[asian_boy5]

Hello all, I am thinking of purchasing a 20 inch cinema display for my powerbook, now that is all fine and dandy, my powerbook needs a friend, but i was also wondering if the display could also be used as a LCD telivision, i would love to be able to plug my playstation2 into it, and with all this talk about the next generation of consoles doing HD and all that i would love to use a cinema display as my game tv. As far as i know, the playstation3 will have "HDMI" output, and with that u can buy an HDMI to DVI convertor, so that covers the PS3, but what about my ps2? Does anybody know a way to conncet the two?

[LAmezq3984]

Pioneer has a reciever that just recently came out that has 4 HDMI ports on it, since most tvs only have DVI port, or one HDMI port. The reciever is about 4000 dollars at good guys. Um, think what you are talking about is a switcher box, where you have multiple connections going to one source, and you switch the channel on the box to send the signal from the other device. I don't think anybody makes those yet, but I could be wrong. If they are out there, plan on spending a grip of money. Why not just buy a Sony tv for the same price as a 23 inch monitor, and use it for everyhing you are trying to do? I have a 34 inch HD, and I hook it up to my powerbook with HDMI and it looks amazing!

[asian_boy5]

a switcher box device that could recieve a whole assortment of stuff like dvi, s-video, component and composite, then send it out via dvi to the display would be great,

i once saw a while back that the ps2 actualy had a vga connector, i believe it came with their linux kit, if anybody knows where i can find that, that would be awesome, i could just use my vga to dvi connector that came with my powerbook, if i could find that.

[Luca]

Don't get an Apple display if you want to use it for anything other than connecting it to a computer with DVI. Apple has a tradition of making very good products with a very specific intended use... it makes them clean and simple, but at the same time the Apple cinema displays are now limited by their single DVI input and nothing else.

Dell's 2005FPW has composite video, S-video, VGA, and DVI. However, for high definition sources (like a PS3 or XBox 360), it doesn't have the proper connections (HDMI and/or component video). I might suggest buying an LCD TV. They're high definition and should have the same inputs that a normal HDTV has. And since they're LCDs, they're usable as computer monitors as well, unlike other HDTVs.

By the way, I wouldn't expect any next-gen consoles for some time. The companies involved are more concerned with generating a lot of hype and marketing momentum than they are with actually delivering a quality, finished product. Sony is especially fond of making (completely unfounded) grandiose claims way too far in advance. PS3? It'll be at least a full year from now.

[asian_boy5]

Thanks for the advice, yeah i was considering just getting and lcd tv, the only thing stopping me thus far is.. well most of damm are pretty ugly, i mean, compared to a cinema display, as for the next consoles, i know they are a ways off, but i want to get a monitor now for video editing with my compy, so if i can get one that does it all now, i can save the hastle and money of getting one later when the consoles ship.

[chucker]

I would suggest getting the Dell (if only since it's significantly cheaper than the Cinema Display, while not too ugly -- I'm happily using one as we speak). Your PS2 will connect to it fine, and with the PS3, if it only has HDMI, not DVI, you should be able to get a rather simple adapter.

[asian_boy5]

Thanks for all the help guys, it was really helpful, i will have to go check out the dell, if anyone else has any other suggestions on LCD monitors that are good, please send it this way.

Also where are some good places to look for the dell (in Canada), is it cheapest to just buy direct from dell?

[MCQ]

Originally Posted by asian_boy5 Thanks for all the help guys, it was really helpful, i will have to go check out the dell, if anyone else has any other suggestions on LCD monitors that are good, please send it this way. Also where are some good places to look for the dell (in Canada), is it cheapest to just buy direct from dell?

Um... that's the only place you'll be able to get one new.

Not surprisingly, it's on sale! $759 canadian for the 2005fpw.

I also own the 2005fpw - good monitor, especially for the price.

[chucker]

I imported mine from the US for $397 US (484 Canadian), using a few special deals.

[StevesMom]

Originally Posted by Luca Sony is especially fond of making (completely unfounded) grandiose claims way too far in advance. PS3? It'll be at least a full year from now.

But, gee, Nintendo Microsoft and (even) Sega don't do this do they ? They're all shy, retiring, straight-down-the-line folks that never un-necessarily bigup their own consoles. It's an industry disease, not a Sony disease

[Luca]

Oh, I totally realize it. But Sony is the biggest offender, IMHO. In 1999, when the PS2 was still in development, their CEO claimed that the PS3 would be released in 2002 and be 1000 times more powerful than the PS2. Why'd he do this? Even then, it was obvious that he was just blatantly lying.

If nothing else, buy the 2005fpw from Dell's "Small Business" store. You can often get the exact same product for a lot less money. But before you do even that, go to a deal-hunter forum and find a coupon code of some kind that'll allow you to buy one for even cheaper. If you're willing to wait for a few weeks, you might be able to get one for around $500 Canadian.