| My computer right now is hooked up to my 53" | | | | monitor cable. Just look at the ports on both |
| TV across the room. It's a pretty cool trick, | | | | devices and you should be able to tell if |
| and if you have a computer and television in | | | | they have one in common, then you just have |
| the same room you should see if you have a | | | | to figure out what they are. If they do not |
| way to hook them up. Doing actual work is | | | | have one in common, look on your TV for an |
| best on a real computer monitor (LCD | | | | S-video port (it's a black circle about the |
| preferred, but CRT acceptable), but watching | | | | width of your finger), and if you find one, |
| videos, playing games, and surfing the web | | | | you just need to buy a video card (they can |
| are pretty fun things to do from the couch. | | | | be had for less than $100) that has an |
| | | | S-video out. |
| The resolution of TVs compared to actual | | | | |
| computer monitors is pretty bad, unless you | | | | Once you have them hooked up with a cable |
| have an LCD tv. Mine is not, but even still I | | | | (S-video or otherwise), you'll need to go |
| find that it is a very cool thing to have | | | | into your driver settings on the PC. In |
| hooked up, and it works just fine for | | | | Windows, right-click on the desktop and hit |
| watching movies/videos. Games are doable if | | | | Properties to access the Display Properties |
| there isn't a lot of text on-screen that you | | | | window, then go to the Settings tab. On some |
| have to read, but you won't be chatting to | | | | video cards you can select/enable an |
| your buddies in World of Warcraft if you want | | | | alternate monitor (the TV) right from this |
| to keep from going blind. | | | | window, but on most video cards you have to |
| | | | click the Advanced button and configure it |
| Word processing / web browsing is tolerable, | | | | there. |
| but can be eye-straining after long periods. | | | | |
| Definitely increase the text size as big as | | | | Most of the good video cards will let you |
| you can stand it for reduced eye strain. All | | | | display the screen on both devices (your |
| in all, I just use my TV for videos because | | | | monitor and your TV) simultaneously, but the |
| it's much easier to just sit at my desk and | | | | geForce card I have right now will only let |
| use my computer LCD monitor for doing actual | | | | me use the two displays as side-by-side |
| work. | | | | desktops. This actually works out better for |
| | | | me, because I can have news or whatever |
| Most newer video cards have an S-video port | | | | playing on the TV, and keep working on my |
| on them, and this is the easiest way (and the | | | | normal desktop. I'm not sure if you've heard |
| way I use) to hook your TV up to your | | | | or seen it, but Bill Gates uses a triple |
| computer. Some newer video cards will also | | | | desktop on his computer (3 LCDs) -- I hope |
| have other outputs, and some newer TVs will | | | | you're as jealous as I am! |
| have VGA or DVI inputs to take a regular | | | | |