Tv as a monitor

[Tech Savvy]

Thinking about using an LG 43” 4K TV as a secondary monitor.

Does anyone use a tv as a monitor? How do you like it? Do your eyes strain to use it? Is it annoying/better to have everything so big?

 

[mikeroq]

Well a 43" at 4k is going to have text similar to a 22" 1080p monitor at default scaling. Now a 43" 1080p is way too big for me close up. I would much prefer 4k.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 9 while driv ik gndjfhd

 

[timeshifter]

I use a 27" 4K display and run it at 3840x2160 at 200% scaling. Looks really nice on my desktop. Equivalent to running 1920x1080 text and other elements, just sharper.

 

[Markverhyden]

I actually just bought a 43" 1080 at WorstChoice as I've started to do some iOS dev training/work using an old Macbook Air. Really like it.

 

[nerd2u]

As others have said make sure you can get far enough away from it.

I have a 32 in tv I use as a monitor but I prefer 2 24 in monitors mounted next to each other.

I just like having 2 screens

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

 

[mikeroq]

As others have said make sure you can get far enough away from it.

I have a 32 in tv I use as a monitor but I prefer 2 24 in monitors mounted next to each other.

I just like having 2 screens

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

I think the biggest issue of me moving to a big 4k would be not having physical seperation of multiple monitors.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 9 while driv ik gndjfhd

 

[brandonkick]

I don't know about a larger screen, or even a 4K screen, but I've found using a TV as a computer monitor often leaves something to be desired. Text just didn't seem to display "right".... the lower case m looked like a lower case n. Smushed together. Kinda hard to deal with when doing software development.

I prefer a real deal computer monitor, but maybe the newer / 4K sets are better in this regard? Maybe it was just my particular TV that didn't handle things well?

I like multiple screens as well. Would probably enjoy it more than one big screen. I have a pair of 24" 1080p screens now. Would really like something a little bigger so I can scale things up. Staring at visual studio all day kinda stinks. I can crank up the code editor window text size, but 75% of the rest stays the same size. Hard to read. When you look at a screen that many hours in a day, you want to make it as easy on your eyes as possible.

 

[Krynn72]

I tried to use my 49" 4k TV as a monitor and did not like it. Windows' scaling is notbgreat and certain applications are just awful. You have to sit too far away (I was in my living room sitting in a recliner about 5ft away which was fine, but sitting closer was annoying. I had to come closer sometimes because certain applications don't scale and you will not be able to read things on them from afar.

Linux on a 4k TV was just a terrible experience too. While Windows' scaling is bad, Linux's is nonexistent.

 

[GTP]

I tried using a 43" TV as a monitor, It was awful. Sitting at normal distance look pixelated and grainy. Colours were wishy washy and text was, (as stated above) hard to read.

I think this 49" beauty is the best option for me.

 

[nerd2u]

I find trying to look at even the 32 in as a PC monitor my eyes start to hurt and fonts look like ****.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

 

[Krynn72]

I tried using a 43" TV as a monitor, It was awful. Sitting at normal distance look pixelated and grainy. Colours were wishy washy and text was, (as stated above) hard to read.

I think this 49" beauty is the best option for me.
View attachment 9904

I wouldn't get a curved monitor unless I was primarily using it for games. For productivity I love being able to snap windows to half the screen, so two monitors where I can do that twice as much is better for me.

 

[Tech Savvy]

I wouldn't get a curved monitor unless I was primarily using it for games. For productivity I love being able to snap windows to half the screen, so two monitors where I can do that twice as much is better for me.

I agree I’m not a big curved monitor fan. I have two 24” now and they are at one of the corners of my U desk, but I was thinking it might be better to put the Tv on the side against the wall but I remembered a while back everything was blurry when hooked up to the TV. It sounds like it’s still the same case now.

I’ll stick to the monitors I guess [emoji849]

 

[frase]

Mine actually displays a clear crisp image and text wit Win7 on it - is a basic LCD HD Teac TV.
I use it as a HTPC setup mainly.

 

[omnichad]

With the LG, be careful. Some of their models have fake 4K (RGBW panels) and only have brightness/contrast at 4K.
http://4k.com/news/lthree-of-lgs-4k...eal-for-consumers-uh6400-uh6100-uf6800-16649/

It can be hard to get the overscan settings right on a TV, but usually the NVIDIA/AMD control panel makes it easy to adjust, as long as you also check the TV settings for its own overscan settings (On LG, this is called "Just Scan" under aspect ratio settings). With LG, you have to set the name of the HDMI input to PC. As stupid as that sounds, changing the name of the input changes the image processing settings and reduces the latency.

All that said, this isn't worth it. Monoprice has some great pricing on 27"-32" 4K screens in the $200-400 USD price range