New Computer Monitor or HDTV?

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

apparently, the HDTVs can be used as computer monitors

is there any reason to buy a monitor for my new computer as vs. buying an HDTV and using that?

it is mostly used as a work computer, tho I will admit to some displays of... ah, um... bodies of female mammals (purely in my role as a biologist, of course)

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

Usually a monitor is cheaper because it does not have a tuner it it. The TV set will have a built in tuner, and more input options. From what I have found the TV will have multiple HDMI inputs, and other inputs.

If you have cable TV you can just plug the HDMI right into the monitor and save some money.

mikester · 12-16-2010, 04:28 PM

I bought a 23" Samsung HDTV and am using it as a monitor. I am trying to get TV on it too but the HD Antenna I bought yesterday didn't work out...

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

I was at Best Buy today and asked a guy about that - he said you would pay more since you have a coax input & TV tuner built in, confirming and expanding on what GH85 said. Since I don't need (another) TV I think I'm going to stick to a "pure" monitor.

I'm getting the impression, as I troll thru various searches, that we are on the cusp of new model introductions right now, and/or a change-over in backlighting technology from fl. tubes to LEDs in these things.

71T Targa · 12-16-2010, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikester

I bought a 23" Samsung HDTV and am using it as a monitor. I am trying to get TV on it too but the HD Antenna I bought yesterday didn't work out...

I you use a cable modem you can get HD tv from that. At least a limited number of chanels.

andrew15 · 12-16-2010, 05:09 PM

I've got 3 Samsung T240HD monitors w/ tv that I use for work - 2 are used as monitors and one is tied into a cable box - they work great on either input. I think the tv option version was only 10-15 dollars more than the straight monitor option.

Regards,
Andrew M

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

Please let me know which one you get. I am looking for TV for my home office. I have cable TV so I don't care about the tuner. I do need more than HDMI input.

id10t · 12-16-2010, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Please let me know which one you get. I am looking for TV for my home office. I have cable TV so I don't care about the tuner. I do need more than HDMI input.

Why not get a tuner card for the computer and watch your teevee in a window on your desktop (or full screen). Add some more storage and do DVR with it too.

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by id10t

Why not get a tuner card for the computer and watch your teevee in a window on your desktop (or full screen). Add some more storage and do DVR with it too.

Been there, done that.

My current home computer has a TV card. It tried to watch TV and use the computer at the same time. About the only thing that really works for is watching endurance racing. My brain is not able to watch a TV show with dialog and do anything on the computer. As soon as I concentrate on the computer task the TV show gets mostly lost. I might know some part of what was going on but not the story.

stomachmonkey · 12-17-2010, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikester

I bought a 23" Samsung HDTV and am using it as a monitor. I am trying to get TV on it too but the HD Antenna I bought yesterday didn't work out...

I've got on of those in my office.

Really only makes sense as a monitor for something you are running headless like a server that you don't interact with often.

The only time I'm in my office is to do work. If it's a primary monitor then you can't watch the tube while working. I like to keep NFL on in the background if I'm working on the weekend.