TV as computer monitor....

[BDBHoover]

Okay so my monitor on my desk top PC went out (on my netbook now) and I was wondering what would I need in order to use my TV as my computer monitor instead of going out and buying a new monitor....... I would be using my 60" LG Plasma or my 60" Samsung floor model HDTV..... I was thinking that they have to make some kind of cord that is capable of connecting to the back of my PC in the monitor connection port and at the other end would have a standard yellow video plug for connection on my TV....... Any help would be appreciated!!!

 

[target64]

You should be able to use a HDMI connector. I tried this last week with a 21 lcd tv, no issues with the connection. But,....I got a headache veiwing a picture that big that close.

 

[jeremy]

Okay so my monitor on my desk top PC went out (on my netbook now) and I was wondering what would I need in order to use my TV as my computer monitor instead of going out and buying a new monitor....... I would be using my 60" LG Plasma or my 60" Samsung floor model HDTV..... I was thinking that they have to make some kind of cord that is capable of connecting to the back of my PC in the monitor connection port and at the other end would have a standard yellow video plug for connection on my TV....... Any help would be appreciated!!!

You might want to check the connections on the TV...
I bet you they are already there...
Most TVs can be used as Monitors by just by plugging them into your PC...

SVGA, HDMI, USB...

 

[perry]

Chances are pretty good that you have what you need. Most modern TV's have the PC input connection already. And if the VGA cord is detachable from your monitor, you already have the cord you need.

See the wiki entry for some pictures: VGA connector - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Your monitor may also be connected using DVI, in which case you'd want to get something like this that has DVI on one end (plugs in to the computer) and HDMI on the other.

Oh, hooking up through the yellow connector will give you a pretty poor quality picture. Think of the difference between regular TV and HDTV.

 

[ralphb72]

Well it all depends on what output ports you have open on your pc and what input ports you have open on your TV. My wife's PC has an HDMI out jack and we have two empty hdmi ports so HDMI to HDMI. If your pc only has an external monitor jack, then you could use this cable vga to hdmi:

Amazon.com: Gold HDTV HDMI to VGA HD15 Adapter Cable 6ft 1.8M: Electronics BUT Your Video card must support digital signal output through VGA port function

OR if only svideo input: Amazon.com: VGA Adapter to TV S-Video RCA Out Cable for PC Video: Electronics IF your pc's vga port supports "TV out directly through VGA port function." whatever that is.

Best thing to do is take your laptop to Best Buy or your favorite Best Buy type store and make sure it works before you take it home.

 

[SEIndSAM]

If you don't have the proper jacks on the tv already, they sell the adapters at Staples.

 

[IndyBeerman]

I have a LG 60' plasma and it's got a Analog PC Connection. Uses a D-sub 15 pin cable
(VGA cable).

If you have a newer video card capable of HDMI, I suggest going that route, because 15pin VGA won't get you a great picture.

Also if you have a DVI out on the video card, you can get by with a DVI to HDMI converter, I use one of those on my 12 year old Mitsubishi HD monitor and was made before HDMI came out. I pipe my Brighthouse HD receiver's HDMI out to the HDMI to DVI and plug it in with no problems.

 

[raggedoutcummins77]

just plug your cord coming from your pc to your tv like you would to your monitor

 

[9mmfan]

You might want to check the connections on the TV...
I bet you they are already there...
Most TVs can be used as Monitors by just by plugging them into your PC...

SVGA, HDMI, USB...

^^^This^^^. Got the one I use on eBay. Even watch CD's now via the computer.

 

[ralphb72]

And make sure BOTH of them are turned off when you do plug them in.

 

[a.bentonab]

As demonstrated, there are a number of ways to connect a computer to a tv. the yellow connector (RCA) would be a very poor quality connection and would probably require some adapters to connect to your computer. Other options include:

S-video
HDMI
VGA

It depends what ports are available on both the computer and the tv. Of all of them, HDMI would be preferable as it gives the best quality picture and it would be the only SINGLE connection that has the ability to transit sound and video through the tv. I'm not sure of the exact differences between S-video and VGA as I've never dealt with either personally.

As someone else said you are going to be pretty close to a huge screen. You should look into a wireless keyboard/mouse combo so that you can scoot back an appropriate distance and save your eyes the strain.

If you can report back some more information like what outputs are available to your computer, what inputs are available on your tv, and what kind of computer work you might be comfortable doing (have you ever added RAM or replaced a modem?) we could get more specific. Also how do you plan to play sound?

 

[El Guero]

if you have HMDI in the pc you are ready to go with a connector, i connect my droid bionic in my 55" and in the office i use large tv as monitor for my presentations at the meetings but i have dual connector so i can use the monitor and the tv same time.