samsung 17in lCD monitor hdtv ready

[afatguy]

good deal? http://www.supertechstore.com/salt17inhdlc.html

[mattyboy]

Its a tv first and foremost, since it has a built in internal tuner, so if it can do the resolutions that you want should be good.

[edDV]

The good
-1280 x 1024
-Comb Filter
-Progressive Scan Capability
-2 x component video input
-1 x VGA input (they don't talk about computer resolution support - ask, better to insist on demo)
-price

The not so good:
-High hype, low info ad copy
-Does it really work as a computer monitor?
-400:1 contrast (typical CRT , LCD, Plasmas are 1000-4000:1 contrast)
-"HDTV-Ready" - indicates tuner is analog only, tuner info is absent.
-To get DTV (sdtv or hdtv) you will need at least a $200 OTA DTV tuner*, or HD cable/satt box

* best OTA DTV tuner for price
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2598451&cat=115061&type=19&dept=...A3996%3A179886

[BJ_M]

-400:1 contrast (typical CRT , LCD, Plamas are 1000-4000:1 contrast)

nope --
computer LCD 400:1 is pretty normal , the better ones are 500: to 600:1 and very high end (expensive) over 600:1

crt are 4000:1 to 8000:1 typically ..

state of the art in DLP ; 4000:1 to 6000:1 , typically 2000:1 or less ..

sate of the art in LCD 1000:1 and a little higher .. typically 400:1 to 800:1

plasma -- 1gen 200:1 , latest 600:1 i think ..

35mm film 6000:1 to 8000:1 typically (depending on print and lamphouse)

[edDV]

Still doesn't lift it into good in that category. Contrast and black level are important for a TV and this set ranks at the bottom along with other computer LCD displays. Black level and contrast are the main challenges LCD needs to overcome for serious TV performance. Resolution seems to be reaching full 1080p based on high end units shown at CES.

The unknown on this unit is its computer display performance. If that is adequate, it would be a good compromise TV and computer display where space is a consideration.

[BJ_M]

if it is very good as TV , it may "shimmer" on pc input ..

or if it is very good on pc, it may have trails on TV ..

or if some of both -- who knows ... apple cinema display , a HP unit and a sgi panel and some new sony panels are all good on both video and pc and are hdtv resolution ..

non of which are cheap ...

there will be some new hdtv/pc panels out very very shortly that are awesome - but i cant talk about them ..

[edDV]

obviously an "insider"