Can You Use a Tv as a Second Monitor

You're not the commencement person who's wondered what it would exist like to have a behemothic desktop monitor. Think of all the multi-tasking and immersive gaming yous could manage if yous had a 50- or 60-inch monitor instead of a standard 24-inch monitor! Simply y'all've probably noticed that equally monitors get bigger, they as well tend to get prohibitively expensive.

Y'all've probably already got a big screen in your house, though—a TV. At the end of the solar day, isn't an HDTV just a giant, living-room-oriented calculator monitor?

Non exactly. While you tin can use a TV as a computer monitor in almost cases, that doesn't mean it's the best option. In fact, it's likely less attractive, convenient, and usable than y'all think (not to mention, probably not that inexpensive). There's a reason dirt-inexpensive 32-inch HDTVs aren't flying off the shelves to be used equally budget-friendly colossal screens.

You definitely tin use an HDTV as your PC'south display, though, and your television receiver can too work in a pinch if y'all suddenly demand a second screen. Here'southward everything you lot need to know most how to prepare up a Boob tube as a computer monitor—and why y'all might not want to.

Will it even work?

The short answer: Yes. Yous may demand a special cable, depending on your PC's outputs and your HDTV's inputs, and you'll need to bank check a couple of settings, only y'all shouldn't have also much trouble hooking nearly modern PCs up to nearly modern HDTVs.

Modern HDTVs have HDMI outputs. Some older HDTVs have DVI inputs, and some even have VGA inputs specifically designated for "PC use." If your graphics menu has an HDMI output, you lot're good to get: Just use an HDMI cablevision to connect your PC to your HDMI.

All modernistic graphics cards (similar this Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 6600 XT) include at to the lowest degree one HDMI port (second from left, between several DisplayPorts).

Brad Chacos/IDG

If you're using an older graphics card or motherboard that only has a DVI output, you lot tin can snag a cheap DVI-to-HDMI cable and plug it into your HDTV's HDMI output. Amazon sells a six ft. AmazonBasics version for only $7Remove not-product link. Although some older HDTVs and some older computers only have VGA inputs/outputs, they aren't not an ideal choice. VGA's an analog point that will give you lot a far fuzzier, lower-resolution image than you'll get with an HDMI or DVI cord.

If you desire to apply your HDTV every bit a second or third monitor, y'all may need to use a unlike port, such as your graphics card's DisplayPort output. In this example, you'll demand to apply a different cable (DisplayPort-to-HDMI). The principal advantage to using the DisplayPort output instead of DVI or VGA is that HDMI and DisplayPort bear both video and audio signals. A DVI-to-HDMI cable can transmit both video and audio if your graphics menu supports HDMI audio via DVI—unlikely if information technology doesn't have whatever HDMI ports—while VGA but transmits video. If you use DVI or VGA, you will most likely need to connect your PC'due south audio up to the HDTV separately, or employ external speakers or a headset.

Bottom line? Try to stick to HDMI if or DisplayPort-to-HDMI connections if it's possible. It's the easiest solution.

Getting your PC set up

You lot'll also need to determine whether your graphics card (or your PC'due south integrated graphics) is capable of outputting at the resolution of your HDTV. To exercise this, you volition first demand to observe the resolution of your HDTV by consulting the manufacturer's manual. Some HDTVs have non-standard resolutions; it'due south not a given that your HDTV will be supported.Aboutstick to standard 720p, 1080p, or 4K resolutions notwithstanding. Adjacent, detect the maximum resolution your graphics card/integrated graphics supports.

Open up the Windows 10 Showtime menu and head to Settings > Organisation > Brandish > Avant-garde display settings > Display adapter properties for Display one. In the window that pops up, click List All Modes. Detect the resolution that matches your HDTV's resolution and select information technology.

If yous're using the HDTV to supplement a standard computer screen, simply follow our guide on how to set upward 2 monitors to tell Windows how to manage both displays.

Will it look good? Possibly. It depends on how you're using your HDTV.

HDTV features to keep in mind

If you lot're turning your HDTV into a PC-backed multimedia powerhouse, and you programme on using it primarily as a television receiver and streaming hub—e.grand. a screen you'll keep to view from several feet away—information technology will probably expect fine. But if y'all're trying to stick a lx-inch HDTV on a desk, you're more likely to end up with headaches and eye strain.

At that place are a few different factors to keep in mind if you lot desire to use an HDTV as a calculator monitor.

Pixel density

Pixel density, or the number of pixels packed into one square inch of screen (measured in pixels per inch or ppi), is the about important cistron to consider. A 15.6-inch laptop screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution has a pixel density of 141.21ppi, while a 32-inch HDTV screen with the same resolution has a significantly lower pixel density of 68.84ppi. The lower the pixel density, the less clear and detailed the image becomes.

But the importance of pixel density decreases with viewing distance. The further you sit from a screen, the lower the pixel density demand to be for you to have a comfortable viewing experience. You won't accept any problems looking at a 15.half dozen-inch/141.21ppi screen from two feet away, but you will find it much harder to view a 32-inch/68.84ppi screen from the same distance. This is why a "Retina" screen on the iPhone has a pixel density of 326ppi, but a "Retina" screen on the Macbook Pro has a pixel density of just 226ppi.

6 Series TCL TV.

A normal user typically sits betwixt 2 and three feet away from a desktop monitor. To comfortably view a monitor at this distance, you should aim for 80ppi or higher. This means that for 1920×1080 (1080p) resolution, your screen should be no larger than 27.5 inches diagonally, and for 4K sets, yous'll want to max out at 55 inches, similar the $700 TCL 6-series 4K UHD quantum dot Television shown to a higher place. It's our favorite bang-for-cadet HDTV.

Important: "4K" is not a market place standard. A 4K HDTV can mean 4x720p (3840×2160 resolution) or 4x1080p (4096×2160 resolution). Well-nigh models employ 3840×2160, just you should check the verbal specs of your model to determine pixel density.

Input lag

Input lag is the delay between movement y'all brand on your input device (in this example, a mouse and keyboard) and what displays on your screen. While most computer monitors prioritize minimal lag times, HDTVs generally practice not—they prioritize (laggy) video processing instead. These extra milliseconds may not seem similar they thing, but they will make a massive divergence if you're trying to practice something like competitive online gaming.

DisplayLag maintains a good database of input lag times, sortable by display type. An input lag of less than 30 milliseconds is considered good for an HDTV if y'all're using it equally an HDTV. For a calculator monitor, yous'll want to aim for less than 20 milliseconds, and the lower you can become, the better.

Response time

Oft confused with input lag, response fourth dimension describes how long it takes for a display's pixels to switch colors between scenes. HDTVs and calculator monitors tin can accept very unlike response times. HDTVs tend to prioritize richer colors, higher dissimilarity, and wider viewing angles—all of which lend to a longer response time. Calculator monitors tend to drop some of the epitome processing and viewing angles for faster response times. If y'all use a brandish with a slower response time, you may run into "ghosting" in fast-paced video and gaming sequences.

Also pay attention to the type and number of ports. This is only one of two port areas on an LG Television receiver. Many TVs offering ports nearer the side as well for the sake of easy access.

Some HDTVs have a "game style" setting, which cuts some of the image processing to improve both input lag and response time. If yous plan to play PC games on your Tv set, definitely dig around in your HDTV's options to run across if information technology has this feature.

Refresh rate

Another factor that may touch on performance is a display'south refresh rate. Refresh charge per unit is the number of times a display "refreshes," or re-draws, its image each second. Most modern displays have a refresh rate of 60Hz, which means they refresh their prototype 60 times per second. Merely you've probably also seen higher-end gaming monitors and HDTVs with higher advertised refresh rates—120Hz, 144Hz, or even 240Hz. This tin can be misleading, however, because a computer monitor with a 120Hz refresh charge per unit may non be the same every bit an HDTV with a 120Hz refresh charge per unit.

The reason for this is considering the content people scout on a television receiver is produced at either 24fps, 30fps, or 60fps. The content people view on a computer monitor can exist very different—many games tin can output frame rates higher than 60fps if you lot have a powerful plenty graphics card.

An HDTV with a high advertised refresh rate may use post-processing technology to achieve that rate, such as by creating additional frames to upscale content, or by adding black frames between each frame to prevent epitome blur. The skillful news is that this probably won't make a divergence if yous're not playing PC games at very fast frame rates. But if y'all take a PC designed for the best possible gaming experience, hooking up an HDTV instead of a computer monitor probable means that yous're non getting the most out of your machine.

Is it worth it?

There's no harm trying to connect your computer to a Television you already ain to come across if it works for you. Go for it!

Our advice varies if y'all're shopping though. If you lot're looking to become the all-time bang for your buck, an HDTV isn't necessarily going to salve you money over a monitor. In fact, if you're purchasing a new brandish, I recommend sticking with the tried-and-true computer monitor. For one thing, smaller, cheaper HDTVs are typically 720p resolution, non 1080p, while similarly priced monitors volition virtually always exist 1080p. Then if you're looking for something under 27 inches, an HDTV volition probably be more expensive and lower-resolution.

These lower-priced 1080p monitors often support AMD's FreeSync adaptive sync technology likewise, which can help your games look buttery smoothen. Yous won't find that in a cheap TV.

If you lot're looking for something larger than 27 inches, remember that pixel density decreases significantly with every few inches you gain, and in that location's a reason HDTV-makers advise sitting several feet away from their displays. If yous demand a display that volition multitask as an up-close work/email display too equally a moving-picture show/entertainment brandish, you'll want something with a high enough pixel density that text won't be a hurting to read—and fifty-fifty with a high pixel density, a large brandish may notwithstanding cause center and neck strain if yous sit too close to information technology.

An HDTV as a secondary monitor is perfect for streaming Twitch, watching Netflix, or keeping an eye on Twitter in existent fourth dimension.

At that place is an ideal situation in which the HDTV-every bit-monitor shines, though.

If you want to add together an extra brandish to a single- or multi-display setup for entertainment—say, and so you tin watch Netflix or Twitter while you write articles, or so you can play Skyrim on a 60-inch screen—and then an HDTV can be a very capable (and cool!) monitor replacement. Bonus points if you happen to have an actress HDTV lying around, or if yous can pick one up for dirt cheap.

Note: When you lot purchase something afterwards clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small-scale commission. Read our chapter link policy for more than details.

Sarah is a freelance writer and editor based in Los Angeles. She has a dearest/hate human relationship with social media and a bad habit of describing engineering as "sexy."

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Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/427564/use-your-tv-as-a-computer-monitor-everything-you-need-to-know.html

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