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Using Your TV as a Monitor?

Posted by Cliff on from the next-point-of-convergence dept.

bpm140 asks: "I'm interested in turning my spare PC into an MP3 server, but unless I can hook it up to my home theater system, it's not really worth the effort. My biggest requirement is that I can view the desktop on my TV. Right now I'm limited to S-video, but in the future I plan on upgrading to HDTV. What are my options for getting legible text on my current TV? Any specific video card I should look at?" Are there any HDTV units in the pipe that may make this easier than it is now with current TVs? I've seen televisions with VGA inputs, before, but for the life of me, I can't remember who makes them.

2 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. Philips TV/PC Monitors by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Check out the Philips 150MT (review here) TV/PC monitor.

    I've read a recent review of this model in Empire Magazine (UK) and it sounds like a dream.

    Check out some of the features:
    • concealed manual controls
    • rear SCART socket, S-Video input and XGA (1024 by 768) PC input, stereo audio in and PC audio in, side headphones socket
    • resizable picture-in-picture capability (watch TV while working on your PC without the need for a TV tuner card)
    • 2 x 2.5W Nicam stereo integral speakers
    The Philips got a five (out of five) star review, with the reviewer particularly impressed by the picture and sound quality, and cost £689 including taxes (which should equate to about roughly $879 before taxes in the US).

    Also reviewed were the similar Bush LC-15 (£700, 2/5 stars) and the LG RE-15LA30 (£700, 4/5 stars).

    Hope that helps.
    --

    "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
  2. Scan Converter by wirefarm · · Score: 3, Interesting
    A couple of weeks ago a friend and I picked up a scan converter in Akihabara for 9000 yen. (about $75)
    (It plugs into any vga monitor port and converts to a video signal.)
    Now of course this is not a good solution for someone looking to do actual work on a TV, but for people considering getting a video card with TV out for watching movies and playing games, (which is why I am reading this article,) it has some definite advantages:
    • Works with the video card you now own.
    • You can swap it easily to your laptop.
    • Linux *will* work with no configuration issues.
    • Works with DOS or non-X modes.
    • Fine for presentations such as powerpoint. (the original purpose of these devices, IIRC.)
    • No drivers to ever install.
    • Pal or NTSC
    • Does not support Macrovision - make VCR copies of DVDs that you own. (Keep the kids from scratching up DVDs that they watch.)
    • Will not be obsolete when your video card is.
    For movies and games, it worked.
    remarkably well - better, in fact than the TV -out on my Guillemot card which only works in Windows. (Plus, my card supports Macrovision, which means that I cannot 'back up' my DVDs to tape.)
    This would be perfect for someone wanting to convert an old box into a low-cost networked video player and MP3 player - Winamp in 'double-size' mode would be perfectly usable on any decent TV.
    Someone had suggested one of these to me a while back and I thought it a stupid idea - I assumed that integrated video-out on an expensive card *must* be better.
    I was wrong.
    Hope this is useful to someone...

    Cheers,
    Jim in Tokyo
    --
    -- My Weblog.