[geeks] 1080P LCD HDTVs for use as monitor?

[nate at portents.com]

> Make sure it has a fast reaction time if you want to use it as a
> monitor.  That's the main concern.

Not that simple.  Basic panel types are:

TN - fast response time, poor viewing angles, not the best color range
IPS - slow response time, good viewing angles, good color, often laggy
MVA - compromise between TN and IPS
PVA - like MVA but with better contrast ratios

So I use an S-IPS screen on my Mac (for color accuracy), a TN on my PC
(for ultra-fast lag-free gaming), and an MVA panel on my TV (good
compromise between the two).

You can get some decent TN 1920x1200 28" LCD monitors, nice fast response
time, but I've seen them in person, and you don't have to shift far to the
left, right, up, down for the colors to start to visibly shift, so TN
panels would not be good for a group-viewed display like a TV.  You'll
notice it more the bigger the display, which is why my gaming monitor is a
1680x1050 19" TN LCD, which I never notice any color shifting on when I
sit at my desk.

Also, some S-IPS displays are especially laggy, to the extent that some
people who are sensitive to lag and play fast-action games can't stand
them because they are as much as 3fps behind what's actually happening. 
The TN panel I use for my gaming PC has absolutely zero lag when used at
the default (middle) in-display overdrive setting, which is one of the
reasons I bought it.

- Nate