monitor vs lcd tv

[artistream]

ive been looking at the specs on tvs versus monitors and they seem to be somewhat similar other than price. i can compare a monitor and a tv that have the same specs (res, contrast ratio, input capabilities, etc) but are thousands of dollars apart. am i missing something as to why a 50" monitor would be 4x the price of a 50" tv? just curious. thanks

 

[E.E.L. Ambiense]

50" PC monitor? I'd love to see that!

It's mostly in the specs/resolution/capabilities. With an actual PC monitor, you can reach really high native res's depending on the model, but with HDTVs as a monitor you can only reach 1920x1080 (fullHD TV needed for that). Personally, I use a 32" fullHD LCD TV as my monitor at home for my main system. I'm happy with it. It takes a bit of calibration to get things right, but it feels like a monitor to me. I'm sure others will chime in as well.

 

[silent hero]

I've never seen a 50" monitor, but I know that 30" monitors are so much more than most 32" and higher TVs because of the mugh higher resolution that you pay the premium for.

 

[evilsofa]

Also, TVs are commonly set up to make movies look better, with algorithms that remove or cover up video glitches, which typically makes text look worse. TVs are also designed to be looked at from 5 feet to 10 feet away (or more in the case of 50" or larger) while monitors are designed to be used 2 or 3 feet away on a desk.

 

[silent hero]

Even with 1080p resolution a big TV looks terrible for text, great for games and movies though. When you spread the pixels over 32" or more will still be noticeably less sharp than the more common 22" or 24, or even 28" LCD computer monitor.

 

[Riptide_NVN]

I prefer the text on a 32-37" display vs. smaller higher pixel density monitors. Text is way to small on those things. Text on a 32-37" allows me to sit back a little bit and still be able to easily read it.

The OP needs to look at both himself, with his eyes, and make his own opinion.

 

[silent hero]

The OP needs to look at both himself, with his eyes, and make his own opinion.

Yes you are right the OP does need to decide on his/her own. The posts above yours state facts about the weaknesses of a big LCD TV that he should be aware of.

 

[SH1]

Even with 1080p resolution a big TV looks terrible for text, great for games and movies though. When you spread the pixels over 32" or more will still be noticeably less sharp than the more common 22" or 24, or even 28" LCD computer monitor.

Well, if the TV offers a pc mode that displays 1 to 1 and bypasses the video processing, it should still be very sharp, but a bit chunky...

However, ClearType can work a minor miracle in that regard, if one is ok with ClearType...

 

[Mr. Bluntman]

Well, if the TV offers a pc mode that displays 1 to 1 and bypasses the video processing, it should still be very sharp, but a bit chunky...

However, ClearType can work a minor miracle in that regard, if one is ok with ClearType...

If you use Vista or Win7 it's enabled by default. OP, video processing on LCD TVs add lots of input lag, so choose carefully which set you buy should you go that route. Ones with said PC mode, are 1080p with the smallest diagonal (due to smaller pixel pitch) are best for using with a PC.

 

[SH1]

If you use Vista or Win7 it's enabled by default. OP, video processing on LCD TVs add lots of input lag, so choose carefully which set you buy should you go that route. Ones with said PC mode, are 1080p with the smallest diagonal (due to smaller pixel pitch) are best for using with a PC.

What? I use "Windows Me" -- the best OS ever!

 

[Malakai]

I've never seen a 50" monitor, but I know that 30" monitors are so much more than most 32" and higher TVs because of the mugh higher resolution that you pay the premium for.

A 24" 1080p TV and a 60" 1080p TV are the same resolution.

Using it for PC reasons big is fine for games and such, but as the pixels get bigger and bigger, reading text and regular computer uses gets worse.

 

[Mr. Bluntman]

What? I use "Windows Me" -- the best OS ever!

LOL. What do you want to bluescreen today?

 

[astrallite]

TV all the way.

The way the extra size expands your peripheral vision is amazing. I thought the NEC LCD2690wuxi was amazing, but moving up to a 32" TV on the desk was just phenomenal. The text is a little blurrier but you wouldn't sit as close as you would with a regular monitor. No need to lean forward, you can just sit back and browse or game.

The versatility of a TV is amazing too, tons of inputs which means TV viewing and console gaming if you like.

Out of the box TVs are typically calibrated (I use this term loosely) with contrast, brightness, and sharpness maxed out. You really want to turn that down, and text becomes very comparable to a LCD monitor.

It really helps with games that don't scale text with resolution increases too. Subtitles in games typically have that problem, or text boxes (such as in RPGs) which typically force you to lean forward to read.

 

[sethk]

Perhaps you are talking about a high end Pioneer 50" 'monitor' which in the pro world refers to a display without a tuner, generally meant for commercial / business use, such as a presentation monitor, or information display panel.

High end Pioneer monitors are expensive, but the equivalent display is a Pioneer Kuro Elite TV, which is priced in the same ballpark. Both are spectacular displays, although there isn't a good reason to pick the tuner-less monitor over the Kuro Elite, since they are functionally equivalent.

If you are talking about some other monitor, please post a link.

 

[silent hero]

A 24" 1080p TV and a 60" 1080p TV are the same resolution.

Using it for PC reasons big is fine for games and such, but as the pixels get bigger and bigger, reading text and regular computer uses gets worse.

You misread what I said. When I say monitor I was referring to the tuner-less LCD without all the extra inputs, or computer monitor, and when I said TV I was referring to a 1080p display with a tuner and extra inputs, or an HDTV.

edit - I misread what you said now. But what I was really saying is that if you want buy a large computer monitor like 30" in size, you will pay much more than even a 32" 1080p TV. My point was that you pay a premium for the higher resolution of the 30" computer monitor. I'm not sure why you thought I was comparing a 1080p TV with a 1080p monitor.