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Large LCD HDTV as a Computer Monitor?

Posted by Cliff on from the two-displays-in-one-device? dept.

An anonymous reader asks: "I have seen $2000 27"and $1400 23" HDTV LCD sets at Costco, and similarly priced smaller sets elsewhere. I asked a salesperson (elsewhere) if I could try one with my laptop's DVI, and was told that the TVs wouldn't work well. DVI and VGA inputs, 400-600:1 contrast ratio, fast refresh rates (for gaming?), and HDTV capability for other uses, why can't they work? The prices run from as above to very significantly more. Has anyone tried the inexpensive large LCD HDTVs, or the expensive ones, for their desktop? I want to reduce the clutter in my family room and upgrade to highdef? Is it time?"

5 of 143 comments (clear)

  1. Uh... by arrow · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Most likely he he was trying to politely convey "we would rather you didn't come in off the street and hook your laptop up to our $3000 floor display"

    You know, if your laptop was whacked out and outputting the wrong voltages (or something, im no electronics major), you could damage the inputs. They might not notice even notice untill the future buyer brings it back.

    --
    symetrix. We are building a religion, a limited edition.
  2. Opposing design phillosophies by psyconaut · · Score: 4, Insightful

    TV: continuous tones, smooth (i.e.) slow transitions, discrete pixels

    Monitor: clearly defined, sharp, ability to invididually see a pixel.

    Ipso facto: you're probably going to be disappointed trying to use a TV as a computer display.

    -psy

  3. Projector by Coppit · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Given that you can get an X1 projector for a lot less, why would you try to put a huge, expensive TV on your desktop? ;)

  4. Laptop on Floor Display by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Someone earlier said that they wouldnt let you hook up a laptop to the 3000 dollar floor model... I believe that most stores would. they'll do anything if they think you'll buy it, go in and give it a shot, worst case they'll say no. I would like to hear the answer to this question as well, which nobody has yet to come up with.

  5. I think I know why by Daniel+Rutter · · Score: 4, Insightful
    > why can't they work?

    I talk about this in one of my letters columns.

    In brief: They will work, but only for suitably small values of "work", because they'll only accept DVI-HDTV input. That's a subset of regular DVI that only supports a few scan rates. If you can't goose your video card into outputting the resolution and frequency combinations the screen wants, you're out of luck.