Here's an article on how to connect your computer to your TV using VGA and audio: http://gainedknowledge.blogspot.com/2008/09/connect-your-computer-to-your-tv-...
How To Connect a Computer To Your TV (Page 1 of 4)
Categories: Televisions and Projectors Computers, Laptops, and Media Servers PC Gaming
-Updated 2/24/2009
Overview
Many people already know that you can connect a computer to a plasma TV, but it is not as well known that you can also hook up a computer to almost any TV. The process may not be as easy and the picture not as sharp as a plasma TV or other newer kind of TV, but you may be surprised at the results that can be achieved with your existing television.
There are numerous benefits and reasons why you would want to connect your computer to your TV. You can check a players' statistics online while watching a sporting event, use your favorite music program to play your favorite tunes, show all of your digital photos or videos to your family, and even show a PowerPoint presentation to coworkers. Combining the computer with your home theater allows possibilities for the easy chair, that were once limited to the office chair.
Making the Connection
Setting up a computer in your home theater is not generally as hard as some think. To get started, you need to be able to make a compatible connection from your computer to your TV. In the simplest case, your connection from the computer should match the connection on your TV. For example, if your TV has a VGA input and your computer has a VGA output, you need just a cable to connect both together. If there isn't a match of video inputs to outputs, it might still be possible to make a connection, but more about that later.
Let's start with the computer connection first. Examine the back of your computer for available monitor connections. Depending on your computer's graphic capabilities, you should be able to identify one or more of the following: a 15-pin VGA output, a DVI connection, or an S-Video output. Your computer could support one, two, or all of the connections listed. If you are unsure, refer to the video section of your computer's user manual.
Next, you will need to identify the type of television you have. It will be either an analog or digital TV. If you own an analog television, look for an S-Video input. If you own a digital television, look for an S-Video, 15-pin VGA, component video, or DVI input. Many of the newer televisions, such as Plasma, DLP, or LCD, should have a PC compatible 15-pin VGA input.
Finally, we need to find a matching connection between the two. If you have a VGA or DVI match, use that for the best image quality and performance. If you have a component connection on your TV and a VGA output on your computer, choose those connections. Use S-Video as a last resort if you have no other choice, or are not as concerned about the video quality of your connection.
Before you begin, download and install the latest drivers for your computers video card. The newest software has options for making this project easier than it used to be. The most common graphics cards are the following:
- Cards based on the nVIDIA platform. Drivers are available at nVIDIA.com
- Cards based on the ATI platform. Drivers available at ATI.com
- Cards based on the Intel Extreme Graphics platform. Drivers available at Intel.com
Always refer to your computer or video card manufacturer's website or before installing any software. Sometimes, drivers are available there. Do not download drivers for a graphics chip different from what your computer uses.
November 9, 2008 2:33 PM
Wow, I just wanted this information badly. In fact, I have a digital TV here at home and was looking for ways to connect the computer to it. So indepth information, thanks Tech lore.
Lenin Nair
http://cutewriting.blogspot.com
December 4, 2008 2:36 PM
I have a Dell D600 with a 15 pin video out. I have a new Sharp flat screen with a Green,Red and Blue input. I bought a 15pin with the 3, G,R,B, cables. I put the TV's input on the component setting. Nothing but black screen.
Is there a 15pin with the standard yellow video cable?
This should not be this hard.
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December 11, 2008 10:53 AM
wsoxman said: I have a Dell D600 with a 15 pin video out. I have a new Sharp flat screen with a Green,Red and Blue input. I bought a 15pin with the 3, G,R,B, cables. I put the TV's input on the component setting. Nothing but black screen. Is there a 15pin with the standard yellow video cable? This should not be this hard.
There are threads where this adapter is discussed, and for most consumer grade TVs, it simply won't work. The signals are simply different.
Component video inputs on most TVs sport red, green, and blue connectors, but that's not the same as an RGB input. Component video looks for luminance and two chrominance signals: red difference, and blue difference. RGB signals are comprised of 5 different parts: Red drive, Blue drive, Green drive, and horizontal and vertical syncs. RGB outputs are typically 5 wires, sporting a cable for each part.
The adapter you bought is for certain monitors that support RGB over three cables, putting the syncs on the green drive cable. You don't find this connection used on consumer televisions, shy of a few rare models I've seen with RGB inputs over the years. In other words, you need a different device to make that connection to a component video input that converts RGB to component signals. It's talked about in the article on page 4 of the article.
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December 11, 2008 10:56 AM
some guy said: What if your computer has a vga port and the tv has a dvi port?
Most DVI ports on digital TVs are DVI-I ports, meaning it supports both digital and analog connections. In most cases, the DVI port will support computer output signals, but you'll need to refer to your TVs owner's manual to be sure.
If it does support PC connections, then you'll need a VGA to DVI adapter, which can be bought online or in some stores. They're not that expensive.
December 14, 2008 3:20 PM
Matt Whitlock said:some guy said: What if your computer has a vga port and the tv has a dvi port?Most DVI ports on digital TVs are DVI-I ports, meaning it supports both digital and analog connections. In most cases, the DVI port will support computer output signals, but you'll need to refer to your TVs owner's manual to be sure. If it does support PC connections, then you'll need a VGA to DVI adapter, which can be bought online or in some stores. They're not that expensive.
I got my laptop finally working right with my HDTV. I just use a S-video. The key here is to go into properties, setup, click on display which should show your tv. Click High Color
Then make SURE you click on the EXTEND my windows monitor. Click Apply.
All you might get it a view of your desktop. KEY Open what you want to view and Slide it to the right until it appears on your TV. I have audio cable going into my TV with just a single in the laptop and Red and White in the TV.
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December 15, 2008 10:29 AM
wsoxman said:Matt Whitlock said:I got my laptop finally working right with my HDTV. I just use a S-video. The key here is to go into properties, setup, click on display which should show your tv. Click High Color Then make SURE you click on the EXTEND my windows monitor. Click Apply. All you might get it a view of your desktop. KEY Open what you want to view and Slide it to the right until it appears on your TV. I have audio cable going into my TV with just a single in the laptop and Red and White in the TV.some guy said: What if your computer has a vga port and the tv has a dvi port?Most DVI ports on digital TVs are DVI-I ports, meaning it supports both digital and analog connections. In most cases, the DVI port will support computer output signals, but you'll need to refer to your TVs owner's manual to be sure. If it does support PC connections, then you'll need a VGA to DVI adapter, which can be bought online or in some stores. They're not that expensive.
Using S-Video is certainly a possible solution, but if you have an HDTV, it can be beneficial to make it work with VGA, DVI, Component, or HDMI to take advantage of higher resolutions (better photo and video playback). S-Video is limited to 480i, scaled from whatever the desktop resolution is. If your desktop is set to anything higher than 800x600, text is pretty much illegible.
Still, if S-video is working good for you, then rock on!
January 21, 2009 2:08 PM
i have a pc with a vga output and a 4 pin s-video output on the gigabite graffix
card. i want to see the picture on my pc monitor and on a old tv monitor with rca input. (no audio needed) i have the next cables
- s-video to 1 rca
- s-video to 2 rca
how do i do it?. and what cable?. (maybe computer settings?)
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January 21, 2009 2:21 PM
michaelbr said: i have a pc with a vga output and a 4 pin s-video output on the gigabite graffix card. i want to see the picture on my pc monitor and on a old tv monitor with rca input. (no audio needed) i have the next cables - s-video to 1 rca - s-video to 2 rca how do i do it?. and what cable?. (maybe computer settings?)
You'll need the S-video to single RCA male plug (which, just as an FYI, will degrade the image a bit).
Make sure you've gotten the latest drivers for your card installed (you didn't specify if it was an nVidia or ATI based card), then you should find the option to enable the TV out in the config settings for the card. The drivers usually install a control panel with all those configuration settings.
Good luck!
January 27, 2009 10:03 PM
Hi, Thank you so much for your help! I just wanted to clarify one thing with you.
I just bought a new HDTV (LG-26LG30),and want to make sure I don't mess this up.
I'm looking at the specifications for my TV and it lists:
PC Audio Input and
RGP In (D-Sub 15)-PC
My laptop (HP-Pav dv2988 nr) has a VGA port.
If I just get a VGA-VGA cable, will my sound transfer over to my TV? Or do I need to get something else to put in the PC Audio Input port on the TV?
And for the VGA-VGA cable, would this one be ok to use?:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10201&cs_id=1020...
I would appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you!!
January 28, 2009 1:32 AM
I have a laptop with a VGA output and also an S-Video output, but my new TV has only HDMI Inputs and component video inputs. How can I get this to work??
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January 28, 2009 11:05 AM
narzel said: Hi, Thank you so much for your help! I just wanted to clarify one thing with you. I just bought a new HDTV (LG-26LG30),and want to make sure I don't mess this up. I'm looking at the specifications for my TV and it lists: PC Audio Input and RGP In (D-Sub 15)-PC My laptop (HP-Pav dv2988 nr) has a VGA port. If I just get a VGA-VGA cable, will my sound transfer over to my TV? Or do I need to get something else to put in the PC Audio Input port on the TV? And for the VGA-VGA cable, would this one be ok to use?: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10201&cs_id=1020... I would appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you!!
The monoprice cable looks like it will do the job just fine provided the TV and port on your laptop are female (which they should be, so I'd say you're fine there).
VGA cables don't carry audio. As listed in the setup for every type of connection in the article, you'll also need a 1/8" male to 1/8" male stereo plug (if the PC audio input on the TV looks like a headphone jack) or a 1/8" stereo to stereo RCA plug cable (if the PC audio input on the TV is your typical L/R audio jack found on most gear). The cable plugs into your laptop's headphone jack and the PC audio input on the TV.
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January 28, 2009 11:08 AM
LimoGuy said: I have a laptop with a VGA output and also an S-Video output, but my new TV has only HDMI Inputs and component video inputs. How can I get this to work??
I'm currently researching options for getting PCs pluged into HDMI jacks, but I haven't found one that really works well yet (unless the laptop sports an HDMI output, but not many do right now).
January 28, 2009 4:12 PM
Hello, Trying to hook up Mitsubishi WS-55805 tv to pc with db15 cable male to male (looks like VGA but has 2 rows instead of 3) Not sure what to do. can't get desktop to show on TV. Thanks before hand. I was thinking maybe the drivers are not installed for db15 pci in the computer but just not sure. Please help
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January 28, 2009 4:36 PM
The good news for you, though, is that TV's HD input is both 5 wire RGB and component video selectable in the menu. If you pick up a VGA to five wire RGB cable, you should be able to adjust the timings in your PC to output a compatible resolution of 480p or 1080i.
dtslammer said: Hello, Trying to hook up Mitsubishi WS-55805 tv to pc with db15 cable male to male (looks like VGA but has 2 rows instead of 3) Not sure what to do. can't get desktop to show on TV. Thanks before hand. I was thinking maybe the drivers are not installed for db15 pci in the computer but just not sure. Please helpdb15 is a serial control cable, not a video output. If memory serves me right, on the WS-55805 there is a db15 com port near the HD input. This was a control port for their matching (mega expensive) DTV tuner at the time, the Mitsubishi HD 1080.
The good news for you, though, is that TV's HD input is both 5 wire RGB and component video selectable in the menu. If you pick up a VGA to five wire RGB cable, you should be able to adjust the timings in your PC to output a compatible resolution of 480p or 1080i.
January 28, 2009 5:12 PM
Your a "LifeSaver" Matt. Now for a tech-dummy like me can you post a picture directions for timing? As well, I have comcast HD DVR which uses the RGBs. Is there someting else I can do? If you need to see manual you can find it here with free membership
http://tv.manualsonline.com/manuals/mfg/mitsubishi/mitsubishi_diamond_series_...
my tv uses this manual. Thanks before hand
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January 29, 2009 10:42 AM
dtslammer said: Your a "LifeSaver" Matt. Now for a tech-dummy like me can you post a picture directions for timing? As well, I have comcast HD DVR which uses the RGBs. Is there someting else I can do? If you need to see manual you can find it here with free membership http://tv.manualsonline.com/manuals/mfg/mitsubishi/mitsubishi_diamond_series_... my tv uses this manual. Thanks before hand
Are you using desktop PC or a notebook?
If a desktop, what's the make and model of your graphics adapter?
January 29, 2009 2:02 PM
Thanks for responding. I have a desktop running Vista-DirectX version 10.0 and a NVidia GeForce 6150 LE
ForceWare version 175.21
Total available graphics memory-319MB
Dedicated video memory-128MB
System video memory-OMB
Shared system memory-191MB
Video BIOS version:5.51.28.50.38
IRQ:16
Bus:FPCI
I hope this is what you want.
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January 29, 2009 3:37 PM
updated: January 29, 2009 3:37 PM
dtslammer said: Thanks for responding. I have a desktop running Vista-DirectX version 10.0 and a NVidia GeForce 6150 LE ForceWare version 175.21 Total available graphics memory-319MB Dedicated video memory-128MB System video memory-OMB Shared system memory-191MB Video BIOS version:5.51.28.50.38 IRQ:16 Bus:FPCI I hope this is what you want.
Okay, so the 6100 series is an integrated graphics solution that probably doesn't natively support a component video output. That leaves you with two options, since your TV only has one HD capable input:
1. You'll need to pick up a VGA to component video transcoder and a component video switch
2. You'll need to pick up a new (most likely AGP) graphics card that supports component video output with a bundled cable and a component video switch.
The component video switch will let you plug both your cable box and the PC at the same time, and switch between the two. It must support HD signals.
As for the transcoder vs. graphics card, the graphics card will probably be the cheaper and more reliable solution, given that the hardware and drivers should support HDTV compliant resolutions without a lot of tinkering.
Your only other solution is to grab a new graphics card and run it 480p into one of the other component video inputs on the TV (I believe they support 480p) or get a card that supports S-Video and run it that way.
All will be a lot of effort, but the HD solutions with the switch and new card/transcoder will also be a little pricey too. :(
January 29, 2009 4:51 PM
I have Bose dvd player model#AV3-2-1 ll Media Center, can I hook the pc up to this instead of the tv through the component jacks on the back with the RGB to VGA cable you suggested earlier in the post?
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January 29, 2009 5:34 PM
dtslammer said: I have Bose dvd player model#AV3-2-1 ll Media Center, can I hook the pc up to this instead of the tv through the component jacks on the back with the RGB to VGA cable you suggested earlier in the post?
Let me clarify. RGB inputs are not the same as component video. Your TV has a direct RGB input, which is unusual. With this input, you could get a cheap VGA to RGB breakout cable, plug it in, and adjust your graphics card to output something compatible (usually 480p or 720p).
If you're going to plug it in component video, you'll need a transcoder or new graphics card one way or another. You can skip the switch if your BOSE 3-2-1 component input (make sure it's an input) accepts HD signals.
January 29, 2009 7:39 PM
Well I looked and the only inputs are Composite-NTSC of PAL format and s-video. Looks like I'll to get a video card that supports s-video and just plug into one of the inputs on the tv. Now the timing, can you tell me how this is done because I have no idea. I really appreciate your help. Thanks before hand.
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