Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions PC use on my home LCD TV

Hi,

I am just installing my new system, however I want to be able to use my computer on my LCD TV - i.e. I want to be able to have a wireless keyboard and connect my PC into my system so I can sit on my sofa and browse the internet and use software etc... is this possible and how do I achieve it?

First, verify that your LCD TV can be used as PC monitor. This is far from automatic.

Secondly, if first was good, then your TV either has a DVI connector or a PC-compatible HDMI interface. If it is the latter, you will need a DVI-HDMI converter (small piece of cable). If the TV has DVI, use it to connect to your video card.

Thirdly (actually this should be second, but I had almost forgotten about it), make sure your video card has a DVI interface.

Caveat: Your PC will need to be close to the TV for both DVI to work properly (without costing you a lot).

Also, remember that depending on the native resolution of your LCD TV (1024x768, 1366x768 or 1920x1080) you may lose some resolution. If your TV has not been "calibrated" for PC use (special mode or user-configured), the image will not be sharp since the goal of a TV is to display "real life" images that need a bit of "blurriness" to be accurate and beautiful.

THE GOOD THING: If all the conditions are right, you are going to have a heck to a PC monitor!

DVI cables can be found very cheap at places online like monoprice.com , however, not sure they ship to the USA.

Logitech makes some great wireless keyboard/mouse combinations. That is what I use for my HTPC. As long as your video card has DVI/HDMI out you should be good to go.

There are other although crappier methods, even wireless ones, and even if your video card only has older VGA jacks out. However, none of them produce a very good picture.

I used to use a cheap X10 wireless system so I could send PC sound and video to my TV and receiver. It came with a programmable RF remote and did do the job it advertised. It allowed me view, choose and play MP#s from my computer in another room. The picture was awful but did the job. The sound was stereo, MP3, and sent 2.4 Ghz so it just sounded fair as well in my pre Axiom days. Probably would have actually sounded worse with the super accurate Axioms.

Later I bought a new PC and placed the old behind the TV and went Svideo from my graphics card. Picture was improved but still not impressive. PC was not a quiet one so that was an annoyance. People were impressed however when I'd turn on the psychedelic visualizations bouncing around to the beat of the tunes. Kinda fun on a 46" widescreen even if the resolution was crappy.

In short, if your card does svideo, it's a lesser option. There are also gadgets to convert just about anything but the gents above have described what's needed to get a good picture.

As a side note: I was on an x10 kick at the time and could turn off and on all my house lights with the same remote, switch my TV to a pannable video camera to see who was at the door, and with one press of a wireless 3 button switch near my bed, it would turn on the lights in my bedroom, bathroom, stairs and kitchen while also start the coffee maker.

I shouldn't really admit this stuff should I ??

No you should not. Now I feel watch when I read your posts...

As you said, there are other options. But the gentleman was talking about browsing internet, which requires sharp image to read small text.

Agreed, I did indicate they produce crappy results. The MP3 playing software was designed to work on a TV in this setup. Web pages would be unbearable.

Guess I got lucky. I just plugged the DVI from the computer into the DVI on the plasma at work, and there we go. Set the res to native res for the plasma (1366x768, I think), and I was set. Nice 'n' sharp.

I know some TVs have the vga input on them so it could be very easy to do, providing you are lucky enough to have the VGA and unlucky enough to not have a newer video card/PC with DVI.

Simon, welcome. Don't know if you're considering only a wireless setup, but one of my activities when I'm at the computer is listening to classical music streamed from stations all over the world(see Classical Webcast;BBC Radio 3 is a favorite)and I use a wired connection(Xitel Hi-Fi Link)from the USB output of my computer into my receiver.

This may be a bit late but you can always do what I do. My Sharp Aquos doesn't have VGA in. I go from my pc (video card) via VGA to a transcoder box which then does component out to my tv. I output 1080P on my computer to my tv and watch dvd's via my pc output to my pc. Looks awsome!