I'm currently using a 17" non-wide screen monitor w/ built in speakers, attached to the wall via ergo-tron mount, and hooked up to a SageTV HD extender. I like it, but the monitor kinda sucks, and there's no headphone jack.
So... I've been looking, and either am going with a Visio 19" TV, the Magnavox 19" TV in Target's add this week ($150), or a Dell ~20" monitor with their add-on sound bar. Both TV's are 720P, and the Dell is 1080P, not that i think it matters at that TV size.
Thoughts?
Vizio 19" 720p $199.99 (HDMI input, wall mountable, built-in tuner)
Memerox 19" 720p $149 (don't know inputs or if wall mountable yet)
Dell S2009W 20" 1600x900 $154 (w/ soundbar, wall mountable, dvi input)
Dell S2309W 23" 1080p $204 (w/ soundbar, wall mountable, dvi input)
That dell 23 looks pretty good for 204. Does the sound on that require a separate cable?
That I don't know. I'll call over lunch to find out.
Since your using a PC solution (and thus won't need any inputs outside of DVI and VGA) I'd say get the nice 23" Dell monitor.
I don't see the soundbar though...
You have to customize it and it's under monitor accessories.
It's got two headphone jacks, and depending on which monitor, either draws power from the monitor, or from it's own power cord.
I broke down and got a Samsung 720P 32" with a 50000 contrast. It is a really nice TV. The Samsung was $470. It much nicer than my Sony 40" LCD that is a few years old and I got for $1800. The blacks are great on this set. I find myself running on the treadmill just to enjoy the good picture. If it gets me to work out more, it is worth the extra $$$ IMO.
You have to customize it and it's under monitor accessories.
It's got two headphone jacks, and depending on which monitor, either draws power from the monitor, or from it's own power cord.
LOL, when you go to customize there is a section called "Speakers" silly me to think it would have been there, oh Dell you silly Dell you!
I should have bought it when I saw it, cause now the Dell is back to normal price.
So I picked up the Visio and it's much better than the old 17" monitor, but it seems a bit off... I've got the sage box set to 720P via HDMI, and audio to HDMI PCM, and it works well, but it seems like the edge definition is off. I think it might have to do with the TV being 1366 x 768 (or whatever that resolution is) vs true 720p. My 32" tv is the same, but I set the resolution in that via the video card. I haven't tried any tweaks in the tv set up yet.
And I'm watching for a Dell monitor deal...
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I'd go 1080P assuming this monitor is going to be right at the end of the treadmill. If it is going to be a few feet beyond then I'd go 720P. Unless of course there is a significant price difference between the two.