Connecting LCD TV to computer

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kiwipearls

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#82628 3-May-2011 11:05

We just upgraded our tv to a Toshiba Regza 42 inch LCD - second hand off a friend, but still so much better than our 29inch flat screen CRT that we have had the past 10 years.

I am just wondering the best connection for the computer.

Please forgive me if I do not make sense, I do not fully know the names of the cables and the holes they plug into.

Currently have a yellow coaxial cable coming out of the video out/component thingy box on the computer to the yellow port on the DVR and the sound red and white from computer to the red and white on the DVR. But this means we view things from the PC in SD.

This is our equipment:

Toshiba Regza 42inch 42A3000A
MyskyHDi
Panasonic DMR EH57 DVR
Pioneer Audio/Video Multi channel reciever VSX-517 -s/-k

Mysky is hooked up using the HDMI cable to the TV.
Optical sound is going through the DVR to the Receiver.
So we watch sky and dvds, listening via the receiver.
Computer we watch on AV4 channel of the DVR - with sound through the receiver

On the back of the tv is female RGBPC connection, but I do not know what type of cable to get that is long enough to reach like my yellow coaxial cable to plug into the DVI ports of my computers graphic card.

It needs to be 8m long.

If I can't get cable long enough is there another option or device, that I could put closer to my TV that I could network with my PC and use a long Ethernet cable instead?

Hopefully this makes sense to someone and I look forward to hearing from you.

"In the real world as in dreams, nothing is quite what it seems" - The Book of Counted Sorrows

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illicit

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#464826 3-May-2011 12:39

You need a 10m VGA male-male cable for the video from the PC to the TV

Does your PC have a DVI connection?

kiwipearls

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#464847 3-May-2011 13:04

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply.

Yes my pc/graphics card has 2 dvi plugs. One has the monitor in it.

That's great I know what to ask for now.

And I am hoping the connection works as I tried directly connecting the coaxial yellow ended cable directly to the tv, but my graphics card did not like that connection - so I reverted back through the DVR - which works.

So I am guessing using the VGA cable it will detect things better.

Thanks soo much.

"In the real world as in dreams, nothing is quite what it seems" - The Book of Counted Sorrows

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timmmay

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#464852 3-May-2011 13:10

If your PC has two DVI plugs you can't fit a VGA cable. You can get a DVI to HDMI cable, but that doesn't carry sound. It's possible to get graphics cards for PCs that have a proper HDMI output, with sound.

For my office TV I run a VGA cable to the TV, and audio cables to my amp.

kiwipearls

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#464859 3-May-2011 13:24

timmmay: If your PC has two DVI plugs you can't fit a VGA cable. You can get a DVI to HDMI cable, but that doesn't carry sound. It's possible to get graphics cards for PCs that have a proper HDMI output, with sound.

For my office TV I run a VGA cable to the TV, and audio cables to my amp.

Ok, what is the point of having two DVI connection things on my graphics card then if I cannot connect two display devices?

My TV only has one HDMI port - which is used by MySky. So HDMI is out of the question.

If I get VGA to VGA and not use the DVI little connector thingy to DVI and just go straight to VGA then that would be using the Mobo graphics and not my graphics card.

LOL this is slightly confusing.

"In the real world as in dreams, nothing is quite what it seems" - The Book of Counted Sorrows

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timmmay

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#464861 3-May-2011 13:30

I think you might need to read my post more carefully ;)

You have two DVI ports, so you can't use a VGA cable. VGA is an older analog technology, DVI is a newer digital port, HDMI without the sound. Of course you can connect a "DVI to HDMI cable" (search for that term) from your PC to your TV, they're not expensive.

It just makes getting the sound more complex, as I don't know how you run video and sound separately to a TV if you're using an HDMI input. You'd probably have to run the sound to an amp, I guess. The advantage of a new video card is you can run sound and video over HDMI to the TV, which is nice and easy.

Ragnor

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#464875 3-May-2011 14:05

Contrary to what Timmmay is saying...

For video from the computer: You should be able to use a male DVI to female VGA adapter on one of your video card's DVI ports to connect VGA cable (like the one Illict posted) to the TV.

Many video cards and monitors come with such an adapter in the box.

The reason this should work is most video cards can detect what's connected and output the right signal (in this case analogue) out the video card DVI port.

No harm in trying but can't guarantee it will work as it depends on the video card and the tv detection interacting correctly.

Q: Do you already have audio connected from the PC to the receiver?

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timmmay

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#464879 3-May-2011 14:15

Why would you bother using a DVI to VGA adapter when you can just connect it to an HDMI socket?

Nety

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#464887 3-May-2011 14:31

@timmmay most video card DVI ports can use a DVI to VGA converter. This does require that the DVI is DVI-I but I have not seen many that do not.

@kiwipearls have you considered using a HDMI switch? You can pick them up for around $20 on Trademe and they will automatically switch (or manually) between two or three HDMI sources. You could then use a DVI to HDMI cable which will give you better picture quality then VGA. Also depending on your video card it may also give you sound (some addon VGA cards have a two pin header for spdif).

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Dunnersfella

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#464892 3-May-2011 14:52

timmmay: Why would you bother using a DVI to VGA adapter when you can just connect it to an HDMI socket?

Because the OP has only got 1 HDMI connection on his TV... and that's already in use.
Hence the DVI to VGA converter brought up by other posters.

timmmay

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#464899 3-May-2011 15:05

Ah. So I should read threads more carefully then? Where's the fun in that? ;)

kiwipearls

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#464930 3-May-2011 17:11

Sorry it has taken me a while to reply - got distracted when the Tornado hit Albany, Auckland and just had to make sure my family was safe. And was worried about my husband in Glenfield.

I have a VGA to DVI converter thingy, not sure if that is the correct name to call it. That I can stick on a VGA cable and plug into the DVI on the back of the computer. That came with the Graphics card.

I am just wondering would the VGA cable and VGA/DVI converter give a better picture plugged directly into the LCD tv, than the coaxial (that name is written on the cable, so I am sure that is what it is called) cable that I plug into the yellow slot of the DVR.

Sound is currently sent out to the DVR with another cable that has the red and white (L & R) plug things. And then the DVR is plugged into the receiver with the optical cable. I could probably hook sound up a better way to the receiver - but I am just using the cables I currently have. But I only have one optical input on the back of my receiver, which is why I have been feeding things through my DVR.

I don't think I am utilising my receiver to the best of it's abilities, but that is because I do not any other way to do it better.

So Sky sound is AV1 on the DVR while watching sky on the HDMI channel of the TV and PC sound is channel AV4 on the DVR as well as picture.

Hope this makes more sense. It's probably all wired wrong lol

I will one day upgrade the graphics card on that pc, but it is the kids machine and no real rush. I use it mainly for streaming TVNZ ondemand, because I can't record more than two channels on the Mysky - and I cannot miss my Desperate Housewives. But still want to be able to watch it from the comfort of my couch on my big screen telly.

"In the real world as in dreams, nothing is quite what it seems" - The Book of Counted Sorrows

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Ragnor

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#464949 3-May-2011 18:12

What resolution will be sent over VGA from the video card to the TV will depend on what the TV reports to the video card that it can handle over that port/plug.

Often this is only 1024x768 but it depends on the TV, no harm if giving it a try.

kiwipearls

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#464954 3-May-2011 18:30

Ragnor: What resolution will be sent over VGA from the video card to the TV will depend on what the TV reports to the video card that it can handle over that port/plug.

Often this is only 1024x768 but it depends on the TV, no harm if giving it a try.

Yep, no harm in trying. Now that I know what the name of the cable is called, I've looked them are and they are all reasonably priced.

Thanks everyone for your help, much appreciated.

"In the real world as in dreams, nothing is quite what it seems" - The Book of Counted Sorrows

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