• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

What are the cons of using a tv as a pc monitor?

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.
LCD does not get burn in. Even modern plasma's are extremely resiliant to burn in. I've sold TV's for the last couple years and honestly, there isn't a way burn in is possible on an LED or LCD.

Edit: Now before I get jumped on or pictures posted, LCD's CAN get power failure or extreme light dimming in certain areas, but again, not burn in :D
 
LCD does not get burn in. Even modern plasma's are extremely resiliant to burn in. I've sold TV's for the last couple years and honestly, there isn't a way burn in is possible on an LED or LCD.

Edit: Now before I get jumped on or pictures posted, LCD's CAN get power failure or extreme light dimming in certain areas, but again, not burn in :D

LOL Im not gonna flame you, but deffinitly would not by a TV from you!

Trust me, I have with my own naked eyes seen an E-machines monitor and a 32" LCD TV both get "burn in" both different also. Not exactly the "burn in" people would remember about the old monochrome days but yes. "Burn in" used to be where you could actually read something that was displayed on a monochrome screen after it was even shut off! In that respect no, lcd's do not get "burn in", but to be clear, what I am referring to is damage from displaying certain images (ea 4:3 on a 16:9) for extremely long periods of time. Both of these displays that I have were abused for YEARS before showing any damage, not hours like the original definition of the term.

The TV's "burn in" is comparable to a stuck pixel, but black instead of white.
 
Last edited:
Yeah LCD's can burn in, but it takes a very long time and is not something to worry about unless you just leave it on forever. Seriously no one should worry about lcd burn in. I have an old one in my lab with terrible burn in. Maybe I will take a picture and post it. I did run it with the negative of the burn in image some and it helped a bit.
 
I would say the biggest con is the effects it could have on your eyesight/vision, which many people take for granted at the expense of viewing a large screen. Years from being on CRT monitors really caused my eyesight to diminish where now I have to wear reading glasses in front of a computer screen. LED/LCD technology has helped a bunch plus from what I gather, an IPS panel is much better on the eyes.

Typically (from my understanding), TVs are designed to be viewed from longer distances than computer monitors, and therefore often have less pixels per square inch. Get up close to a TV and you can usually see the pixels, especially the larger the screen. I'm not sure about plasma TVs though, since they're usually much higher quality in screens. I feel if you're sitting in front of a monitor within 2 feet, probably 27" is about as big as one really needs to go, but that is just me, and I'll get by with a 23".
 
FWIW i use a 32" samsung LED tv and i LOVE it! it was bad until i actually read the instructions and figured out that when i set the input as PC it makes the necessary picture changes (such as sharpness settings) and looks just as good as any monitor i have used... i have even been tempted to use it as a TV in another room and gone back to my 23" asus LED monitor but i just can't live with out my 32" so i quickly switched back! it is PERFECT for games!

it sits a little more than 3 feet in front of me on my desk. i just can't say how nice it is enough times. it is some of the best money i have spent for my computer hobby since i started in 1994.
 
"What are the cons of using a tv as a pc monitor?"

Pixel pitch, physical size issues, power draw, eye/neck strain, not built to display text often at a pixel level, black levels, back lighting, fake 120 hz, input lag, they often lack proper controls with annoying features that are hard to get rid of for pc use, and pc interfacing issues like 1:1 that thankfully are being addressed.

And most important of all they are much harder to multi monitor as almost all of the issues listed above multiply with size.

However they do make decent single monitors for smaller sizes like 27"-32", when pixel pitch issues are as mitigated as they can be, if you are taking advantage of the pros a tv can offer. Also they make great supplemental monitors. By that I mean in an age when you can easily connect to more than three monitors why not connect to your tv for media playback and the odd supplemental function when you need to kick back. If you already have a TV and don't want to buy a monitor too why not wait it out until you can get a great deal on a superb monitor and give your tv a work out too?

Sure I wouldn't want one on my desk if I was building from scratch in an age of cheap greater than 1080p, however that doesn't mean they don't have their uses in the pc world.
 
Last edited:
The living room PC out-puts to a 42" Sony Bravia. It's pretty cool to sit on the couch (w/Logitech wireless KB + mouse that send/receive @ 30ft, x2) and watch Youtube videos; in fact, with family visiting we take turns navigating to show off stuff we're either fond of or found entertaining recently. A few weeks ago we "shopped" for a hotel together while planning an extended weekend.

It has turned out to extend the entertainment value of the TeeWee and on hot, cold, or rainy days gives us something additional indoors to share, besides the usual.
 
LCD does not get burn in. Even modern plasma's are extremely resiliant to burn in. I've sold TV's for the last couple years and honestly, there isn't a way burn in is possible on an LED or LCD.

Edit: Now before I get jumped on or pictures posted, LCD's CAN get power failure or extreme light dimming in certain areas, but again, not burn in :D
It depends on what you consider "burn in". A certain kind of image retention will always happen on very old monitors. Because the material is getting older. However, the wear on a LED-LCD is usualy even, so we do not notice any kind of "burn in effect". Its still possible, because when permannently same picture displayed there can be some leftovers in charge (on the affected cell) and that charge may decrease luminosity or produce crossover colors. However, in most cases it will vanish over time, so nothing to truly worry about.

A plasma of todays generation, is not having a true burn in. But they are more sensitive to white colors. White color will descrease lifetime and luminosity of the affected cells because its much more stress on the "fluorescent layers", and they may get "tired" at a certain stage. However, nowadays it takes a lot of very hard abuse to even see any decrease in luminosity on the affected cells. In term it does happen the wear can get "uneven", thus it might be noticed as a "burn in". Thats not a true burn in because there is no colors and such. Its simply a decrease in luminosity under extreme circumstances. In most cases that may not happen because the plasma TVs are nowadays very resilient. In term it does still happen, the decrease could be that minor that it might not even be noticed unless someone is searching out for in a paranoid sense.

Its important to understand the difference between retention and burn-in. Burn in is the highest level of leftovers which can cause huge damage because its unable to be restored. However, such a critical level is nowadays as good as impossible, even a plasma is not getting it anymore. All they are still able to get is a certain level of retention (decrease in luminosity) which is possible on LED-LCD too, but less common. Retention is able to be restored in term the TV is making counter measurement against: For example the TV may increase luminosity on the aged cells so that it will reach same luminosity such as on the stronger cells. Most Panasonic plasmas for example are increasing voltage with age in order to maintain the health of the cells, which can be one of many counter measurements. Burn-In is not able to be restored and there is no working counter measurement able to get ride of that issue, its permannent damage and beyond repair.

Generally, a LED-LCD is more suitable for white pictures and plasma is more suitable for dark colors. Even gamers can benefit from a plasma-TV, not only movie lovers. For example when someone is playing EVE online, a plasma could be a very good choice. Since it will be powerful at dark detail performance with less than average power consumption.

So there isnt much issues holding back from getting the monitor people enjoy... for whatever reason. Every monitor got its advantage and disadvantage, big vs. minor, plasma vs. LED-LCD... they all got pros and cons.
 
Last edited:
the only problem i have ever had with using a tv as a monitor is the input lag, i have finally got my plasma tv settings messed with so that theres almost none now but on all out lcd tv's its terrible if your a gamer youl most likely hate it, and i have expierenced burn in.. only when watching tv on the same channel the little logo gets "burned-in" but it goes away, and its only noticeable on a black screen or white. but my HUD from league of legends hasnt burned in yet and ive played upwards of 8 hours on it straight and none, so i mean it depends what your doing and how long you do it, and what you prefer.
 
Depends on the (manufacturing) age of the TV/monitor. They made huge advancements in the past years in order to adress certain issues.

On a plasma TV there is the advantage that the resilience will increase with age (when a certain lifetime use has passed), and not decrease. While on a LED-LCD it will usualy decrease. At the beginning a plasma is much more vulnerable and it will decrease a lot as soon as several k hours has passed. Generally not overusing it at the beginnings is a granted "all lasting and extra resilient TV", in the future, so its worth it to take care at. The possible lifetime especially on a plasma can be extraordinary, but it is in need of proper handling at the beginning (simply take it slowly and not using it in a excessive way for the first months or year [up to 1000 hour]).
 
Last edited:
would this be a decent tv?
Sceptre 32" Class LCD 1080p 60Hz HDTV, X325BV-FHD:

32" LCD panel
With a 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution
True 16:9 aspect ratio
View your movies as the director intended
Built-in digital tuner
Watch digital broadcasts, including HDTV programs where available
6.5 ms response time
Quick response time for a great picture
Contrast Ratio: 5,000:1
HDMI Inputs: 3
Enjoy a superior HD experience with HDMI one cable solution
31.5" screen measured diagonally from corner to corner
Wall mountable
USB port
Allows you to play your music and view photos

I really would like to use this for photoshop when I edit photos or painting.
what are your guys thoughts? thanks in advance.
 
As far as "burn in" black bars down each side of a widescreen TV, perhaps it depends on the brand of TV. For years when I first bought my Sony 40" HDTV in 2007 up till 2010, I only had a non-HD satillite receiver, where all broadcasts were displayed with black bars down each side of the widescreen. Then I switched out for a HD dish and receiver, and have never noticed any burn in because no color was ever displayed on those black side bars. It was just how the programming displayed on my widescreen. Even when "letterbox" movies are shown where there are black bars on top and bottom, this never had any burn in effect.
 
Back