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What cable is needed to connect a computer to a TV?

Hello everyone, friends! How to connect a computer to a TV? You can find out the answer to this question in my article below.

TV has become a part of life for many of us. We are used to enjoying movies, photos, playing games and even working on a large screen. Yes, a large computer monitor requires separate costs. It is not particularly needed if you have a large-screen TV. To connect a computer to a TV, no special skills are required. All that is necessary is to check them for the presence of the necessary inputs and ports in order to implement your plans without much effort and knowledge. So, in this article I will tell you in detail how to connect a computer to a TV, and what you will need for this.

How to connect a computer to a TV? — PREPARATION FOR CONNECTION

First, you need to know that you need a special cord to connect. There are several models of them.

  • VGA is the most common cable connector. Numerous models of monitors are still connected through it, so your computer should definitely have a port for it. It is also worth noting the fact that video cards of all types have the same output;

  • DVI is a newer cable model that replaced the connector described above. Its average length reaches about 10 meters;

  • HDMI - almost everyone knows about this type of cable today. This is a modern model that allows you to transmit the highest quality image and sound. The average length of such a cord is 15 meters;

  • S-video - such cables are not so common today. These models cannot boast of high picture quality. Although, if the average suits you, then you can use it;

  • RCA - many of you remember this type of connector. Usually, thanks to this cable, we connected the VCR to the TV or SEGA and DENDY consoles. Today, almost no one uses such a model. It conveys very low quality, so we will not take it into account.

If you have a question about which cable to use for connection in order to get high quality picture and sound, then I will answer without hesitation - HDMI. This is a universal model that is used today in almost all television and computer devices.

STEPS WHEN CONNECTING

Now let's move on to the next point. If you have already decided on the choice of cable model, then the next step will be setting up your computer or laptop. It all depends on what device you have.

COMPUTER SETTINGS

Let's look at this point in a little more detail, since many may have difficulties. All actions take place with a connected cable, both to the PC and to the TV.

  • Right-click on any empty point on the desktop;
  • A window will appear in front of your eyes where you need to find “Screen Resolution”. Select this item;
  • If you are using the Windows XP operating system, then you need to go to “Properties” and click on “Options”;
  • Next we need to transfer the image from the computer to the TV screen. To do this, select the “Duplicate screens” item.

It is worth remembering that the resolution of the TV and monitor should be similar. If they are different, then the transmitted picture will be distorted, narrowed or, on the contrary, stretched.

HOW TO CONNECT A COMPUTER AND TV

Everything here is quite simple and easy. You need to connect one end of the cable to the TV, and the opposite end to the connector on the video card. Do not confuse this input with the motherboard.

CONNECT VIA HDMI

If you have an HDMI cable, the connection will be made as follows. We also connect the cable on both sides to the devices. After this, you need to switch the mode to AVI on the TV. It is this that ensures that the display mode is changed not from the antenna, but from an external source.

Now all you have to do is select the port into which the cord is connected.

CONNECTING VIA DVI

If you decide to use a connection via a DVI cable, remember that it only transmits images to the screen. The sound is provided by another cord and connector. In addition, if one of your devices does not have such an input, you will need a special VGA-DVI adapter. In general, the connection procedure is the same as that of the previous representative.

CONNECTING VIA S-VIDEO

If your TV is not equipped with the previous ports, then the S-VIDEO cable comes to the rescue.

There should be a port of this format on the back of the computer. If everything is so, then we connect through a connector called SCART.

In fact, the procedure for this connection has some nuances. You will need the following items:

  • SCART – audio/video/s-video adapter;
  • S-VIDEO cable;
  • Jack – 2 tulips – this cord is designed for separate audio connection.

  • Combine the adapter and cord;
  • We insert this adapter into the SCART port on the TV;
  • The tulips must be inserted so that they coincide with the positions R - right, L - left.

  • The mini-jack must be inserted into a special connector located on the computer sound card.

Ultimately, we should go to “Screen Resolution”, where in the Settings we make all the necessary settings.

OTHER METHODS

In fact, there are still quite a few ways to connect. New adapter models are regularly developed. However, not everyone can afford them, as the price is high.

ANALOG OR DIGITAL INPUT?

The answer to this question is simple. A computer is a digital device. If you have a modern TV, then it is digital. Accordingly, the connection will be the same. If there are no such connectors on one of the devices, and you don’t want to bother with adapters, then you can connect using an analogue one. But remember that the sound and images may not please you.

VIDEO: HOW TO CONNECT A TV TO A COMPUTER VIA HDMI AND VGA

TV ON LOCAL NETWORK

There is an option to connect via a local network. You will need a crimped cord. So, to carry out the procedure, you need to connect the PC and TV to the lan. Let's look at it step by step:

  • You need to download and download an application called Home Media Server;
  • Copy the required videos to the application folder and launch;
  • Now you can watch what you want.

However, this method will help you enjoy only what you download from your PC.

ROUTER

There is another way to connect to the router. You don't need a special cable. Need to:

  • In the settings, select “Network”;
  • Next we look for wireless ones;

  • We find the desired access point and enter the password for it.

It is worth noting that the procedure for setting up Wi-Fi is the same. Connecting to the network will not be difficult for you.

DIRECTLY

It is worth noting that direct connection is carried out using the same method as before. In “Network” you only need to select the wired option.

CORRECTLY CONNECTING THE COMPUTER TO THE LG TV

There is a special service called LG Smart Share. Thanks to it, you can watch video files, listen to music and much more. To do this, you will need a specialized router. This is a separate point on the network to which both your devices (PC and computer) are connected.

HOW TO CONNECT YOUR COMPUTER TO LG TV?

We will look at this method using the example of the well-known Windows Media application. To connect you need:

  • Launch the player;
  • Next we go to the “Stream”;
  • There we will need to check the boxes next to two items: “Allow remote control...” and “Automatically allow devices...”;

Now the user will be able to view any files located there in Smart Share.

NO SOUND ON TV VIA HDMI

A common problem is lack of sound. This happens with different brands and models of TVs. Don't panic right away. Now I will tell you what needs to be done to make it appear.

  • On your computer, right-click on the sound icon. It is depicted as a column;
  • A tab will appear in front of you where you need to enter “Playback Devices”;
  • We leave the sound only for your TV, and everything else must be turned off;
  • Set the TV mode to “Default”.

Sometimes it happens that the TV is invisible in the tab. In this case, you should right-click on the empty area. The “Show disabled devices” mode will appear. We check the box opposite it.

Conclusion

So you found out the answer to the question “How to connect a computer to a TV?” . So, in this article I told you in detail about connection methods, types of cables and connectors, and problems that arise during connection. Everything, on the one hand, seems impossible, but it seems so at first glance. I hope I helped you solve the connection problem, and you are already enjoying watching your favorite movie on the big screen.

How to connect a computer to a TV?

We think that many of you have dreamed of connecting your TV to a computer in order to enjoy watching movies or playing a computer shooter not on a small monitor, but on a large TV screen. However, this is not always as easy as it seems. Today in our article we will reveal the main ways to connect modern TVs to a computer. Moreover, we deliberately do not consider connecting to older TV models, since due to the small screen resolution of such a TV, you will not be happy with the result in any case.

How can you connect your TV to your computer?

First, let's decide which cable can be used to connect the TV to the computer. To do this, you need to study what connectors are on your video card in your computer and what connectors are on your TV. All of them are usually located on the back of the equipment, so study it carefully. In our case, the following connectors are important:

  • HDMI (or HDMI-mini);
  • SCART.

You can see photos of each connector below:




The listed slots can be located both on the TV and on the computer (only it will not have SCART). It is not necessary that your equipment supports all connectors, the main thing is that you find compatible connectors and a suitable cable for them.


What cables are there to connect a computer?

  • DVI - HDMI;
  • DVI - VGA;
  • DVI - DVI;
  • HDMI - HDMI;
  • HDMI - SCART;
  • VGA - VGA.

In addition, there are various amplifiers and signal splitters that convert the signal and make it possible to connect a VGA TV to an HDMI slot, for example. However, it is difficult to find such products on store shelves, moreover, few people even know about them, so if such a situation arises, look for products in online stores.

Once you have the cable, just connect one end to the TV and the other to the computer and that’s it. Now your TV is connected to your PC and you can use it. Although before this you still need to configure the connection itself in the operating system of your computer. We'll talk about this later.

How to connect a TV in Windows 7 or 8

After you have connected the cable to the system unit and the TV, turned the latter to the “PC” position (for this there should be a special button on the TV remote control), you can proceed directly to the settings.

1. Open the “Desktop” on your computer and right-click on an empty space to open the context menu as shown in the screenshot below, and select “Screen Resolution”:

2. A window will open in front of you, in which you need to first find the second monitor if the system did not automatically find it. To do this, click on the “Find” button. In the figure below, it is marked as number 1. Then click “Apply” to register the presence of a TV connected to the computer.

3. When the TV screen is connected, you need to align it with the computer, for example, it can be at the top (above the monitor), left or right. In the screenshot, under action number “2,” we visually moved the TV screen unevenly relative to the main monitor to show the possibilities. Moving it is quite simple - left-click the TV screen on the diagram and drag it to the side that would be convenient for you. For example, if the TV is on the left, then schematically place the screen on the left side to make dragging windows easier. Otherwise you will get confused. After everything, click the “Apply” button.


4. Now it's time to make a few adjustments (if necessary). A number of actions are highlighted in the picture above under the number “3”. In order to enter them, select the TV screen on the diagram with the left mouse button, then specify or adjust the resolution of the second display (TV), although Windows 7 and 8 always select them correctly themselves. Next, check the orientation, it should be landscape unless your TV is mounted at a 90 degree angle. If you want the TV to be a kind of extension of the monitor, so that, for example, you can watch a movie on one monitor and work on the other, then select “Extend these screens” in the “Multiple displays” item. In addition, you can also duplicate screens so that the same picture is shown everywhere; or display one of the monitors.


5. You can make your TV your main display. To do this, you need to left-click to select display number two in the screenshot diagram above and perform the action that is marked “4” in the picture. That is, check the box. If you don't want to change, then just don't do anything.


6. Still in the same screenshot above there is a link to additional parameters, by clicking on which you can update the display drivers (check for their availability at all); set the desired screen frequency; make adjustments to the monitor’s color scheme; and also go to the driver settings responsible for the graphical shell. The window will look something like this:

7. If all manipulations with the settings are completed, it’s time to apply them. To do this, click on the button at the bottom of the “OK” window, or it was called “5” in the previous screenshot.

What to do if the TV continues to stubbornly not connect to the computer?

To answer this question, you first need to understand the reason for not connecting. After all, it can turn out to be both at the program level and completely at the physical level. We will discuss all these cases below.

  • Check cable connections. Very often, beginners, for fear of damaging their computer or TV, do not fully insert the plug into the special slot. If it is DVI or VGA, then the plug must also be secured with bolts that are located directly on the plug itself. There may also be a problem with the cable itself; try changing it or checking it on another PC.
  • Check that the correct connector is selected. Try not to confuse VGA with DVI, as well as inputs and outputs, for example on the same SCART, where there is an input and output. It also happens that video cards have several DVI inputs; choose the one that fits your plug, or you will have to buy an additional adapter.
  • RebootWindows. Sometimes the system needs a reboot to see the new display (TV, in our case), so the site’s experts recommend that after installing drivers or simply entering additional parameters, restart the PC and perhaps after that the TV will be found by the computer.
  • Try disconnecting the wire and doing all the steps described above again. If you made a mistake at any stage, you may have to disconnect the wire and do the connection and configuration steps described above - again. Don’t be lazy to do this, since calling a specialist will cost you a considerable amount of money.
  • Check if the drivers are installed on the video card. If you did not have drivers for the video card installed on your operating system, or a technical error was made during installation, then most likely you will not be able to connect the TV correctly (the resolution will not be set at all, or the image will not be natural).
  • Select the correct mode on your TV. If the computer sees the TV connected, but there is still nothing on your screen, it means you have not selected the correct mode. For example, instead of PC they chose AV-1 or AV-2 or even VHS. Be careful.
  • Your TV is unable to see signals sent by your computer. We do not exclude the possibility that the PC may not recognize the TV at all due to the characteristics of the latter. This often happens in Chinese models, where such a possibility seems to be available, but in practice there is nothing even close to this.
  • Contact a specialist for help. And the last, probably the most correct option (but also the most expensive) would be to contact a service center. Here they will help you with a specific problem and find solutions. The thing is that each case is unique, it is impossible to foresee everything, because sometimes the TV may not connect due to ordinary viruses.
I answer all questions in detail.
Friends! Everything you do on the computer, watch movies, cartoons, chat on Skype, play, view photos, slides or Internet pages in a browser, all this will be shown on the screen of your TV if the TV is connected to the computer via an HDMI cable. Nowadays, almost any TV has an HDMI input, and most produced video cards have an HDMI output.
The HDMI interface was invented in order to connect two high-tech digital devices (which are undoubtedly your computer and TV) and transfer information from device to device without loss of quality. Such transmitted information can be an image and multi-channel high-quality sound. If you have a movie or cartoon on your computer, in any HD, Blu-ray or AVI, MOV, MPG, MP4 format, then you can watch it all on your TV. There are slides or photos, please look. I’m not talking about games, because I’m not a supporter of them; they take up a lot of time from young people, which can be spent on studying. We connect the TV to the computer via HDMI with a second monitor To connect the computer to the TV we will use an HDMI cable, it looks like this and can be up to 20 meters long, choose the cable of the length you need.

For example, let’s take a Samsung TV, a not entirely new 4 series (LED type), purchased several years ago, but it already has two connectors for connecting HDMI devices.

The computer that we will use to connect to the TV was also purchased about three years ago, it has an Nvidia video card installed and also has an HDMI connector.

As I already said, our TV has two HDMI connectors. With the TV turned off, connect the HDMI cable to the HDMI 2 connector,

We connect the reverse end of the cable to the HDMI connector of the video card of the desktop computer. The computer, in turn, is already connected to the monitor (also Samsung SyncMaster 971P) with a DVI cable.

We turn on the computer and TV. There may not be an image on the TV right away; instead, we see this message: “Cable not connected” “Check cable connections and source parameter” or “Weak signal or no signal”

On Samsung TVs, to display a list of all available video sources, you need to press the Source button on the remote control.

A menu appears on the TV, in this menu, using the remote control, select the HDMI 2 connector,

Now, on our TV, an exact copy of our computer’s desktop should appear. But again there is nothing, the same error appears on a black screen. So we go to the “Screen Resolution” settings. Right-click on the desktop and select “Screen Resolution”.

As we can see in the window that appears, our main screen is set to the second (2) Samsung SyncMaster 971P monitor, and in the “Multiple Screens” parameter we have set “Display desktop only on 2 monitor”, which is why the image is only present on the computer monitor screen, but it's not on the TV


We bring everything in this window to this state. Select a parameter
Multiple screens: "Duplicate these screens"
In the “Screen” parameter, “Multiple monitors” is automatically set, click Apply and OK.

The desktop of our computer appears on the TV.

The resolution of our small Samsung TV is 1366 x 768. If your computer monitor supports this resolution, then it will automatically be set to the same resolution of 1366 x 768. If not, then either the TV or monitor will have the wrong resolution. For example, my Samsung SyncMaster 971P monitor has a maximum resolution of 1280x1024. When using a TV and a computer monitor at the same time, the main thing for me is to set the resolution on the TV correctly, otherwise why would I connect it then. I set the resolution to 1366 x 768 on my Samsung TV, the image is perfect.

And on a computer monitor this resolution of 1366 x 768 looks like this.

And nothing can be done here. If you want the perfect image on your TV and computer monitor, then they must support the same screen resolution, that is, have the same characteristics. There is no sound on the TV after connecting the TV to the computer via HDMI Friends! Don't forget that the HDMI interface transmits video and sound over one cable, and we can specify in the operating system settings to use the TV's built-in speakers for sound output.
Let's fix the problem by using a TV instead of a monitor. Go to Start->Control Panel->

Hardware and Sound->Sound

If you don’t have anything in this field, right-click on an empty space and in the menu that appears, check the “Show disabled devices” items. "Show connected devices"
Now we look at the name of our TV, in my case it is Samsung, we need to turn it on and turn off the rest. Right-click on Realtek and select Disable.

We also turn off the speakers.

Samsung – Enable, Apply and OK.

Probably everyone has ever wanted to watch a downloaded movie or play some games on the big screen. It’s easier to watch a movie in comfort on the sofa, rather than sitting on a chair near the monitor.

After turning on the computer, the TV should display your desktop as it was on the computer. And you can run any movies, games and other applications.

It should be noted right away that when connecting a TV using VGA, the sound will still be played by the computer. The VGA connector is designed to transmit only images, not sound. Therefore, we will not be able to use the TV’s capabilities to reproduce sound with this connection.

How to connect a computer to a TV with an HDMI cable

Rice. 3. What does the HDMI connector look like?

To connect your computer to your TV using this method, you will need an HDMI cable. It has the shape of a rectangle with 2 beveled edges. If you do not have a cord, you can purchase one at any computer equipment and computer accessories store.

Rice. 4. HDMI cable

Connection is also not difficult. Simply connect the HDMI cable to your TV and then to your computer. Next, you need to select on the TV itself which stream to use for display. To do this, press SOURCE on the remote control and select HDMI. After this, your desktop will be displayed on the TV.

It is worth noting that this connection method gives a clearer image, unlike VGA. Since the signal is analog via the VGA cable, and digital via HDMI.

HDMI also transmits sound, so this connection makes it possible to listen to the sound of movies, games and other applications using the acoustic capabilities of the TV, which provides additional convenience and benefits of such a connection.

Thus, connecting your computer to the TV will not be difficult and will not require any significant cash outlay, since you already have these cables, and if you don’t have them, they are inexpensive. As a result, you have the opportunity to watch any movie on a large diagonal screen with high-quality sound.

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To do this, inspect the connectors available on the device. If you cannot determine the types of ports by eye, find their description in the documentation for your computer. Depending on the device model, you may see the following types of connectors:

  • HDMI is a digital interface that is present on most modern computers. It transmits both audio and video, and therefore is optimal for outputting a multimedia signal to a TV.
  • DVI is another digital port that is widely available on the market. It transmits only video, no sound.
  • VGA is a popular analog connector. Like the previous type of port, it outputs only a video signal.
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  • Mini DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 2, USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) are digital interfaces that are present in Apple computers. They all transmit video and sound. In addition, the Mac may be equipped with a regular HDMI connector.

There are other types of connectors. But we have listed the most popular ones. Surely your device is equipped with one or more of them.

2. Determine which connectors for signal reception are on the TV

Inspect the TV ports. Most modern models have HDMI and VGA connectors. Older ones are equipped with RCA format ports, the plugs for which are called tulips:

3. Select a cable according to the available connectors

If you have an HDMI TV

If both your TV and your computer have an HDMI connector, then everything is simple: you can connect the devices using an HDMI cable. This option will be optimal.

To connect a computer that does not have an HDMI port to an HDMI TV, you will also need a special signal converter along with an HDMI cable. Which one exactly depends on the connector available on the computer. This could be DVI → HDMI, VGA → HDMI or other adapters to HDMI.

In addition to the HDMI cable, such converters can often be connected to an additional audio cable, the other end of which is inserted into the computer. This allows audio to be transmitted bypassing the limitations of DVI and VGA. An audio cable is often sold complete with a converter.


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To connect to a Mac HDMI TV with Thunderbolt 2 or Mini DisplayPort, you will need a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter along with an HDMI cable. For it to transmit sound, ask the store for an adapter that supports audio.

If you have a VGA TV

For a VGA TV, the procedure will be similar. Only you will need an HDMI → VGA, DVI → VGA or other converter, depending on the computer port. The main thing is that it converts the signal to VGA.

If you have a TV with an RCA connector

If you have a very old model of TV with tulips at your disposal, then converters like HDMI → RCA, VGA → RCA and others that provide an RCA signal at the output are suitable.

In order not to make a mistake when buying a cable or converter, you can tell the seller the types of connectors on your TV and computer: he will select the appropriate option for you or check the compatibility of your choice.

4. Connect devices via cable

Turn off your computer and TV first for safety reasons. Next, connect the devices using a cable (and, if necessary, a converter). Only then turn on the devices. If the TV does not automatically detect the computer as the signal source, then do it yourself in the TV settings.

5. Adjust the TV picture using your computer

If the image is blurry, open the system settings on your computer and find the section responsible for the monitor. Here you can set the resolution that matches your TV and change the video display mode if necessary.

How to connect a computer to a TV via Wi-Fi

Modern smart TVs can be connected to computers wirelessly via a local Wi-Fi network. Technologies like DLNA and Wi-Fi Direct allow you to broadcast video, music and other content to your TV screen or completely duplicate the image from your computer on your TV, turning the latter into a wireless monitor. Moreover, in the case of Wi-Fi Direct, you don’t even need a router for this.

For example, on LG devices there is a service for similar functions. And Samsung TVs offer similar capabilities as part of the AllShare service.

Wireless connection settings may vary depending on the manufacturer and model of your TV. Some devices establish a connection in semi-automatic mode. Others require installation of additional software on the connected computer.

Therefore, it is difficult to formulate universal instructions that will suit all users. If you want to connect your TV to a computer via Wi-Fi, you will find the necessary information in the paper manual or on the manufacturer's official website along with the software required for this.