Recently a friend getting some inputs from me about the feasibility of getting a 32" LCD TV to double as a PC monitor, especially since the prices of 32-inchers have dipped to very affordable levels. So first think I asked him is, what was the main intention? He said that he have been using 2x 17" LCDs with a Matrox dual head card, and have enjoyed the extended real estate provided by 2x 1280x1024 pixels (effectively 2560x1024 pixels). This set up is especially useful for opening multiple applications. In fact, I do the same at home where I have my laptop extend it's screen to a 17" LCD monitor.
So I said, if you're coming from this angle, then no, having a normal 32", or even 42"/60"... etc LCD TV will not help much. Notice I say "normal" here, as most LCD/LED TVs are either HD Ready (1280x720) or Full HD (1920x1080). If you look at even a 60" LCD TV that is Full HD, it is still 1920x1080 pixels only, much less than the 2560x1024 provided by 2 units of 17" LCD. What you get is only bigger icons looking back at you. :P
Basically the message I'm trying to convey here is that size is not everything, at least for computer display. What matters more is the maximum resolution that the display can support. For a guideline of the various resolutions available, you can check out Wikipedia link here for a great article on the subject. Below is a comparison chart taken from Wiki:
To end this post, I'd like to add that despite what I've said above, it is still very much possible to get more display real estate with a single device. As you can see from the charts, there are devices out there capable of very high resolutions like WQXGA (2560x1600), which, naturally comes at a higher price.
