Monitor or HDTV

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.