LCD TV w/PC hookup

[rapps]

I'd like to get something that will get me the best bang for the buck! I want a new LCD TV...but also something that will provide me with a monitor for my 12" PB when I come home. So...does anyone have any insight into any good LCD TV's/Monitors?

I saw a Sharp Aquos 20" LCD for about $1000 that looked pretty sharp, but the resolution wasn't nearly as high as the new Apple's. I guess it's a tradeoff in having it as a TV also?

Thanks!

 

[BrianKonarsMac]

i personally like the Apple 30" display, that'd be one sexy ass tv, but your PB can't power it. There is always the 20 or 23" tho. Add EyeTV's Firewire HDTV tuner, and voila! super porn!

 

[rapps]

I'd consider the 20" Apple...but the eyetv is excessively expensive (over 300?)

 

[w00tmaster]

Do you just want the TV to watch television, or do you plan on playing ps2/gamecube/xbox games on it?
If you are planning to do that, I would recommend you buy a normal LCD monitor, and get an Alchemy TV card, they sell them on Amazon for $140 or so. It plugs into a pci slot in your G5.
If you don't plan to game, get an USB/firewire external recorder. They don't take up a PCI slot, and they work rather well for about the same price as the card.
I was thinking about getting one of the LCD/TV monitors too, but not being able to record shows kind of nixed the idea for me. If you are interested, Dell has some nice LCD/TV combos with high resolution in widescren 17", 20" and 23"

Edit: D'oh, you said PB, not Powermac, I'll still leave the info up here in case anyone is interested. Maybe you should check out Dell's offerings.

 

[Squire]

Samsung has great LCD TVs and they just released some new models. Their 32" model is just over $3000 here. The model pictured below is the LT-32A3B.

Squire

<edit> I just checked the US Samsung site and the new models aren't listed there yet.

 

[rapps]

Yea...I'm going to be using it on a PB. Recording isn't a big deal...especially if I get an external DVR from my cable company. Those Dell's do look nice!

 

[jimsowden]

I have a Samsung SyncMaster 211 MP that does HDTV and 1600x1200 resolution computer monitoring, and I am willing to let it go for 1500. PM or E-mail me if your interested.

 

[debo]

Why do you need eyetv?

What if your cable box has a dvi out?

 

[rapps]

jimsowden: I appreciate the offer...however its still out of my price range (although its a great price!)

Debo: Do most cable boxs have dvi?

 

[debo]

I'm not sure. I may have just gotten lucky but mine does. (time warner cable)

 

[rapps]

debo:
I'm going to be moving to NYC. I'd have TWC also....do you have a dvr, digicable, or HDTV? I'd want to use a DVR.

 

[debo]

It's an HD cable box. I'm in NC though, so I don't know about NYC.

 

[DazedNConfusedX]

What are the drawbacks of LCD tv's used as monitors?

Ok - so I'm confused. Some of these lcd tv's I've seen mentioned, and elsewhere, are reasonably priced - like $700 for 17" from Dell, $1000 for a 20" or something from another manufacturer...

They don't really seem any or much higher than a higher quality lcd display of a similar size. So why aren't more people buying them? Or are they, and I'm just not aware of it?

I want to use the new lcd display I will soon get (either the Apple 20" CD or maybe the Dell UltraSharp 2001FP 20.1-inch) as my tv too (powered by an Alu. 15" PB), if I can, but I'm confused about the additional equipment I'd have to get to make it happen, and also the resultant expense and perhaps less-than-ideal quality as a tv (didn't someone mention in another post that you can't record tv programs from your lcd-display-turned-tv?).

Are the lcd tvs that also double as monitors not as good for monitor use as say, standard, higher quality lcd displays (for example - Apple's CD's, Eizos, good Samsungs, etc.)? I.E. might text not show up as crisp/sharp on them?