. It says XECUTER2 (or was it 3) on startup and has a blue Xbox logo.

Not am I playing games free when I wasn't games at all but I saved $200 'cause I didn't buy that Oppo DVD player.
yah, you got lucky. although... one can pretty easily soft-mod an xbox (basically all the same functionality of a chipped xbox), by buying (or borrowing) an action replay memory card writer, using the action replay program on a pc to copy a hacked game-save file onto a memcard, and then loading that game-save with the game it's intended for. first editions (later editions had the security holes fixed) of 007 agent under fire, mechassault, or splinter cell... there's a different hacked save for each of those. this boots up a reasonably simple install program which inserts the alternate dashboard n designates it as the default dash.

the very first soft-mods were pretty flakey and difficult to figure out, but the newer ones are very easy & reliable.
That's where I'm a little confused with what this fella did. My coworker says he did something with Mechassault, yet he also said he soldered and it does say Xecuter on boot-up.:huh:

[3RA1N1AC]

That's where I'm a little confused with what this fella did. My coworker says he did something with Mechassault, yet he also said he soldered and it does say Xecuter on boot-up.:huh:
huh thats weird. there are burned dvdrs (most people use the "slayer" evolutionx installer disc) that you use to install the alternate dashboard when you first boot up with a mod-chip, but the mechassault method is just a slightly more elaborate way to install the new dash when there is no mod-chip. sounds like he put a few minutes more effort into it than he needed to. or else maybe he just preferred to do it via memory card, rather than burning a dvd... that's a possible explanation.

[Busyman]

That's where I'm a little confused with what this fella did. My coworker says he did something with Mechassault, yet he also said he soldered and it does say Xecuter on boot-up.:huh:
huh thats weird. there are burned dvdrs (most people use the "slayer" evolutionx installer disc) that you use to install the alternate dashboard when you first boot up with a mod-chip, but the mechassault method is just a slightly more elaborate way to install the new dash when there is no mod-chip. sounds like he put a few minutes more effort into it than he needed to. or else maybe he just preferred to do it via memory card, rather than burning a dvd... that's a possible explanation.
Right I have Evolution x, Avalaunch, and XMBC in there.

[Mad Cat]

Fark. I'm glad I didn't buy now, look at this monster:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=3007WY3&category_id=4009
Expensive, dual link DVI required, bah. I'd need a new PC too.

However, this means the 2405FPW will probably get even cheaper, and maybe a revised version.

[ApacNTS]

jesus, i dont even have a 30" tv much less a lcd monitor. i feel so far behind.

[silent h3ro]

jesus, i dont even have a 30" tv much less a lcd monitor. i feel so far behind.God I feel so bad for u... seriously. Shitty PC to top it off. :frusty:

@azad - I have the same electric guitar as u. :P

[Wolfmight]

@gameguy, its 27",

but guess what I found today :O :O ??? Same brand TV but 36" widescreen, with a price difference of only 93 dollars jesus christ, I'm taking this thing in tomorrow and trading it for that one, it hasn't been 15 days yet so I'm covered for exchanges :D:D:D:D:D:D , this TV is huge as it is, but 36"...dear god, ill post pics when I get it :D

edit: theres only 2 of the 36" left in all of lower mainland, one's at langley, the other on burrard (i think), i told em to hold it for me but they said its first come first serve, ill have to be at the store like 10 min. b4 they open tom. w/ my 27" tv fuck lol :P
Had the same thing happen with me for my new graphics card.
I bought a 6800GT and later noticed the 7800GT was only $50 more. I canceled it and got the 7800GT. The main difference was HD Support and a faster memory clock. 1ghz to be exact. These things are getting into the CPU speeds now of days.

It also had 4 extra pixel pipelines! Wootie.