HDTV as a computer monitor, how well does it work???

[Daxxax]

I am currently looking to buy a Toshiba 36" HDTV model number #36HF71, I have a S-video out on my Radeon video card and I was wondering how well would windows look on a HDTV?? I have tried before to hook it up to my old 27" RCA plain TV and games look OK but text is just plain awful, I even knocked the resolution down and made the font bolder and larger and I still had eye strain after about ten minutes. anyone have any experence with this?? I mean isn't that the future?? to be able to lay on your couch with a cordless keyboard and mouse and be able to surf the web, play games, email your friends and whatch TV on the same screen?? and if a HDTV can't do it what can?? are there any present or future video cards that will have a componet video connection??

 

[Daxxax]

BUMP

 

[MasterHoss]

It will look pretty close to what you experienced with your older TV. There are solutions...you could get an adapter to allow for different horizontal and vertical frequencies. Look around on home theater web sites and you'll find some.

 

[DARRIN]

Aren't there some HGTV's that have the 15 pin monitor inputs. I saw a plasma TV with the 15 pin connector on the back of it. Now that would be sweet haning on the wall in front of my desk!

 

[Soccerman]

some HDTVs have the 15 pin connector that computers output. if they do, use that. Also there are other connectors (can't remember the names ATM) that could theoretically do the job as well..

anywho, if your HDTV has a 15 pin connector, all you have to worry about then is getting your computer to display the 16:9 resolution. You could probably do that simply with registry edits, though I don't know for sure cause I don't own one..

 

[mdXtreme3d]

using a HDTV as a computer monitor works very, very well. Some videophiles do that and use their HTPC as a video scaler and dvdrom for dvd playback. Even if your TV doesn;t have a VGA input, you can get a VGA-->component video adapter for ~$100. You'll also need powerstrip to dial-in on the exact screen resolution and refresh rate. check out the home theater computer forum over at www.avscience.com - those boys know all about this stuff =)