Using a TV as a PC monitor

[Bert Coules]

I'd be grateful for any thoughts on the pros and cons of using a TV as a PC monitor. My current monitor is a Dell 20" (diagonal) model which I use in portrait mode. This is good for whole-page word-processing but restricting for a lot of other programs, including browsers, which in landscape mode on the upright monitor are really too small to be ideal.

It occurs to me that something like a 32" TV would allow me to display both portrait orientated documents and landscape displays at a decent size. But would a TV give me (for example) the same clear and crisp text displays as a dedicated monitor? And are there other factors to consider?

Many thanks, Bert

[greyrider]

Personally I'd go for a 32" monitor, text will be legible and images crisp. It's chalk and cheese between a tv and a monitor. You can watch tv on a monitor too with the right apps and software. My grandson was using a 40" Bush tv to play games, bought him a monitor and now he's stopped needing to wear reading glasses!

[The Natural Philosopher]

I used my Panasonic TV as a monitor for a time. Because I had a linux computer acting as a satellite TV with a satellite card in it. I bought a remote keyboard/mouse thing as well.

I am sorry to tell you that it was completely unusable *as a normal computer*, for one very simple reason.

The TV buffered the HDMI signal by up to half a second, so the mouse pointer lagged the mouse and the keyboard entry took that long to appear on screen.

Now that is not a necessary property of a TV, but it was on mine, So test and try before you buy,

Take a laptop with HDMI into the store an plug it in, and if they object, walk out and don't buy it

[Bert Coules]

I should have said that I was thinking of a TV purely because of the available screen sizes: I didn't realise that 32" monitors are also available and at reasonable prices, some of them from big-name manufacturers. This Samsung model looks interesting:

I've also found this: a Samsung "smart monitor": So I have some more research to do...

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Thanks for that. I honestly hadn't realised that 32" monitors are available at reasonable prices.

Bert

[Ottavio Caruso]

Am 06/06/2023 um 09:24 schrieb Bert Coules:

Newer generation TVs are not inferior to PC monitors provided both TV set and PC support HDMI.

It's quite common to use an HDMI TV connected to a Raspberry Pi as a media centre.

[Bert Coules]

bought > a remote keyboard/mouse thing as well.> > I am sorry to tell you that it was completely unusable *as a normal > computer*, for one very simple reason... Thanks for that. For some reason I hadn't realised that 32" monitors are available at reasonable prices. For this location I'm not particularly interested in watching TV, so a monitor would be a far better bet, though I have found this 32" 4K "smart monitor" which looks interesting:

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Sorry about that: posted the same link twice.

Bert

[Jethro_uk]

Bear in mind most decent PCs can support at least 2 if not 3 HDMI desktops. I have setup people to use a portrait one for documents and landscape for the rest.

[Clive Arthur]

I use a 43" LG 4K telly as PC monitor, it's excellent. I use it for work and it's been in daily use for eight (?) years with no problems. If it broke down, I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

[S Viemeister]

My daughter uses a 32" TV as an additional monitor for her work. She keeps one here for use when she visits, and it does seem to work well.

[Joe]

Be careful, the most reasonably priced 32" TVs are 'HD Ready', i.e.

720p resolution. God knows why they are still on sale when terrestrial TV has been 1080i HD for many years. We bought a 32" HD Ready TV fifteen years ago.

The resolution is often not marked on the box, so you want 'Full HD'.

[Bert Coules]

Thanks, Joe.

Bert

[Bert Coules]

and> landscape for the rest.

Thanks for the thought. I have wondered about that, but it seems that it would involve a compromise in viewing angles: I like to be facing the screen and my desk doesn't easily accommodate swivelling round, even slightly. But I do have another monitor, so I'll give it a try.

Bert

[Bert Coules]

43", wow. Do you use text-based software? If so, do you find the crispness and clarity OK?

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Thanks for that. As is usual here, both sides of the argument have their supporters, and all views are useful.

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Sorry abut the formattinmg and layout there. Quoting a previous message seems to be messing things up; I'll investigate.

Bert

[S Viemeister]

32" curved monitors may work for you.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I am neither for or against it, I was merely reporting that the particular TV I have, made a shit computer monitor.

Others appear to have no such problem, so its clearly not an intrinsic quality.

[Bert Coules]

That's an interesting thought, thanks. But it's beginning to seem as if even a 32" screen might not be enough: for an exact equivalent, or better, of the monitor I'm using now in portrait mode I need a landscape screen that has a visible vertical dimension of at least 40cms; the models I've checked so far are all below that - just slightly, but possibly enough to make a difference. Ideally, as has been suggested, I need to try them out in person.

Bert