Monitor or HDTV as PC monitor?

[Ron Hunter]

My 19" monitor is making it challenging to do video editing. I can do it, but I just can't display much on the screen at one time.

My father-in-law recently got a large HDTV to use as his computer monitor and it seems to work well for him. Made me jealous as soon as I saw it, and now I'm thinking about one.

Will any HDTV work as a PC monitor so long as it has an input port compatible with the PC video card output? For example, will the HDMI output of my video card play well with the HDMI input of an HDTV?

I'm familiar with video card and PC monitor supported resolutions, but all I see on HDTVs is screen size, 1080p, and whether or not it supports 3D. I know I can pick out a TV and go to the vendor's website for specs, but I was wondering if there are any general tips on this subject.

Thanks!

[Chris B]

"Will any HDTV work as a PC monitor so long as it has an input port compatible with the PC video card output? For example, will the HDMI output of my video card play well with the HDMI input of an HDTV?"
Yes. (They are exactly the same standard.) If you have a DVI out and not HDMI then this can work with an adapter.

Would I do it - No. TVs are tuned to do lots of "nice" things to (particularly" standard definiton ) TV. There will be input lag, interpolation, oversan, sharpening etc (some of these can usually be turned off). Playing a movie through it will look great - everything else - not so much. Also - once you get to around 24" (remember that widescreen inches are less vertical resolution - you don't mention the aspect ration of your current screen) you can get more than 1080p. If I were buying again I'd be looking to more than 1080p (1920x1080) - possibly 16:10 resolution. Just my opinion.

[Ron Hunter]

Thanks Chris, that helps a lot. However, I am not familiar with the concept of "widescreen inches are less vertical resolution". Would you kindly help me understand that?

And why 16:10 aspect ratio? Because you could play HD movies and have more vertical area for other PC tasks?

[George Tyndall]

Will any HDTV work as a PC monitor so long as it has an input port compatible with the PC video card output? For example, will the HDMI output of my video card play well with the HDMI input of an HDTV?

I use the machine in my signature with all of the following, depending on which of 3 different locations I am at:

--a 52-inch 1920 x1080 Samsung HDTV (connectd via HDMI)
--a 42-inch 1920 x1080 LG HDTV (connectd via HDMI)
--a 24-inch 1900 x 1200 Gateway monitor (connected via DVI)

They seem to work equally well.

[Kent Frost]

He's right. 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels is the same no matter how large a screen you get. The only way to get more workspace on your screen is to get one that goes even higher resolution than that.

Thanks Chris, that helps a lot. However, I am not familiar with the concept of "widescreen inches are less vertical resolution". Would you kindly help me understand that?

And why 16:10 aspect ratio? Because you could play HD movies and have more vertical area for other PC tasks?

And, yes, I would imagine that would be the ideal reason for the extra space above/below. Personally, I use two 24" Dell monitors, both of which are 1920x1080 resolution. This way I can put my timeline and editing functions on one screen which gives me tons of workspace, and use the other for full-screen preview.