Is there a DVI/VGA/HDMI monitor in every smart TV?

[Galenbo]

I hate my smart TV. Takes often 20 seconds before it started up, DLNA doesn't work (try subtitles, fast forward) the apps are retarded (rent movies, look at the weather, order pizza) the youtube app doesn't work well, and so on.

In my country we are forced to choose between 2 providers that oblige a settop box, they do not offer full smartcard possibilities, so I don't need the smartcard slot and no tuning or channel storage eather. And in the end, the back speakers sound horrible.

So the only thing I need, is a monitor. But why are 42/46 monitors so expensive?
Is it possible to strip down a budget flatscreen TV and just keep the monitor?

[wraper]

Is it possible to strip down a budget flatscreen TV and just keep the monitor?

Remove all buttons except ON/OFF from the remote? 

[nitro2k01]

Remove all buttons except ON/OFF from the remote? 

And maybe install a doodad that plays Girl from Ipanema through the crappy speakers while the thing is booting up to make time pass faster. :p

[tom66]

Most smart TVs have a HDMI port. Many have multiple ports for this purpose.

Internally, there is LVDS to the panel but figuring out how to control that, good luck.

I have a Sharp LCD TV which has two modes: a high-power standby, where it uses 3.5W, and a low power standby of 0.5W. The only difference is in high-power standby it can turn on in one second, low power takes about 10 seconds. It is playing a picture and audio, HDMI or OTA antenna, in one second. I've never found any other TV that can do that. (Sharp LC-32DH65E) Because of this, I always leave it in the high power standby mode, cost of electricity is marginal.

[Rigby]

LVDS isn't that hard. 

[Richard Crowley]

Perhaps I don't understand the question, but ANY video display with at least one HDMI input can be used as EITHER a television screen, or a computer monitor. The only difference between a video monitor and a "TV receiver" is the OTA tuner. I have several "video monitors" that I have used as a "TV receiver" and vice-versa. HDMI and DVI are effectively identical. The only significant difference being the physical connector.  For that reason DVI/HDMI adapters and cables are dirt-cheap and have no detrimental effect on the video image.

[amyk]

HDMI and DVI are effectively identical. The only significant difference being the physical connector.

...and the bloody DRM they put on the HDMI signal coming out of most devices.

And I agree with Rigby, "LVDS isn't that hard" - you can get HDMI/DVI to LVDS boards like this one, you just need to give them the model number of the panel so they can configure the LVDS lanes to match.

[krivx]

HDMI and DVI are effectively identical. The only significant difference being the physical connector.

...and the bloody DRM they put on the HDMI signal coming out of most devices.

And the scaling and "sharpness" filtering most of them insist on putting on HDMI inputs.

[Richard Crowley]

...and the bloody DRM they put on the HDMI signal coming out of most devices.

HDCP is not limited to HDMI. It is equally applied to DVI, DisplayPort, and even SDI for that matter.
HDCP has nothing to do with the connector type. It has everything to do with the CONTENT.

[Sigmoid]

So the only thing I need, is a monitor. But why are 42/46 monitors so expensive?
Is it possible to strip down a budget flatscreen TV and just keep the monitor?

Well, you should sell your "smart tv", and buy a plain old, non-smart flatscreen TV with HDMI. I'm personally convinced that "smart TVs" are a gimmick for hipsters with money to burn.

As for why monitors are more expensive than televisions of the same size... the manufacturers use market segmentation, ie. pricing based on target audience. Large monitors are bought by graphics professionals and studios, so they cost a premium, while TVs are bought by everyone.

Now that doesn't mean unfortunately that a TV is a replacement for a monitor, as just to make sure that graphics professionals don't outfit entire studios with cheap TVs instead of expensive monitors, TVs apply "image correction" algorithms to their input, making them completely useless for high end graphics work (actually, it often makes them useless as a computer monitor, period). Also, expensive monitors are calibrated for color fidelity, while TVs aren't.

But since you want to use it as a TV, just get a cheap, non-smart, flatscreen TV.

[Rigby]

If I had a 46" monitor on my desk, then that is a reason that I would see one of the samsung curved displays as something worth looking into.

I don't know how far your monitor is from your eyes but on my desk, a 46" monitor use would involve a lot of head turning.

[free_electron]

I hate my smart TV. Takes often 20 seconds before it started up,

TV's with a boot time ...    Most likely even run loonix ...

and between teleslet and belgacrom  there is indeed no choice. get a Roku player.

[rdl]

I've had my living room computer hooked up to a TV for playing games, movies, music, etc. for years. My old 37" 720 set went bad a couple of weeks ago, so I bought a cheap Sanyo 42" from Walmart. It has a regular VGA input. I've never liked the HDMI on TVs for computer use. I always get weird artifacts no matter how much I fiddle with the settings. Oh, and the new Sanyo boots in less than 10 seconds.

[langwadt]

If I had a 46" monitor on my desk, then that is a reason that I would see one of the samsung curved displays as something worth looking into.

I don't know how far your monitor is from your eyes but on my desk, a 46" monitor use would involve a lot of head turning.

if you want big dual display is much better, not much point in a 46" if it is only 1920x1080

[tszaboo]

I hate my smart TV. Takes often 20 seconds before it started up,

TV's with a boot time ...    Most likely even run loonix ...

and between teleslet and belgacrom  there is indeed no choice. get a Roku player.

I donk know, mine has picture in two seconds, but I need 10-20 for a menu. And I can confirm the linux, I even SSHd to my TV (hardcore!).
I have it plugged in into my PC, because they are close. The only three app I ever started more than once is youtube and netflix and the media player. And I dont have any TV channels connected to it.
So yes, it is possible to use it as a monitor. You need to sit a few meters away from it though, because the pixels have bigger gap on the TV. Which is one mayor difference between TVs and monitors. Or maybe 4K solves that, dunno.

[Richard Crowley]

We bought a 48-inch Vizio "smart TV" for the multi-view output from one of my video switchers.
It wouldn't let us just power it up and select one of the HDMI inputs.
It forced us to go through a "setup" where we HAD to log on to a WiFi network.
Someone had to kludge their iPhone to offer a drone "network" to "connect" the TV to.   

This is not the new Vizio screen, but a similar setup with the Panasonic AW-HS50 video switcher.



Index of other pictures from the event:  http://www.rcrowley.com/Rojas.htm

[Red Squirrel]

I hate the boot time crap too. With CRTs you had to wait for the tube to warm up, now there's no excuse.  It should just be instant on.  Same with even computer monitors, there's always a delay before it shows the picture.  They gotta make sure to plug their logo for a few seconds before showing anything.

Speaking of boot up time, anyone else hate UEFI BIOSes? I really don't see the point.  They're overcomplicating it for nothing, and it adds about 10-20 seconds to the computer boot time for no added benefit.

[Galenbo]

Well, you should sell your "smart tv", and buy a plain old, non-smart flatscreen TV with HDMI. I'm personally convinced that "smart TVs" are a gimmick for hipsters with money to burn.

...
But since you want to use it as a TV, just get a cheap, non-smart, flatscreen TV.

What I bought is one of the cheapest 42" screens-things. The images are good, I use it as a TV.
Turns out to be a smart TV.

I hope somehow I can just cutout all unwanted things, and to find info about where in the LVDS I can just insert a HDMI/DVI signal.

[Galenbo]

And I agree with Rigby, "LVDS isn't that hard" - you can get HDMI/DVI to LVDS boards like this one, you just need to give them the model number of the panel so they can configure the LVDS lanes to match.

Nice info. As I understand this is all I need between the panel and the video cable?
(except power supply)

[Galenbo]

... so I bought a cheap Sanyo 42" from Walmart. ... Oh, and the new Sanyo boots in less than 10 seconds.

Happy for you that you like that. I want a screen/TV that doesn't have to boot.
Backlights on, pixels on.

[Dr. Frank]

Hi,

I also use a 32" TV set as a PC monitor.
It has no "smart" features, but needs about 10sec to come alive.
I think, that's normal for a TV set.
I use its 3 HDMI plus the VGA input for the various PCs, notebooks and old machines I  have on and around my desk

A disadvantage compared to a PC monitor is that the TV set does not automatically turn on/off over the HDMI interface, and the correct resolution setup is somehow critical.
You need something like TrueScan, or native pixel, or something like that, to display at full HD resolution w/o interlacing and interpolation.
The TV set should be capable of higher frame rates (50/60Hz) for HD, non-interlaced.

Big advantages are:
- Superior price for that size
- sound  included
- Readability for >45 year old,  and/or bigger display area for multi windows usage

 Frank

[amyk]

And I agree with Rigby, "LVDS isn't that hard" - you can get HDMI/DVI to LVDS boards like this one, you just need to give them the model number of the panel so they can configure the LVDS lanes to match.

Nice info. As I understand this is all I need between the panel and the video cable?
(except power supply)

Yes, these are the same boards that would be used in monitors.

[Lukas]

Speaking of boot up time, anyone else hate UEFI BIOSes? I really don't see the point.  They're overcomplicating it for nothing, and it adds about 10-20 seconds to the computer boot time for no added benefit.

Nope. UEFI can actually improve boot times. Some UEFIs skip the initialisation of the keyboard controller which seems to take a few seconds for whatever reason. For entering the UEFI setup, you have to boot Windows and tell it to boot into UEFI setup the next time. But yes, uefi complicates things, although when using linux you can get rid of bootloaders and have the UEFI start the kernel directly.

[free_electron]

Speaking of boot up time, anyone else hate UEFI BIOSes? I really don't see the point.  They're overcomplicating it for nothing, and it adds about 10-20 seconds to the computer boot time for no added benefit.

Nope. UEFI can actually improve boot times. Some UEFIs skip the initialisation of the keyboard controller which seems to take a few seconds for whatever reason. For entering the UEFI setup, you have to boot Windows and tell it to boot into UEFI setup the next time. But yes, uefi complicates things, although when using linux you can get rid of bootloaders and have the UEFI start the kernel directly.

i never understood that 'waiting for' when loading system drivers. can't they load each driver in its own thread ? that way nothing is blocked. stuff keeps on going. bloody idiot programmers

[tom66]

Well, LVDS is "easy" but it's not really when there are so many different connector pin outs and good luck finding the right connector with an MOQ less than 1,000.