# HDTVs vs. Computer monitors: How do they compare?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 20, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532 "2000-12-20T16:01:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@seriousart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seriousart)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/1 "2000-12-20T16:01:19Z")
I was curious. I’ve watched DVDs on my computer with a fairly high end monitor (Sony Multiscan) and the picture looks pretty great. How do HDTVs compare? I would think the computer monitor would win out except that the TVs obviously will be larger. Anyone know?
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### Author:  [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2000, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/2 "2000-12-20T17:00:46Z")
For one thing HDTVs will be in the 16:9 widescreen format rather than the 4:3 of monitors and current TVs, so you’ll get more picture. As for resolution, most HDTVs will be around 1080 scanlines, interlaced.
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### Author:  [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2000, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/3 "2000-12-20T18:00:43Z")
Generally, quality-wise, a properly adjusted computer monitor will almost always look better. But that’s true when you compare just about any smaller screen to a larger one.
Of course, when taken as a whole, IMO the entire experience is better with a larger screen, even if there’s some tradeoff in resolution. Top resolution of HDTV is 1080i(nterlaced), which equates to 1920x1080 when using standard computer industry parlance. If you have a high-end HDTV system you can use a line doubler (or use an HTPC, home-theater PC) to run at 1920x1080, non-interlaced, which is supported by some high-end video projectors (over $25k). In theory this will give you a sharper, steadier picture. In practice, it would only make sense with really large screens; with a production rear-projection set of just about any size, most people probably wouldn’t notice much of a difference.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2000, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/4 "2000-12-21T00:19:37Z")
Try HDTV at [howthingswork.com](http://howthingswork.com)
Digital TV isn’t the same as HDTV & that’s explained there, I guess. Your computer monitor is digital, isn’t it?
I think I saw a 17" digital TV/computer monitor at Circuit City at about $2,000! whoa. They also have HDTV’s there, so you might have a looksee & ask the saleperson stuff.
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### Author:  [@SouprChckn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouprChckn)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2000, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/5 "2000-12-21T00:49:20Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by xizor \*
> \*\*For one thing HDTVs will be in the 16:9 widescreen format rather than the 4:3 of monitors and current TVs, so you’ll get more picture. \*\*
Actually, you can get really great widescreen LCD monitors that should display at 16:9. Also, its stupid, but i’m pretty sure you could find a way to display a 16:9 widescreen movie over two regular monitors. There’s a gap in the middle of the movie because its two screens but I’ve seen it done w/ games so I figure it can be done w/ regular signals.
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### Author:  [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2000, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/6 "2000-12-21T06:28:34Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by handy \*
> \*\*I think I saw a 17" digital TV/computer monitor at Circuit City at about $2,000! whoa. They also have HDTV’s there, so you might have a looksee & ask the saleperson stuff. \*\*
Likely a large part of the cost was the display adapter, which, for a TV and computer, are COMPLETELY different and (usually) require a small bit of electronics to translate the signal. Was it a flatscreen, also, perhaps?
–Tim
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2000, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/7 "2000-12-21T16:02:50Z")
“Was it a flatscreen, also, perhaps?”
Yeah & the picture was so-so. Probably cause Circuit City only uses infinite loop recordings for displays.
I stand corrected, from [howstuffworks.com](http://howstuffworks.com):
“When you read and hear people talking about Digital Television (DTV),
what they are talking about is the transmission of pure digital television
signals”
“There is a class of digital television that is getting a lot of press right now.
It is called High Definition Television, or HDTV. HDTV is
high-resolution Digital television (DTV) combined with Dolby Digital
surround sound (AC-3). HDTV is the highest DTV resolution in the new
set of standards. This combination creates a stunning image with
stunning sound. HDTV requires new production and transmission
equipment at the HDTV stations as well as new equipment for reception
by the consumer. The higher resolution picture is the main selling point
for HDTV. Imagine 720 or 1080 lines of resolution compared to the 525
lines you are used to in the U.S. (or the 625 lines in Europe)”
“Of the eighteen DTV formats, six are HDTV formats—three of which are
based on progressive scanning and three on interlaced scanning.”
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2000, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/8 "2000-12-21T16:09:12Z")
Another interesting quote from the same site:
“DVD will look better on HDTV sets, but you will not get the highest
resolution possible. DVD video does not really support HDTV, since
DVD was developed before HDTV. DVD’s MPEG-2 video resolutions
and frame rates are very similar to NTSC formats. However, DVD can
use the 16:9 aspect ratio of an HDTV set. Eventually the DVD-Video
format will be upgraded to an “HD-DVD” format. If you buy one of today’s
DVD players, it will not be able to play HDTV discs when they come out.”
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### Author:  [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2000, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/9 "2000-12-21T16:52:33Z")
[Here](http://www.digitaltelevision.com) is a great site that explains all things having to do with digital television. It does say that everything transmitted will be in digital by the year 2006, but it looks like this date will slip. Not all TV will be high-definition. It will probably be 4 “standard” definition subchannels for each broadcaster most of the day, then switching to 1 HD channel for primetime. The thing that will take some getting used to will be what is called sub-channels. So no longer will ABC be channel 2, it will be something like channel 2-1 for Oprah, channel 2-2 for the local news, channel 2-3 for basketball game, channel 2-4 for cartoons but all will be from ABC. Yes, in case there weren’t enough, there will now be MORE channels to choose from.
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### Author:  [@seriousart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seriousart)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2000, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/10 "2000-12-21T19:35:42Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Eventually the DVD-Video format will be upgraded to an “HD-DVD” format. If you buy one of today’s DVD players, it will not be able to play HDTV discs when they come out.
I’ve been researching dvd players for a while and this is the first I’ve heard about that at all. So there are HD dvd’s coming out? Won’t progressive scan dvd players bring the format up to par?
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2000, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtvs-vs-computer-monitors-how-do-they-compare/46532/11 "2000-12-22T01:16:23Z")
seriousart, it might be dated informaton. Check it out at [howstuffworks.com](http://howstuffworks.com) by just searching for ‘hdtv’