Member Avatar for Duki

I'm too lazy to do research right now, and I'll probably get better responses on here anyways.

Is it possible to just buy a 32" LCD TV and use it as your monitor and your TV? Not at the same time of course. Just a thought someone at work had today, and I didn't really have a clear answer.

Why shouldn't you do this (as I can't imagine there being any benefits... but maybe i'm wrong)?

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As asked and as noted, a 32" LCD TV can be used as a computer monitor — but it is a tradeoff. The important things not mentioned yet are pixel density and TV image processing: TVs are built for viewing from several feet away and often have larger pixels and scaler firmware that can make small text look soft. That makes them great for video, media centers, and casual web use, but less ideal for long hours of coding, reading or detailed design work.

Before buying, confirm the TV's native resolution and plan to drive that exact resolution from the PC. Look in the TV menus for settings labeled along the lines of "PC", "1:1", "Just Scan" or "Screen Fit" to avoid overscan (desktop edges getting cropped). Turn off image-enhancement features like motion interpolation, noise reduction and excess sharpness when using the set as a monitor. For gaming, enable any low-latency or "Game Mode" option to reduce input lag.

Practical points: place the screen farther back than a normal monitor — a 32" display at close desk distance forces lots of head/eye movement. Test the TV with your computer before relying on it full-time and buy from a retailer with a good return policy. Also decide how you want audio handled (TV speakers vs external speakers).

Quick checklist:

  • Set the PC to the TV's native resolution and refresh rate.
  • Disable overscan / enable 1:1 pixel mapping on the TV.
  • Turn off motion smoothing, noise reduction and extra sharpening.
  • Use a low-latency mode for gaming.
  • Try it in person and check the return policy.

These steps address common pitfalls users see after switching a TV to monitor duty.

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Member Avatar for John A

>Is it possible to just buy a 32" LCD TV and use it as your monitor and your TV?
Of course. Depending on your video card's output options and your TV's input types you may or may not have to buy an adapter that will convert the signals.

DVI input is standard on almost all modern TVs nowadays. If you have a VGA monitor, you're probably going to need something like . If you've got DVI out directly from your video card, great. You can send it directly to your TV with zero loss in quality (assuming that your TV does support DVI input).

commented: kudos! +4
Member Avatar for Duki

rgr. great info.

thanks!

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