Help choosing a monitor

[deam_87]

ok so i just bought a computer, nothing fancy, it this one hereÑ

COMPUTER!

im gonna add a graphics card later, my question is which monitor should i buy? ive seen a lot of different ones at different prices, i even found a 25 in for like $170 that i thought of buying. Im gonna use it for like hulu and stuff mainly and once i put the graphics card in, im gonna do some gaming. mainly COD 6 or BFBC2.

Also, im gonna buy a lcd or plasma tv in the future, probably a 46in or so. but i was wondering if i could just connect my computer to that. and if i can, what kind of tv shuold i get? will it make a big difference because of the refresh rate? And would i need a hard core graphics card to huck up my computer to a tv with like a dvi??

Thanks
Daniel

 

[Hathred]

I would suggest is getting a graphics card with an HDMI out. that will allow you to plug into a LCD or Plasma directly (virtually all new TV's have HDMI). Something like This Card will work for casual gaming, plugging into a tv, and isn't very expensive. The monitor is really up to your size and cost preferences.

 

[deam_87]

Ok cool, but i was just wondering why a "computer monitor" like this one:

Computer Monitor
which is a samsung 46in costs $1,500

and a 46in samsung "tv" costs like half of that?

What makes the "Monitor" so special?

 

[Captain Dan]

a 46in samsung "tv" costs like half of that?

What makes the "Monitor" so special?

The line between the two is getting blurred.
A TV has OTA tuners, monitor dose not have any tuners.
Now there are PC monitors that have AV inputs, component, and some have HDMI as well as DVI.
Just some FYI, a LCD PC monitor has higher resolution than a 720p HDTV and faster response times than most LCD HDTVs. But LCD HDTVs are getting faster. HDCP applies to DVI & HDMI LCD monitors will handle this.
Most LCD HDTVs are basically 720p sets, until you get into the BIG$$$ ones.
There is NO hard rule on this as far as quality, you will have research the specs an different models to find out.

 

[jedirock]

The size of the monitor really depends on how far you're sitting away from it... Consider: Would you watch a 50" TV from a foot away?

I'm happy with my 19" and 20" monitors beside each other, but I don't do much gaming. Somewhere around a 26-27" monitor should be fine if you're using it on a desk. If you're sitting farther away, then you might start to look into TVs with HDMI input.

And if you do get a graphics card without HDMI, don't worry. DVI and HDMI use the same video signals, so it's easy to get a converter for the cable. Some cards come with DVI->HDMI adapter that will even pass the HDMI audio through for you, so it's almost as good as a native HDMI port on the card.

 

[cd520]

I went with this and absolutely love it, monitor, hd tv, multiple inputs, 1080P resolution-

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG P2770HD Rose Black 27" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 50,000:1(1000:1) Built-in HDTV Tuner & Speakers

 

[deam_87]

The size of the monitor really depends on how far you're sitting away from it... Consider: Would you watch a 50" TV from a foot away?

...

And if you do get a graphics card without HDMI, don't worry. DVI and HDMI use the same video signals, so it's easy to get a converter for the cable. Some cards come with DVI->HDMI adapter that will even pass the HDMI audio through for you, so it's almost as good as a native HDMI port on the card.

Well i guess apparent size does depend on distance, but the closer you are the faster your eyes get tired. What i wanted to do was to set it up in my living room, that way i can have internet, music, games, etc and use it from my couch. i have a wireless keyboard and mouse that are just gonna stay on the coffee table. and I actually have a XiFi Xtreme Gamer sound card and have my 5.1 hooked up via optical cable. (thats how it is on my old computer lol, so im just gonna get the soundcard from there and put it in the new one)

I went with this and absolutely love it, monitor, hd tv, multiple inputs, 1080P resolution-

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG P2770HD Rose Black 27" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 50,000:1(1000:1) Built-in HDTV Tuner & Speakers

That looks like a great screen, but if its not a big difference from a tv, id rather spend a couple hundred more and get a 46in lol

 

[cd520]

Good luck reading text on a 46 inch though.

 

[jedirock]

Not too hard to do. Only thing I'd recommend is upping the DPI of the text in Windows (or Linux, whatever you prefer). We run a MythTV PVR box here, and drop into Firefox for online video sometimes. The text is fairly legible on our 1080p 46" TV, but it's small at times.

 

[Benm]

As far as monitors go, i can offer only one major piece of advice: Do not get a TN panel, no matter how cheap or nice it seems for the diameter you get.

Something with an IPS panel offers far superior color rendition, viewing angels etc. They are easily two or three times as expensive as TN displays of equal size, but woth it if you ever do any photo editing or graphical work.

Computer stores/shops generally do not sell these displays since they are so expensive for their size, but Dell and HP have fine ranges of such monitors... and if you want to spend the cash, consider eizo and such.

I use a dell 2209 display myself, and wouldn't trade it for a bigass 27 inch tn display if given the choice - i love colors looking the same regardless of viewing angle

 

[jedirock]

Hmm... I wouldn't start getting into the type of panel right now, if he's not even sure of the size. Besides, if he's going to go for a TV, he's more likely to get plasma I think. If you're looking at an LCD TV, then you might be interested in the panel type, but not likely, I don't think.

And if you're bringing up IPS, what about MVA or PVA? All three have their advantages and disadvantages, but IPS is just the most well known of the better quality LCD panels.

 

[deam_87]

Hmm... I wouldn't start getting into the type of panel right now, if he's not even sure of the size. Besides, if he's going to go for a TV, he's more likely to get plasma I think. If you're looking at an LCD TV, then you might be interested in the panel type, but not likely, I don't think.

And if you're bringing up IPS, what about MVA or PVA? All three have their advantages and disadvantages, but IPS is just the most well known of the better quality LCD panels.

umm i have no idea what any of those are lol, i didnt think it would make such a big difference on them. But if it does then im just gonna buy a monitor too.

 

[Benm]

I mentioned IPS because its the most common good quality (ie. non-TN) display type available.

The difference is very well visible if you put similar sized TN and IPS screens side by side, and look at them from an angle. You'll see the colors change and invert on the TN panel, while they stay the same on the IPS.

Monitors these days are so big this actually matters, since you'll be lookng straight onto the middle/top of the display, but a quite a bit of an angle to the corners. If you display a pure-red screen on a TN panel, you will see that the color is not consistent throughout the screen. (this works for green and blue too, but with red its most obvious).

 

[deam_87]

Oh ok got you, so stay away from TN.

Thanks a lot guys!

 

[moonreft]

I have never seen HDMI resolution that can beat a old VGA plug. IMO, HDMI = fail

Somehow 2 or more of these channels are supposed to be for audio. (Never works for computers so it is a waste)

Much like firewire its use is limited and soon to be outdated.

 

[cd520]

I have never seen HDMI resolution that can beat a old VGA plug. IMO, HDMI = fail

Somehow 2 or more of these channels are supposed to be for audio. (Never works for computers so it is a waste)

Much like firewire its use is limited and soon to be outdated.

Interesting, my HDMI works great via my 27" samsung monitor and to my 42" 1080 TV. Picture as crisp as could be at 1080 and sound equally as well.