32" 1080p TVs to avoid for PC use

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sadbuttrue

Gawd
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I'm slowly going through every 32" 1080p panel out there, making full use of the DSA for online purchases here in the UK. Eventually I hope to find one worth keeping, but so far I'm less than impressed :(

Samsung 5 series
Latest models use a cheap chinese panel and have severe ghosting. It's so bad you can see green trails behind anything that moves. The metallic glow of whites also make it unpleasant to use for text.

Panasonic 8 series European models
Ghosting is minimal. Non-defeatable edge enhancement and inability to display coloured text make this the worst TFT I've seen for PC use.

LG 7000 series
This is a VA panel (I believe the larger screens are IPS tho). The ghosting is on a par with the Panasonic, with much better blacks due to panel type. However, it suffers from a similar coloured text issue. Reds have a yellow tinge and yellows are almost white. Identical to the issue mentioned here for an old Westinghouse TX42.
On further examination, the problem applies to blue text on dark background too. It is identical to the Panasonic, so possibly using the same processing chip.

Feel free to add any other models you've come across and consider equally useless.

Next up: Toshiba XV or RV
 
Sorry to say it, but this is why IMO HDTV's make poor monitors - they are meant for very different unsage patterns.

The sharpening that you see going on is so that upscaled SD content doesn't look too blurry, and there's other stuff in there to remove MPEG compression artifacts. Are you sure the panny's couldn't have image enhancement disabled? My 3 year old 500 series allows everything to be switched off (but it still makes a poor monitor as the res is too low for a screen that big).
 
The Samsung could have made a good monitor, due to PC mode disabling all processing and producing crisp readable text. I may try a newer model later.

Having average eyesight and wishing to sit 3feet from the display, standard PC monitors are far too high a dpi for my tastes. 1080p on a 32" at 3feet is about right imo.

Sadly the edge enhancement on the Panasonic could not be disabled (hence non-defeatable). It only exists on European models tho. From what I've read on this forum, the US version has an option for this feature in the menu, but it isn't enabled and is greyed out. The coloured text issue exists on US models too, so it's unrelated to edge enhancement.
 
Have you looked at some of the latest crop of larger TN's, I think Hannspree (or Hanns G, can't remember) do a 28" 1920x1200 jobby.

Remember, you can also always increase the DPI inside windows, and these days it's not as hit and miss as it used to be with app compatibility.
 
I just tried hooking up my pc to my Samsung 52" LN-T5265F and I thought it looked absolutely amazing. I could not believe how crisp everything looked and how brilliant the colors were.

I was so impressed that I am really considering a 32" tv to replace my monitor!
 
I just ordered a Samsung 32 A559 based on good reviews in PC mode.

I'll use it as a second monitor as I already have a Dell 2407WFP (24inch)...so I will have a frame of reference for comparison :D

I'll post my comments about the model...
It seems a rather new idea to use a HDTV as a monitor, and information is lacking.

I intend to use it as a TV as well, but mainly as a second monitor to watch my videos, gaming...and maybe some digital painting (though i'm not too confident on the last one)
 
v3h3mental said:
I just ordered a Samsung 32 A559 based on good reviews in PC mode.
Click to expand...

Could you post those reviews please? I too was looking for a good TV LCD for pc monitor use, but i can't find any reviews that tell if it's good for pc use: text clarity, motion and input lag (VERY important), etc...
 
Sony KDL-32W4000 - No good for PC use. There's a softness to the image even with all the image processing options turned off and though the sharpness setting can help a bit with text it makes the rest of hte image look worse. I am using VGA though, you might have better luck using DVI-HDMI.

If I am 100% honest, I dont think you will find a HDTV that is that great. Better off getting a dedicated monitor for PC use and TV for TV/console use etc.
 
Syphon Filter said:
Sony KDL-32W4000 - No good for PC use. There's a softness to the image even with all the image processing options turned off and though the sharpness setting can help a bit with text it makes the rest of hte image look worse. I am using VGA though, you might have better luck using DVI-HDMI.

If I am 100% honest, I dont think you will find a HDTV that is that great. Better off getting a dedicated monitor for PC use and TV for TV/console use etc.
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You should use DVI-HDMI. Analog will always look softer. The difference will range from subtly softer to outright kind of blurry...
 
Never use VGA on a LCD panel if HDMI or DVI is an option. Cables are cheap -- Monoprice.com is your friend. No reason to murder your eyes.
 
Having discovered that neither Toshiba model in the UK has an IPS panel, I'm leaning towards 2 or 3 HP LP2475Ws. 24" is so small tho :(
 
I have been thinking to get a 26" 1366x768 LCD TV for PC use mainly. Do you know which model would have the sharpest text? In stores, they have mainly movies so it is difficult to know what happens when i plug a computer. I looked around avsforum but could not see anything.
 
behr said:
I have been thinking to get a 26" 1366x768 LCD TV for PC use mainly. Do you know which model would have the sharpest text? In stores, they have mainly movies so it is difficult to know what happens when i plug a computer. I looked around avsforum but could not see anything.
Click to expand...

Getting anything less than a 1080P set for PC use will be /terribly/ disappointing. If you're considering a poor quality 26" TV, get a decent 22" or even 24" for less instead. There have been a number of deals on 24" 1920x1200 LCDs recently putting them squarely in the $200-$300 range if you look around at all.
 
SH1 said:
You should use DVI-HDMI. Analog will always look softer. The difference will range from subtly softer to outright kind of blurry...
Click to expand...

silent-circuit said:
Never use VGA on a LCD panel if HDMI or DVI is an option. Cables are cheap -- Monoprice.com is your friend. No reason to murder your eyes.
Click to expand...

Gentlemen, gentlemen. My DVI port is reserved for the SP2309W I will be ordering in a few days time!

OT:

Is there a USB device that will serve up DVI Dual Link level resolutions? I would be properly interested in something like that.
 
Olevia 42" 1080p that goes for under $700 at target, very very nice for PC use and gaming. rated 8ms and some sites rate at 6.5ms.

Has 1:1 pixel mapping and whatnot.
 
silent-circuit said:
Getting anything less than a 1080P set for PC use will be /terribly/ disappointing. If you're considering a poor quality 26" TV, get a decent 22" or even 24" for less instead. There have been a number of deals on 24" 1920x1200 LCDs recently putting them squarely in the $200-$300 range if you look around at all.
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My main use involves text. Image/video quality could be less.

LCDs need native resolution for best text. I played scaling the resolution but it does not look good on text.

I like text size of 26" at 1366x768 resolution so I don't need to scale. I played with different dpi and icon sizes. But, I did not like it.

That's why I am looking for 26" 1366x768 LCD TV. I can also sometimes watch TV on the side.
 
DG25 said:
Could you post those reviews please? I too was looking for a good TV LCD for pc monitor use, but i can't find any reviews that tell if it's good for pc use: text clarity, motion and input lag (VERY important), etc...
Click to expand...

it was mainly because of this review:
http://www.digitalversus.com/article-458-3554-36.html

and some french posts in some forums...

For my part I will +1 on the ghosting. Amazingly the worse is when I move a black thing above a dark background. In game, it's there also, red ghosting when I move the camera too fast...but you have to be in a certain frame of mind to see it...when I actually played, I never noticed any of this stuff. So I dont care so much.

Text clarity is nice. nicer than I thought. I happily move windows from my monitor to the TV...my biggest surprise was how nice it was to use Photoshop on the Tv...the UI is crisp...the image quality looks very good to me. and it's big :D

Viewing angles are not the best out there... but good enough so that it will never be an issue.

I haven't found a way yet to have the Tv to sleep when the computer is sleeping.
Good thing is that it's actually very easy to have Windows taskbar on one monitor but make Games pop out on the TV.

The TV really shines when I launch Kmplayer or vlc with some 720p or 1080p content...that is the best use for sure...

For input lag, I dont know how to measure it. I've played UT3 and COD4 up to now...and for the moment I didnt notice anything strange...but I think it's too soon to tell...
 
Hey, so I tried the DVI-HDMI on my Sony and it still look grim. The image was better in some way, it certainly appeared crisper but the edges of text looked dirty (crisp but dirty!).

Any ideas on how to solve this? Any help much appreciated.
 
v3h3mental said:
For input lag, I dont know how to measure it. I've played UT3 and COD4 up to now...and for the moment I didnt notice anything strange...but I think it's too soon to tell...
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v3h3mental, thanks for the minireview. Did you play pc games in "Game Mode" on it? It's supposed to reduce the input lag...That's my main fear that's holding me back to buy a tv for pc monitor use.

As for measuring the input lag, have a look here: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1327679
All you need is a foto camera and two lcds to compare in clone mode. You allready have the Dell 24", so you could compare the Samsung to it.
 
Sorry to hear your troubles!

I just picked up a 6 series 32" from Samsung that I use as a TV and a monitor. I love it. Calibration took me about 5 mins, and it feels like a monitor to me. I haven't noticed much lag at all while gaming either.

Good luck with your search.
 
Syphon Filter said:
Hey, so I tried the DVI-HDMI on my Sony and it still look grim. The image was better in some way, it certainly appeared crisper but the edges of text looked dirty (crisp but dirty!).

Any ideas on how to solve this? Any help much appreciated.
Click to expand...

That sounds like the dreaded edge enhancement. I've no idea if its configurable on your Sony. You may need to enter the service menu.
 
E.E.L. Ambiense said:
Sorry to hear your troubles!

I just picked up a 6 series 32" from Samsung that I use as a TV and a monitor. I love it. Calibration took me about 5 mins, and it feels like a monitor to me. I haven't noticed much lag at all while gaming either.

Good luck with your search.
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AFAIK the 6 series 32" uses a real Samsung panel, compared to the chinese panel in the 5 series 32". The price for that model here in the UK is far too high atm and its unlikely to come down this side of 2010 :(
 
DG25 said:
v3h3mental, thanks for the minireview. Did you play pc games in "Game Mode" on it? It's supposed to reduce the input lag...That's my main fear that's holding me back to buy a tv for pc monitor use.

As for measuring the input lag, have a look here: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1327679
All you need is a foto camera and two lcds to compare in clone mode. You allready have the Dell 24", so you could compare the Samsung to it.
Click to expand...

there you go my friend,
exposure time is 1/1000sec for good precision...
the tv is always in front of the dell...and that's only PC mode...in game mode it might be better but text loose its sharpness...
[img=http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/5785/inputlagas4.th.jpg]
now you just need to know the input lag of the Dell 2407WFP...
dont know if it got to do with anything but the reaction time of the samsung is supposed to be better (6ms vs 16ms)
 
Thank you. If i can see correctly, the Dell is on the left side of the pic, and the Samsung on the right side. If this is the case, the Samsung lags behind the Dell by ~15-20ms, as far as i can tell from the pics. And IIRC, the Dell 2407 has an avg input lag of ~23ms (compared to a crt). I also played on that Dell model and didn't felt any lag, but it seems the Samsung has more, >40ms, and everything above 30ms is too much for me. Of course the above numbers are not exact, so maybe there's hope. Maybe with game mode on it will have less lag.
 
DG25 said:
Thank you. If i can see correctly, the Dell is on the left side of the pic, and the Samsung on the right side. If this is the case, the Samsung lags behind the Dell by ~15-20ms, as far as i can tell from the pics. And IIRC, the Dell 2407 has an avg input lag of ~23ms (compared to a crt). I also played on that Dell model and didn't felt any lag, but it seems the Samsung has more, >40ms, and everything above 30ms is too much for me. Of course the above numbers are not exact, so maybe there's hope. Maybe with game mode on it will have less lag.
Click to expand...

yes my bad...i thought about it, the samsung lags behind....
just so you know, game mode is no better...

gee, that's why i got fragged so many times :D

joke aside, the immersion you got playing on this makes up for it! :D
i'm waiting for my flat to be connected to the internet in a few days (just moved) to play COD4 online and have some real game feelings...
 
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