Computer to TV conn

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091215-1259 EST

Don's comments seem to be the most useful.

Going back to what I said before take the computer that will be used with the TV display and test in the store the ways you can connect the two together and evaluate the performance. Depending upon the money that is available it may mean changing computer model or other compromises.

Some basics:

VGA is an RGB (red, green, blue) analog signal, with separate horizontal and vertical sync signals. You can put out any desired pixel resolution within the capability of the VGA chipset. The internal D to A converters in the VGA determine the quantizing level for color intensity.

If the pixel rate of the source does not match that of the screen, or a sub-multiple, then there will be some sort of smearing. Thus, in the case of a 1080 screen you want a VGA vertical resolution of 1080 or 540 lines. There is nothing the display can do to solve the problem except that if the number of vertical lines is between 540 and 1080, then match the lines of the screen to the input lines. For example a resolution of 1024 x 768 could be displayed with only 71% of the vertical part of the screen used, and a one-for-one relationship. However, what my TV appears to do is to map the 768 lines into 1080.

Also there appear to be VGA resolutions that the TV won't map, screen displays unsupported.

All of this means it is important to experimentally evaluate how the PC performs with a particular TV. Also consider what Don said about the possible life of the TV, its cost, and how it may be used in the future.

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Why are you even considering a TV ? If all you want to do is extend the PC to a wall mounted Monitor, forget the TV a go with a 28 or 30" Monitor. If thats not large enough then go with a large Format Display. Any decent Video card will put out more than 1080P easily, and at any time later you can add a High Definition Tuner card to any PC (Home Theater PC users have been doing it for some time now).
 
Stallzer said:
. . . and at any time later you can add a High Definition Tuner card to any PC (Home Theater PC users have been doing it for some time now).
Click to expand...

to add to that. . . HD tuners only process ATSC and clear QAM (local channels only). You must use a Cable Card tuner for encrypted cable ($300) The only other methods are something like the hauppauge HD PVR ($250), or the nextcom wireless R5000 ($300-$500). And you need a very capable machine to capture and watch HD live.
 
Thanks for all of the responses. I also brought up the idea of just mounting a large monitor on the wall and how much $$ it would save, not to mention a much easier job. I think the client is going to go in that direction, so it looks as though all I have to do is go pick up 4 large monitors, connection cables, and wall brackets and I'll be done in no time......
 
M

M

MRI said:
Thanks for all of the responses. I also brought up the idea of just mounting a large monitor on the wall and how much $$ it would save, not to mention a much easier job. I think the client is going to go in that direction, so it looks as though all I have to do is go pick up 4 large monitors, connection cables, and wall brackets and I'll be done in no time......
Click to expand...

I would look here for a screen: If you're not familiar with the site, I'd recommend checking deal listings every day through new years. They'll have some blow out deals between now and Super Bowl.

http://dealnews.com/

You said monitor. Be advised the monitors have no tuner and no remote control. It's also pretty easy to run short of DVI - HDMI input ports on a monitor with multiple sources. The input devices will be likely HDMI. No speakers also.

LCD panels are TN, PVA, and IPS. The cheap monitors are TN screens. The viewing angles are very poor, the colors shift and drop out if looking at the screen from any angle other than straight in.

If it's a salon chair and the viewing angle is straight in, that could work. For a large monitor viewed from the side in a room, you will need PVA or IPS type. Or Plasma. Plasma displays in the past have had heat and image burn in issues displaying a nonmoving image. Plasma is great for moving images. You're probably looking for a PVA type LCD (lower power draw, less heat).

A 1080p 28" IPS monitor (Planar) is ~ $800. For the same money you could get a 40" Samsung 1080p HDTV, likely PVA with good viewing angles. I am confused why you would go for a monitor over a HDTV. A cheap TN screen does not sound satisfactory over the long term.

Chances are the application is for an 1080p HDTV with two free HDMI ports. One for the PC and one for a Blu Ray player. The free OTA, over the air, HDTV transmissions are great on this screen. No cable bill.
 
091217-1243 EST

MRI:

Is this a very high class salon where money is no object?

If so then consider a Sony 1080p of some size, maybe 40". This should have all of the typical inputs, except Firewire. Then use the VGA connection to the computer at whatever resolution gives a good image. In the future get new computers that have 1080 vertical capability. The 1080p TV and their corresponding 1080 monitors will be a standard for a long time, maybe 50 years, like NTSC was.

Because this is a standard that will not quickly change you can expect new PCs to support it.

If money is a critical factor then choose some other combination.

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