Question OLED TV as a monitor?

[MtSeldon]

I was looking for a new monitor.
Dell 32" IPS 4k monitor was my first choice but then LG C2 42" OLED TV was mentioned.

Price seems ok for a 42" OLED but there are other technical issues. Burn-in is the first issue of course. While I'm going to use it for some gaming and movie watching, a considerable amount of time it will be used in Word, Excel, VS Code.
Another problem is the RGB placement. Subpixels have the RGBW orientation. Some reviewers say text rendering is a bit of a problem, but I don't know how big the problem is or does it get better with some tweaking in Windows Settings.

Another alternative is on the way. But there is no info about the subpixel orientation.
Philips 42M2N8900 from the Evnia 8000 series is unveiled with a 42" 4K OLED display and a 138Hz refresh rate (displayspecifications.com)

So, any advice or experience about these?

 

[SKORPI0]

Have mercy on your neck!

Pic taken from opposite wall of room, my head is about 30" from the dual screens and 34" to the top screen head tilted about 20°., or sit on the chair with a slight lean.

 

[Caveman]

So... Why the "need" for desktop icons. Can't one just put those on the task bar and use a hidden task bar?

Sounds like the 42" C2 is the perfect monitor with the following "constraints", which seem like tiny nuances rather than deal-breakers:

1) Use a hidden taskbar
2) Put icons on the taskbar that's hidden
3) Use Mystify screen saver
4) Turn off the monitor with a remote (or use LG companion)
5) Avoid bright light sources behind your body when using it

 

[OlyAR15]

Sounds like the 42" C2 is the perfect monitor

Not if you have to take all those measures. For movies and games, sure; OLED has advantages. But for a productivity monitor? None of the OLED advantages really matter. Greater contrast is nice, but that makes little difference with a wall of text or cells on a spreadsheet. And rapid response times are pointless when running office-type apps or a browser. You might as well just get an LCD monitor and not have to worry about the issues of burn-in.

 

[aigomorla]

Sounds like the 42" C2 is the perfect monitor with the following "constraints"

LG 42 C2 OLED vs LG 48GQ900-B Side-by-Side Monitor Comparison

The LG 42 C2 OLED and the LG 48GQ900-B offer nearly identical picture quality, but they have different inputs and different extra features. The 42 C2 OLED is a TV we've tested as a monitor, so it has features you'd typically find on a TV, including extra image processing options, a...

www.rtings.com

the 48GQ900 is a better screen over the C2 for actual PC usage.
The only reason it has a lower office score is because as more white is displayed it drops the contrast.

But out of the box you get sleep and resume, and has better burn in protection then the C2.

So unless you want the 42inch C2, as there is no 42 inch GQ900, i still recommend getting the real monitor version over the HDTV when priced similarly.
Not to mention the GQ is again a real monitor, so it should not have the same physical limitations the C2 has in mounting the screen in portrait over landscape.

 

[Aikouka]

Out of curiosity, do you folks that use an OLED TV as a monitor enable HDR for normal Windows use? I've usually taken the approach of reducing factors that could lead to damage to the screen (e.g., hide taskbar, no icons, black background, etc.), but it seems like avoiding high brightness is also a good idea. I've usually left HDR turned off, but I recently turned it back on. In the end, all I get are really bright white backgrounds, and it doesn't really seem worth it.

 

[CP5670]

I only turn on HDR for games that use it using AutoHDR. On the desktop it looks similar to 100% OLED Light, which is way too bright.

Not if you have to take all those measures. For movies and games, sure; OLED has advantages. But for a productivity monitor? None of the OLED advantages really matter. Greater contrast is nice, but that makes little difference with a wall of text or cells on a spreadsheet. And rapid response times are pointless when running office-type apps or a browser. You might as well just get an LCD monitor and not have to worry about the issues of burn-in.

The size of the big ones can be an advantage though. It's like having an array of smaller 1080p monitors, but without the boundaries between them. The 8K Z2 models might be even better for this, if you can stomach the price.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Out of curiosity, do you folks that use an OLED TV as a monitor enable HDR for normal Windows use?

I keep HDR off. Windows HDR handling isn't perfect. Don't understand how Microsoft's own Xbox can switch between SDR and HDR modes seamlessly but for Windows, they need to keep it on for HDR content. Apple TV and Sony's Bluray players also seem to have this issue of having to keep HDR mode ON all the time, regardless of content.

I mostly use HDR when running a console or a Bluray player where the switching happens automatically.

 

[Muadib]

Out of curiosity, do you folks that use an OLED TV as a monitor enable HDR for normal Windows use? I've usually taken the approach of reducing factors that could lead to damage to the screen (e.g., hide taskbar, no icons, black background, etc.), but it seems like avoiding high brightness is also a good idea. I've usually left HDR turned off, but I recently turned it back on. In the end, all I get are really bright white backgrounds, and it doesn't really seem worth it.

HDR broke my 2080Ti! I only got to see HDR for about an hour before Windows started whining. I have a 6700 XT hooked up to it now, but plan to connect my 3090 to it.

 

[igor_kavinski]

HDR broke my 2080Ti! I only got to see HDR for about an hour before Windows started whining.

Huh? Whining about what? "GPU not found" error?

 

[Leeea]

Not if you have to take all those measures. For movies and games, sure; OLED has advantages. But for a productivity monitor? None of the OLED advantages really matter. Greater contrast is nice, but that makes little difference with a wall of text or cells on a spreadsheet. And rapid response times are pointless when running office-type apps or a browser. You might as well just get an LCD monitor and not have to worry about the issues of burn-in.

If you like dim dark mode interfaces,

OLED is just better for productivity.


I really like dim dark mode interfaces. Spent my entire life staring at a screen, and less light is relaxing.

 

[Leeea]

So... Why the "need" for desktop icons. Can't one just put those on the task bar and use a hidden task bar?

Sounds like the 42" C2 is the perfect monitor with the following "constraints", which seem like tiny nuances rather than deal-breakers:

1) Use a hidden taskbar
2) Put icons on the taskbar that's hidden
3) Use Mystify screen saver
4) Turn off the monitor with a remote (or use LG companion)
5) Avoid bright light sources behind your body when using it

I skipped all of those except for #4.

In my experience it is just fine.


I also have my oled pixel brightness at 30%, I like dim monitors. I feel they are more relaxing for me to look at. Nothing does dim like an oled.

Sadly, with the LG C2 42 the service remote (or equivalent) is required to run it in a nice dim mode. Otherwise the adaptive brightness dimness ruins the experience.

 

[Aikouka]

Sadly, with the LG C2 42 the service remote (or equivalent) is required to run it in a nice dim mode. Otherwise the adaptive brightness dimness ruins the experience.

As an interesting side note, I noticed that my Logitech Harmony remote actually has a "Service Menu" option when I go to Devices > LG TV. I've never actually pressed the option, but I'm assuming it would bring up the service menu. 🤔 Are they really picky about people turning off the adaptive brightness? Part of me wants to try it, but I don't want to void my warranty either.

 

[Leeea]

Part of me wants to try it, but I don't want to void my warranty either.

Depends on who you ask. Some people say just setting TPC enable: setting to off does not void the warranty.


If your using one of these as a daily driver, I feel the TPC enable: off setting is required. It immediately makes the monitor 3x brighter, when then can be turned down to a nice and sensible setting.


I foolishly hit the prominent "in stop" button on the remote and voided my warranty. After that I stopped caring.

 

[aigomorla]

*whistling*


David meet Golath... or Bertha... or whatever name denotes overkill in size....

my alienware 38 looks small in size....

The top monitor is a 32 4k inch... the bottom one is my alienware 38, and meet the one to rule them all... LG 48GQ900-B OLED

Im having some issues with contrast, but im still working things out....
Its i think almost too much monitor.... i'll reply back if i need to get a neck adjustment from my chiro after a few weeks.
But let the burn in testing begin... although i decided to use it in that position, and on a screen which has very little static images.... so lets see.

Any bets if i will use my 4 yr best buys geek replacement warrenty?

 

[Leeea]

Its i think almost too much monitor

heretical statement detected

it is impossible to have to much monitor.

 

[igor_kavinski]

i'll reply back if i need to get a neck adjustment from my chiro after a few weeks.

You need this chair: https://velavideo.b-cdn.net/Funktioner/voksen_arbejdsstol_hojde_hjemme.mp4

 

[OlyAR15]

If you like dim dark mode interfaces,

OLED is just better for productivity.

Not really. It's not like other monitors can't do dark mode well. The difference between OLED and LCD is minimal, certainly not enough to put up with all the precautions.

 

[Leeea]

Not really. It's not like other monitors can't do dark mode well. The difference between OLED and LCD is minimal, certainly not enough to put up with all the precautions.

LCD does milky grey.

reflective oled does black.

It is a large and noticeable difference. Especially in readable contrast, which on the oled is far greater.

 

[Muadib]

Huh? Whining about what? "GPU not found" error?

I think it called it a data error, and then it would take the card out of service.

 

[aigomorla]

Interesting fact on this OLED monitor.
It has a screen protector feature which shifts the screen ever so slightly so the pixel is not the same as some sort of pixel burn in protection.
It leads to my windows getting cropped at the top and bottom, but its not very noticeable on a screen so large.
I think this is LG's protection against burn in for monitors.

Its a feature i didn't see on my C2.

On another note, i think HDR is better on my IPS, or im not getting the right color spectrum on this OLED.
I think i need to play with it a bit more, but pictures definitely looked a bit better on the C2 then on the Monitor.

 

[igor_kavinski]

On another note, i think HDR is better on my IPS, or im not getting the right color spectrum on this OLED.
I think i need to play with it a bit more, but pictures definitely looked a bit better on the C2 then on the Monitor.

IPS is very good at bright colorful scenes. So no surprise that HDR looks good on it. As for C2, it has a powerful picture processor with AI doing the image enhancement. Maybe that's why the monitor looks less impressive coz the picture isn't being artificially enhanced.

 

[aigomorla]

Well initally i got the OLED banding issue.
I am reading that it just needs to be warmed up, so i have been trying to use it as much as possible, and then using screen cleaning.
I hear i need to go about at least 200 hours on the thing.

I didn't notice this on the C2, or maybe i just wasn't paying attention to it too much as the glossy screen was masking it.
I still have that auto contrast issue tho when i leave it too long on a white screen.
The screen will dim after like 5 min until i change it to something else.

Overall i am being made fun of having a wall as a screen.... as its about as big as a wall when in portrait mode.
It does make things comfortable when i stand tho.
I can also see the screen all the way across the room.

The screen is also almost like having 3 x 27 inch stacked on top of each other, sort of like the samsung ark.

Also it being OLED, i have absolutely 0 light bleed compared to my alienware.
And yes sleep and resume works absolutely flawless. No need to install a 3rd party app.
Lastly the remote is very clunky and big. Its too big for only having 8 buttons and a dial.

Incase your wondering what ARM i am using to hold this monitor in portrait.. as the Ergotron HX is not tall enough... its this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NLMLLT6?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

At the maximum height, it gives me about 1 inch clearance off the table base, and seems to handle the weight fine.
I had to use this extender tho:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K2HHPFM?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

As the monitor is Vesa 300x200... and not 100x100.
The bolts in the rear is also M6 if anyone is curious, so you will need to get a extender or your wall mount needs to come with M6 bolts.

Lastly i had Bestbuys price match Amazon for 896.99, so in essence i paid less for this guy then i did for my 42 inch C2.

 

[Leeea]

Its a feature i didn't see on my C2.

On another note, i think HDR is better on my IPS, or im not getting the right color spectrum on this OLED.
I think i need to play with it a bit more, but pictures definitely looked a bit better on the C2 then on the Monitor.

It is on the C2, under the oled care settings. Not far from logo dim.


That is odd. When I looked in the store all the oleds looked great.

As for C2, it has a powerful picture processor with AI doing the image enhancement.

yes,
and the first thing I made sure to turn off.

 

[igor_kavinski]

and the first thing I made sure to turn off.

Don't tell me you also hate make-up on women

 

[Leeea]

Don't tell me you also hate make-up on women

We all have our personal preferences.
.
.
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The AI image enhancement interferes with calibrating the monitor. In order to get color accurate, it needs to be turned off.