Monitor or HDTV?



OR



So you want a bigger screen to go with your HD PC tuner. Do you go with a larger monitor or opt for a HDTV? And what is the difference between a monitor and a HDTV these days? At first glance a LCD monitor and LCD HDTV look just about the same. An HDTV has a tuner of some sort (analog, digital or both), and perhaps extra input and output ports like composite, component, and cable/RF along with DVI, HDMI, and VGA. Monitors as a rule do not have tuners and only have DVI, HDMI and/or VGA inputs. A HDTV comes with a remote control and monitors generally do not. So any adjustments on a monitor require you to use the manual controls normally located at the bottom of the screen.

Of course either way you want a wide screen. The old fashion 4:3 screens have just about been totally replaced with the new 16:9 (or 16:10) ones.


Here are the important things to consider:

Viewing Angle: As a rule monitors have a narrower viewing angle than a HDTV. Most monitors (with the exception of high end monitors) are made with what are called TN panels. These panels look whiter as you view from a higher angle and darker as you go lower. There is color bleed if viewed more than 70-80 degrees to the left or right.

Response time: Something 6 ms or under (preferably closer to 2 ms) so that ghosting is minimized on high speed action, such as sports. Normally the monitor/TN panels have an advantage here.

Resolution: If you will be watching High Definition movies, get a screen with 1920x1200 also known as 1080p resolution. To get a 1080p monitor, current you will have to get a 24” or larger screen as the smaller screens are 1680x1050 max. A 26” is just about the smallest 1080p HDTV.

Connections: Most monitors now come with DVI and/or HDMI connections along with the standard VGA. Make sure if it’s DVI only it also has HDCP. This is required for some Blu-Ray HD movies to be displayed in full HD. All HDTV’s have HDCP.

Sound: Monitors usually have poorer sound quality than a HDTV. Some monitors do not even have speakers.

Cost: Monitors will generally cost 20-50% less than a HDTV of the same size and resolution.


GENERAL TIPS:

  • The lower the response times the better.
  • The higher the brightness, the better
  • The higher the contrast ratio, the better.
  • The wider the viewing angles the better
  • Use a DVI or HDMI connection if available.


SUGGESTION
    Here’s a new monitor that is also a HDTV, making it the best of both worlds. The 26” T260HD not only looks great with the Touch of Color design, it also has a built-in digital HDTV tuner. The Touch of Color design features a hint of color naturally blended into the traditional piano black frame, transforming the already stylish monitors into a work of art. It includes a remote control and invisible speaker system featuring Dolby Digital surround sound. The T260HD is designed to be extremely efficient using up to a third less power than other monitors in its class. The unique SoftPower off function lets you put the T260HD in standby mode right away, using just 0.3 W of power. The monitor has 1920x1200 native resolution for full 1080p display capability along with a 5ms response time. Unlike most monitors, the screen has a full 170 degrees horizontal viewable range. Two High Definition Multimedia Interfaces (HDMI), optical surround sound output, and component, DVI and VGA inputs make this monitor a full featured HDTV and lets you easily connect your PC and other devices.

    Check out the T260HD here


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