Connecting a PC to an HD TV

[thestaggy]

Hi folks.

We're trying to connect a PC to an HD TV. Our PC has a VGA slot while the TV has an HDMI slot. We've tried a VGA to HDMI slot and the TV simply says ''No Signal''. We assume it is because it is a direct analog to digital link, so do we need some sort of adapter or converter? Also, are there any sort of settings we need to change on the PC-side as well?

 

[Keeper]

You could buy component cables, converters and all sorts of other things for the VGA port, which may or may not work... I'd recommend buying an entirely new Graphics card.
Even the cheapest of cards today will most likely have a HDMI Port or a DVI at the very least.

You need it to process video for you anyway, don't you?
A GFX card that doesn't even have DVI will probably not be able to handle HD Content.


Or you could just buy a cheap media player, and wire it via LAN Cable.... then you don't even need to move the PC.

If you have a Smart TV, you could install Plex, and then you don't need ANYTHING at all.

 

[thestaggy]

Thanks. Okay, the card does have a DVI slot, so a DVI direct to HDMI would be an easier option and should work?

 

[mintydroid]

Gt210 is dirt cheap and works under Linux as well.

 

[Keeper]

Thanks. Okay, the card does have a DVI slot, so a DVI direct to HDMI would be an easier option and should work?

YES. Why are you bothering with VGA when you have DVI?

 

[Chevron]

YES. Why are you bothering with VGA when you have DVI?

This.

 

[DominionZA]

Thanks. Okay, the card does have a DVI slot, so a DVI direct to HDMI would be an easier option and should work?

DVI and HDMI are basically equal in video quality, but DVI does not carry an audio signal. You will need to use the onboard audio of the PC (toslink preferred) to an amp or your TV.

To make things simple, I would just upgrade the graphics card to one that has HDMI and run an HDMI to the TV. Most TV 's have an audio out sob you could use that to hook up to an amp.

Overall though, just get a freaking Roku or something. Your life will be so much simpler.

 

[iJasper]

Sorry about hijacking, but does anyone know where one can buy a dual link DVI D cable?

 

[DominionZA]

Sorry about hijacking, but does anyone know where one can buy a dual link DVI D cable?

Check out www.hdcabling.co.za. I get most of my cable related stuff from them.

 

[iJasper]

Thanks

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Just get a proper GPU for this purpose? It costs about R450 for a G210 which is ideal for media purposes. It has an HDMI port so you can just plug in directly.

 

[Terencek]

'Scuse my ignorance, but could a media player as mentioned above, actually be used straight out of the box to connect something like a decoder or anything else with standard AV outputs, to a computer monitor?

 

[porchrat]

DVI does not carry an audio signal.

This is not true. It depends on the model of graphics card. Some do allow you to push audio through the DVI port. Some have built in adapters and others allow you to run sound through them from the motherboard. A lot of the newer cards offer these sorts of things.

 

[DominionZA]

This is not true. It depends on the model of graphics card. Some do allow you to push audio through the DVI port.

True story. Missed the "to HDMI" part. Read my statement as DVI to DVI rather which did not answer the quoted question anyway.

 

[porchrat]

True story. Missed the "to HDMI" part. Read my statement as DVI to DVI rather which did not answer the quoted question anyway.

Ah yes agreed. DVI to DVI one would be totally out of luck. Also with most of the older graphics cards even with DVI to HDMI one would still be in trouble. The OP would need to check the model of his card to be sure.

I don't know why the whole planet isn't on HDMI everywhere. DVI makes things too complicated.

 

[Batista]

Best advice is to just buy a graphics card that supports HDMI, finish and klaar.

 

[EmileS]

Best advice is to just buy a graphics card that supports HDMI, finish and klaar.

+1

Also, I had the same experience once with VGA - VGA. There is a setting on Windows under the "screen resolution settings". I think the PC didn't pickup the new connection and should be changed manually to "extended view" or "duplicate view". Although, it should be automatically detected by your PC, sometimes it just doesn't. Happens a lot to me on my work laptop.

 

[diabolus]

'Scuse my ignorance, but could a media player as mentioned above, actually be used straight out of the box to connect something like a decoder or anything else with standard AV outputs, to a computer monitor?

No, not the Roku because it doesn't have AV inputs (as far as i know), but you DO get media players that does have it. The real question here is, why not get a DVD Player/Blueray drive with AV Inputs and HDMI out? Then you're sorted?

I have one of these Samsung Blueray Media centres (about R2500-R3000) which is basically a blueray drive with speakers and all kinds of inputs (USB/Wifi/Ethernet/RGB) combined with Samsungs Smart TV software (you can install apps on the blueray drive in other words), all going out to HDMI output...

I've also done what you described in the past using an External TV Tuner card, mine actually had a VGA output at the time like this : http://www.esquire-shop.co.za/ProductDescription.aspx?id=1299123

 

[jacksback]

Sorry about hijacking, but does anyone know where one can buy a dual link DVI D cable?

Where you based? These guys are very reasonable with their prices

http://www.avsupply.co.za/index.php/video-dvi-c-1_46_17

 

[Terencek]

No, not the Roku because it doesn't have AV inputs (as far as i know), but you DO get media players that does have it. The real question here is, why not get a DVD Player/Blueray drive with AV Inputs and HDMI out? Then you're sorted?

No I think you may be missing the point of my query -- what I want to do, for example, is simply run my DSTV decoder through my computer monitor when and if I want, instead of through the TV. The solution you propose is far too complex (and expensive) for this supposedly simple task.

The alternative is to buy another TV, but as I already have a perfectly good TV and a perfectly good computer monitor this would be a waste. So my query still stands, thanks!