27" CRT HDTV for PC and video applications

mtidmarsh · Post by **mtidmarsh** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:07 pm

Hi,

I've got a Toshiba 27in HDTV (think it's a 27WL56) with a Geforce 5200 using hdmi cable with the geforce display properties the only screen resolution i can get to fit the sreen with a windows sreen resolution/font etc. thats big enough to read from my sofa is a custom res of 1200 x 676 using underscan set to 'treat digital display as hdtv'..
Stupid question, but if i play hd content in media player using full-screen, will this be in sent to my tv as HDTV using the best quaity availble? (even though its not 1280x720 or 1920x1080)

If i set it to screen res of 1920 x 1200 (which makes mswindows too small to use and also displays screen too wide/high for the tv with taskbar tc. missing off edge of screen,) and do full-screen will this be true hd and better than my current (and useable) res of 1200 x 676 ?

I dont know if i'm getting the best out of my HDTV/PC setup.

Many thanks,
Matt.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 3:45 pm

The biggest problem is that is not the right display for your application. Great for casual viewing of video content but it will not work right with a PC application where you need very good resolution performance and little to no overscan. The better choice there would be a 720P or 1080P flat panel or even a front projector. Which one depends on your viewing distance because the best image comes from pixel mapping the display which simply means what ever the native of your display send that resolution to it. As you have noted that also determines the size of your desktop and graphics. It sounds like you are well over 3 screen heights so 720P would be the better choice but that could actually be more difficult to find in our new 1080P world.

mtidmarsh · Post by **mtidmarsh** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:26 am

Hi Richard, many thanks for the response.

Unfortunately I can't really justify (to my wife!) getting another display, so I think i'll be stuck with my Toshiba for a bit, which is trying to fit 2 purposes, (1) TV and (2) Dispaly for DVD/MUSIC etc. from my PC.

Just to clarifiy, if I play HD content through MediaPlayer, it will still be in HD on my Toshiba? but just not as good quality as it would be if it were on a 720p/1080p display or at 1280x720?

What I really want is a way of having quite a low resolution on the screen for standard windows use and maybe selecting music from winamp, but then a really high resolution when playing DVD's and HD content through MediaPlayer. Guess there's no way of doing such a thing?!! (ie. a media player that changes resolution when put into full-screen mode).

Many thanks for your time and patience(!)

Matt.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:18 am

What I really want is a way of having quite a low resolution on the screen for standard windows use and maybe selecting music from winamp, but then a really high resolution when playing DVD's and HD content through MediaPlayer

I don't think you can make that happen automatically but you can certainly change your resolution within windows based on what you want to do. For your display use 1080I for the MediaPlayer and then what ever resolution you need for PC applications. When upconverting SD DVD use 540P if available for the best response.