How to Use a TV as a Computer Monitor

Determines how to connect the computer to the TV. Connect the computer to the TV via the video connection cable. The connection port can be located near the USB port, speaker or network, or you will see the discrete video card on the back of the computer. You need to find 3 main connection ports: ^[1]

• HDMI – This is the current standard for connecting to HD equipment. Most modern computers have an HDMI port on the back. HDMI can transmit audio and video signals, it looks like a long USB port.
• DVI – This is a digital connection that uses pins. The rectangular DVI port contains 24 pins divided equally into 3 rows. DVI only transmits image signals.
• VGA – This is the old standard for connecting display devices. The trapezoidal connection port contains 15 pins arranged in 3 rows, this port is usually blue. Avoid using this port if you can connect via DVI or HDMI because VGA is of low quality. VGA only transmits image signals, not HD display.

Determines how to connect the TV to the computer. After determining the connection port that the computer supports, you need to find the connection that the TV supports. Most TVs have an input port on the back, some models put the port on the side of the TV.

• Newer HDTVs have more than one HDMI port. It’s the fastest and easiest way to connect to a computer, while also providing the best quality. HDMI is the only connection method that can transmit both audio and video signals through just one cable.
• DVI is no longer common, but you can still see this connection on many HDTVs or regular TVs.
• VGA is not usually supported on HDTVs but can be found on regular TVs.

Record the input port of the TV. Here’s how to help you choose the right input port when switching from your computer monitor to your TV.

Select the appropriate cable for the connection port. Buying cable is not an easy experience because companies advertise a lot to make their products stand out from other companies. In this case, people wouldn’t mind the difference between cheap and expensive cables. If you buy an HDMI cable, you only need to care if the cable works or not, because a 20 thousand dong cable with a nearly 2 million dong cable doesn’t make much of a difference.

• If the connection ports of the computer and TV do not match, you need an adapter. For example, if the computer has a DVI port and the TV only has an HDMI port, you will need a DVI to HDMI adapter or a conversion cable. In that case, HDMI cannot transmit the audio signal because DVI does not support audio.

Connect the computer to the TV with a cable. If you connect HDMI to HDMI, no extra cable is needed. If connecting by another method, you will need an audio cable.

• To connect an audio cable from a computer, you need to use a 3.5mm cable and plug it into the headphone jack on the computer. On desktop computers, plug into the green audio jack on the back of the computer. When connecting an audio cable to the TV, you can use a single 3.5mm plug or a 2-plug stereo audio (RCA) cable.
• If connecting via VGA, turn off the computer and TV. With DVI and HDMI connections, you don’t need to turn off the device.

Switch TV input. Make sure the input selection you just connected to the TV is correct. Most TV controllers have an “Input” or “Source” button for you to choose from.

Switch to using the TV screen on the computer. There are several ways to do this, depending on the type of computer you’re using.

• Many laptops have a “Display” key that helps you switch between display connections. You just need to press the Fn key to access, maybe that key has a screen icon instead of the word “Display”.
• On Windows 7 and later, press Windows key + P to open the Project menu. You can choose the display mode you want (computer, TV, extended computer, screen copy).
• On any version of Windows, you can right-click the desktop and select “Screen Respution” or “Properties”. The “Multiple displays” menu allows you to choose between multiple display modes (computer, TV, extended computer, screen clone).

Adjust the screen resolution (if necessary). Computer monitors and TVs have different resolutions, so the TV screen may be dim when you just switch. Use the “Respution” slider in the “Screen Respution/Properties” window to adjust the resolution accordingly.

• Most HDTVs have a resolution of 1920×1080. Choose the recommended resolution (Recommended) if possible.