Notice the new LCD TV's have a VGA connection, my 50' Plasma has a VGA connection..

So can a TV be used as a monitor?

Not tried myself as I use the DVI-D cable to my monitor, not sure where the VGA cable is.

You have to consider the resolution and refresh rate. I use my Full HD Samsung (1920 x 1068) only as a monitor (apart form a 22 inch Samsung).

At a 1280 x 1024 resolution the picture is clear and the text is very well readable (as opposed to some 'nah' sayers think). Furthermore I stream movies straight from my computer to the 1920 x 1080 display.

I use a VGA to HDMI converter.

Check the resolution of the plasma.

A lot are 1024x768, which means that they have rectangular pixels, so would be OK for occasional use, or for watching a movie where, for instance with VLC, you can change the aspect ratio in the software to compensate.

Alternatively, it could be 852x480, where it's square pixels, but not really a useful computer resolution.

If it's 1366x768 or 1920x1080, then you'll have square pixels, and a useful resolution. However, you're still left with the other issue with plasmas - the possibility of burn-in. ie. If you use it as a monitor all the time, things that are on-screen constantly, like the start button, may leave an after image, even when you're not using it with your computer. (It's the same issue you had with old CRTs, which is why screen savers exist.)

(If it's a new plasma, it should be less of an issue as the TV will have circuitry built-in to reduce this as it's been a problem with things like network logos for people just watching TV.)

Alternatively, if your computer has a DVI out, why not just use that.

I have a Sony LCD TV. I also hooked up the VGA cable from the computer to the TV so I can watch internet TV on the big screen. One day, I am going to buy a wireless keyboard and mouse so I can just sit in front of the TV and play games and surf the web. Just make sure that you adjust the computer video card settings to match exactly the TV setting requirements. Depending on the brand of TV you have, mismatched settings may destroy you TV.

Thanks, just wondered why the new TV's had the VGA connection., I have a newish big LCD monitor but a couple of years ago my then 19" old LCD monitor packed up, and had to get in the car and drive 40km to buy another there and then.

Just make sure that you adjust the computer video card settings to match exactly the TV setting requirements. Depending on the brand of TV you have, mismatched settings may destroy you TV.

I doubt that mismatched settings will hurt an LCD / Plasma (CRT is a different matter), but some TVs are very fussy about the VGA signal they get and at least one (Korean) manufacturer requires a special (read 'expensive') VGA cable. Mostly a mismatch leads to a blank screen or (more helpful) a message that the signal is out of range.