Greetings!

So, here is the problem:

A buddy of mine is a professional poker player. He spends a great deal of his time playing online, due to the ease of which he can change tables, find a table, move between tournaments and live play, etc.

Now, he is a highly skilled player. He plays 4 games simultaneously, which requires him to have 4 windows open at once. Over the past few years, he has accomplished this by using two 20 inch monitors, placing 2 games on each monitor, and sizing them so that he can place them diagonally with minimum overlap.

Now, it is time to move on to bigger and better things.

One of the possible solutions we are looking at consists of using a large LCD HDTV as the monitor for the games.

So, a few questions in this area:

1. What areas in regards to resolution should I be concerned with?

I understand the difference between progressive scan and interlaced, as well as 1080 and 720. Where I need clarification is how these resolutions come into play when using the HDTV as a monitor.

Should I be looking at the "native resolution"? What factor, regarding resolution, is key in determining how an HDTV will perform as a monitor?


2. What connection will provide the best input from the PC to the HDTV?

Should I use VGA, DVI, HMDI, etc? Will conversion from one signal to another cause degradation? For example, if I use a DVI-I to HMDI converter cable, will it negatively affect the image?


3. Which video graphics card should I use?

I am not concerned with having a high-end card. The poker client is by no means graphics intense. However, I do want to get a card that will provide a clean output, and depending on the answers to the questions above, provide a proper output. (VGA to VGA, DVI to DVI, etc.)


Thank you for any ideas and informational resources you may have! :)

Still a noob at this too, so I can't tell you the best connection (I asked a week ago, and got 1 response suggesting DVI/HDMI) , but I can tell you my experience.

Current set-up is an ATI 1300pro video card running a 19" DVI monitor, and a 32" lcd via dvi/vga connector.

Because I sit a little further away, and the resolution is only 720p, I've found that I can't really, comfortably, open more than 2 Poker Stars tables on my 32" lcd. That's the same as on my 19" desktop monitor (1280x1024). Trying to fit 4 on a the 32" screen would cause these old eyes unneccessary strain.

I think the main driver is that my head is 18"s away from the monitor, and several feet from the TV.

So, if possible, I'd get him to trial and error some TV's/resolutions at the distance he wants to use them at.... maybe take a screen shot, and display it...