Anyone used a PC monitor as a TV?

Forums › Home Theatre (incl HTPC) › Anyone used a PC monitor as a TV?

nzkc

874 posts

Ultimate Geek

#262284 14-Jan-2020 13:39

So here's my scenario:

TheWIFE™ and I are slowly building up a bit of a gym in the garage. Nothing too serious - treadmill, some weights. Thats all. Anyway, we'd like a TV hung on the wall so we can watch something whilst running on the treadmill.

Problem is we dont want a huge TV, but I still want to make sure its at least 1080p. Most TVs seem to be 720p at around the size I'd like or too large for 1080p.

So I'm wondering if using a PC monitor (at a 25" ish size) could be a go-er. All we're needing is a Chromecast or something in the back of it. Would buy a monitor with speakers in it (yeah I know they'll be crappy quality...volume will be more important than quality). Also monitors seem to be a bit cheaper (I'm guessing cause there's no TV aerial/DVB-T decoding gumpf in them)

Would that set up work?

Anyone had any experiences of using a PC monitor as a TV - especially with a Chromecast or Android TV dongle?

TIA.

xpd

Budget Gamer
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#2391807 14-Jan-2020 13:50

It'll be fine, will handle higher res than a "small" TV will handle :)

Get a raspberry PI and then you can stream Youtube and whatever media you like. Cheap set of desktop speakers, and you're away.

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nzkc

874 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2391811 14-Jan-2020 13:55

xpd:

Get a raspberry PI and then you can stream Youtube and whatever media you like. Cheap set of desktop speakers, and you're away.

I could do a Raspberry PI, but TBH I'd rather just a chromecast from a phone! Dont want another remote (to lose in the garage) or a Keyboard/mouse either :)

Plus I have a SmartVU dongle I could move there!

SCUBADOO

120 posts

Master Geek

#2391853 14-Jan-2020 14:24

For the last six months we have been using a $250 27" Samsung full HD speakerless monitor in our motorhome. The perfect device for us.
I have here many input devices to choose from including 3X DishTV receivers, DishTV SmartVU, MiBox 3 and S and Chromecast 2.

Our final setup that suits us nicely includes the monitor, DishTV A2 for satellite/terrestrial TV viewing/recording, on demand TV, Kodi etc. and a MiBox S for Kodi media playback, IPTV, Netflix, on demand TV and much much more.

HDMI is fed via a $10 switch into a $20 HDMI audio extractor box feeding a Sony BT/aux audio input speaker and the monitor.
Result = everything we want and great (for a motorhome) video/audio.

evilengineer

281 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2391920 14-Jan-2020 14:54

You can still get 1080p TVs at 32" without much trouble.

That's a long way from "huge" in my books. 😃

Anything smaller and there's really no point getting hung up on 720p vs 1080p.

You'd never be able to tell the difference at a 1m+ viewing distance.

nzkc

874 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2391924 14-Jan-2020 15:05

evilengineer:

You can still get 1080p TVs at 32" without much trouble.

That's a long way from "huge" in my books. 😃

And I may do this. However; I think I'll prefer slightly smaller for the place its likely to end up.

evilengineer:

Anything smaller and there's really no point getting hung up on 720p vs 1080p.

You'd never be able to tell the difference at a 1m+ viewing distance.

Maybe you dont - I usually do. Especially if there's text e.g. subtitles are enabled (not that we use subtitles much). I guess another way to read the question is: Why would I buy a 720p TV at 25" when I can get a 1080p (or higher) monitor at 25"? Particularly when I have no use for the "Broadcast TV" part of the screen.

SCUBADOO

120 posts

Master Geek

#2391971 14-Jan-2020 15:32

evilengineer:
Anything smaller and there's really no point getting hung up on 720p vs 1080p.

You'd never be able to tell the difference at a 1m+ viewing distance.

In theory perhaps but it is certainly often not the case here.
Big difference with small text on our 27" full HD monitor compaired to our 720p? TV at our usual motorhome <2.5m viewing distance. My 720/1080p switchable media devices display the obvious differences. Perhap the upscaling is not up to the job.
Certainly no enjoyment contest between my 720p and 1080p encoded movies.

evilengineer

281 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2392067 14-Jan-2020 16:18

nzkc:

Maybe you dont - I usually do. Especially if there's text e.g. subtitles are enabled (not that we use subtitles much). I guess another way to read the question is: Why would I buy a 720p TV at 25" when I can get a 1080p (or higher) monitor at 25"? Particularly when I have no use for the "Broadcast TV" part of the screen.

I'd probably take the convenience of everything in a single package without dongles hung off the back, to be honest.

And in particular the ability to put the display into standby and adjust the picture/sound at a distance. No remote with a PC monitor.

Also, the flexibility of being able to chuck it in the guest room on occasion and not having to explain to said guest how it works could be handy.

But you pays your money and makes your choice, I suppose.

richms

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#2392078 14-Jan-2020 16:31

Warehouse have a 22" with DVD that is full HD, and it was $200 when I looked there. Not much more than a monitor of that size and gets you an easy to use tuner, remote for the crappy speaker volume and other inputs.

I find a monitor to be better for use in my garage and shed because they come on when I power up the source and HDMI splitter, turn off when I power it off, and dont take forever to come on and show a picture like my TV does.

Richard rich.ms

richms

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#2392081 14-Jan-2020 16:35

xpd:

It'll be fine, will handle higher res than a "small" TV will handle :)

Get a raspberry PI and then you can stream Youtube and whatever media you like. Cheap set of desktop speakers, and you're away.

A pi is a terrible way to get that on a TV, expensive as once you get a case, power supply, remote, decent SD card that doesnt corrupt itself after a month, the time to install stuff on it etc. If you are not experimenting with stuff on it then there is a clunky desktop UI in the way for most things.

Better to get a cheap android box, which has everything you need, simple UI, remote that works without any configuration and better app support.

Richard rich.ms