Using a TV as a monitor?

Sounds silly, but having read that some 32 and 40" LCD TVs (Toshiba Regza, et al) use S-IPS panels :eek:, it seems to make more sense to buy one of those than the piddling junk pawned off as monitors in the computer section of the store. (Working with photography, an 8-bit panel w/ true 16.7 million colors is a must)

Apple Cinema Displays are said to be good (S-IPS), but at $900 for a 23" model, 300cd/m and other factors that seem to reek "I'm overpriced and already outdated", I'm skeptical and hesitant to go that route. Not when, for $200 more, I can get much more screen real estate and it's still the much vaunted S-IPS technology, with a much larger color gamut.

Has anyone tried this, or am I better off sticking with finding a CRT? :(

Thanks!

... for whoever is kind enough to answer.

When used as a PC monitor, is there really that much difference between a 720p and a 1080p screen?

I saw a Panasonic 720p in today's paper (H H Gregg) that looked kind of tempting.

Thanks in advance.

For TV viewing, there's very little perceptible difference between 720p and 1080p. Even 1080i is good enough -- unless you've got an eagle eye...

As a computer monitor, unless you want 2" icons, you want 1080P. :D

I used my 32" 720P (1280x720) Sony as a monitor. Great color gamut but little desktop space.

I remember the days when 1024x768 was *big*. These days it's barely passable. :(

http://www.buy.com/prod/hannsg-28-widescreen-lcd-monitor-800-1-3ms-1920-x-1200-hmdi-w-hdcp/q/loc/101/205114923.html

I have had it for a year now and love it. Gaming, photoshop and Dreamweaver are its main uses. The price is great at $459 for a 27" monitor.

0.30m dot pitch is horrendous (0.258 being rather more ideal)

800:1 contrast ratio is bad, though given no two companies test the contrast ratio the same... but having seen one at best buy, it's clear someone fiddled with the controls to make it appear better than how it was (light bloom...)

For general purpose it's a spectacular unit, but for photo editing, I wouldn't touch it. :(

The brightness and clarity seem to make up for it. If you can find one on display and try it out, it will surprise you. The contrast is stated 800:1 but I swear mine is much greater.

But, I have it sitting under a Visio HDTV with an HDMI connection and the movies that I might watch go to the Hanns-G.

Just thinking "bang for the buck" here.

Other than that, the biggest issue is response time if you are gaming.

I bought a 46" Regza, and hooked it up, but the the best I was able to use was an S-Video because of the limitations of my current (yet old) card.

And I've yet to see a HDTV that didn't support component in.

While it's analog, such setups have all the bandwidth you'd need.

Be sure to browse the avs forums for a painful but thorough education. :)

Use their search function for models you're interested in.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=166

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=26