[X4U] Can I connect a computer monitor to my cable box?

[Stroller]

On 1 Nov 2007, at 23:06, Crandon David wrote:
> ...
> I'm getting a new TV for a spare bedroom. It's gonna be small,  
> around 19-25" LCD.
>
> Can I buy a computer monitor of that size and use my cable box for  
> the signal? Assuming of course we have compatible connections? I'm  
> thinking about that because computer monitors are considerable less  
> expensive than TV's of the same size.
> ...

It's likely that your cable TV box will have composite (single yellow  
connector) video output. I think there are a number of monitors that  
accommodate this, but this signal simply does not give very good  
image quality.

Component (red, blue & green video connectors) give *much* better  
image quality. I think you can get monitors that support this, but I  
do not think they're common or cheap.

If your cable box is hi-def then it may have an HDMI output, the  
highest quality of video transfer. You can connect this to any good- 
quality TFT monitor using an DVI cable. HDMI output can be encrypted  
via HDCP - and video output from a cable box most likely IS encrypted  
- so you should ensure that the monitor is HDCP-capable. Such  
monitors are not uncommon, but obviously not as cheap as ones without  
the facility.

Because of these limitations, I'd be surprised to hear that a  
computer monitor would really be such good value. A monitor's video  
scaler is likely not as good quality as that of a TV, and TVs tend to  
have lower pixel-resolution than monitors. Unless the smaller size is  
an absolute requirement, I would have thought that you'd get a  
suitable 30" LCD TV - which is currently the size at which you get  
best bang-per-buck in TV purchasing - for the same price as a  
suitable 20" monitor.

Stroller.