TV vs. Computer Monitor
A few years back, the lines between a TV and a computer monitor were clearly written, and you could not substitute one for the other without going through a lot of difficulties, or paying extra. But now, the lines are beginning to blur, and it is rather easy, although can still be expensive, to replace one with the other. The biggest difference between the two is the resolution. To meet the standards, TV sets need to be at a fixed resolution, and all images that it needs to display are either upscaled or downscaled to meet the resolution. The biggest and most advanced HDTV sets are limited to the 1080p/i resolution, which is fixed at 1920×1080. Computer monitors have always been far ahead of TVs when it comes to resolution, with the latest computer monitors reaching resolutions of 2580×2048. This is because computer monitors are expected to display just about much anything, while TV sets have a very standardized set of inputs.
When it comes to input options, most computer monitors have only a very limited number, with most only having the VGA and/or DVI connector that you would expect a computer to have. A TV set takes input from a wide range of devices. The inputs that you would expect to find at the back of your TV include a composite input, s-video, VGA, HDMI and cable.
There is also the issue of components that go inside a TV set that you would not necessarily find in a computer monitor. A tuner and a bunch of speakers are quite necessary for a TV to perform as a standalone unit. In a computer system, these functions are no longer the function of the monitor, and are handled by other components in the system. To use a computer monitor as a TV set, you need to purchase an external tuner along with a set of speakers.
Lastly, TV sets are much bigger compared to computer monitors. People tend to be much closer to their computer monitors compared to their TV sets, and having a very big computer monitor can be just as bad as having a too small TV. Computer monitors are usually under 30 inches, while 40 to 60 inches is quite normal for a TV.
Summary:
1. Computer monitors tend to have much higher resolutions compared to most TV sets.
2. Computer monitors have limited input options, while TV sets have a lot of input connectors.
3. Computer monitors do not have a tuner, while TV sets do.
4. Computer monitors tend to not have built-in speakers, while TV sets do.
5. Computer monitors tend to be much smaller compared to most modern TV sets.