why aren't computer monitors cheaper than computer tv's?

[klinemj]

So, I need a new TV (28-32") for our bedroom, and I found a couple options I was interested in.

Then I thought, "I don't need the TV's tuner...I should check computer monitors...they should be cheaper!". So, I checked, and while I find a couple cheaper than comparable size TV's, most are more expensive! Why? Seems odd to me.

Mark

[linvincible]

so TV's are cheaper than computer monitors? your title is inverted ;o)
monitors are made to be looked at closely, whereas you're a few meters away from your tv
I'm sure they can save up on that

[klinemj]

Fixed the title! Not really awake yet!

[daveburt]

I can't answer your question, you'd think the addition of a tuner would add to the cost... 

I know you live in the Cincy area though.  Be sure to take a look at Micro Center for displays!
I bought a 40" (refurbed) Westinghouse there for my bedroom a couple years ago and have been quite pleased with it.
Not Home Theater quality, but it's 1080p, LED backlit, works fine for a bedroom and the price was right. 

They have great prices and a decent selection to choose from, monitor or TV...

Here's a link to the Westinghouse page if your interested:
www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.aspx?N=4294960746&Ntt=LED+TVs&Ntk=all

Happy Hunting,
Dave

[jlafrenz]

My guess would be that the volume of TV's produced is greater than computer monitors so they are less expensive to produce. A computer monitor has most of the same parts and a panel in it just like a TV which is the most expensive part. Yes adding a tuner is more parts, but since they have been around a long time, they are likely in expensive to produce.

[klinemj]

Good thinking on microcenter, Dave! I will check them out. I just got a good deal on a 28" Samsung TV at Walmart, so I bought it since they only had 2 left. If I find something cheaper/better before I unbox this one, I will just take it back.

Mark

[brand]

What's the price range you're looking at? I recently go this for my bedroom/office. It's excellent for movies, no black bars hehe.

www.lg.com/uk/monitors/lg-34UM95

[klinemj]

I'm looking in the below $250 range...we don't do much serious TV watching in the bedroom, so I don't want to spend much.

Mark

[klinemj]

So far, I bought the 28" Samsung 4000 but I am watching their 32" smart TV on Amazon. It is at $247 right now and my wife likes the ability to stream Netflix I directly on it. I am hoping it drops this evening and I will snag one at a lower price.

Mark

[garbulky]

50 inch at wally world for $200 expiring in 7 minutes from now! For reeaaaaalll!!!!!

[klinemj]

I saw they were having that, and I thought about going for it but...

1) I can't really fit a 50" in our room w/o blocking the view out our windows to the woods.
2) While they also had a 32" option for $98 at either 6-7 or 8-9 PM, the local ad didn't specify brand and basically said there'd be an option to choose from (and Wally World is carrying some brands I have never heard of these days!)
3) I was in Lima,OH eating Thanksgiving dinner from 5:30-6:30, then getting on the road to drive home after that - and the thought of hanging in a Walmart in line vs. getting home to a good rest before my backpacking trip tomorrow just didn't fly.

So, I am home with a glass of bourbon, a 28" Samsung in hand, and a 32" on order from Amazon...will be taking the 28" back Sunday!

And, I thought of one more thing against using a monitor...I would have no sound back there unless I added speakers and such! Good thing I couldn't find a cheap monitor while surfing the web today!

Mark

[daveburt]

Nov 27, 2014 14:08:36 GMT -5 klinemj said:

 my wife likes the ability to stream Netflix I directly on it.

Sounds like a good reason to convince her you need a small HTPC in the bedroom (Evil Grin)...  

[klinemj]

Indeed! But, I did buy the TV from Amazon. It got down to <10 available, so I figured I had better pull the trigger. It looks like it will be a nice TV and will make her happy. And it needs to get here fast! The old one is having a hard time firing up...comes up to blank screen. A slight knock to the side sometimes brings it on properly and sometimes to a frozen image! At least we're both gone until Sunday.

Mark

[ocezam]

Nov 27, 2014 11:45:41 GMT -5 jlafrenz said:

My guess would be that the volume of TV's produced is greater than computer monitors so they are less expensive to produce.

Bingo!

[garbulky]

I bit it and bought the $200 50 inch TV at the black Friday wally world sale. Of interest, I have both a 37 inch "monitor" - which is really an HDTV without a TV tuner, and now a 50 inch TV. At the time the 37 inch tv was a ridiculous bargain at a grand. But now the 50 inch was came in at a ridiculous 1/5th the price. And at the same sale, there was a 32 inch selling for $80, and a 40 inch for $115.

Currently my only gripe is that the deep black differentiation could be better and the colors are just slightly on the unnatural side. My 37 inch appeared to be more "natural". But the tv appears to have some reasonably extensive fine tuning settings for color. Right now, we are rather stunned that we got all this performance and size for $200.

Also of interest - using a multimonitor setup here watching movies while browising the internet on the other makes me wonder why I didn't do this before.

[bootman]

read the specs and you will see the differences.

TVs don't usually make good monitors.

[garbulky]

Gotta disagree with you! I've used one for more than five years and have now got two! I've used them at regular keyboard sitting distance and also in the living room. Vastly superior to say a monitor just 20 something inches.

[bootman]

So your tv has low input lag, high refresh rate , higher resolution than 1080p, (and I don't mean 4k) no overscan, higher pixel density (important for clear text)....
All of the traits of a good computer monitor.

Great!

Now if you are going to use it for mostly video in a HTPC setup, a "normal" TV display can suffice.
Playing video is less demanding than doing actual work on a computer.
Just the jagged fonts will drive me nuts.

[garbulky]

Nov 28, 2014 10:59:38 GMT -5 bootman said:

So your tv has low input lag, high refresh rate , higher resolution than 1080p, (and I don't mean 4k) no overscan, higher pixel density (important for clear text)....
All of the traits of a good computer monitor.

Great!

Now if you are going to use it for mostly video in a HTPC setup, a "normal" TV display can suffice.
Playing video is less demanding than doing actual work on a computer.
Just the jagged fonts will drive me nuts.

No it's just 1080p a standard 60hz HDTV. No noticeable refresh lag or blur. I used it for 6 months at a distance of about a foot and a half for work. No issues. At 1080 p the fonts did not drive me nuts. Actually at a distance greater than standard desktop use 1080p, 1080 p was too high for me, and I ended up pushing it down to 720 p. Right now, I'm using a 50 inch for work and entertainement (from about 6 feet), and 1080p res was too high for me. I had to adjust the icons to get it more closer to 720 scale.

I see people with laptops and 20inch monitors with 1080 p resolution and greater, and I am absolutely amazed that they don't have eyestrain! Teeny tiny icons that - though reasonably sharp, are just too small to make a difference.

Now the new smartphones are out with greater than 1080p resolution but at least they have decent scaling UI's that make it a bit easier to deal with.

Now I will grant that some cheaper HDTV's - despite doing 1080p are simply not capable of a good clear display at that resolution - or lower. Showing pixels and blockish features but find a modest HDTV and it will satisfy. Resolution is nice, but it's no comparison to size for ease of use (imo).
I will grant that the new 50 inch 4k unit from Vizio for 1 K is NICE. I saw that thing and it was AMAZING.