PC Monitors: Can they support 1080p?

[Razmo]

Guys,

I hope someone can chime in here. Let's talk TV's for a quick moment. I undestand if I own a LCD projection or Flat panel , DLP projection or a Plasma flatpanel or projection TV that supports either 1080p (True HDTV) , 1080i, 720p, 768p or even just 480p for that matter it can viewed if I have the correct source submitting one of the above resolutions.

Now when it comes to PC's and getting the proper resolution, I'm lost. Do graphics cards support HD? Or even 480p for that matter. Are any games developed for HD? Or any software for that matter?

Any help would be great...

Raz

 

[Nodsu]

It all depends on what sort of inputs your fancy display device has..

Newer video cards with DVI outputs support HDTV resolutions. Including 1080i. Just read the specs and fine print. If you want to convert a VGA signal to composite then you are limited to something like 800x600.

Good software doesn't know or care about screen resolutions at all and will run at arbitrary resolutions. Showing the picture is up to the graphics card and the drivers.

 

[Razmo]

That's just it, I don't have one yet. I recently purchased the latest 6800 by Nvidia. The 128mb card. I've been wanting an LCD for some time.

A VGA signal is made up of what compared to that of composite? I don't know enough to understand you.

By the way, Isn't it true some games look better than others no matter what resolution your monitor is. Such in the case of Xbox. Some games disseminate 480i, 480p, 720p or even 1080i. The Xbox simply supports it, then pushes it out to the TV which also has to support it.

Do PC's work differently?

Raz

 

[Nodsu]

That's just it, I don't have one yet. I recently purchased the latest 6800 by Nvidia. The 128mb card. I've been wanting an LCD for some time.

Does it have DVI output? If you are going for some HDTV display, get one that has DVI input.

A VGA signal is made up of what compared to that of composite? I don't know enough to understand you.

Analog VGA signal is used in the computer world and it's basically the three color signals (RGB), syncro and ground wires. The color signals are in analog form.

DVI has basically four signals - RGB and clock signal. The RGB data is transmited serially as digital data over three wires.

Composite signal is used in television and it is basically brightness and color information encoded into one wire. It is an analog signal.

By the way, Isn't it true some games look better than others no matter what resolution your monitor is. Such in the case of Xbox. Some games disseminate 480i, 480p, 720p or even 1080i. The Xbox simply supports it, then pushes it out to the TV which also has to support it.

Do PC's work differently?

That's what I was saying. The looks of the game mostly depend on how the game is written, not on what sort of display it is run. The software doesn't/shouldn't care how it is displayed.

 

[Razmo]

The outputs on the Nvidia 6800 card have DVI, VGA & Svideo. It also comes with an adapter to run 2 VGA output simultaneously.

I'm thinking about buying a SONY 19" LCD with a response time of 12ms. I don't care to watch HDTV on my computer though I do care to see everything my software is pumping out whether it be a game or anything graphically intensive. Does this mean I wouldn't use my DVI output?

Raz

 

[Nodsu]

All LCDs come with DVI inputs and you should always prefer using that to VGA. It would make no sense to convert the digital image from video memory to analog and then back to digital in the LCD.

 

[Razmo]

Interesting. So I guess your telling my DVI output on my graphics card isn't soley used for High Definition television.

Since I don't plan to use the monitor to watch high def TV then I should still plan on using the DVI connection for gaming or for graphically intensive software since my LCD has a DVI input? Am I understanding you correctly?

Raz

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

Don't forget horizontal resolutions. True HDTV resolution is 1920 x 1080, I doubt 19" Sony TFT could handle that.

 

[Razmo]

What do you mean? I'll never be watching High Def TV on my monitor??

Raz

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

No, there are a lot of big widescreen displays on the market.

TechSpot Pricewatch | Flat Panels/LCD

 

[Razmo]

Mictlantechutli,

I still don't understand what you are trying to tell me. I don't think I'll ever be using the monitor to watch a High def signal such as 720p, 768p, or 1080p (wide screen format) for that matter. Unless you are telling me different?

Since this is the case, I feel a 4:3 at 19" with a low response time makes most sense.

The reason I'm shying from a widescreen is because my lap top is a wide screen. My text is too small and the optimal setting is 1920 x 1200. I don't care about response time becasue I never use it other than for work. Not to mention the wide screen doesn't help because my text is too tiny. My desk top is a diferent story but I don't plan to watch TV with it. What are you trying to tell me here?

Raz

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

Never mind then.

Font sizes can be increased if text looks too small, by the way.

 

[Razmo]

Understood, the only problem with increasing text, most of my reading is via the web, is overlapping.

If I increase the text, it creates over lapping which disallows me to see everything. Some sites work differently than others I found. I'd rather not have to be fiddling with the view size all the time.

Raz