HDTV instead of a monitor

<p>I was wondering if anyone has tried using an HDTV for photo editing rather than using a computer monitor. Is this possible? If so, is it advisable? Can one calibrate the colors on an HDTV the way one can calibrate the colors on a monitor?<br>

Thanks for your answers.<br>

DS Meador</p>

<p>ummm.. no. you can turn your monitor into a tv though :)</p>

<p>You can connect a computer to an HDTV - my son did that for a while. I'm not sure if it's suitable for editing photos, though.</p>

<p>It is definitely possible to edit photos on an HDTV. You might not want to use a plasma because, while burn-in is much less of an issue than it used to be, I doubt it is completely gone. If the HDTV does not have VGA, DVI or HDMI inputs, then I would not recommend it.</p>

<p>A HDTV will probably need to be calibrated using the video card's lookup table instead of its own internal lookup table, but so will most reasonably priced monitors. From the computer's standpoint it barely even knows that an HDTV is connected instead of a computer monitor, so calibration is done in exactly the same way.</p>

<p>When you create DVD slideshows, the software usually desaturates the images about 20% in order for them to look okay on a TV. I have a feeling that if you used a TV as a monitor you would have a lot of trouble calibrating it and achieving accurate colors. </p>

<p>An HDTV is supposed to use the same primary colors as sRGB, so it shouldn't particularly be worse than any other monitor.</p>

<p>Some HDTV inputs will be pure white above 235 instead of 255 and pure black below 16 instead of 0, but even then calibration should be able to take care of it.</p>

<p>Actually the best monitor I've got is an HDTV. It's a Sony SXRD (digital rear projection) set. Hooked up to my Mac over HDMI and calibrated (carefully) it's got nearly the full Adobe RGB gamut (a bit less green, a bit more red and blue). If Sony hadn't decided to kill off that technology they might have made a killer pro monitor with it.</p>

<p>I know somebody who is a professional calibrator of Samsung TVs and using a DLP TV and some specialized techniques and equipment provided by Samsung he can make those do an awful lot of interesting things.</p>

<p>But as for an LCD TV, I've tried it, with an i1D2, and it ain't easy. They push colors in directions computers don't like and they're too bright.</p>

<p>Consider that a TV is meant to be viewed from a distance, and a computer monitor is meant to be viewed from about 16".</p>

<p>You'd get a better image on a monitor than on a TV IMHO.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thanks for all the answers, and so quickly.<br>

I appreciate all of your input.<br>

DS Meador</p>

<p>HDTV's are lower resolution than LCD screens for computers, my 20 in LCD has better resolution than my 40" HDTV</p>

<p>I've used a 32" no name lcd tv for years. Calibrates just like a normal monitor. Even though the resolution is only 720p, everyone who uses it loves it. Because of the low resolution, fonts are huge and easily readable with the feet up and leaned back. Most newer lcd's are 1080p (1920 by 1080) which is a higher resolution than most computer monitors, and cheaper too.</p>

<p>I believe the answers you're getting are wrong.. Yes, you can display your images on an LCD TV, but don't expect them to be accurate for printing/processing. I have an rear projection TV, and it's absolutely terrible with color, LCD's should be better.. The resolution is also going to be very small, my 19" laptop has 1440x900 resolution, compare that to a 30" tv with 1920×1080.. Then you also start into contrast ratios and 100 other variables.. That being said, i still want on too.. haha.. I currently use two widescreen 19" @ 1440x900, affords me plenty of workspace and they are cheap.. Looking to upgrade to two 24" widesceens soon.. hehe<br>

Check out this "pro" tv however<br>

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/26/jvc-ships-42-inch-lt-42wx70-2-399-95-for-more-colors-than-you/</p>

<p>-=<> Aaron <>=-</p>