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All of you with big monitors or tvs

D

dmsee

macrumors member
Original poster
I finally saved around $500 and want to get a LCd tv and connect my macbook to it
Anyone have any suggestion of what type, brand I should get
Samsung 32"?
Is 32" inch going to have perfect picture if I connect my macbook pro to it
Let me know
 
dmsee said:
I finally saved around $500 and want to get a LCd tv and connect my macbook to it
Anyone have any suggestion of what type, brand I should get
Samsung 32"?
Is 32" inch going to have perfect picture if I connect my macbook pro to it
Let me know
Click to expand...

perfect picture? your mbp will output its max resolution and that is it. it will also be limited by its video card.
 
What type of MacBook do you have?

The original MacBooks can drive up to 1920x1200 on an external display through DVI, so you should be able to drive a 1080p display no matter which model you have. Performance might be better at a smaller resolution though, especially if you have an earlier model.

I would look for the best display you can find which has a DVI input and fits within your price range.
 
szark said:
What type of MacBook do you have?

The original MacBooks can drive up to 1920x1200 on an external display through DVI, so you should be able to drive a 1080p display no matter which model you have. Performance might be better at a smaller resolution though, especially if you have an earlier model.

I would look for the best display you can find which has a DVI input and fits within your price range.
Click to expand...

It doesn't necessairly need a DVI input since DVI->HDMI cables are pretty cheap these days and all new LCD TV's will have multiple HDMI inputs
 
I connect my late 2007 MBP to my Philips 37" full HD TV and I have a great clear picture on it. I have an HDMI to DVI cable to attach.
 
What is the Point in getting a 1080p T.v When you don't have a High def feed going into your t.v or do you ?.If you were just hooking up your mac then go for a 720p and get a good review.I done the same between an Lg 42 lcd and a panasonic 42 plasma I went for the plasma because it had better reviews even though the panasonic was only 720p and the Lg was 1080p.

Regards
Jonathan
 
Dont buy a TV to use as a PC Monitor, Ever.

It will never be as sharp as a real PC Monitor, and a $500 Monitor will wipe the floor with the 32" Samsung (I Own a 32" Samsung, its great, for HD Stuff, not PC's though)
 
MattZani said:
Dont buy a TV to use as a PC Monitor, Ever.

It will never be as sharp as a real PC Monitor, and a $500 Monitor will wipe the floor with the 32" Samsung (I Own a 32" Samsung, its great, for HD Stuff, not PC's though)
Click to expand...

Not sure if he had planned on using it as a monitor or just video/media but I second that. They suck for monitors, but great for watching movies and such.
 
Get 1080 p as it has a higher resolution. Not a good monitor resolution, but better than 720p.

I use my Sony 34" 720p for my mac mini. It works. Could be better.
 
I got a 46" samsung that is 720p. It looks great with either my mini or macbook attached, the year after model of my tv was 1080p and my boy picked one up. Tried it out. WAY BETTER. Go with a 1080. They are phasing out 720p for a reason...
 
DavieBoy said:
I got a 46" samsung that is 720p. It looks great with either my mini or macbook attached, the year after model of my tv was 1080p and my boy picked one up. Tried it out. WAY BETTER. Go with a 1080. They are phasing out 720p for a reason...
Click to expand...

It all depends on what the source is and how big the TV is. Under ~40" the difference between 1080p and 780p is far less noticeable. But again it all depends on what the source is broadcasting in.

To the OP look at what all you are connecting to the TV, are they 780p or 1080i signals or are they 1080p? That alone should help you make your choice.
 
johnnyi said:
What is the Point in getting a 1080p
Click to expand...
the point is you get higher resolution with 1080p 1920x1080

In my opinion, that resolution is the perfect size for a 2nd monitor on a laptop. it's as close as you can get to match the resolution on the laptop screen


MattZani said:
Dont buy a TV to use as a PC Monitor, Ever.
Click to expand...
I am an editor and I use a 37" samsung (1080p) as a 2nd monitor on my laptop. I tried 24" and 30" apple screen but it makes the final cut windows and timeline, extremely difficult to see and work with. a 1920x1080 resolution is perfect when working with final cut.
 
Kevlar said:
It all depends on what the source is and how big the TV is. Under ~40" the difference between 1080p and 780p is far less noticeable. But again it all depends on what the source is broadcasting in.
Click to expand...

we are NOT talking about watching tv or watching bluray movies here. yes I agree, when it comes to watching tv or watching a bluray movie, you will not notice the difference between 1080p and 720p on a set smaller than 40" HOWEVER, you will definately notice a difference when it comes to using the tv as a monitor.

1920x1080 vs 1280x720 is a significant difference on a computer screen.
 
Kevlar said:
Under ~40" the difference between 1080p and 780p is far less noticeable.
Click to expand...

When folks spew this line, they always neglect the critical point of distance from the set.

Sure, as a TV, 1080p on a 37" TV from 8-10 feet away isn't gonna look much different from a 720p. Human eyes just aren't that sharp. But, since the OP is gonna use this partially as a second monitor, kinda indicates he's probably gonna be sitting a lot closer... maybe even as close as a foot away from the screen. At that distance, you absolutely can tell the difference.

If you can tell the difference between 1920x1200 and 1680x1050 on a 17" screen (the old 17" MBPs two resolutions), you can tell the difference between 720p and 1080p on a 37" screen from the same distance.
 
RexTraverse said:
When folks spew this line, they always neglect the critical point of distance from the set.

Sure, as a TV, 1080p on a 37" TV from 8-10 feet away isn't gonna look much different from a 720p. Human eyes just aren't that sharp. But, since the OP is gonna use this partially as a second monitor, kinda indicates he's probably gonna be sitting a lot closer... maybe even as close as a foot away from the screen. At that distance, you absolutely can tell the difference.

If you can tell the difference between 1920x1200 and 1680x1050 on a 17" screen (the old 17" MBPs two resolutions), you can tell the difference between 720p and 1080p on a 37" screen from the same distance.
Click to expand...

Very true, I was more under the impression he wanted to use it as a larger screen for viewing media, etc, which in most cases people don't sit overly close to the TV. But I totally agree setup of where ever the tv is also important when deciding.
 
If you only want to use it as a monitor, I agree with the guys above. If you also want to use it as a TV, I would like to suggest the Samsung T260HD. Sure it is a bit smaller than the 32" you wanted, but it is really awesome (has practically every connector you will ever need) and I am really regretting I got the T260 instead, as the price difference is very small 🙁.
 
RexTraverse said:
But, since the OP is gonna use this partially as a second monitor, kinda indicates he's probably gonna be sitting a lot closer... maybe even as close as a foot away from the screen. At that distance, you absolutely can tell the difference.
Click to expand...

But for the sake of vision, I would advise the OP not sit that close.
 
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