Figuring out how to connect your computer to your TV can be quite intimidating. There are a lot of different ways to go about, and oftentimes video and audio must be connected separately. Then there’s the matter of what is the best way to connect a computer to a TV. I’m going to try to answer all of these questions, and if I don’t cover what you need me to in this article, go ahead and use the comments to ask me about your connection, and I’ll do my best to provide an answer.
HDMI is the Best Way of Connecting Your Computer to Your TV
HDMI is the best way to connect your computer to your TV. One reason for this is that it’s the easiest, requiring only a single cable. It’s often also the least expensive, because HDMI cables are quite cheap; they are usually under $10. Don’t be fooled by companies selling very expensive cables. Those expensive cables don’t work any better than cheap ones, but that is a topic for another day. Finally, there’s the simple matter that HDMI will carry the best possible signal for both HD video and your high quality audio signals as well. If your computer has an HDMI output, the solution here is very simple: use an HDMI cable to hook your computer to your TV, or received, depending on how you have your home theater set up.
Displayport & Mini DisplayPort Are Second Best
Mini DisplayPort is the port found on newer Macs, and Thunderbolt is an even newer and better technology that uses this same port. DisplayPort can be found on more than just Macs. Both of these connections are HD video & high quality surround sound audio capable just like HDMI. The only thing that makes this connection “second best” is that an adapter will be required to plug into most TVs because TVs tend to have HDMI inputs, but neither of the DisplayPort inputs. The quality is the same, there’s just that added expense, and slight extra hassle of using the adapter. The Standard and MiniDisplay Port to HDMI adapter will have a male DisplayPort end, and a female HDMI end. Plug the male end into your computer, and then plug an HDMI cable into the female side of the adapter, and the other end into your TV. Still pretty easy, and you’re still getting the best possible signal.
DVI, Mini DVI & Micro DVI to Your TV
You’re unlikely to encounter a situation where this is the only way to go about, however, I’m going to go over it briefly anyway. For the purposes of connecting your computer to your HDTV, these connections are digital video connections capable of carrying those HD signals. Some TVs even have DVI inputs. This connection is quickly disappearing though, as better technologies emerge, such as HDMI. It also only carries video, and leaves you to connect stereo (not surround) sound from your headphone jack to an RCA (red/white) input. And though some TVs have DVI inputs, many don’t, but they will have HDMI. This means at least 2 cables and an adapter will be required to make this connection. So you’ll have to use a 3.5mm to RCA audio cable to get sound from your computer to your TV, and then you’ll need a Standard, mini or micro DVI to HDMI adapter, and then an HDMI cable to make this connection. This is your best option to still get a digital HD video signal if you don’t have the digital audio/video outputs mentioned above.
Using Composite, S-Video or VGA to Hook Up Your Computer to Your TV
While VGA has high resolution (HD) capabilities, and S-video is even capable of low-end HD signals, these are all not great ways to hook your computer to your TV. Though, they’ll certainly get the job done, it’s unlikely most people will require these connections within the next couple years. Everything will have moved on to HDMI and other digital audio/video connections. Either way, you might need to know how to do this, so here it is. The audio will be hooked up the same way as mentioned with DVI using the 3.5mm to RCA cable. Video will require either a VGA to Component cable (blue/green/red or YPbPr), VGA to S-video cable, or VGA to RCA composite (yellow) cable. The video quality will be in that order from best to worst, VGA is best, Component is next, then S-video, and RCA (which is only standard definition). This connection requires one of those cables, depending on the best input your TV or receiver has, and then the audio connection mentioned.
So there it is. This should also cover how to connect laptop to TV, as the connections are basically the same. Whether you are using a desktop PC or laptop, you should now be able to connect your computer to your TV, but again, if you still have questions please ask them in the comments section below.
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