Help : TFT for DVD only !!!

Posted by: fled on 26 September 2005

I have a flat/apartment that I use for work (Monday to Thursday) and I am looking for a screen TFT / LCD or whatever to watch DVD's. I have no TV licence and never watch TV programs so I need to make sure the screen has no tuner (due to the insane laws in this counrty !!)
Any ideas on whats out there, I am getting confused with all the terminology.
Will a computor monitor work ?
I assume it will need speakers as well or can I plug my little denon system in to manage the audio side of things.
Anyway any help is most welcome
Phil
Posted on: 26 September 2005 by blythe
A laptop computer, desktop computer, portable DVD player would all achieve what you're looking to do.
I think most if not all of the smaller LCD panels have a TV tuner built in.

I'm only aware of the larger Plasmas/LCD's that are panels only, however, it may be that you can buy just a computer display panel that can accept a video input from your DVD player...
A normal, standard, computer monitor will not accept a video feed.

Yes, the audio could be fed through your Denon system.
Posted on: 26 September 2005 by Stuart M
Or buy a computer LCD monitor and use something like this to convert from RGB to D-Sub

http://www.qed.co.uk/cables/sqart/qsync.html
Posted on: 26 September 2005 by iDunno
http://www.aria.co.uk/specials.asp

Get a Dell 24" Widescreen, has svideo, composite, built in card reader, height adjustable stand.

Sound would have to be handled elsewhere
Posted on: 26 September 2005 by Frank Abela
I believe the NEC plasmas still get delivered without a tuner.

Plasma is miles better than LCD. Personally I will not even look at an LCD yet. We have the Sharps in and when there's no motion on the screen they're fantastic, but once things start moving, it's trail city all over again. Real shame, coz otherwise I'd consider one.
Posted on: 26 September 2005 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
Originally posted by fled:
I have a flat/apartment that I use for work (Monday to Thursday) and I am looking for a screen TFT / LCD or whatever to watch DVD's. I have no TV licence and never watch TV programs so I need to make sure the screen has no tuner (due to the insane laws in this counrty !!)
Any ideas on whats out there, I am getting confused with all the terminology.
Will a computor monitor work ?
I assume it will need speakers as well or can I plug my little denon system in to manage the audio side of things.
Anyway any help is most welcome
Phil


Phil

Apple make nice screens - see Cinema Displays.

As an alternative you could buy an iMac. It will play DVDs and you should be able to connect it your Denon through the audio out (may need an iMic) or, if your Denon has an optical-in, through the optical digital audio output. It does have built in stereo speakers, but they aren't that great. Eclipse and JBL make speaker systems for them too.

Hope this is of interest - Rotf
Posted on: 26 September 2005 by iDunno
Frank, I don't know what the heck they are doing with commercial LCD TVs *spit* but computer monitors have come a heck of a long way in the last couple of years not least because of the demands being put on them by gamers and their ridiculously overpowered graphics cards.

Playing DVDs on a suitably equipped computer through a DVI input straight into a monitor at native resolution is frankly about as good as I've seen, especially if you go to the effort of colour profiling your monitor!

Sound is obviously not going to be as good since computers are inherently electrically noisy, and the interface is less friendly but the picture can be bloody amazing!
Posted on: 27 September 2005 by fled
thanks guys.
I will try out some of your suggestions.
At my home I do have a Sim2 projector and 5.1 set up which takes my breath away.
But have a need during those boring winter weekday evenings to watch some films.
Having no wish to get a TV license (they hound me at home and in my flat, every 3 mounths or so - bastards that they are !!). Leads me down this route of PC monitors.
I need to do this on the cheap £300 ish
Phil
Posted on: 27 September 2005 by Richard Dane
Fled,

I believe that there have been cases taken to law where it was adjudged that even if you have a monitor with a TV tuner inside, so long as you are not receiving broadcasts through it (i.e not connected to any aerial or similar device) then you do not require a license. I could be wrong here, any lawyers care to clarify...?
Posted on: 27 September 2005 by fled
Richard
I would love that to be the case it would sort a few problems but if you havnt seen the threatening letters I get from the Licence authority then you would understand my caution. It amazmes me that this company can intimadate me and my family for not owning a TV, even after I have written/phoned/emailed them over 20 times in the last 5 yrs to tell them I DONT OWN A TV !!!. They still insist on sending someone around to "intervire me under caution"
Mind you that has never happened hence the working by intimidation ploy they apply. Also I belive that if you buy a TV (with reciving capability) that the dealer have to give your name and adress to the TV licence folks, and that wont suit me at all.
Phil