Computer + PC Setup

Alright, in two days I'm getting my next paycheck and can order the last parts I need to get this computer running- thanks again Roph for helping me make this monster. The next step after getting a graphics card is to get a television to use as a monitor. I'm consolidating all of the tech crap in my room and updating it all at once, so I can get everything to operate from one desk.

That said, here's the graphics card I'll be using, if it makes any difference.

I'm looking for a wide screen LCD television of a pretty decent size. I'm looking to spend between 200-300 dollars on the TV.
Who here runs a computer through a television or knows someone who does? Can you give me models or brands to look into?

The most important features for me are going to be perfect pixel clarity and frame rate. I'm on a toshiba right now that I'm borrowing from my mother (my monitor died- right on schedule) and it's nice, but everything is very heavily blurred and anti-aliased. I need crisp definition.

Any thoughts? Rumors to share?

EDIT:

I am doing my own research as well. What do we think of this one?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889262153

Any reason you want a TV specifically?

I'm sure he plans to emulate games and play them with a controller. I'm going to tell you know that pretty much any game not from this gen looks like complete ass on an LCD display.

LCDs will only be sharp if you run at their native resolution, or a multiple of it.

For example you'll only get pixel perfect sharpness on a 1920x1080 LCD at either 1920x1080 or 960x540. Anything else will be scaled.

Brand doesn't really matter. Only a small handful of companies manufacture the LCD panels themselves. Other companies then take them and brand them as their own.

I think I'd just buy a 27" monitor instead of a 32" TV.

If you want to go for 27", look on ebay for Yamasaki catleap monitors. They're only sold in South Korea, and they use binned panels meant for Dell Ultrasharps, with 2560x1440 resolution.

The reason I need good pixel clarity is because I'm going to be drawing and other stuff like that. It also makes it easier to read long texts and it helps when I'm using FL studio. Games I don't mind so much- at least for what I play now. Super Mario World looks fine. It would be nice if the text was as clear as it could possibly be, however, for things like Mass Effect 2. Ideally though I just want to be able to read without getting a headache from out of focus text.

The reason I was going to do a TV was because, well, this is meant to replace my TV that I have. My computer is going to be my media-everything. If I want to kick back on my bed across the room and watch Iron Man, I'd like to have a large enough screen to make that comfortable.

If a monitor can do that in a cost-efficient way then I'm all for it, but at least the last time I did research it seemed like televisions gave me more size for my money. I don't need something that'll eat my wall, but I do want something that will let me read on the other side of my admittedly somewhat small room.

I'll look into monitors, and the advice you all have given so far is very helpful. : ) Keep it comin' if you've got more to say!

I'm sure he plans to emulate games and play them with a controller. I'm going to tell you know that pretty much any game not from this gen looks like complete ass on an LCD display.

Believe me I know, I tried playing FFXII on the one in our living room and it looks horrible. It took me a while to figure out why that was. Even the WII looks better on my old tv, but now that Dolphin works so well that's a non issue.

The problem with using a TV as a monitor is that the pixel density is so low. Many android phones have 1280x720 pixels in 5 inches or less, but you'd be sat close to a 32" TV with only 1920x1080 pixels.

If you do go that route, I recommend you ditch Microsoft's cleartype and install GDI++, which will use the FreeType library for font smoothing instead, a much superior result imo. I cringe when I use other people's computers now, I'm so used to FreeType's smoothing with my heavy settings that when I see Cleartype'd or raw aliased text it's ugh x_x

Pics of your text

What...what would that accomplish it would be perfectly clear on your monitor. A cellphone image would just muddy it up even more.

I was questioning roph lol

LCDs will only be sharp if you run at their native resolution, or a multiple of it.

For example you'll only get pixel perfect sharpness on a 1920x1080 LCD at either 1920x1080 or 960x540. Anything else will be scaled.

this is pretty much nail on the head

OH I see. Well the font tip is helpful and the resolution tip also. Any TV works is good to know.

I looked up large monitors and they're missing some key features I need. First of all: It's hard to find one in my price range that has more than one HDMI port. Also, I was looking to maybe aim slightly upwards of 30 inches, rather than slightly below it. The TV in my living room does everything I need a TV to do with a computer, so I just need smaller version of that I guess. It seems like there isn't much else to ask!