Using a TV as a monitor?

S

SillySillyStacy

New member
I have a silly question....
I have a TV that has an rca video in.... and a 75ohm input for cable tv.
Can this be hooked up to my computer via a standard vid card?
The reason is that I have 2 rooms and would like to see levels etc etc on both monitors.
I have looked on the web for adapters or info and cant find anything.
Thanks as always for the help!

Stacy
 
Depends on what video card you have. Any card with TV-out will work. Most of them are s-video, but they come with an adapter to hook it up to RCA.
 
It might work, but it won't work very well. TVOut is good for movies and sometimes video games, but that is about it. It isn't even that great for video games because TV just isn't a very good display medium.
 
I have seen some with an rca jack out that states it is for composite tv out? what does that mean LOL And I have seen some with S video out. Thats for going to a TV as well right?
 
SillySillyStacy said:
I have seen some with an rca jack out that states it is for composite tv out? what does that mean LOL
Click to expand...

You connect to a video in on the TV that is also RCA and then use an AUX channel to view. You can get a 1/4 stereo TRS to dual rca converter and connect your L/R on the TV as well, or a stereo, and get sound.

And I have seen some with S video out. Thats for going to a TV as well right?
Click to expand...

Yeah but only the newer ones will have it.
 
that's right,
composite out is basically that yellow tip on the RCA calbe (the one that has red, white and yellow). S-video also carries video info. S-video is a better choice (i dont' know why, it just is!).

The TV may work for you, but as mentioned, it won't look good. TV's are of low resolution compared to computer monitors. Go look at your tv the same distance as you do for your computer monitor and it gets grainy. for viewing meters and whatnot, it might work.
 
Well I am going to buy a card and after looking, they arent that bad($).
It doesnt have to have very good graphics I just need very simple functionality and a picture that is veiwable.
Is composite or S vid better for what I need?
I am only editing my drum machine and a guitar pedal on it.
Thanks again
 
i dont' know if you would notice a difference either way but if it makes no difference, i would get the s-video. it is of higher quality after all. And, if for some reason it doesn'twork, you can buy a very cheap adaptor that changes s-video into composite. This little adaptor often comes with a video card that supports s-video.
 
SillySillyStacy said:
Well I am going to buy a card and after looking, they arent that bad($).
It doesnt have to have very good graphics I just need very simple functionality and a picture that is veiwable.
Is composite or S vid better for what I need?
I am only editing my drum machine and a guitar pedal on it.
Thanks again
Click to expand...

That is the problem. Things will be very fuzzy and hard to read. Also, the refresh rate on a TV is much less and you shouldn't be sitting close to it...didn't your mother ever tell you that? ;)

Using a TV as a monitor really doesn't work very well at all. But you need a card with two outs for dual monitor so maybe this will be a move in the right direction. Definately consider the possibility that you will want to replace that TV with a new monitor when you buy the card.
 
Or you could try to find an older 14" or 15" monitor. While their refresh rates usually max out at a low 60 Hz (50 in the states?) most of them can still get resolutions of 1024x768 which is quite a bit better than a tv, and they should be able to be found at around 20$, perhaps even for free.

Best regards
Kim
 
thrift store

Most Thrift shops have monitors - I've picked up some nice Sony Trinitrons for 10 bucks. I'd check that rater than a TV.

lD
 
I tried using my TV as a monitor about a year ago. I used the composite out of my video card into a 25" tv. It looked pretty bad. Most icons and fonts were unreadable and the picture was fuzzy and distorted. I would'nt reccomend it at all. Like everyone here has already said, you will have a low resolution, fuzzy picture. I really wanted it to work but that did'nt matter much........
 
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