I have, like many, the option on my plasma to have the computer image on the TV screen. From the TV, where does it go? To the PC monitor output or the PC? If it goes to the PC, which socket does it go into? Lastly, where do I get a 5m cable which connects easily at both ends? I haven't found it easy to find any cable of any quality which makes it obvious where it connects to. Even from the TV manufacturer. Please help me.
PC to TV cable?
- Thread starter harrisonaard1
- Start date
nads
Well-known member
well which conectors are you going to be using?
VGA,DVI or HDMI? or some other terminal? there arte many options. like i use DVI to HDMI on mine.
VGA,DVI or HDMI? or some other terminal? there arte many options. like i use DVI to HDMI on mine.
The TV is apparently a D-Sub 15 pin connector.(?) That's all I know. My HDMI goes to the Amp, and thence to the DVD.
professorhat
Well-known member
The back of your TV probably looks a little like this:
The D-Sub connnector will most likely be labelled PC and will look like the blue port on the right at the bottom. Your PC should have exactly the same port. To connect the two, you need what''s generally just called a VGA cable which has this type of connection at both ends:
Note, this will only carry picture, not sound. If you want sound, most likely, your PC will either have standard RCA phono outputs or a 3.5mm line out socket (depending on your soundcard). This could be hooked up direct to your TV's audio input socket or to the amp.
The D-Sub connnector will most likely be labelled PC and will look like the blue port on the right at the bottom. Your PC should have exactly the same port. To connect the two, you need what''s generally just called a VGA cable which has this type of connection at both ends:
Note, this will only carry picture, not sound. If you want sound, most likely, your PC will either have standard RCA phono outputs or a 3.5mm line out socket (depending on your soundcard). This could be hooked up direct to your TV's audio input socket or to the amp.
Thank you. You have obviously spent a bit of time making the simplest of answers. I presume that a decent VGA cable is available in longer lengths? The audio out presumably goes somewhere sensible on the AV Amp? I do have 7.1 out (in single 3.5mm sockets), so there should be a 7.1cable to whatever is on the back of my amp? Is (BBC iplayer) broadcast in anything better than stereo? Otherwise that would be a very simple connection; even from the headphone socket?
professorhat
Well-known member
This VGA cable should do the job just fine (up to 10m). You can get cheaper from the likes of Maplin I would have thought.
I have to admit, I'm not entirely sure how a 3.5mm 7.1 output on a PC soundcard gets translated to connections which would fit into an ordinary AV amp - maybe someone with more experience in using a PC for home cinema can help here. However, if it's just for BBC iPlayer, you'll only need stereo in which case one of the following can be connected from the standard line out socket to an input on the amp:
You can get better quality versions of these types of cables too - have a look at the 3.5mm jack section within hificables.co.uk.
I have to admit, I'm not entirely sure how a 3.5mm 7.1 output on a PC soundcard gets translated to connections which would fit into an ordinary AV amp - maybe someone with more experience in using a PC for home cinema can help here. However, if it's just for BBC iPlayer, you'll only need stereo in which case one of the following can be connected from the standard line out socket to an input on the amp:
You can get better quality versions of these types of cables too - have a look at the 3.5mm jack section within hificables.co.uk.
nads
Well-known member
what connections do you have on the PC. and what do you have on the TV.
not impresed with the VGA into my Pio.
and for the sound i would be tempted to just use a optical digi cable to the amp.
not impresed with the VGA into my Pio.
and for the sound i would be tempted to just use a optical digi cable to the amp.
- professorhat -
"I'm not entirely sure how a 3.5mm 7.1 output on a PC soundcard gets translated to connections which would fit into an ordinary AV amp.."
'Tis a bit of a nest, but I have the cable. However, I thought that stereo was the best I could get. I don't know why I asked for a 7.1 soundcard, as my DVD and Amp do that. Thanks for the links.
"I'm not entirely sure how a 3.5mm 7.1 output on a PC soundcard gets translated to connections which would fit into an ordinary AV amp.."
'Tis a bit of a nest, but I have the cable. However, I thought that stereo was the best I could get. I don't know why I asked for a 7.1 soundcard, as my DVD and Amp do that. Thanks for the links.
Tonya
Well-known member
Using the standard VGA output to a plasma or LCD screen is usually OK for web stuff or photos, but if you want to eek out the best possible video quality, you have to use the HDMI output of the PC (if available) direct to an HDMI input on the TV.
Also enable the "1:1 pixel mapping" function on the TV if available and check the resolution of the PC is set to the maximum your TV or PC can use, in my case 1920 x 1080.
Note that using an HDMI cable means it does not usually carry the audio signal.
When it comes to audio, if it's a laptop, then the standard headphone socket very usually doubles up as a digital optical output.
You can see this if you examine the socket carefully and see a red light eminating from it when you introduce a headphone jack to it.
In this case, you will need a simple fibre optic cable to link it to your amp.
If your PC is a full size model, it will almost certainly have a digital out socket, albeit probably coaxial phono socket rather than an optical port connector.
Just send this signal to the coaxial digital input of your surround amp using a single solid phono to phono cable to enjoy multichannel audio.
Using a straight digital out from the PC and into your amp will almost always result in superior audio versus using the separate analogue mini-jack output sockets, as onboard DACs on average soundcards are often not that good and tend to suffer from electronic noise generated from the motherboard's various processors.
The DAC in your amp will certainly do a better job!
If your full size computer doesn't currently have a video card that supports HDMI or DVI, it's relatively simple and cheap to replace the video card with one that does.
The increase in picture quality from using digital over analogue VGA is well worth it.
My picture quality from the PC is razor sharp with rock solid stability and brilliant colour definition on a Sony 52W4500 set.
Good luck, I hope some of the above info is useful to you.
Also enable the "1:1 pixel mapping" function on the TV if available and check the resolution of the PC is set to the maximum your TV or PC can use, in my case 1920 x 1080.
Note that using an HDMI cable means it does not usually carry the audio signal.
When it comes to audio, if it's a laptop, then the standard headphone socket very usually doubles up as a digital optical output.
You can see this if you examine the socket carefully and see a red light eminating from it when you introduce a headphone jack to it.
In this case, you will need a simple fibre optic cable to link it to your amp.
If your PC is a full size model, it will almost certainly have a digital out socket, albeit probably coaxial phono socket rather than an optical port connector.
Just send this signal to the coaxial digital input of your surround amp using a single solid phono to phono cable to enjoy multichannel audio.
Using a straight digital out from the PC and into your amp will almost always result in superior audio versus using the separate analogue mini-jack output sockets, as onboard DACs on average soundcards are often not that good and tend to suffer from electronic noise generated from the motherboard's various processors.
The DAC in your amp will certainly do a better job!
If your full size computer doesn't currently have a video card that supports HDMI or DVI, it's relatively simple and cheap to replace the video card with one that does.
The increase in picture quality from using digital over analogue VGA is well worth it.
My picture quality from the PC is razor sharp with rock solid stability and brilliant colour definition on a Sony 52W4500 set.
Good luck, I hope some of the above info is useful to you.
Thank you so much Tonya, I shall try all of those things! I found the digital out when I was rooting around the back. (!) I now have another query, (To all who know), which is -
My computer doesn't seem to like sending out a 'clone' signal for two monitors! It worked the first time, (which was really exiting and equally as good as digi-tv), but then the control panel for the video card (and the 'monitor' bit of the device management list) disappeared from my computer. After going back to a restore point it keeps on doing it. Has anyone else had this problem rear its extremely annoying head?
Vista - NVIDIA geforce9600GT graphics card (the sound is fine through the sound card)
P.S. I know that this is a bit computer led rather than purely A/V, but computers do it all nowadays!
My computer doesn't seem to like sending out a 'clone' signal for two monitors! It worked the first time, (which was really exiting and equally as good as digi-tv), but then the control panel for the video card (and the 'monitor' bit of the device management list) disappeared from my computer. After going back to a restore point it keeps on doing it. Has anyone else had this problem rear its extremely annoying head?
Vista - NVIDIA geforce9600GT graphics card (the sound is fine through the sound card)
P.S. I know that this is a bit computer led rather than purely A/V, but computers do it all nowadays!
I think that I have found the problem! If one turns off the TV, then plugs the cable in, then turns on the TV, then re-starts the computer, then accepts the windows which have now found your TV, then change the monitor settings, then click 'ACCEPT' or 'CHANGE', then it works. It seems to have been my stupid fault all along !, I just plugged it all in and didn't click ACCEPT. D'oh.
However, if you know of any other little gems of information, then all can come here and find out. (Including me).
However, if you know of any other little gems of information, then all can come here and find out. (Including me).
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