We're upgrading our home AV system
Airedrifter
Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
(I think this is the right forum.)
This will be our foray into HD. (Currently we have Direct TV, (currently Tivo), Fios wifi) One thing I want it to be able to do is to use the new big screen as a 2nd monitor for any computer in the house. Anyone got any experience with this?
Sawyer
This will be our foray into HD. (Currently we have Direct TV, (currently Tivo), Fios wifi) One thing I want it to be able to do is to use the new big screen as a 2nd monitor for any computer in the house. Anyone got any experience with this?
Sawyer
0
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Regards, David
Alpha 99 & VG, 900x2 & VG; 50mm1.4, CZ135 1.8; CZ16-35 2.8, CZ24-70 2.8, G70-200 2.8, G70-400, Sony TC 1.4, F20, F58, F60.
I tried media center extenders, I tried using an Xbox 360, I tried DVD recorders that could play DIVX and MP3s, I tried - I think - everthing (except Apple TV).
We download most of our TV shows and we want access to all of them at any given time, as well as our music and pictures on our 37" Vizion LCD TV.
The final solution? Dell and HP sell refurb or open box mini-tower PCs for around $250. We bought one of those, put a ~$70 video card with DVI and component video out. With Vista Home Premium's media center on there it works like a breeze. Using bit torrent I can automatically download all the TV shows we watch and have them put in the correct folder. Then, using the Vista Media Center, we can just browse to "Videos" and find what we're looking for. The computer has digital audio out, so we get HD (or near HD) and 5.1 surround. The picture is stunning and the ease of use can't be beaten.
Best of all, I bought a Harmony universal remote (680) for $70 off Amazon. This means with 1 remote we can control the TV, surround system, DVD player AND media center PC. It took about 2 weeks for me to get the setup tweaked just right and the remote controlling everything without a hitch, but it has been well worth it.
As far as the TV is concerned, you really can't beat the quality for price ratio with Vizio. Check Sam's Club or Costco for the best deals. We paid ~$500 for our 37".
Now, lets talk about the practicality of doing this: It isnt too practical. This is a big screen, lots of real estate. Icons are tiny, text is tiny. Sure you can change that, but what a pain in the neck. HD videos look good of course, and this is by far the best way to view photos on an HDTV, since all other methods typically downsample images to SD TV specs.
There is also the practical matter of this being a TV: this is not set up as a monitor for a workstation, this is the family TV, so it is in the family room, on an entertainment center, not a desk. The nearest chairs are about 10ft away, so actually using the PC is a real challenge: getting keyboard and mouse requires wireless, and you are on the edge of wireless keyboard and mouse range. Since there is no desk, you are working with a mouse perched on the arm rest of the chair. In other words, the location is not optimal.
In the end, I use this set up to show photo screenshows, but that is about it. Watched some Joost this way too, but heck, I have cable TV, so this isnt that compelling and in the end, since it is just me that wants to watch Joost, I just watch on the laptop, so the family can watch something else.
And there's your problem. Using VGA connector or S-video to the TV will make it blurry and look like trash (unless watching DVD, etc.)
Using DVI-->HDMI is the way to go. I have mine set at ~1024x768 and from 7-10ft away the icons are crystal clear and the text is more than readable. When not using the Vista Media Center function, we're using iTunes to stream music from the other computers. We're able to read all the song names, playlists, etc. and it looks great!
Nope, it looks perfect, text sharp as a tack. The connector isnt the issue. The laptop is working at full 1080p resolution, yes even over the VGA connector. And yes you can run HD content (in this case I have tried HD WMA). S-Video is a TV spec connector for pumping TV video signals. I am pumping a computer signal, not TV signal. Text is sharp and clear, and I am running at "full HDTV" resolution. This does however, result in text being rather small...readable, but small....the same way it looks on a computer monitor running say 1440 x 1050 or say 1600 x1200.
I am not using a TV Video card, so there would be no HDMI or component out. I am using the same connector you use on your PC monitor, the same monitor that supports resolutions far above 1024x768. I suppose I could run at low resolutions like that, but this is an HDTV, so I would prefer to run at least 720p, with 1024x768 below that even.
And I am not using Media Center, though I could..I am using this as a PC monitor, not a Media Center TV. The OP mentioned he would like to use the TV as a PC monitor, not necessarily as a Media Center TV. Media Center is great, but it is a fancy DVR...it isnt what you use to write an email or edit a photo...
Yep, and it's found on almost every laptop out there and many desktop video cards. Many people use it to connect their computer's to their TVs, so I thought it was worth mentioning.
Yeah, I never said you were.
Uh huh, you could. And if you did, your text would be more readable.
Nope you aren't - and I didn't suggest you were.
Yep he did - and I didn't suggest he didn't.
Yes it is and no it isn't - I didn't suggest you would.