Does anyone use a monitor as a TV?

[riker1384]

I just got a used Dell 2007WFP. Another monitor I was looking at had several TV-type inputs and was sold as both a monitor and (secondarily) a television. THe Dell has s-video, so I was thinking of hooking my Tivo up to it, or seeing if I could get a digital-tv tuner with an s-video output. If I kept the computer in my bedroom, maybe I could use it as a second TV to watch late-night shows and so forth.

The monitor is 1680x1050, not quite big enough for 1080p, but plenty for 720p. What format is digital TV or HDTV usually in?

Has anyone tried to watch TV on a monitor like this? The 20" Apple Cinema Display uses the same panel, an IPS type with matte surface. Would it look decent? It's a matte finish, while I think the other that was sold as a TV was glossy.

 

[pacmania1982]

I have a Samsung 22" pebble monitor which I use exclusively to watch TV, but then again I download everything I want to watch (BBC iPlayer or stream it via Zattoo).

I can't imagine using a monitor as a TV in the living room unless you had it hooked up to a Mac and something like an EyeTV. I'm sure if you used a HDMI --> DVI cable you'd have problems with encryption if you had a HD service with someone. So that might be a bit of an issue. Also you'd have to figure out how to get the audio out that way too

pac

 

[riker1384]

I was thinking of getting an antenna and one of those digital-TV receivers that they're handing out coupons for. I was going to use it as a bedroom TV.

 

[mattraehl]

I use my 24" iMac to watch HDTV via an over-the-air antenna with an EyeTV Hybrid.

HD content looks great. SD content is just OK.