An urgent problem for many users today is the expansion of the image from a personal computer to a home plasma display. “We connect the TV to the computer via HDMI, but there is no image,” - this is how the negative sounds from the lips of the owners of computer equipment.
In this article, the reader will get acquainted not only with the method of connecting an additional display to a PC or laptop, but also learn about the correct equipment settings. He will also be interested in the recommendations of experts in the field of IT technologies.
About pursued goals
The larger the diagonal of the LCD screen, the more comfortable the viewing of multimedia and the better image detail in games and software. A film on a TV from a computer will allow you to see the smallest details, and a fan of a dynamic toy will feel the reality of the events on the plasma screen. In fact, there are many advantages of using such a symbiosis, and all of them relate to the user's comfortable work or leisure.
In recent years, many users have become interested in Internet TV. Why pay money to a provider if you can watch your favorite channels from the official website of a television company for free? Therefore, the question: "How to bring the computer to the TV?" sounds increasingly in the media. That's just with ready-made solutions so far things are going badly.
Computer Hardware Features
Better to start with the technical capabilities of a personal computer or laptop. The fact is that it’s not enough to buy an HDMI cable for a computer. You can only connect to a TV if you have the appropriate digital video output on your PC. Therefore, the user needs to get acquainted with all the outputs of the system unit and find the desired port. It can be located on the video card or on the computer motherboard and at one of the ends of the mobile laptop.
There are devices that do not have an HDMI connector. It is quite possible to find on an old PC analog video output VGA (D-Sub) or digital DVI ports with DisplayPort. Everything already depends on the TV, in which similar inputs should be present. Having picked up the necessary cable for the TV, you will always find an opportunity to display the image from the computer.
TV Availability
But there are no problems with modern LCD devices with HDMI ports - all manufacturers provide their equipment with the required interface. Often, one port at the factory is not limited to and provides the user with the ability to connect multiple sources for outputting images via HDMI.
Large liquid crystal displays have a slightly different problem. We are talking about the resolution of the reproduced picture and the frame rate. Before connecting a computer and a TV via HDMI, the user needs to familiarize themselves with the technical characteristics of both devices, compare their video transmission capabilities and find a parameter that will be supported by both plasma and PC. Often, all equipment manufacturers strive to ensure that the equipment supports FullHD resolution (1920x1080) at a frequency of 60 Hz. True, there are exceptions that create problems for users.
The work of devices of different generations
In situations involving the connection of two devices with different interfaces (HDMI, VGA), often users wonder why the computer does not see the TV via HDMI. The explanation is simple - it is impossible to connect equipment of different generations by combining analog and digital signals with one cable. In such situations, no adapter will solve the problem - you need a converter that can decode the signal at the hardware level.
Fortunately, there are ready-made solutions at foreign auctions that can solve all the problems of users with the transmission of video signals between devices of different generations. The cost of one converter is in the range of 20-30. e., which attracts a potential buyer. All the necessary cables for video transmission are always included with the converter, so the algorithm for solving the problem is simple: we buy a converter and connect the TV to the computer via HDMI.
When there is no interface needed
Not all computers and TVs have an HDMI port - this is a fact. But you should not be upset ahead of time, since with obsolete devices the problem can always be solved. The fact is that old equipment is focused on the transmission of an analog signal. Although this technology lags behind in image quality, however, it has an order of magnitude less problems with the compatibility of different standards. Combining S-Vidio, VGA or RCA interfaces is much easier than converting an analog signal to a digital one.
The user only needs to buy a cable for the TV and connect both devices. There are many inconveniences users will encounter. Firstly, audio cannot be transmitted through the interface cable. Accordingly, you need to buy another cable. Secondly, during operation, the sound card of a computer or laptop will not be able to create an individual audio stream for the TV. Accordingly, the convenience of sharing a computer and a TV can be forgotten.
The right approach to buying cable
The user may also have problems choosing the wrong HDMI cable. The fact is that a digital video signal is not able to be transmitted over long distances via cable without loss of quality. Therefore, the future owner needs to decide on the length before buying an HDMI cable for the computer to the TV.
The main thing is to always remember that the longer the quality cable, the higher its cost. It is necessary to measure the distance between the PC and the liquid crystal display (of course, not in line of sight, but taking into account the styling) and find the appropriate cable length on the market. Yes, it is customary for buyers to purchase wires with a margin, but it should be small, since often surpluses are rarely in demand - more often they simply collect dust behind a TV or at a computer. The main thing here is to find a middle ground in the ratio “cost - cable length”.
Real offers of manufacturers
The HDMI-HDMI form factor cable is not easy to choose on the market. Any buyer can verify this on their own, just look at prices and assortment. It is logical to assume that expensive accessories have a high price only because they are made by serious brands. This is true, but, as practice shows, the more expensive the HDMI cable, the less likely that the video signal will deteriorate over a long distance. In fact, you have to pay for quality. Chinese consumer goods have no place in the domestic market.
IT experts recommend paying attention to the brand name (for example, Prolink, Cablexpert, Viewcon, Belkin), as well as focusing on the quality of the winding and the presence of ferrite filters near the connectors (barrels near the contacts). If an HDMI cable is required, the length of which exceeds 30 meters, then the user can not do without a signal amplifier. The device is expensive, but it copes with the tasks 100%.
Physical connection of two devices
This article is not about the potential difference from the school physics course, but the user still needs to know that there is a small electric charge on the video ports when the equipment is turned on in the mains. Naturally, when connecting two devices, a technician with a large charge will transfer energy via cable to the port of the connected device. Often, a TV turns out to be more powerful, which when connected burns the output on the computer's video card. Therefore, before connecting the computer to the TV via HDMI, you must disconnect one of the devices from power (remove the plug from the outlet). Naturally, this problem bypasses all users who have a grounding in the house.
Another trouble that a buyer may encounter is the lack of a video signal when connecting a cable or the transmission of an image with interference. No need to touch the settings of the TV or computer - in 99% of the problem is a poor-quality cable. It needs to be replaced. In general, experts recommend checking the HDMI cable directly in the store in order to avoid connection problems.
TV settings
It will not be difficult for the owner of the liquid crystal display on the remote control of the device to press the “Source” button and select the desired signal source. All ports on the TV panel are registered and numbered, so all that remains is to combine the software with the hardware. You do not need to expect that the image from the PC will immediately appear on the screen. The main thing here is to alert the display to receive a video signal. This completes the setup of connecting the TV to a computer via HDMI. It remains only to configure the video output of a PC or laptop.
Many users own home theaters, receivers, TV tuners, and other video and audio equipment that is connected to the LCD TV. Naturally, a situation may arise when all the HDMI ports are busy. Many users are unlikely to want to physically rearrange the HDMI cable when working with a computer, so a different solution is proposed. The video signal from the laptop can be transmitted to the tuner or receiver. In fact, there is no difference, since manufacturers use a single standard for transmitting images via HDMI.
Modern platforms
When it comes to Windows 10 or MacOS operating systems, there are practically no issues with setting up. It is enough for the user to restart the computer so that the device detects and connects a new display. The more modern the technology, the more efficient the automatic tuning is - often the HDMI signal is transmitted from the computer to the TV in FullHD format with a frequency of 60-65 Hz.
But there are exceptions, and they are primarily associated with the video device driver. Therefore, you do not need to try to get the TV to work correctly with the remote control, only fine-tuning the video card will help here. The main thing is to always remember that you need to change the parameters not just global, but only one port, otherwise, through negligence, you can destroy the signal to the PC monitor, which will be very difficult to restore.
Work with drivers
Making HDMI work like a computer monitor via HDMI, although difficult, is realistically. To do this, there are many ways that the reader will be familiar with. Owners of the Windows operating system versions 7.8 and 10 need to go to the control panel and select the “Screen” item.
By going to the “Screen Settings” tab, the user will find that the operating system has already detected the connected TV, but the image has not yet been transferred to it. The Multiple Displays option allows you to connect your TV as an additional monitor to your computer. The list contains several options, of which the user is invited to make a choice:
- Duplicate these screens. The contents of the computer desktop will be displayed on the TV screen, and all actions performed by the user will be visible on both displays.
- Expand these screens. The most interesting setting, which allows you to virtually increase the desktop area (both vertically and horizontally).
- Show desktop on screen no. Manual assignment of a port for video output is not claimed by users.
Features driver settings
It’s easy to send a signal to a TV, but adjusting the image quality and transferring sound from a computer to a TV is not so simple. First, you need to decide on the extension of the desktop - diagonally or vertically. Experts recommend focusing on the physical location of the TV in the room relative to the PC monitor. On the control panel, in the “Screen Resolution” menu, place the icon No. 2 relative to the icon No. 1 with the mouse so that it is convenient to move desktop objects between the displays.
The second step is to adjust the TV screen resolution. The main thing here is to choose a parameter that is supported by the connected display, otherwise it will fail, and the port for video output will be disabled. By clicking the "Advanced Settings" button, the user can select the display refresh rate, but IT experts do not recommend changing the frequency unless the video card and TV support the 4K standard (144 Hz). After making all the settings, you need to save the changes and exit the control panel.
Sound Tricks
All users know that the HDMI cable transmits not only high-quality images, but also sound, but there is no corresponding setting in the display resolution settings. With audio transmission, everything is simple - at the hardware level, sound enters an additional screen along with the video. That is, it is enough for the user to drag the video player window with the mouse on the TV display with the mouse. In the speakers of the computer, the sound will turn off, and in the speakers of the TV is activated.
It is worth noting that a mobile device or computer is capable of supporting several HDMI-connected video devices at the hardware level, transmitting a different image to them and providing them with sound. True, there are exceptions, and they depend on the video adapter and sound card. Low-performance devices sometimes fail, they simply don’t have enough power to process digital video and high-quality sound.
Alternative driver setup
Not only Windows, you can configure the transfer of video to a TV screen. Owners of discrete graphics cards are given the opportunity to ensure high-quality transmission through the video adapter driver (Nvidia or Radeon). The setup algorithm is still the same: we connect the TV to the computer via HDMI and install the HDMI signal source from the remote control.
And then the branded software of the video card manufacturer is involved. Going to the control panel of the Nvidia Geforce Experience or AMD Catalyst Control Center applications, you need to find the “Display” tab. One of the sub-items of this menu is responsible for setting up multiple displays.
User Feedback
Often when connecting a TV to a computer or laptop, device owners have problems that they try to solve together in the media. Most of the negative that occurs in reviews is associated with a low-quality HDMI cable, which was purchased at foreign auctions or in stores at a low price. A greedy person pays twice - this should be known to all users who decide to save on the purchase of an HDMI cable.
After adjusting the display settings and saving, the image on the main monitor disappeared? This is the second problem that users often face. The reason is quite simple - the parameters of the main monitor underwent changes. There is only one recommendation - connecting the TV to the computer, you need to control your actions. Number 1 in the system is always the main monitor - its settings cannot be changed. With the rest of the numbers (2,3,4) you can do anything.
Finally
Yes, in order to create convenience, the user needs a little time and investment. You can’t do without it. There is an instruction in which all actions are spelled out, they must be clearly performed:
- buy an HDMI cable;
- connect the TV to the computer via HDMI;
- configure the video adapter driver;
- enjoy watching.
The algorithm is simple, but a lot of work remains. In fact, there is nothing complicated, the main thing is to follow the recommendations of experts and carry out strictly specified actions. Only after receiving an image from a computer or laptop on the TV screen and making sure that there is sound transmission, you can go into additional parameters and make fine tuning.