HDTV/Dell Display help!

[bluetorch18]

Okay, I was planning on getting a 20" Dell display for Christmas from my siblings that totals to 300 bucks. I am now considering just getting a gift card from them to buy a 26-32" HDTV from Walmart for like 600(300 of that I would be paying for)...I have a few questions...first of all, I would like to get an Xbox 360/PS3 to play in the near future. I have a 26" normal tv that I play Xbox on and stuff right now. Would I be able to play the 360 and PS3 on the Dell Display at HD quality? Also, if I hooked up my MacBook Pro to the TV, would it look very HD, or would it look blocky, clunky, or stretched? I believe the native resolution of the TV would be something like 1366x768, but could I make it bigger after I hook my MBP up to it? A quick response would be great as they were planning on ordering the Dell display tonight...
Thanks

 

[livingfortoday]

You can't expand the resolution the TV has by hooking it up to a MacBook Pro. I'd say your best bet for that kind of money is to get a Dell 2407FPW (24 incher) from the Dell Outlet store (refurbs) - it's $599 there, with free shipping. It has much higher resolution (1920x1200).

 

[bluetorch18]

Anyone else have an opinion? I'm sort of leaning towards the 24" now because I don't want to regret getting the smaller one somewhere down the line. If I wanted to hook up a Wii/360/PS3 to it, would it be easy and not require an adapter? Also, could I watch TV on it pretty easily and without an expensive adapter? Thanks...

 

[mkrishnan]

Anyone else have an opinion? I'm sort of leaning towards the 24" now because I don't want to regret getting the smaller one somewhere down the line. If I wanted to hook up a Wii/360/PS3 to it, would it be easy and not require an adapter? Also, could I watch TV on it pretty easily and without an expensive adapter? Thanks...

The TV will have more connectors... so it will be easier to get it talking to the various consoles. But if you want a computer to work on it, make sure you have HDMI and/or VGA.

As for the monitor, if those consoles connect with component or DVI/HDMI, you're probably fine. If they need HDCP, as far as I know, the Dells don't support that. Of course it'll be best for the computer.

 

[livingfortoday]

As for the monitor, if those consoles connect with component or DVI/HDMI, you're probably fine. If they need HDCP, as far as I know, the Dells don't support that. Of course it'll be best for the computer.

The 2407FPW does have HDCP, actually, the older 2405 doesn't. The 2407 hs the following inputs: DVI (with HDCP), VGA, Component, S-Video, Composite.