Best monitor for P3D?

[avi8tir 25]

OP here - thanks for all the input. I do not want to run a TV - I also use the monitor for work when I am working from home so it needs to fit on my desk. Lots of spreadsheets! 

I think I am leaning towards the BenQ PD3200U --- I just hope I don't miss the ultrawide 34 that I currently have. 

I'll actually gain some screen area though. 34" 21:9 vs. 32" 16:9

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

The BenQ PD3200U does support 30Hz and I did try P3D v4 in that mode. But the mouse lag was annoying so I switched back to 60Hz. My lowest fps are over central London westbound towards Heathrow when it drops to low 20s but that's using AIG Ai at 100% with over 300 Ai in an 80nm bubble around me. Once airborne it stays at 60.

The monitor is extremely well built and is reassuringly heavy. It exudes quality. I'm completely happy with my choice.

[TheBoom 31]

If you have money to drop, Acer just released their new X35. 35 inch ultrawide with HDR 1000, Gsync up to 200hz, Quantum dot and 512 zones of dimming.

https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/predator-series/predatorx35

Your wallet will be demolished though.

I'm currently on the X27 and was eyeing this beast but the announced price might be out of my grasp.

Edit : It's 1440p not 4k though. Imho HDR makes more of a difference to me than 4k ever will but the PC monitor market is still far away in regards to 4K and HDR1000.

Too bad P3D isn't HDR ready.

Edited August 15, 2019 by TheBoom

[roarkr 104]

If you also use it for work a 55" TV is superb for many open spreadsheets.

[mpw8679 428]

9 hours ago, avi8tir said:

OP here - thanks for all the input. I do not want to run a TV - I also use the monitor for work when I am working from home so it needs to fit on my desk. Lots of spreadsheets! 

I think I am leaning towards the BenQ PD3200U --- I just hope I don't miss the ultrawide 34 that I currently have. 

I'll actually gain some screen area though. 34" 21:9 vs. 32" 16:9

Samsung 40 inch TV would be excellent for that

[Shomron 251]

Good thread.

What is the disadvantage of a TV vs. monitor? Asking due to the significant price difference.

If I choose a 4k TV what spec should I be watching for?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

@Shomron, TVs with their larger screens give you greater immersion over smaller monitors. But, they’re not all designed for computer use so you have to be careful with your selection. Only those that support chroma 4:4:4 are suitable for computer use as they show text as sharp as possible without any artefacts.

And as the displays are larger the perceived sharpness will be lower than a monitor. A 32” UHD monitor versus a 40+” TV have different pixels per inch. You’re spreading the same over a larger area.

The upside of a TV is lower cost and built-in speakers. You get more for less money but UHD TVs start around 43” so you need space.

[Shomron 251]

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

@Shomron, TVs with their larger screens give you greater immersion over smaller monitors. But, they’re not all designed for computer use so you have to be careful with your selection. Only those that support chroma 4:4:4 are suitable for computer use as they show text as sharp as possible without any artefacts.

And as the displays are larger the perceived sharpness will be lower than a monitor. A 32” UHD monitor versus a 40+” TV have different pixels per inch. You’re spreading the same over a larger area.

The upside of a TV is lower cost and built-in speakers. You get more for less money but UHD TVs start around 43” so you need space.

Thanks Ray

[Ted Striker 338]

23 hours ago, w6kd said:

There's no real substitute for test-viewing various display options at the distance you intend to use it.

I couldn't agree more with this.

I also have a 55" UHD TV (Sony 900E) that I use for a sim monitor. If you have the desk space for it the immersion is fantastic. What I like best about it though is being able to see the entire panel of an aircraft and most of the windscreen without having to scroll/pan to read gauges, operate switches/dials/levers, and look at where you are going, especially on approach and takeoff.

I am considering putting the Sony in the TV room and getting another monitor for the sim. I took screenshots of panel views and exterior shots of various aircraft and put them on a USB stick. Yesterday I went to Best Buy and had a salesman bring the screenshots up on different TV models and sizes. I am considering going smaller than 55" because sometimes this just seemed to large, although sometimes it seems perfect. My main concern was that on a smaller screen I would not be able to clearly read the dials and instrument screens. I had no problem reading them on any of the 43" UHD monitor. On my Vizio 42" 1080p monitor at home I had to zoom in to read the gauges and the image quality was terrible.

I still have not decided what size I want to get though. What I need to do now is go back and focus on the optimal distance I need to sit from a 43", 49", and 55" monitor. I already decided that 65 inches is too big for my desk area. I did also look at the images on a massive 80" TV for grins. It looked great if I stood 8 feet away.

P3Dv3 and v4 will save screenshot image files in user selectable jpeg, png, and bmp formats. All the TVs would read jpg formats, some would read png, but none that I tried (Sony, LG, Samsung) would read bmp. bmp files have the best quality but the compressed jpg still are good enough quality for this test.

The only downside to this test is that I don't think you can take a 4k screenshot if you do not already have a 4k monitor hooked up to your sim. You might have to ask a friend to take some shots for you.

Ted 

[lownslo 592]

I'm curious about the system start-up sequence when using a TV as a monitor.  Does the TV start when you press the "start" button on the computer?  Or must the TV be started manually before starting the computer?  And are there any other "unique" aspects when using a TV as a monitor.

Thanks,

Greg

[Pete Dowson 558]

5 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

TVs with their larger screens give you greater immersion over smaller monitors. But, they’re not all designed for computer use so you have to be careful with your selection. Only those that support chroma 4:4:4 are suitable for computer use as they show text as sharp as possible without any artefacts.

I have a 55" curved Samsung TV dedicated solely to my VFR cockpit, and that looks superb in UHD with P3D4.  The UE55KS9000, which admittedly was £1600 (30 months ago now, probably the equivalent is cheaper now),  but then even if such existed as a computer monitor it would be no where near such a price. with "4k" (really UHD) TVs you get much better "bang for the buck" as the saying goes.

My only trouble us trying to read the miniscule text in the menus! So I set them just once and leve them (in favour of CFG editing) to save having to put my nose too close to the screen! 😉 

Pete

 

[SledDriver 39]

4 minutes ago, Pete Dowson said:

I have a 55" curved Samsung TV dedicated solely to my VFR cockpit, and that looks superb in UHD with P3D4.  The UE55KS9000, which admittedly was £1600 (30 months ago now, probably the equivalent is cheaper now),  but then even if such existed as a computer monitor it would be no where near such a price. with "4k" (really UHD) TVs you get much better "bang for the buck" as the saying goes.

My only trouble us trying to read the miniscule text in the menus! So I set them just once and leve them (in favour of CFG editing) to save having to put my nose too close to the screen! 😉 

Pete

 

Can you not change the DPI setting for the TV screen to make the menus bigger without affecting the rest of the sim?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,947]

Hi Pete, just checked and that TV gets a 5* review so you chose well. As it supports HDR I think it supports chroma 4:4:4.

If the computer it’s attached to is running Windows 10 it should scale the text making it easily readable. My BenQ 32” has it scaled at either 125% or 150% from memory. Everything is very readable. Right-click the desktop, choose resolution and see what it’s set to.

[Pete Dowson 558]

10 hours ago, SledDriver said:

Can you not change the DPI setting for the TV screen to make the menus bigger without affecting the rest of the sim?

Not the DPI but the text size. Yes, you can, but then with some types of Dialogues the text overruns the size of the window created, which doesn't seem to automatically change with Windows set text size.

But I manage okay as it is. I tend to prefer editing files rather than menus, once I know what each item does.

Pete

 

[Pete Dowson 558]

10 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

If the computer it’s attached to is running Windows 10 it should scale the text making it easily readable. My BenQ 32” has it scaled at either 125% or 150% from memory. Everything is very readable.

Maybe Win10 does the scaling properly, then. Win7 didn't. I might try it next time I boot up the VFR PC.

Pete