A PC on an HDTV CRT

[Kevintucky]

Sony VAIO makes the Digital Living System (VGX-XL2A) which basically combines your television with your PC into a seamless unit. I have been using this for the last year with a Sony LCD as the "monitor" and now Circuit City has a fantastic price on a CRT that I would like to take advantage of.

The KD34XBR970 is a WS HDTV and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with this type of setup? The VAIO as well as the 970 offer HDMI connections which is how I use it right now with the LCD.

Does anyone have any suggestions or warnings? I am using XP Media Center Professional and when I record a program I do it from within that and watch the program recorded on my HD in Media Center.

I'm just concerned because I use my present TV more as a computer such as Internet and such and TV really is secondary. I know CRT is old fashioned, but I guess I might end up being one of those "8-Track Tape"-kinda guys by going this route.

Any advice?

[edDV]

The KD-34XBR970 is a very nice TV. It seems self contained with both digital and analog tuners. Are you having difficulty connecting the two?

Are you using the VGX as your DVD player? At a minimum connect analog component 480p progressive for progressive discs. Interlace discs might look better connected 480i with the TV's CineMotion taking on the deinterlace duties. Experiment.

The VGX can also be used to record and play off air broadcasts. There are many alternatives for connection.

With HDMI you have a choice of connection resolutions. 1080i should work well for 1080i and 480i broadcasts. 720p would be better for ABC, FOX and ESPN especially for action sports. If you use the digital tuner in the TV with an antenna, you will automatically get ABC and FOX as 720p. Recording 720p properly will require some manual configuration of the VGX.

[Kevintucky]

Yes, I use the VGX as everything. I tried not to be too detailed. At this point, the VGX is connected to the LCD via HDMI and I have no other components. It's a basic system without a surround setup because like I said I primarily use it as a PC.

Sounds kinda "White Trash-y" but I am in Kentucky now. California simply would not permit this. I have cable TV and get a few digital channels. The HDTV broadcasts from the networks being one and the music channels. I havent't bought the KD34XBR970 yet and was just looking for advice and input. Connection will be the same as now...HDMI

A busy life, so the massive DVD movies I have have not been unwrapped yet. They will, but I am SO old school these days. I had a nice setup in my house in Cali, but the wires and work involved never really compensated for how I enjoy watching TV. Not a movie person really.

I think both components are great quality, but XBR really got slimmed with features from the 960. Yet, I don't use PIP on my current LCD. I sound pretty boring. But, I may have answered my own question.

[edDV]

Well you have most everything in those two components. The TV is the best consumer CRT TV ever made. I'd have one if i could lift it. Maybe if I buy a pickup truck first.

You have many ways to connect the units. It would take some experimentation to figure the optimal signal paths. HDMI 1080i is a good place to start.

DVD and 720p might look better connected progressive.

If the PC looks flickery on the CRT at 1080i, try a supported progressive resolution such as 720p or 1080p if it has it.

[Kevintucky]

Thanks. Circuit City has the TV for $600 with free delivery. I don't think I can reference my Slick Deals post here, but there is a 10% off coupon which allows you to buy it online. I paid $572 total delivered to my house. Just haven't scheduled delivery yet in case I made a bad buy. But I think I'm gonna keep it. Hey, even when they close it out, it won't be cheaper than that. I have ONLY bought Sony TVs. However, my first TV was a B/W RCA 13".

[edDV]

One warning, make sure it is in convergence, linearity and color balance alignment. Get a DVD with the THX test patterns and use that as acceptance criteria.

I had my Philips CRT returned for factory adjustment.

http://www.thx.com/home/dvd/optimizer/index.html
http://www.cnet.com.au/dvdpvr/dvdrecorders/0,239035839,240056302,00.htm

List of DVD titles that include the optimizer.
http://www.thx.com/home/dvd/search.html

This test pattern (download NTSC DV and 1280 * 720 versions)is also good for levels checking
http://www.belle-nuit.com/testchart.html