Lcd or Plasma screen.

XRQTOR · 20-01-2005, 09:12 PM

Hey fella's, bit of a teck question here so i hope someone can help. Im looking at adding a larger Flat screen to my computer, currently have a 15'' screen and was looking at possibly 23. But browsing ebay i have noticed plasma screens are getting cheap, can i hook up a plasma screen or lcd screen to my computer and run the pc like normal with a massive screen or isn't it that simple. And can i still use it as a normal tv.

XplosiveR6 · 20-01-2005, 09:35 PM

yea sure you can plug a plasma into ur pc via the the DVI port (thats if you have a DVI port on your graphics card)

EA2BA · 20-01-2005, 09:38 PM

Plasma is the way to it will have PC input, but check for built in TV tuner, or you will need a set top box, if the plasma is any good it will have multi phasing or something like that, it means they have 3 pixles (pretty sure) per plasma dot and cycle through at such a high rate you cant see it, but it stops burn in like the old plasma screens.

XRQTOR · 20-01-2005, 09:39 PM

Shrugs, i dunno. What i want to try to do is get a wirless keyboard & mouse and a big **** screen.

XplosiveR6 · 20-01-2005, 09:45 PM

its a much better idea then those media pc's that you buy at the store with ****y 15inch screens, i mean who is going to watch movies and tv on a little 15inch computer lcd

Paris Hilton · 20-01-2005, 09:58 PM

Apple Cinema Displays are unbelievable. So crisp, clear...easy to set up, easy to watch, only problem is that you pay for it :\

champsky · 20-01-2005, 10:05 PM

hey, would you be bale to do it on a rear projection???

my bro has a 151cm RPTV and thought it might be cool to hook ya pc up to it hehehehe, would be kinda cool aye :P

EA2BA · 20-01-2005, 10:14 PM

Get a TV output card champsky, only problem is, the bigger the TV the crappier the TV picture, but with the huge screen resolution possible these days from video cards it may not display too bad.

**Peuty** · 20-01-2005, 10:22 PM

Nope, the rear pro will not provide adequate picture imo. Remember, even though your graphics card may be high res, the rear pro can only project what it is capable of. Unless it is a high res unit, which most are not.
Its the same as hooking a computer up to a regular TV, crappy, crappy picture, simply because of the low res TV output.

XRQTOR · 20-01-2005, 10:26 PM

Our big 144cm rear projection tv has a tv connection, never used it. Instead of using the normal lcd screen u just hook up the rear projector.

BlueRaven · 20-01-2005, 10:38 PM

Plasma screens, from what i understand, are not good up close and can only run at a maximun of 800 x 600.

LCD's on the other hand (or tft or whatever they are) are born for a specific resolution in mind (usually 1024 x 768) and are crystal clear only in that specific resolution.

Therefore, if you were going to use the computer as a normal computer, I'd go the LCD screen (although that would be very expensive for the size your looking at).

Options, Options..

Firefox7 · 20-01-2005, 10:42 PM

You would be far better off with an LCD screen. Plasma Screens only last for around 7 years or less depending on the manufacter. Lcd on the other hand will last double to triple. If the backlight in the LCD fails it can be replaced. Once the brightness in a Plasma begins to dim...their is no recovery, you throw it away.

Cheers

BlueRaven · 20-01-2005, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firefox7

If the backlight in the LCD fails it can be replaced.

Or converted to a DIY Projector screen like this

http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20041113/

**Peuty** · 20-01-2005, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firefox7

You would be far better off with an LCD screen. Plasma Screens only last for around 7 years or less depending on the manufacter. Lcd on the other hand will last double to triple. If the backlight in the LCD fails it can be replaced. Once the brightness in a Plasma begins to dim...their is no recovery, you throw it away.

Cheers

But if you have a few dots fail on the LCD, same thing....hello bin.

Horses for courses.

**cs123** · 20-01-2005, 10:48 PM

I'd be surprised if plasma screens are built in any quantity in 5 years time. LCD is the future. That being said go for screens being sold in bulk, ie ones available at most PC/Electronics stores. They offer the best bang-for-buck. 17inch screens represent good value atm.

19 and above, particularly widescreen will be expensive. The most important thing to look for (apart from dead pixles) is response time, 12ms is what you need.

If you've got a fat wallet then ignore what I've just written.

Firefox7 · 20-01-2005, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueRaven

Or converted to a DIY Projector screen like this

http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20041113/

Already got a projector....I have used it for the pc a few times, especially good flight simming with it....My screen size 4 metres x 2 metres for games in 16:9. It has the best picture that i have seen in any projector....very clear and bright but the colours are outa this world.

Cheers.

XRQTOR · 20-01-2005, 11:39 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....745606895&rd=1
This one is cheap as shit, big as hell to.

b2tf · 21-01-2005, 12:07 AM

This reminds me.

I was very interested in getting a plasma screen TV a while ago, but i remember a salesman telling me they have a lifespan of about 5000 hours before they just turn to crap. 5000 isnt really that much when you're paying $3k or so for a TV, so i didnt buy one.

But is it true?

**Peuty** · 21-01-2005, 12:09 AM

Yeah, pretty much. As mentioned before, the plasma tends to go dull, then duller, then dullest.

champsky · 21-01-2005, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peuty

Nope, the rear pro will not provide adequate picture imo. Remember, even though your graphics card may be high res, the rear pro can only project what it is capable of. Unless it is a high res unit, which most are not.
Its the same as hooking a computer up to a regular TV, crappy, crappy picture, simply because of the low res TV output.

does that include brand new ones, cause my bro got it like a month or two back.

rag top · 21-01-2005, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by back2thefutura

This reminds me.

I was very interested in getting a plasma screen TV a while ago, but i remember a salesman telling me they have a lifespan of about 5000 hours before they just turn to crap. 5000 isnt really that much when you're paying $3k or so for a TV, so i didnt buy one.

But is it true?

I've heard a rumour about 8000 hours life span of plasma screens...

:

I don't believe it either.

At work, we run 2 plasma screens, 24/7 for over 2 years. That is at least 17000 hours run time.... each screen.

**russellw** · 21-01-2005, 05:34 PM

Just to clarify a few things here before we all get buried in misinformation.

Plasma Not a good call for PC use. Basically they all suffer to varying degrees from burn-in effect and despite the varying technologies introduced to combat this they still have a way to go. They are also noisier and heavier than an equivalent sized LCD.
For TV use the PDP Plasmas from Pioneer have a life of 15,000 hours and upwards and a number of consumer models are starting to follow suit. HD units continue to fall in price and this trend is likely to continue.

LCD In 23" widescreen (which is what I run) these are a nice desktop monitor. BenQ and Mitsubishi make good quality units but you will pay dearly for them - at wholesale level they are both over $2k although there is a low res Mistubishi 30" around for about the same money. It is better suited for TV use than as a monitor.

Cheers
Russ

Paris Hilton · 21-01-2005, 06:36 PM

Buy this unit, it looks pretty good :P

http://www.projectorcentral.com/JVC-DLA-HD2K-SYS.htm

Thunder Kiss · 21-01-2005, 09:57 PM

There is a lot of misconception out there regarding plasma screens. Russellw's summation is pretty much spot on, however, many of the latest generation plasma panels have "half lifes" of between 30,000 and 60,000 hours. "Half life" being the point at which the panel reaches half of its original brightness and realistically the end of its useful life.

When all is said and done, I consider plasma to be far superior for TV/DVD viewing, while LCD would be better for data (ie computer) applications.

Kapn_Kiwi · 21-01-2005, 11:41 PM

I recently purchased a new screen for a new computer. At the shop I was at, they had A)Dedicated PC LCDs/Plasmas
B)LCD/Plasma Screens which function as TVs, and
C)LCD/Plasma TVs with some sort of Video input for computer.
I personally would go with the 2nd, as they were a fair bit cheaper than the third, and there was very little difference in price between the first two.

Also, I'm a reasonably avid gamer, as are most of my friends, and they bitch on about so many things that aren't done in their typical fashion. I was told I shouldn't have got a wireless keyboard and mouse (I seriously can't feel the difference, so long as the receiver is pointed correctly) and was also given a bit of stick over my choice of a 17" LCD rather than a 19" Flatscreen CRT. While another 2 inches would have been nice, the ability to fit my monitor on my not-so-deep desk, as well as the fact that it's great for LANning (these guys have a real mission carting about their huge monitors) has meant that I think I made the right choice. LCD monitors aren't bad for gaming guys, I'd just let you know.

Firefox7 · 22-01-2005, 12:27 AM

I took a pic tonight of my projector and home cinema....the entry to your left is 2.4 metres high...to give n idea of the scale......the digital camera i have is crap....& really doesn't do the image any justice.....the shutter speed in the camera is shocking.....but here is my projector screen.....this is of course only around 180 inch....anything bigger is like watching tennis.....head left and right....but produces crytal images up to 350 inchs in perfect clarity.

Cheers.

XRQTOR · 22-01-2005, 04:00 AM

The old man has a big Mofo projector, it's a fair bit wider than your's and twice as high. He's wanting to upgrade as soon as he finishes building his new house, movie room is 12m x8m. In reality there only good for watching sports events on, or decent movies not anything you'd use daily. Plus its a pain in the **** trying to keep the room dark during the day. I wouldn't rush out and spend 8 or 9k on one that's for sure.

XRQTOR · 22-01-2005, 04:06 AM

I keep changeing my mind as to what i want it for, stated as a big pc screen. Now i want it to be an awsome pc screen and decent size tv/movie screen as well. Does anyone know the Lifes good website, one of our warehouses is next door to a lg storage facility, mainly repair's. Some of the plasma's and lcd's they get are fukin huge, seen a 21ocm plasma and a 168cm lcd. I'd seriously consider a 1oocm or thereabouts unit if i can use it for tv and pc screen with top quality in both aspects.

rag top · 22-01-2005, 10:20 AM

http://www.lge.com.au/index.do

Firefox7 · 22-01-2005, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRQTOR

The old man has a big Mofo projector, it's a fair bit wider than your's and twice as high. He's wanting to upgrade as soon as he finishes building his new house, movie room is 12m x8m. In reality there only good for watching sports events on, or decent movies not anything you'd use daily. Plus its a pain in the **** trying to keep the room dark during the day. I wouldn't rush out and spend 8 or 9k on one that's for sure.

I can go heaps wider and bigger than that....thats about a third of what it can do. But given the size of the room which is 5 metres by 6 metres, that size is just nice. Anything bigger is like watching tennis. When i play games with it out in the shed....I screw up the image size to max. I like using it for flight simming.....feels like your their. The projector is a Benq.....and i got it for under 5k. At 2500 lumens, you can use it during day.

Cheers.