Anyone using a TV as a Monitor?

[Tony]

So, I've been thinking about using a tv as a monitor, I'm consolidating my kit with the aim of using mg laptop as my main machine and plugging that into a TV to use as a monitor, this will free up my desk space somewhat. I'll sell my desktop and use the money from that to part finance a decent enough TV to work.

At the moment I'm looking at something like a Ultra HD samsung at about 40" there's enough resolution to display things ok. At the moment i'm using a 27" iMac and a 22" second screen...

That's the theory, anyone put something like this into practice?

 

[GGTBod]

i'm running a 55 inch philips 4k ultraHD solely as a monitor for my pc, both sound and images go direct through a single cable, fit it and forget, i am sitting now 4.5 meters from my screen with a wifi keyboard and mouse on sofa, screen is mounted on a full swivel bracket 2 feet from the wall and i foot from the ceiling tilted forwards at 18 degrees

 

[GGTBod]

View from the sofa browsing bcuk and watching ROTJ

 

[KenThis]

I run my laptop through my tv sometimes when watching videos.
It works great but is much better when the tv is across the room.
I've found I can't sit as close to the tv as I would a desktop monitor.
Something to bear in mind if you are going to set up a desk to work at.

BTW GGTBod that's a lovely setup..

 

[bopdude]

I use a 42" TV as a monitor, use it for browsing and gaming, couldn't go back to anything else, it's only a 60hz and I would like a 144hz in the near future

 

[Tony]

Thanks guys, 55" that's awesome

Yeah, I know i'll be a little further away, that's part of the reason i'm thinking 40" rather than anything bigger (also there's the more side of things), it should give me the real-estate I need without distance issues. The TV will go on a wall and i'll use a folding table instead of a desk, then just plug in as needed.

I'm going to be running usb-c to hdmi

Got an email through from Richer Sounds with the Samsung on offer... https://www.richersounds.com/samsun...=20170927__tv__actives&utm_content=2017-09-27

It seems to to tick all the boxes, 60Hz 4:4:4 compression, good colour range etc

 

[Tony]

is the 144Hz vs 60 more for gaming? I never play games on the computer so that's not likely to be an issue for me unless it effects general use...

And how far away do you sit from your 42"?

 

[bopdude]

is the 144Hz vs 60 more for gaming? I never play games on the computer so that's not likely to be an issue for me unless it effects general use...

And how far away do you sit from your 42"?

Hi Tony.

Yes the 144Hz is more gaming orientated, and my set up is on a 'normal' desk, I'm 700mm ( just measured ) from screen to chair so about 900mm to face

 

[hughtrimble]

One thing to be aware of is input lag - it's monitor dependent. Having mouse movement that's delayed in moving across a screen can be a right nightmare if you're trying to be precise!

 

[homesicksteve]

I'm sitting (on sofa) 2m away from a 42" screen. A friend suggested I was too close.... nah.

As GTBod said above, the wireless keyboard & mouse is the deal maker - laptop out of sight behind TV.

 

[Tony]

thanks all

 

[Jared]

TV's are generally brighter than monitors. Think that's the main visual difference.

A laptop is likely going to struggle to push more than 60fps in gaming, then only twitch (reaction time not the streaming service) games matter, so Hz makes little difference, imo.

 

[Old Bones]

I sell TV's part time, and we always say the same thing - use a monitor as a monitor and a TV as a TV.

You can get a 30in or thereabouts 4K monitor, and it will work very well for gaming, etc. Its designed to be very close to you, have the inputs you want, etc.
A TV, less so. Yes, you can game, and there will be a game mode on all TV's. but you have to think about processing and pixel density.

So a 4K set with an Xbox, in a living room great. But if I'm writing a letter, then a monitor is going to be a lot more comfortable.

27in Mac desplay? Very nice - keep it. A Samsung 40in 6400 is roughly £549, and is excellent value as a decent entry level 4K set. You can certainly use it for all sort of smart things, but both is better than one.

As for distance - I want it to be perfect. There is a real macho thing where people want to sit next to the biggest set possible - its not like buying bog roll - its not about bulk for your money, nor is it like eating the hottest vindaloo. I think of it likes shoes or a suit - it should fit and be comfortable.

its roughly 1-1.5 x size of screen in the cinema if your watching 4K, but thats a bit loomy in a living room. I normally advise customers about 2 x size of screen away, perhaps 2.5 (most customers are very afraid of overwhelming a room). Remember that a 4K set has 8m points of light (but that does not mean its any good as a TV, refresh rate and black levels are what your looking for,) and on an HD source, its upscaling by a factor of 4. Thats OK, but you dont want to get too close. And watching SD on a 4K screen isn't fantastic - even a good one is going to struggle.

BTW - gamers will often refer to 60hz/120hz refresh rates, because the websites that mention the sort of stuff that gamers need to know (like lag times) tend to be US ones. The UK has 50hz/100hz/200hz screens (under the bonnet - the numbers often quoted are arguably meant to confuse), whereas the equivalent US ones will be 60hz/120hz, etc. I had a customer the other day talking about 120hz, and I guessed where he'd been looking.

Bottom line with TV's - the better the picture, the more it costs. Having said that, you can get something pretty decent from the big 4 brands for much less than ever before.

 

[Jared]

Think most serious gamers use 144Hz monitors with Nvidia's G-Sync. (Dynamic Hz controlled by the graphics card)

 

[GGTBod]

I don't game on mine at all but it's definitely capable I built my pc to edit and process 4k UHD video, I had to upgrade my GPU to run the screen at max settings and i already had a totally decent GPU, it is now in my brothers PC running his 46 inch Samsung tv at 1080p and a 22 inch Noname pc monitor at 1080p, sometimes wish i had the dexterity left in my hands to play video games as i used to love a good FPS and i would have chewed my own little fingers off for this set up back then.

 

[GGTBod]

ohh aye a good tip, i had no need for a smart tv and my only use for the screen was as a pc monitor, it has never ever been tuned to the tv, i saved well over 800 quid by buying the none smart version of my set, it is the screen of a desktop pc that is permanently online so the screen doesn't need it's own hookup, if you don't need the screen to be smart don't get conned

 

[Old Bones]

ohh aye a good tip, i had no need for a smart tv and my only use for the screen was as a pc monitor, it has never ever been tuned to the tv, i saved well over 800 quid by buying the none smart version of my set, it is the screen of a desktop pc that is permanently online so the screen doesn't need it's own hookup, if you don't need the screen to be smart don't get conned

To be fair, its now very difficult to buy a decent set without it being smart. At the low end there might be a smart/non smart version, but increasingly, its standard. And of course you were never really paying just for the smartness - your always paying for the better panel. Same went for 3D - the 3Dness wasn't that important, but it did signify that it was a higher level model (and thus a better picture) than a 2D TV.

I always say to customers dont worry too much about the smartness - not all apps will work all the time anyway, but a decent set with a good range of inputs will continue to perform, and you can always add those extra features. But people who dont buy a smart TV because they think they are paying over the odds really arn't saving money - the economies of scale mean that its easier to make a smart TV as standard, and the panel of the non smart version wont be as good.

My brother really has no need of the smartness, or even a tuner, when running his Panasonic 4K set - its a panel, which he runs everything through, such as Amazon Video, etc. But he also has a monitor - a 34in 4K curved, which is what he uses for work and of course gaming.

BTW - the Samsung 6400 is a better model than the 6100 (last years back is a giveaway) - freesat as well, but simply, it will have a better panel. And the spot price is £499. The 6400 is a bread and butter TV - decent and good value. The 6100 is very much entry. Not bad, but not great.

 

[Janne]

We run out Ipads and wife’s Macbook pro through the tv. Stream, download, Youtube,
We have no ‘normal’ tv chanbels.
Tv is a 55 inch Samsung, UHD smart tv. Smarter than me at least as I am unable to do much with it. Next time I will try to find a tv for idiots.

I have tried to use the tv as a computer screen, but prefer the smaller Ipad screen. Too much eye movement is needed on a large screen.

Our previous tv was a 3d tv. Overrated, useless, tiring. Waste if the extra cash.
Tv only lasted 2 years, they do not last here long. Humidity, salinity.

 

[Tony]

the samsung 6400 being this one? http://www.cramptonandmoore.co.uk/s...9ia5X4ElKr4H4qOknRu5feOZ9ucdVRwhoCZe0QAvD_BwE

 

[Old Bones]

Yes, thats the 6400.

I hate the PQI number that Samsung use now for their panels, but if you look at the Samsung website, the 6100 is 1300 PQI, the 6200 (curved) is 1400, and the 6400 (a bread and butter decent set) is 1500 PQI. More PQI (again, awful phrase, as is CMR, etc).

Better still is the 7000 series, and better than that, the 8000, and then there is QLED. Better picture, higher price. You pays your money, but I'd always go for the best picture I can for my money - buy once, buy right. The big four brands (Samsung, Sony, LG and Panasonic) are all OK. And its important to look at them - Which, etc might love it, but its your eyes watching it.