Let's back up for a moment. It's 2007. Most geeks like you and me already use dual monitor setups with their multi-purpose desktop machines. However, have you ever asked yourself if that second monitor should be that old XGA LCD monitor from your previous PC, or a big, impressive flat panel television? Geeks.com sent us in an iLO 32" HDTV and we review it exactly as such: a computer monitor!
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2005-06-28
I personally download quite a few videos from HD forums, shot from people with HD cameras. They usually upload their test footage on high-resolution, usually in 720p. There is quite some nice HD, free & legal, footage out there besides YouTube. For example, this video in HD is absolutely amazing, shot with the same consumer HD camcorder I got by a 16 year old: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACVZp-UMD0Y
Regarding YouTube itself, my husband actually watches some videos on our 55" HDTV, using his Nintendo Wii and the Opera browser. Some of these videos are well-encoded and they look acceptably well.
I can also testify that watching Apple's HD ads and trailers in 32" is very cool. The 1080p trailers or iTunes-bought movies/shows are really amazing to watch on a big TV connected to a PC!
Member since:2005-11-16
I can also testify that watching Apple's HD ads and trailers in 32" is very cool. The 1080p trailers or iTunes-bought movies/shows are really amazing to watch on a big TV connected to a PC!
I suppose if you're actually buying HD content from iTunes I can see the point. But the difference between a 22" monitor and a 32" TV seems too small for it to be worth it for the odd trailer or YouTube video. Personally I don't bother viewing that kind of thing full screen on my 20" display.
For users who aren't editing video, or watching a lot of downloaded HD content, I'd have thought that a smaller (but higher resolution) monitor would be a better choice as a secondary display. That would be more useful for digital image editing or other tasks where resolution is as important as size. A 22" monitor is still very nice for watching video, especially when you're sitting at a desk, much closer to the screen than when watching TV.
One important use for larger monitors that hasn't been mentioned is for partially sighted users. Large and reasonably priced LCD and plasma screens have been a real boon for people with that kind of disability. I know a couple of people who can now happily browse the web or respond to emails, with text enlarged to fill a big screen. Before they really struggled, or had to use screen readers that weren't compatible with a lot of content.
Member since:
2005-11-16
I can see why this would be useful for video editing, especially when you're working on something that many people will be watching on a similar screen. The other reasons for connecting an LCD TV instead of a high resolution monitor seemed rather odd.
The mention of future broadcast HDTV was interesting, but by the time that's actually up and running, LCD TVs will probably be even cheaper and higher quality.
Do people really watch DVDs while working on their PCs? Presumably switching their attention backward and forwards between them and only seeing half the movie. That seems pretty strange to me, I like background music, but when I watch a film I want to lie back in a comfy chair and concentrate on it. Having it running on a secondary display while I'm working on something (even if just browsing or answering emails) would just be an annoying distraction.
Then there's the idea of watching YouTube and other streaming videos full screen on your 32" HDTV. Because of course those highly compressed videos really benefit from a bigger screen...