Question about a 19"-22" tv or computer monitor

ZerotypeX

ZerotypeX

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Not sure if this is the right place to post this....

I am thinking about getting a monitor for my laptop so I can dual screen it and not have to have a lot of windows opened on one monitor. Then I started to think, what if I paid like $100 more and I can get a tv. I can also use it as a monitor and play my 360 in my room.

I was wondering if it is worth it to get a 19"-22" tv though. I remember reading somewhere saying that hd games/movies do not go to their full potential if the size of the screen is small (as in, I wouldn't know the difference if I was using component or composite). I am not much of a visual person (or whatever they are called), since I thought Gears of War looked equally on par on my 18" old tube (composite) when I lived in the dorms compared to my dad's 42" plasma (compononet and currently where the 360 is).

So my question is, should I go with the cheaper computer monitor and do all my gaming on the current set up or pay a little extra so I can watch tv and play games if I wanted to?

If I do get a tv, I am debating between these:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sams...10572/catOid/-12867/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Shar...12576/catOid/-12867/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sams...07070/catOid/-12867/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

other recommendations are also welcomed (from circuit city only though :roll:)
 
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I was in a similar sort of predicament actually. I'll be going to college in less than a month, and I wanted something smaller (but hi-def) to play my 360 on. I ended up going with a cheap 22" monitor for $200 that had an HDMI input, an audio input, and a headphone/audio output [headphones are essential for acceptable sound quality, heh] (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...spree&lp=3&type=product&cp=1&id=1200703079995). That way I can get both video and sound without having to pull too many strings. All I need is an adapter to convert my 360's audio cables into a 3.5mm (headphone) jack.

It's really down to personal preference on whether to go the TV route vs. a monitor. If you think you're going to be watching a lot of cable TV and don't already have a TV to use, then it might be worth it to spend $100 more. The models you have picked out are pretty dang expensive though. I mean, if you want to spend $500, might as well go with a 26" TV. If, on the other hand, you plan on playing more games than anything and have a smaller budget, a 22" monitor would suffice.

Quality 26" LCD TVs in the $500-$600 price range:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sams...13958/catOid/-12866/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Tosh...06793/catOid/-12869/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

Both of those are pretty nice. I was considering them (researching) before realizing that they would probably be too big for my dorm and not worth the risk of getting them messed up. So I went with something cheap that still serves my needs.

22" Monitors @ CC (sorted by price):
http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/catOid/-12965/Ns/net_price|0/link/ref/N/20012961+20012965+186/rpem/ccd/categorylist.do

Note: Be wary of the first one listed; it has no DVI or HDMI inputs. There are a couple nice ones below $300 though. Well, I hope that helped man.

BTW, why can you only buy from CC? Giftcard or something?

EDIT: I just noticed that the Gateway has HDMI, DVI, Analog, and even Component inputs. It also has an HDMI audio out (for headphones or better speakers) and even PIP viewing, haha. It may not be a tv, but it's pretty dang close. http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Gate...id/-12965/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do#prodspecs
 
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i just went and checked out that gateway and it is really nice but didnt have component inputs for it tho. it onlt had hdmi, vga, and dvi. it wouldnt b a problem if my 360 had hdmi but it doesnt. for $300 for a 22" is not bad. the guy said the 360s cable for vga will not output in hd but the dvi should b able to but it is harder to find...that true?...also typin this from a cell blows
 
on slickdeals.net there is a post about a 22" zenith tv from CC - $270 (+ tax?) with in store pickup. Im not praising or condeming it, just pointing it out.
 
You should be fine with small 720p but it's hard to read text at that resolution unless you'll be sitting far away from it (like you would a normal monitor). I have a 32" 720p Sharp Aquos that I used with desktop from time to time and it was hard to read text from 5-6 feet away...

As for using it as a TV, it should be fine. Yeah everything will be small.. but isn't that a little obvious? The problem will really be that won't see a lot of the finer details as you'll be using a small monitor but it'll still look fantastic.
 
Well, I know you said circuit city only, but i just picked up a second monitor for my pc at best buy for 140. Its 19 inch lcd that I can get 1080p out of with my ps3 and 360. Its a hannspree model. You could maybe do a price match at cc perhaps?
 
[quote name='ZerotypeX']i just went and checked out that gateway and it is really nice but didnt have component inputs for it tho. it onlt had hdmi, vga, and dvi. it wouldnt b a problem if my 360 had hdmi but it doesnt. for $300 for a 22" is not bad. the guy said the 360s cable for vga will not output in hd but the dvi should b able to but it is harder to find...that true?...also typin this from a cell blows[/quote]

On the Gateway website, it says it has component. http://www.gateway.com/retail/hd2201.php

Oh, and Hannspree is at Best Buy only, so he wouldn't be able to price match unfortunately.
 
[quote name='Arakias']on slickdeals.net there is a post about a 22" zenith tv from CC - $270 (+ tax?) with in store pickup. Im not praising or condeming it, just pointing it out.[/quote]

Saw at the store later today, did not really look appealing.

[quote name='PrarieD0G']On the Gateway website, it says it has component. http://www.gateway.com/retail/hd2201.php

Oh, and Hannspree is at Best Buy only, so he wouldn't be able to price match unfortunately.[/quote]

Yea, that is what had me excited, but when I went to Circuit City earlier today, I asked about it and they didn't have any on the floor. The guy helping me opened the box and we both did not see component inputs, just only vga, dvi, and hdmi. Then I thought why couldn't I have a 360 with hdmi, but I should be glad since my 360 has been trouble free for almost 3 years now and buying another 360 with hdmi is not a cost effective solution.

After a few of hours of thinking, I decided to get it since $300 is not bad for a 22" monitor and if I wanted to play my 360 on there, I could always get the vga cable that is like $10 used at GS or at TRU (mine was cleaned out :cry:). Plus the color of the monitor matched my laptop and speakers.

It's sitting right next to me now....unopened. Just deciding if I want to pay about $150 more for an older model with the component inputs.

Oh yea, I have to get it at CC since I have some gift cards and a coupon thing where I don't have to pay it off until a year from now, so that was incentive for me to buy it at CC.
 
I really should have researched this fully....Just found out that the HD2200 model is the one with the component inputs and CC doesn't carry it, go figure :roll:.

Best Buy has it, but it is $30 more and the only special financing they have is 3 months no interest. I can most likely be able to scrounge up the money in 3 months, but not having to pay everything off in 12 months is a lot easier.
 
[quote name='udabenshen']Well, I know you said circuit city only, but i just picked up a second monitor for my pc at best buy for 140. Its 19 inch lcd that I can get 1080p out of with my ps3 and 360. Its a hannspree model. You could maybe do a price match at cc perhaps?[/quote]

I got that one too. it's pretty nice for the price.
 
[quote name='ZerotypeX']I really should have researched this fully....Just found out that the HD2200 model is the one with the component inputs and CC doesn't carry it, go figure :roll:.

Best Buy has it, but it is $30 more and the only special financing they have is 3 months no interest. I can most likely be able to scrounge up the money in 3 months, but not having to pay everything off in 12 months is a lot easier.[/quote]

Bummer man... Gateway needs to fix their website then.

You could always just use a VGA cable with your current model I guess, but having a component input would be nice.
 
[quote name='ZerotypeX']I really should have researched this fully....Just found out that the HD2200 model is the one with the component inputs and CC doesn't carry it, go figure :roll:.

Best Buy has it, but it is $30 more and the only special financing they have is 3 months no interest. I can most likely be able to scrounge up the money in 3 months, but not having to pay everything off in 12 months is a lot easier.[/quote]

Bummer man... Gateway needs to fix their website then.

You know, you could always just use a VGA cable with your current model if you wanted to. Picture quality should be even better than component. ;)

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-VGA-HD-High-Definition-HDTV-AV-Cable-for-Xbox-360_W0QQitemZ300246435789QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item300246435789&_trkparms=72%3A552|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1318

EDIT: Actually, I've been researching this more and VGA is definitely better than component. For $10, I'd say it's worth it. If you went with the official Microsoft cables, they would cost $40 though...
 
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