Using an HDTV as an HTPC monitor is a very common setup for those who own HTPCs. It is the obvious way of setting up an HTPC in a home theater, but it is also commonly used by those who choose to buy a second, smaller HDTV for use in their home office so that they can enjoy movies while balancing the family budget.
Buying an HDTV for use as an HTPC monitor can bring issues, however. HDTVs are built to be just that – a TV – so not all work well as a monitor. This guide will help you choose the best HDTV for your PC.
LCD, LED or Plasma?
The choice between LCD or Plasma is a traditional choice facing any HDTV buyer. Now there are also LED HDTVs – essentially a variant of LCD technology – which make the choice more complex.
A LCD or LED HDTV is best as a monitor
In the battle between Plasma and LCD, I generally recommend LCD HDTVs for use as a PC monitor. I love Plasma, and I consider them better for dedicated home theater use in many situations, but if you’re buying an HDTV for an HTPC or home PC monitor you’ll want to purchase something which is relatively close to PC monitor. Plasma often have pixels of a non traditional shape, and the sharper, brighter image on an LCD HDTV makes it easier to read text.
If you take this advice and decided on an LCD HDTV for your HTPC/PC monitor, you’ll then need to choose between LCD and LED. In summary, the difference between the two is that LCD HDTVs produce an image through the use of several large lights behind the screen, while LED HDTVs use numerous small LED lights. Because the numerous LEDs allow more flexibility in the way the display is lit, it produces better images in dark scenes and better colors overall.
LED HDTVs are superior to LCD HDTVs in almost all situations. That said, LED HDTVs are also more expensive the LCD HDTVs in almost all situations. The question between them therefor has more to do with your budget than anything else.
Screen Resolutions vs. Size
One issue that often catches those buying an HDTV for an HTPC/PC monitor off guard is that of resolution. Many assume that because HDTVs are very large, they’ll offer more usual screen space then a monitor. In fact, they often offer less. The highest resolution currently available on an HDTV is 1920×1080, a resolution commonly found on 24 inch monitors.
This resolution issue can become a large problem on any HDTV to be used with an HTPC/PC. PCs render images in pixels, and 95% of applications of PCs are built for use with displays that offer very small pixels. The pixels on an HDTV are relatively large in size, and this can make smaller details appear very blocky on an HDTV. A line of size 8 text in MS Word, for example, can be very challenging to read on some HDTVs because the pixels are so large that they’re not able to accurately display such small details.
What this means is that the best HDTV for an HTPC/PC monitor will have a high resolution for its size. For example, a 37″ HDTV with 1080p resolution would work better as a monitor than an HDTV of the same size with a 720p resolution. With that said, however, the importance of this depends on your intended use. HDTVs used in a home theater will mostly be displaying movies, so the issue isn’t as important. An HDTV to be paired with a home office PC, however, may often display text, so the resolution issue can be very important.
The Connection Question
Having plenty of HDMI connections is important
A final important consideration when looking for the best HDTV for HTPC/PC use is that of connections. HDTVs can have various different kinds of connections, such as HDMI, DVI, VGA, Displayport, and others. Expensive HDTVs often have every connection one could possibly think of, but on less expensive and smaller HDTVs you’ll want to make sure the HDTV can easily connect to your HTPC/PC.
Figuring out which connection you’ll need isn’t too difficult. All you’ll need to do is check how your PC currently connects to your monitor. The monitor will label the connection type, and this will tell you all you need to know. As long as you purchase an HDTV with that type of connection available, you’ll be fine.
Just don’t forget you also need connections for other equipment, too. So if you plan on hooking up other devices, such as Blu-Ray players or DVRs, don’t forget to purchase an HDTV with enough connections to go around!
HDTV Quick Picks
Here are my three recommendations of the best HDTVs for use as an HTPC/PC monitor.
HannSpree XV HT09
If you’re looking for a budget HDTV to be used primarily with a home office PC, the HannSpree XV HT09 is a pretty good choice. It is a 28 inch HDTV with a resolution of 1080p. It’s image quality isn’t stellar, but its reasonable for the price of around $350, and its high resolution relative to the screen size means that it is a good choice for an HDTV that will need to display small text. .
Samsung UN32B6000
The smallest of the LED HDTVs currently available, the Samsung UN32B6000 brings the brilliance of LED technology to a small form factor. It has shockingly good color reproduction and black levels as deep as some Plasma sets. It is a 32 inch 1080P display and offers a large number of connection options. It is pricey at around $1000 bucks, but worth it for those who want the best image quality. .
LG37LH55
LG’s 37LH55 is a traditional LCD HDTV 37 inches in size. It is a 1080P display and is large enough to be used either in a home theater environment or with a home office PC. It is fairly high up in LG’s LCD HDTV line, so it includes many connection options. It also boasts LG’s latest 240Hz “Trumotion” technology which helps prevent image blur. The LG37LH55 is also priced around $1000 bucks, which isn’t bad for a high-quality 37″ HDTV. .
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