Hooking PC to your tv????

Topic: Hooking PC to your tv???? (Read 5498 times) previous topic - next topic

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #15 – February 24, 2009, 01:30:30 PM

My Samsung has a VGA input. Looks pretty nice at 1920x1200! I've streamed LOST in HD over it and was impressed.

Viewing pictures? Fuggetaboutit!:D

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #16 – February 24, 2009, 01:41:59 PM

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My Samsung has a VGA input. Looks pretty nice at 1920x1200! I've streamed LOST in HD over it and was impressed.

Viewing pictures? Fuggetaboutit!:D

Yeah, my buddy has the 61" 1080 version samsung. Great TV and the DLP's demolish standard rear projection. clocking 9000hrs on the original bulb too. His HTPC is about the same as mine but i was able to run HDMI directly where as he had to go from HDMI to the VGA. Looks amazing though. Unfortunately im one of those people that see the rainbow effect in the DLP's.

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #17 – February 24, 2009, 02:04:56 PM

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My Samsung has a VGA input. Looks pretty nice at 1920x1200! I've streamed LOST in HD over it and was impressed.

Yeah, no problems here with an older 50" Samsung DLP 720p. It does have a VGA (PC) input as well as an HDMI. I couldn't get the computer resolution settings correct using a DVI-to-HDMI converter cable. But hooking it up from DVI-to-VGA through the PC input of the TV, that looked very, very nice. Funny, I did the same thing and streamed "Lost" from abc.com and even though I selected the standard definition version, it sure looked like 720 resolution on the screen. Pretty amazing actually.

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #18 – February 25, 2009, 04:25:12 AM

Hey guys, I built what they call a Home Theater PC. It is just for this and supports HD. Google, HTPC or Home Theater PC and it will let you know what is needed. Thats how I watch TV...Lightning did in all of my Home Theater System a few years ago and I went this route. It was cheaper, easier, and I only have one box under my TV with a couple speakers that controls everything. My wife browses the net while I watch Speed...LOL. Not really. I don't have Speed anymore.

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #19 – March 17, 2009, 06:26:20 PM

I know old thread but I don't make it down here much. You guys have alot of reading to do. http://www.avsforum.com

I'm still rocking the 480i 61" rear projection so I've accepted the fact hooking my pc up is worthless. DVD's are ok but not as good as a DVD player.

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #20 – March 17, 2009, 06:40:00 PM

av science is a great source ;0) i prefer other sources for DIY speakers though.

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HTPC or Home Theater PC

Only way to go IMO. Hoping to build another in a few more months.

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #21 – March 22, 2009, 03:14:35 AM

Quote from: shame302;258411

just plugging it in isn't going to make it work. you have to turn it on as a 2nd or primary monitor in the user control settings.

I did that and picture and video work great, but I have no audio. Audio only works out my laptop which is very low in volume. The HDMI cables are not carrying the audio or my laptop won’t let it. It’s an Inspiron 1525

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #22 – March 22, 2009, 03:43:56 AM

I have a Hauppauge PVR-350 PCI card and Sage TV DVR software. I can record from cable on my PC and burn to DVD, and the card comes with an IR receiver and remote so I can also (somewhat) easily watch shows I've recorded on my PC (Sage TV understands the remote commands). I also bought a USB-UIRT, which is a an IR emitter that lets Sage TV control the cable box.

So basically when I want to record something, I open up Sage TV, go to the show, click on it, click Record, and it will set the cable box and record at the appropriate time. It gets the program guide for free from the Internet out to two weeks from the present. I generally don't use my PC to watch shows (though I can and have on rare occasions); I generally record movies and burn to DVD (with Nero). As a bonus, I have a little converter that tries to improve the RCA video coming out of the cable box up to S-Video levels before entering the card. It doesn't give "true" S-Video quality, but it is a definite improvement.

I showed my setup to my dad and he thought it was so awesome he got the exact same setup for his PC. I couldn't count the movies he's recorded and burned to DVD since.

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #23 – March 22, 2009, 12:25:37 PM

Quote from: Innes;263150

I did that and picture and video work great, but I have no audio. Audio only works out my laptop which is very low in volume. The HDMI cables are not carrying the audio or my laptop won’t let it. It’s an Inspiron 1525

Shame302 could probably better explain this, but if you have an aftermarket sound card, you need to connect a short cable for your audio.
I know it's kinda vague, I need to do it to mine, just havn't gotten to it yet.

Watching Lost online, but played on the tv is kinda cool, at least the pc has a nice set of speakers

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #24 – March 22, 2009, 12:39:06 PM

your MB may only support HDMI for video rather than video and audio. Mine is set up with the HDMI to the plasma and my audio if fed through optical directly to my pre/pro. I get loss less 2 channel audio this way (important for music in my application). Optical doesn't support lossless multi channel but DVDs are lossy anyway and i don't really miss it with BD (blueray).

What you might want to try is get a cable that has the "headphone" pin on one end and splits into 2 RCA at the other and plug it into the speaker out of the laptop and the RCA audio input for your TV (assuming one is available for the HDMI "mode" or A/V "channel". whats the back of the TV look like? If you happen to have a receiver you could use that as well.

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #25 – March 23, 2009, 03:36:34 PM

Quote from: shame302;263209

What you might want to try is get a cable that has the "headphone" pin on one end and splits into 2 RCA at the other and plug it into the speaker out of the laptop and the RCA audio input for your TV.

That's what I did. But at this point, my computer speakers/sub are worlds better than the tv has, but it helps still. :hick:

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #26 – March 25, 2009, 08:30:50 PM

I love my xbox media center. It will do 720p and will stream almost any media file. The XBMC software is a great package as well. All you need is the original splinter cell game and a couple of exploit files. Half an hour to do. I used to have a home theater PC sitting in the living room, but have since opted for the xbmc. Most universal remotes can be programmed to run the xbox (assuming you have the IR receiver/dvd playback kit)

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #27 – April 18, 2009, 06:30:54 PM

Fellas...I have found the ultimate. If this is what you guys want to do but you do not want to spend the googles of dough for a HTPC.....I had just purchased this thing called WD TV. It is a Western digital High Definition interface between a portable Hard Drive and an HDTV or regular TV. You have got to check this thing out over at NewEgg.com. It's sometimes called a "Media Streamer". I hope that this solves some issues with hooking the TV to the PC for the EC (electronically challenged)

Hooking PC to your tv????

Reply #28 – April 18, 2009, 11:26:16 PM

Here's my setup. The projector only supports RGB so it's not the best quality. Great investment though. You can pick a used one up for around $300 bucks on Craigslist.

The surround sound system is an LG with HDMI outputs. 5 disc DVD changer and alot of other inputs and stuff.

Yes it looks trapezoidal. When you turn on a signal it adjust the keystone to make it look right.

Also it's 120 inches diagonally.