can i use an lcd tv as my computer monitor?

[wit>trope]

I have an lcd tv with a native resolution of 1280x720

It can run other-than-native resolutions like 1024x768 and 1280x960 ... but I read that it's much better to keep it at the native resolution of 1280x720. So my question is, will games like Civ3 or Morrowind or SimCity4 or Rome Total War or Divine Divinity or Wizardry 8 or Age of Wonders Shadow Magic or Warcraft III or No One Lives Forever 2 or Return to Castle Wolfenstein all work with that native resolution?

I have a DVI connection on my computer and lcd tv so that shouldn't be a problem. My graphics card is GeForce Ti4200. If the games don't work at the native resolution, will they still work OK or will the image quality be bad because of it? Will Civ4 work for the native resolution?

 

[vbraun]

I don't see no reason why they shouldn't.

 

[wit>trope]

So do I just turn the computer off and hook up the lcd tv and remove my old computer monitor and turn the computer back on and pop comes the new monitor display?

 

[Dr. Yoshi]

Yup, that should do it. Very easy stuff.

 

[GenMarshall]

That is all a computer monitor is, is just a TV screen . (If you are still using tubed TVs)

 

[Grisu]

most recent games should run with this resolution (if your comp/graphics card got enough power to actually run the game at this resolution). But AFAIK, Civ3 only runs at 1024x768, so you'll have to switch the resolution for civ (actually, the screen will do that automatically).

 

[Mise]

most recent games should run with this resolution (if your comp/graphics card got enough power to actually run the game at this resolution). But AFAIK, Civ3 only runs at 1024x768, so you'll have to switch the resolution for civ (actually, the screen will do that automatically).

There's a switch in one of the civ III ini files that lets you run it at desktop resolution.

I only have PTW, but if you open up the "ptw.ini" file and set "KeepRes=1" then it'll stay at desktop resolution, so then you just set your desktop resolution to 1280x720

 

[wit>trope]

Thanks guys for all the help

My lcd tv has both the regular analog VGA connection and the DVI connection. Do you know which one is better?

The supported resolution and refresh modes are different for the VGA and DVI for some reason according to the manual. But for 1280x720 the refresh is exactly the same for VGA and DVI. Because of the limitations of my graphics card (unless I want to add custom resolutions but I'm afraid of doing that because this big warning from NVIDIA pops up saying that it might break my hardware) for DVI I only get 1280x720, 1024x768, and 1280x1024 (and much lower ones like 800x600). I haven't tried it with VGA but I think I would get 1280x960 with that in addition.

Anyway is the DVI connection supposed to be better than the regular analog VGA connection? The response time seems slow. When I use AUTO-SCROLL by clicking the middle mouse button and moving the mouse to automatically scroll, it goes crazy but maybe that's just how LCDs work. It's supposed to have a response time of 12ms. Everything else works and looks great!

P.S. I set the Sharpness on my LCD tv/monitor to ZERO for the DVI source from my computer. I read that you are supposed to set it to zero when you play a DVD and thought the same would apply for the computer. Did I do good or should I set it to something higher? (it goes from 0 to 100 in increments of 25)

 

[Grisu]

if your graphics-card supports it, the DVI is the far better choice. it won't really affect performance.
But, depending on your graphics card, the sharpness will be much better, since the card won't have to transform the digital data to analogue and the lcd transform it back to digital

 

[wit>trope]

if your graphics-card supports it, the DVI is the far better choice. it won't really affect performance.
But, depending on your graphics card, the sharpness will be much better, since the card won't have to transform the digital data to analogue and the lcd transform it back to digital

How do I know if my graphics card supports it? It has a DVI thingy and I plugged it in and it works... does that mean it supports it? I have GeForce Ti4200 w/ 128MB RAM.

O and one other question. I have a computer DVD player (WinDVD 4) and also a regular DVD player that I got hooked up to the LCD tv/monitor. Is it better to play DVDs with the computer DVD player or the regular DVD player?

 

[CruddyLeper]

Thanks guys for all the help

My lcd tv has both the regular analog VGA connection and the DVI connection. Do you know which one is better?

....

P.S. I set the Sharpness on my LCD tv/monitor to ZERO for the DVI source from my computer. I read that you are supposed to set it to zero when you play a DVD and thought the same would apply for the computer. Did I do good or should I set it to something higher? (it goes from 0 to 100 in increments of 25)

Personally this is why I don't like DVI. It's impossible to amplify a less than pristine signal like you can do with analogue.

DVI also craps out above 1600 X 1200 resolution.

DVI will do just the same job for now - but when your monitor ages, it's not so easy to keep it going.

 

[Zelig]

Personally this is why I don't like DVI. It's impossible to amplify a less than pristine signal like you can do with analogue.

DVI also craps out above 1600 X 1200 resolution.

DVI will do just the same job for now - but when your monitor ages, it's not so easy to keep it going.

I've seen DVI working just fine with a 1960x1200 Dell monitor... personally, I haven't entered the world of LCDs yet, but I know professional graphic designers who swear by DVI cables.

 

[wit>trope]

There's a switch in one of the civ III ini files that lets you run it at desktop resolution.

I only have PTW, but if you open up the "ptw.ini" file and set "KeepRes=1" then it'll stay at desktop resolution, so then you just set your desktop resolution to 1280x720

I have my Civ3 Complete set that way and it doesn't work for some reason. It doesn't run. So I changed it back to 0 and then it worked with it stretched horizontally (1024 to 1280 native) and compressed vertically (768 to 720).

My SimCity4 works after I downloaded a "hack." It looks unbelievably great on my widescreen lcd. Is there a "hack" out there for Civ3? The SimCity4 "hack" just replaces a configuration file (you can back up the original); it's nothing illegal or questionable.