The question of the advisability of using TVs as monitors arises against the backdrop of a steady trend towards a reduction in the cost of the former and an improvement in image quality and diagonal size. Let's try to find the answer to it.
It must be said that in addition to its main purpose - broadcasting television programs, modern televisions are used as multimedia players (a screen in a home theater), as well as devices on which images from game consoles are displayed. And models that support SmartTV can generally be an alternative to a computer. And all this is good, is the TV capable of providing full-fledged work with text files, graphic images or video editing?
The majority of TV models do not require a person to remain in front of their screen for a long time. A picture characterized by extreme brightness, contrast and saturation has a tiring effect on the eyes. And the presence of all kinds of enhancers, the purpose of which is to give the image maximum realism when viewed from a considerable distance, leads to a deterioration in the clarity of the text on the display. In addition, the presence of embellished color rendition, and in addition the narrow gamut of sRGB color spaces, not to mention AdobeRGB, prevents video and photo editors from working correctly.
Of course, the whole aspect of the capabilities of TVs opens up when watching movies on the Internet or active gaming. This statement especially applies to televisions that have a large screen diagonal, which significantly increases the realism of everything that happens on the screen. Below we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of televisions when used as computer monitors.
Positive aspects
1 - The absolute trump cards of TVs include their cost, taking into account the size of the screen diagonal. Purchasing a TV will allow you to save a lot, as its cost is significantly lower than that of monitors of similar sizes.
2 - TVs have special operating modes that allow, for example, dynamic mode to backlight dark scenes when watching movies or while playing games. Actually, this technology was first used on televisions, and only much later it began to be used on monitors.
3 - The large screen allows you to comfortably work with small details, which is important when editing video. Many videographers have to use two monitors for this, which are installed back to back. And of course, it’s much easier when all the same things can be done on one TV with a large diagonal.
4 - An important advantage of a large television screen is the effect of immersion into what is happening, regardless of whether you are watching a very interesting film or an action scene in a computer game.
Negative sides
1 - TVs with an IPS matrix have an increased level of contrast, and this inevitably leads to a loss of detail in black shades. This is especially noticeable if the screen is located at a great distance.
2 - For embellished pictures on TVs, the saturation is excessively raised, and this has a negative impact on the ability to perceive colors and does not allow you to work in photo editors in the correct mode.
3 - The TV does not provide the same clarity as on the monitor if you are surfing the Internet or working with texts. As a rule, the culprit is a system designed to process images in order to embellish them. On some models, it is possible to solve this problem by disabling text smoothing.
4 - If a model with a large screen is installed at a close distance, then on the screen you can see individual pixels that are components of any image. It is for this reason that for TVs whose diagonal exceeds 32″, it is recommended not to use a screen resolution lower than FullHD (1920x1080).
5 - If you work for a long time using a TV screen, your eyes get very tired. This is also greatly facilitated by the need to constantly move the gaze left and right across the surface of the large screen, and moving the eyes down and up is even more tiring.
6 - A large number of TVs have an image delay (Input Lag). Incident lag (not to be confused with the time required for the matrix to respond) is the length of time it takes for the TV to display the signal sent to it on the screen. Simply put, with each action taken, there will be a delay by the amount of Input Lag, which can last from 30 ms to 150. While watching a TV show or movie, this function is practically unnoticeable. The majority of modern TVs have special modes, the use of which can significantly reduce the output delay. In addition, today there are models, such as the Sony KDL-32WD603, in which it was possible to reduce this effect to a minimum level, due to which there is almost no effect on the perception of the picture.
How can you connect your TV to your computer?
Connecting a TV to a computer can be done using one of the three main interfaces: VGA (D-Sub), DVI and HDMI. And if with the help of the latter you can broadcast in FullHD quality, then the use of the first two is recommended only when other pairing scenarios cannot be implemented.
1 - Connection using a VGA connector. The main interface that allows you to connect the monitor to a computer is the analog VGA port. Therefore, if you decide to use the TV as a device through which information will be output, you can use this connector. However, we must remember that you should not expect the maximum resolution of the broadcast image to be FullHD, as it will be equal to 1600x1200 pixels. In addition, you will have to additionally use a cable with “tulips” (RGA) or “minijack” (3.5 Jack) to transmit sound.
2 - Connection via DVI interface. The majority of computer video cards have a DVI port - an upgraded version of the VGA interface. It can be in three types:
The analog version of DVI-A, which is almost impossible to find, as it is characterized by low image quality, which is due to the need to convert a digital signal to an analogue signal.
The digital version of DVI-D is perhaps the most common type, characterized by high signal quality. The two-channel Dual Link subtype provides a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels at a frequency of 60 Hz, and the single-channel Single Link provides 1920x1200 pixels, a frequency of 60 Hz.
The combined version of DVI-I consists of one digital and one analog transmission channel (Single Link). It can also consist of two digital and one analog channel (Dual Link), which operate independently of each other. In cases where this port is not among the TV connectors, if it is available on the computer’s video card, you can use special DVI-VGA or DVI-HDMI adapters.
3 - HDMI connection. This port is considered the most optimal in cases where the TV is connected to a computer. With its help, it is possible to transmit high-resolution video (up to 3840x2160 pixels) and multi-channel audio using a single cable. Often, TV interfaces have two to three HDMI connectors, making it possible to simultaneously connect several devices. Today, the disadvantages of an HDMI connection include the limited cable length (no more than 10 m) and a fairly high price.
The disadvantage of connecting using DVI and VGA cables is that the connectors are screwed together. This means that if someone accidentally touches these cables with their foot, damage occurs to both the TV and the computer’s video card.
When planning to purchase a TV for use as a monitor, you need to clearly understand what scenarios it will be intended for in the first place. So, if you plan to actively work with office applications and surf the Internet, then you can limit yourself to a 32-inch TV. But for gaming or watching videos with maximum immersion, you should choose models whose diagonal is in the range from 36″ to 50.
In a classic Russian apartment, the TV is the boss of everything. Usually it is installed in every room. In general, an extra screen never hurts, especially if you already have one in the form of an old LCD monitor.
There are quite a few ways to use a monitor as a TV. You can buy a set-top box, say, Roku. You can increase your budget a little and connect a mini-computer, such as a Raspberry Pi, to an old friend. But there is a more radical method, similar to.
Almost all LCD monitors have an input/output interface called LVDS. If you remove the cover from the monitor and get to the insides, you can see that the connectors are located on a separate board. This board is connected to other components with a fairly flexible cable, similar to an IDE for hard drives.
To upgrade the monitor, you will need to purchase an expansion card for this interface, which has a built-in video decoder. Similar devices can be purchased, for example, or. The decoder and its output will make it possible to play analog (and in the case of a more advanced board, digital) television directly, without the use of various set-top boxes and even a computer.
TTX boards:
- Frequency range - 48.25–863.25 MHz.
- Color system - PAL / SECAM / NTSC.
- Sound system - B/G, D/K, l, M/N, NICAM/A2, BTSC.
- Number of channels - 200.
- Teletext - 10 pages (chip 39 - 10 pages, chip 59 - 1000 pages).
- Input video format (VGA, HDMI) - up to 1920 × 1080 @ 60 Hz.
- Supported video resolutions - 480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p.
- Audio amplifier output power - 2 × 2.3 W (40) 1 HD + N< 10% @ 1 KHz.
- Supply voltage - 12 V.
Input Connectors:
- Power supply - 12 V.
- VGA input.
- HDMI input.
- Composite video and stereo audio input.
- Audio input when using TV as a computer monitor.
- Headphone output.
- USB input (for firmware update).
- Input for connecting an antenna or cable.
Actually, the easiest way ends here: the purchased board and monitor are sent to an audio-video equipment repair service. After some time, after paying a small amount, you have a new TV in your hands. All that remains is to install it and connect the antenna or cable TV wire.
A slightly more complicated self-installation path is described in detail by a colleague on the Mysku.ru resource. Let's look at it briefly.
Despite possible problems with installation and configuration, such a monitor upgrade is completely justified. Many people have old, unclaimed 17- and 19-inch devices. The price of such devices on the secondary market is quite low, and the image quality is often no worse than a new TV. It turns out to be an ideal TV for the kitchen, small room or cottage for a minimal price - from 15 to 60 dollars, depending on the configuration and functionality.
Determine the type of cable you will use to connect your computer to your TV. To do this, look at the back of the computer where the ports and connectors are located. The video connectors are located next to the USB ports, audio jacks, and Ethernet port, or they are located on the discrete graphics card (under the audio jacks). There are three main types of connector:
- HDMI. The modern standard for connecting HD devices, and most modern computers have an HDMI connector (on the rear panel). HDMI carries both picture and sound. The HDMI connector looks like an elongated USB port.
- DVI. Digital connector with contacts. It has the shape of a rectangle and three rows of eight contacts each. DVI only transmits images.
- VGA. Old standard. It has the shape of a trapezoid and three rows with 15 contacts. Do not use this connector if you have access to a DVI or HDMI connector, as the VGA connector produces poor picture quality. VGA only transmits images and cannot display images in HD quality.
Determine the types of connectors on your TV. Most TVs have jacks on the back, but some jacks may be on the side of the TV.
- Most modern TVs have one or more HDMI connectors. This is the fastest and easiest way to connect your computer to your TV, and this connector provides the best picture quality. An HDMI cable is the only type of cable that carries both video and audio signals.
- The DVI connector is not as common, but can still be found on many modern TVs.
- VGA connectors are generally not found on HD TVs, but they are available on regular TVs.
Pay attention to the input signal label on your TV. This will help you properly configure your TV to display the signal from your computer.
Buy the right cable. Don't be fooled by many companies that claim their cables are better than their competitors' cables. In the vast majority of cases, you won't even notice the difference between a cheap and expensive cable. A cable that costs a few hundred rubles will work the same as a cable that costs several thousand rubles.
- If your computer and TV do not have the same connectors, you will need an adapter. For example, if your computer has a DVI connector and your TV has an HDMI connector, buy a DVI-HDMI adapter or cable. In this case, the audio signal will not be transmitted via HDMI, since the DVI standard does not support audio transmission.
Connect your computer to your TV using a cable. When connecting HDMI to HDMI, you won't need any other cables. If connecting via other connectors, you will need a separate audio cable to transmit audio.
- To stream audio from your laptop, use a 3.5mm audio cable and connect it to the headphone jack of your laptop. On a desktop computer, use the green headphone jack (on the back of the computer). When connecting the audio cable to your TV, use one 3.5mm audio plug or two RCA plugs.
- If you are connecting via VGA, turn off your computer and TV first. In the case of DVI and HDMI, this is not necessary.
Switch the TV to receive a signal from the appropriate socket. To do this, use the "Source" or "Input" button on the remote control. The connector you select must match the connector to which you connected the cable.
Set up your computer to display the picture on your TV screen. This can be done in different ways depending on the type of computer you have.
- Many laptops have a Display key that allows you to switch between connected displays. You may need to press the Fn key to activate the Display key; Moreover, this key may be indicated by an icon rather than the word "Display".
- In Windows 7 (and later versions of Windows), press Windows+P to open the Project menu. In it, select the desired mode for displaying the picture on the TV screen (“Computer”, “Duplicate”, “Expand”, “Projector”).
- On any version of Windows, right-click the desktop and select Screen Resolution or Properties. In the “Multiple Displays” menu, select the desired mode for displaying the picture on the TV screen (“Computer”, “Duplicate”, “Expand”, “Projector”).
Adjust the display resolution (if necessary). The resolutions of your computer monitor and your TV may differ, resulting in blurred images on your TV screen. In the Screen Resolution or Properties window, use the Resolution slider to set the correct resolution and increase the clarity of the picture on your TV screen.
- Most TVs have a resolution of 1920x1080. Select the recommended resolution (if available).
You almost never see TVs with kinescopes in our apartments anymore. The electro-ray tube has been replaced by plasmas and liquid crystal screens. These TVs are built using digital technology. The transition from an analog signal to a digital signal has significantly simplified the process of connecting and combining various types of devices with each other.
Connecting TV to a computer eliminates the need for a common antenna. You can watch any videos, clips and photos on the big screen. Moreover, the power of a modern computer allows you to transmit a signal both to the TV and to the main display.
The TV can be used as a multimedia center
There are several ways to connect a TV to a computer as a monitor. You can do without wires, and the process itself does not cause difficulties. You can easily turn your TV into a modern multimedia center.
How to connect a TV to a computer?
The connection method depends on the availability of certain connectors on the TV and computer. Three connection options are possible:
- Using cable. The TV receiver can support the following interfaces: HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI or VGA. The first two are digital, the third is integrated, through which two types of signals can be transmitted. VGA is a purely analog interface.
- Connection via wireless technologyWiFi. In this case, a router is needed, and the TV must be equipped with a WiFi module. Not all television receivers have it, but the module can be purchased separately in the store.
WiFi module for wireless connection
- Connect your computer and TV using an Ethernet cable. An RJ-45 connector is used for connection. The cable is also called twisted pair.
A router is a special network minicomputer that allows you to combine local networks of different architectures. Its task is to distribute packets of information according to certain rules between different recipients: laptops, tablets and other devices connected to the network.
The operating system on the computer allows you to connect without much difficulty. She herself will offer the best option. In most cases, the connection via WiFi is automatic. You just need to approve the proposed method.
HDMI and DisplayPort
These two interfaces are currently competitors. They transmit sound and image digitally. To connect to a PC, select a connecting cable based on the connectors that are present on the computer video card and TV. It doesn’t matter if the computer has a DisplayPort output connector and the TV has HDMI. An electronics store has cables with the necessary adapters.
Cable connection methods
DVI and VGA
The VGA interface uses an analog signal. If you plan to use a VGA connector, then you need to stock up on a cable that has a DVI-VGA adapter. In this case, the signal is converted to analog. It makes no sense to do a reverse conversion; there will be large losses in quality.
Cable connectors
Digital interfaces combine seamlessly. On the counter of a specialized store you can find adapters of all types.
Wireless connection
To ensure connection via WiFi, you will need a router. In addition to the TV, it is possible to connect a large number of devices: tablet, smartphone, laptop. The main advantage is the absence of a wiring harness running throughout the apartment. Only one wire is needed to provide access to the Internet.
Create a network using a router (router)
To distribute access to the network, the router is pre-configured. As a rule, the provider provides detailed setup instructions or you can invite a company representative. A specialist will help you connect and configure everything. If everything is done correctly, the computer will automatically detect the network and automatically connect to it. The TV must be connected manually through the setup menu.
LAN connection
The third connection method is very similar to the previous one, with the difference that twisted pair cables are used to connect the computer to the TV. The television receiver is connected directly to the PC or through a router. This connection has a number of advantages:
- connection stability;
- high speed of information transfer;
- protection from external interference.
The only drawback is the need to run a cable from the router or computer to the TV.
How to connect a TV as a monitor?
The input signal from TV is taken from the video card. A cable with appropriate connectors is used for connection. The television receiver can serve as a primary or secondary display. In the second case, it is possible to either duplicate the image or expand the desktop. You can display a video player with a movie in this area, and use the main screen for work.
The display mode on two monitors is set through the settings in the operating system. In Windows 8, you can open the menu using the Win+P key combination.
If there is no image on the TV, then most likely the screen resolution is set incorrectly. Select the required number of points for the device in the settings. If there is no sound, then through the settings panel select the desired device for audio.
Summing up a little
The article discusses three ways to connect a TV to a computer. It can be used as an additional display or turned into a real multimedia center.
When buying a new TV, pay attention to the connectors present. The VGA interface is a thing of the past. In 2015, it is planned to abandon it altogether. So if it’s not on TV, then don’t worry too much about it. But the presence of several HDMI is a big plus. Through them you can connect other devices to TV. It will be much easier to exchange files between different devices.
Create a complete multimedia center in your home. Use digital technologies to their full potential, and your stay at home will become much more comfortable.
Video
Watching a movie on the big screen with the whole family gathered in the evening is quite a good family leisure activity, especially in the cold season. The only problem is how to properly connect the monitor to the TV? There are several solutions to this problem, and they depend on the equipment that you have available.
Connection features
When connecting cables according to the scheme: computer - monitor - TV, problems usually begin with image output, sound, signal, etc. The scheme can only work if the monitor has a motherboard, a built-in graphics chip and a sound card. And such equipment is no longer possessed by a display, but by a laptop or monoblock. In any case, there is no way without a computer, and we return to the computer-monitor and computer-TV scheme.
But you can connect both the display and TV to the computer in many ways, and the two displays can operate in different modes: both duplicate images and separate the visible and work area.
Using a TV as a monitor for a computer is the simplest option, where you need a special cable or Wi-Fi adapter.
But, if you need to connect a monitor to a TV without a computer, it all depends on the display and the board installed in it. It may be equipped with a decoder to receive an image. If not, then you should change the board - and this pleasure may cost more than buying a small TV.
For information on how to connect a PC and TV, watch the following video:
Wired connection of TV to computer
You can connect your PC and TV using cables with the same connectors or adapters.
Such cables (male-male) include:
- Display Port is a signal interface standard for digital screens (supports 8K).
- HDMI – High Definition Multimedia Interface (supports 8K).
- DVI is an outdated interface for transmitting video images to LCD monitors and projectors (maximum resolution 1920×1200 pixels)
- VGA is an outdated interface for connecting screens on electro-ray tubes (max resolution 1280x1024 pixels).
In addition, you can use adapters (the first connector connects to the video card, the second to the TV):
- HDMI – DVI;
- Display Port – HDMI;
- HDMI – Display Port;
- Display Port – DVI;
- DVI – VGA.
If you connect a PC display and a TV at the same time, connect to only one video card. Do not connect devices that are plugged in to prevent the ports from burning out.
In Windows settings to select a mode:
- Open Settings with Win+I and go to “System” – “Display”.
- Scroll down to the Multiple Displays section and select the option you want.
Wireless connection between PC and TV
In this case, the monitor is already connected to the PC via a cable. To connect it to a TV over the air, the following conditions must be met:
- The computer had a Wi-Fi adapter installed.
- The TV was SMART or connected to a TV-box.
Miracast technology is supported by Windows, Android, Tizen, webOS and other systems, so connecting two devices via Wi-Fi is very simple. On a Windows computer:
- Press Win+P and select “Connect to a wireless display.”
- The search for devices will begin.
- At this time, run a similar search on the TV using the function
- Select the found device and wait for the connection to complete.
Ready. Using Miracast technology, the contents of the monitor screen are projected onto the TV screen.
Making a TV from a Monitor
There is an excellent video on the topic of this section:
You can create a full-fledged TV from a display using:
- Smart set-top boxes (TV-box) – connection via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, use of IPTV.
- Tuner for connecting to the computer motherboard (installed in the PC system unit).
The first and fourth options are two independent devices connected to the monitor directly. The first is through a twisted-pair network cable, the second is through a coaxial television cable.
Not all displays have built-in speakers, so you will need to connect audio equipment to the devices via a special audio output or mini-jack. If the monitor has speakers, and you connected the devices via HDMI, the sound will be played through them.
The second and third are additional devices that only work when connected to a computer.
Conclusion
You can connect the monitor to the TV through a computer, or if the display has its own motherboard. If you need to connect two displays, this can be done using cables or adapters. And if you need to build a TV out of a monitor, TV tuners or smart Android set-top boxes will help.
