So... HDTV as PC Monitor?

[VeggieX]

So are HDTV still incapable of looking as good as a monitor when using it as a PC Monitor. I picked up a 32in 1080p TV and couldn't really get it to look all that great. I played with the settings as much as I could but the text is still jagged.

I want a 30-32 in monitor but prices are insanely high. Unless I am not looking in the right spot. It seemed like a TV was only way to go.


Maybe someone knows of a good near 30s or 30+ inch Monitor for 500 or less.

 

[mhelm1]

No, HDTV's are incapable of resolutions over 1920x1080 (Where is your monitor set now.) If you couldn't get it to look good lets us know how you hooked it up, we can make it better(mabey) You'll want to use a DVI/HDMI cable, you may need a better video card too.
Unless you need over 1920x1080 the tv is the way to go.
Get the best value for your dollar and make sure what you buy has the I/O you want.

 

[VeggieX]

I have a GTX 470 and the card and tv are connected via Monster M2000HD HDMI cable.

The TV is an Insignia NS-32L550A11. 1920x1080 resolution is fine I just want it to be crisp and clean like a monitor. If I set 5 feet back it looks fine but I can't read the normal size fonts.

 

[mhelm1]

Ok, picture your monitor enlarged 10 times, what would it look like?
It gets grainer. Or better yet enlarge a low res mpg to full screen.(looks crappy)
Go to control panel and select a different font.(one easier to read)
then increase your font size(custom) to the maximum you can before the icons get so large they mess up the desktop.
Still it will be a bit harder to read(moving the doc to one side or the other helps me)
I read 5%-10% Game 15-20% the rest is pictures and video.

 

[darkwingz24]

Also one thing to check is make sure your TV and/or video card aren't over/underscanning. By default the TV will chop off a few pixels around the image and re-size it... which is fine for watching TV and rids the image of any edge artifacts that may or may not be there.


On the TV: For my Samsung I labelled the input as PC and it automatically disabled all video processing and overscanning. You TV may have a different method but try labeling it first.

On the Videocard: I have an ATI AIW HD and the option to overscan was buried deep so on the nvidia may be better. I had to go to 'desktops and displays' in CCC and on my TV i clicked 'configure' and there was an option there to overscan and was set to 1%. I changed it to '0' and the image is just as scrisp as on any monitor as the pixel mapping is now 1:1.

Cheers

 

[VeggieX]

Best answer selected by VeggieX.