I need your input on computer monitors, and can you just use a HDTV instead?

[Chris D]

So I need some input and opinions, especially from Paul "I'm the monitor guru around here" Wu. I was going to go with the 24" LG:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8267724&type=product&id=1170290207389

But the salesman, being a good salesman, said, "well, would you like 4 more inches for about $50?" (insert dirty joke here) So I at least looked at what he had to offer, which was a 28" Hanns-G. I have never heard of Hanns-G, so I'm kind of leary. But it's got the basic specs I was looking for, 1920 x 1200 resolution, 3 ms response time, HDMI. It JUST got released, so it isn't even on Best Buy's website yet. But here's the Hanns-G website:

http://www.hannsg.com/us/

It's the HG281DJB. So I got it, and so far, I'm super impressed. The display is HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE. Nice and bright, with some nice colors. The one thing it doesn't have, which I was thinking of, is Picture-In-Picture capability. I'd kind of like to do E-mail, surf, or do the Guide here while having a TV show playing nearby. My new office has a built-in computer cabinet that doesn't really allow a TV to be placed next to it, so I was thinking of showing both on the same display. I don't know.

Anyway... anybody ever heard of Hanns-G? Any good? Should I take it back and get the LG instead? I'd love to get a Samsung, but they just don't have HDMI or such, to even have the possibility of showing a TV show on the screen, whether in a PIP, or by switching inputs.

Hey, here's a question--can you just use a standard HDTV as a computer monitor? Say, if I were to just go and buy a 25" or so flatscreen LCD 1080p television. Would I have any issues, or compromises in quality, if I were to use one HDMI or VGA input from the computer, and another HDMI input for showing television?

[dyazdani]

I am in the same boat, so interested to see what responses you get. Maybe Paul will stroll in soon.

I was planning to get that Samsung monitor you got to begin with and a 32" LCD TV.

[Hdale85]

I left you a reply in the brew

[PewterTA]

You can't go wrong with the Hanns-G displays. They are the "up-and-coming" best looking/lasting displays.

[Chris D]

Ah, really? Very interesting. I was getting the impression that they were kinda cheap.

[PewterTA]

Yeah that's what a lot of people think. But I've heard on really positive things about them. I definitely wouldn't put them out of the top runners when looking.

Here's some nice reviews from users at newegg on your exact model you want. Looks all positive. :T

[Chris D]

Huh... well, I haven't decided for sure, but I'm thinking about keeping the Hanns-G now. It's giving me a nice, big picture. No... make that HUUUUUUGGE picture. As all the other reviews say, it's a very, very bright monitor, too. For whatever reason, Hanns-G ships it with brightness at 100%, and it's quite an assault on the eyes. I'm still turning it down and tweaking the picture.

I had two "stuck" pixels out of the box when I hooked up the monitor. One is in the lower left third of the screen, stuck on red. The other is in the top right third of the screen, stuck on light blue. When looking at light colored screens, I couldn't notice anything, and actually had to put up a black screen and get within a couple feet of the monitor to notice them. HOWEVER, PewterTA, thanks so much for that link of reviews! On the second page, I found a review from "Jake" about halfway down that talked about him having a stuck pixel.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16824254026&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&SelectedRating=-1&Page=2

He says:

I was able to massage it out with the "power off, press, power on, release" method. No more stuck pixel.

I have never heard of this myself, and wasn't even sure what he was talking about. Press? Press what, the screen where the deal pixel is? However, this is precisely what I tried. I turned off the monitor, pressed my thumb right on the screen where the dead pixel was and held it, using moderate pressure, then turned on the monitor with my other hand, and released my thumb. There was a small "cloud" of colors, like when you press a finger on a LCD screen, which dissipated as expected. A second after the cloud disappeared, the stuck pixel disappeared too, and started working. Amazed, I tried the other one, and same thing happened.

Wow! I had no idea this was even possible. Am I the only one to have never heard of this?

[Fred333]

I never heard of it either. I will have to remember that for my LCD.

[micagreenmachin]

I've fixed a stuck pixel by "flicking" it before (I got mad at it, but flicked it gently, and one flick did it). Worked like a charm.

Also, this happened on an Aquos 32" display w/dvi input that happens to be hooked up to an HTPC running Linux, so yes, a reguar LCD display will work as long as you can get a signal to it (hint, choose your display wisely looking closely at the inputs and compatability reports based on others - I got lucky). It has to be the correct signal of course, which takes some fiddling... Beautiful pixel-perfect picture combined with fantastic up-scaling through Xine (Linux DVD/video player). It should work for Windoze too, but it is tricky getting the display a pixel-perfect input with 'Doze or Linux.

-Todd