1080p

penguinunit · January 4, 2007 7:10PM

I'm confused! Looking at Apples 30" monitor I see that it has a better resolution than any 1080p tv, that I've seen. Here's my question, will the 30" replace my tv? The only thing hooked up to my tv now is a DVD player and a Nintendo Wii. My tv is old and only does 480i. The Mac Pro and monitor is going to eat up all the space in my room so I need something that I can use watching movies and playing games. I shoud say the reason I'm getting the new set up is that I edit films. Would I be better off getting a tv so I can hook all me electronics to it or just deal with the Apple monitor? $2000 is a lot of money for me so I just really want to beable to watch movies in 1080p(Blue Ray or HD).

netbanshee · January 4, 2007 10:05PM

The problem with using a 30" Cinema display for that purpose is the lack of inputs and HDCP. The HDCP issue will definitely affect you if you wish to watch next generation hardware formats at full resolution. Dell and HP have those options on their displays if you're looking around for one.

It's nice to have the option for hd quality video capability and inputs, it's one reason with I got a Dell 2407wfp. Big enough to comfortably work on screen hungry apps while having an easy option for other uses.

Just keep in mind that HDTVs and displays have a fundamental difference between them... viewing distance. Sure a display has great res capabilities, but it's intended to be used much closer than a TV screen.

bacillus · January 4, 2007 10:41PM

The other issue is the scalar, or the lack thereof. The ACD can only display at specific resolutions, of which 480p is not one of them. Also, it only has a digital input, which limits your options significantly. Finally, even if you di have a digital signal, e.g. the PS3 and used a DVI converter, it still will not display the image, even a cropped one; at least according to some post I’ve seen on the subject.

The ACD’s are what they are – computer displays

There is a company that sells an external scalar/converter – but is about 300 clams.

Finally, if you want a 30 inch (Dell, HP and Apple use the same basic panel), neither of these companies offer anything other than a pure DVI input. So...its not a simple matter of just going to the Dell 3007 to get what you want.

Another option you might want to consider is the Westinghouse 37 inch monitor. It has 1920 X 1080 maximum resolution, several inputs, and is by all accounts an excellent monitor. Granted, it has a small pixel density, and its not S-IPS – so that might be deal breakers.

galley · January 5, 2007 12:35AM

The Gateway FPD2485W has 1920 x 1200 resolution, VGA, DVI-HDCP, two 1080P component inputs, S-Video and composite video. It also has PIP and a USB 2.0 hub. It supports 1:1 scaling, so 1080P sources will be cropped to keep the 16:9 aspect ratio. Best of all it's only $679.99. I really want an Apple Display, but the Gateway is looking mighty good.

tomj · January 5, 2007 8:20AM

I think you should sit down and decide what all exactly you want your screen to do for you. Then go and find it. My family had been using a Sony Bravia for a number of months to do all sorts of things from videos and games to playing video from my laptop and it works great. We just got a new pioneer 50 inch plasma, and did months of research coming to the decision to buy that panel. Quite a bit of the research that we did suggested that if your screen isn't going to be over 50 inches, 1080p is not "worth it", because until you get to such a screen size you won't be able to notice the benefits of 1080p. YMMV

I suggest reading reviews from cnet etc, go to best buy, american, wherever you can go and see lots of screens next to each other so you can decide what has the best picture quality etc.

My honest opinion is that if you are going to hook up more than a computer to the screen, and you want it to be HD, then you are going to want an HD "tv".

penguinunit · January 5, 2007 9:04AM

Thanks for all the help. I got one last question, when Apple comes out with its Blue Ray drives will I beable to watch movies in 1080p using the Apple 30"? I think I'm just going to go with the monitor, Apples or something elsein a few years we will all be down loading movies I would guess and I never really watch tv.

tomj · January 5, 2007 5:35PM

if all the rest of your system is up to snuff, and the screen you get will display 1080, then you will be able to watch HD movies. The real question, IMHO is not when apple will release blu-ray, but if.

jeffdm · January 5, 2007 5:45PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomj

Quite a bit of the research that we did suggested that if your screen isn't going to be over 50 inches, 1080p is not "worth it", because until you get to such a screen size you won't be able to notice the benefits of 1080p. YMMV

It's more of a function of viewing distance and screen size than purely of screen size. I can tell the difference between 1080p and 720p on a 24" screen, but that's on a monitor on a desktop, not in a living room. So the farther you sit back from the screen, the larger the screen needs to be to make a noticeable difference.

ecking · January 5, 2007 10:25PM

If I were you I'd get a 24" 1080p computer monitor and spend no more than $700-800 and use the rest of your $2000 budget for a decent hdtv. It sounds like this is in a bedroom right? If so you don't need a 50" plasma in your room and your computer monitor would still be 1080p for editing.

That's actually what I'm working on doing to my room for hd editing right now.

Best of both worlds.

bacillus · January 6, 2007 5:03PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenguinUnit

Thanks for all the help. I got one last question, when Apple comes out with its Blue Ray drives will I beable to watch movies in 1080p using the Apple 30"? I think I'm just going to go with the monitor, Apples or something elsein a few years we will all be down loading movies I would guess and I never really watch tv.

Can you watch HD movies with the one for sale as of this moment? Its really not clear as of yet.

To get full resolution from BR and HD-DVD, that are using the Image Constraint Token (ITC), then you will need a monitor with High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) , something the Apple 30 CD does not have (few do as of now). .. Now, AFAIK, the studios have said they are not going to use the flag unitl 2010 or so, since so few sets have HDCP. If they do enforce it, and without software circumvention, you will not be able watch the movies in their full resolution

With that said.

-- 1. Apple will likely add HDCP support for the display in the next few days (I assume)

-- 2 the HD-DVD protection scheme has already been hacked – so I don’t think its out of the realm of possibility there will be software circumvention if/when they use the ICT.

halo1982 · January 6, 2007 7:07PM

If you're going to go for a 30", save yourself about $700 and just get the Dell. Same panel as Apple's, except the Dell has a *better warranty* (three years upgradable to five instead of one year standard).

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...9&sku=222-0863

1080p

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