HDTVs can be used as monitors for gaming and multimedia, but require a graphics card with HDMI, UDI or DisplayPort output. DVI output requires separate audio cables. Analog video options are lower quality. Size is less important than viewing distance.
Although computer monitors have higher DPI (dots per inch) scores than televisions, a high-definition television (HDTV) can be quite impressive for applications such as gaming, movie editing, and other graphics and multimedia applications. Unlike standard TV, HDTV is capable of providing finer resolutions which can display computer output better. A standard TV can also be used as a monitor, but the resolution will be sorely lacking compared to a real computer monitor.
Driving an HDTV requires a decent graphics card with resolutions that will support the HDTV of interest. These cards will have a video output port such as DVI-out (Digital Video Interface), UDI-out (Unified Digital Interface), DisplayPort or HDMI-out (High Definition Multimedia Interface). HDTVs use HDMI interfaces, making the best HDMI-to-HDMI connection. UDI, DisplayPort and HDMI carry digital audio and video signals, eliminating the need for separate RCA audio cables.
Traditional graphics cards don’t support audio, but graphics cards with integrated HDMI work a little differently. For example, some use SPDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format) to channel audio from the motherboard directly to the graphics card for output via the HDMI interface. This retains all digital signals, making full use of HDMI capability.
If your graphics card does not have integrated UDI, DisplayPort or HDMI and instead has pure DVI output, you will need a DVI to HDMI cable. You will also need to run separate audio cables from your computer to the HDTV, as the DVI standard does not carry audio signals.
Analog video output options such as composite video, S-Video, and component can also feed an HDTV monitor, but you will get a lower quality stream using non-digital technologies. You may also need to route analog video connections through a VCR or receiver if your HDTV doesn’t have analog inputs. The ideal, however, is to go directly from the computer to the monitor itself. This avoids potential signal noise introduced by intermediary components.
If the HDTV will be running as a secondary monitor, the graphics card will need to be configured in addition to cabling to enable multi-display functionality. In Windows operating systems, video applications can be accessed by opening the Windows Control Panel and looking for the relevant video interface. Often a quick launch icon for video settings can also be found in the system tray.
Many people who use an HDTV monitor point out that its size is far less important than how far you’ll be sitting. If this is going to be your primary monitor, bigger isn’t necessarily better. Smaller screens also have the advantage of being sharper than larger screens, all other things being equal. So if the HDTV is going to be on a desktop right in front of you, you can save a lot by buying a moderately sized monitor. If you’ll be sitting 10 feet (3m) apart or more, your wallet can probably be the judge of size.
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