# Solved: PC connection to Sony Bravia LCD TFT TV



## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

*to Sony Bravia LCD 32'* 
Helloall,

Before going out to buy cables for doing the above, I've googled around as to what best options there are.
My laptop (which I want solely to watch downloaded films from w/o charging from room to room with a USB stick for my LG HDD/DVD recorder player or burning DVD all the time) I plan to put somewhere near my Sony LCD TFT TV, hook it up and 
off I go. It has DVI output for Monitor etc. Sony has HDMI input and also 
VGA 15 PIN sub. Since Laptop has DVI, I'm thinking of DVI-HDMI converted cable. Read so much abt. the problems this may cause that I'm not so sure. My desktop (next room) has only VGA output. Since it's in the next room I'd like to keep the monitor there functional aswell. Will using a VGA splitter cable (Y) cause any problems? (I'm prepared to walk next door to start a film, that's no prob) but don't know whether there'll be interference between the monitor and TV (or even on PC desktop). I know I'll have to connect up separate Audio cable, that's no prob, all facilities exist.

Last question for now (my name says all): Monitor used with desktop is connected via 15 PIN VGA but also has free DVI. Can I loop thru, i.e.
PC image output into montor via VGA and from there onward via DVI?
I think I already know the answer (NO!!!) but maybe, maybe, maybe.
Any help much appreciated and bear with me (I'm 58 and new to the games of going beyond basic PC appliances like Excel, Word etc.)
Oh yeah, Windows XP (I nearly forgot) .


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## cancon (Jul 22, 2005)

Providing you configure it correctly, there should be no problem with using a VGA splitter.

The DVI in your PC's monitor, I assume, is an input. I did read something once where you could use your laptop's screen as a secondary screen for your PC, but I don't think your situation is possible.

I hope you're downloading those movie files legally.


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## pshnfry (Sep 18, 2005)

DVI to HDMI should be ok. You will need to read up on your Sony panel as to what it supports. My Toshiba panel is problematic and I'm still working through that in terms of resolutions. Seems to be clearer in MCE (Vista Home Premium) than at the desktop though. You will also need to supply a sound signal as DVI to HDMI doesn't include that. 

Monitor DVI is in, not in/out. Any multi monitor set up is driven by the signal device - the pc. Not sure why you would want to run a cable across rooms for a av signal, maybe look into a wireless av sender for that if you decide to use the desktop as the base? Not sure if they have high definition versions though.


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## cancon (Jul 22, 2005)

I like the idea of Wireless AV. Very practical, and good for playing tricks on people who are technologically illiterate.


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

thanks muchly. I'll give it whirl and keep y'all posted on the mess I create. Wouldn't want to disillusion anybody on my technical illiteracy. Wireless??
Hmmm!!! So if I pick up a klipfone all monitors explode eh?
You'll hear all about it, never fear (unless I explode with them).


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

Sorry Cancon, I forgot: of course I download strictly legal files. Can't change anymore at my age. For all I know providence will have it's way by exploding the monitors on me sooner than later. Can't have that.


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

one thought: neighbour lent me a DVI to composite (RCA) cable. tried it, tried activating 2nd Screen from laptop (DVI output), laptop recognized TV-screen on "2", sound came thru L/R analog audio cable on same TV AV input, but picture stayed black despite laptop seemingly recognizing TV resolution and supporting it (I toggled pixels some with no positive result). Is this just an impossible connection? I know the composite is analogue so doesn't the cable adapt from DVI to analogue? Or which wrong path am I on? appreciate any thoughts


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

sorry, should have said component out (not composite). the out (resp. input) into the TV is red green blue plus additional L/R audio from laptop audio output. TV has all these inputs. cable connects to laptop via DVI, as aforementioned and sound (only sound) works.


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## cancon (Jul 22, 2005)

buffoon said:


> Sorry Cancon, I forgot: of course I download strictly legal files.


Jolly good  It's against forum rules to talk about it otherwise...



buffoon said:


> one thought: neighbour lent me a DVI to composite (RCA) cable. tried it, tried activating 2nd Screen from laptop (DVI output), laptop recognized TV-screen on "2", sound came thru L/R analog audio cable on same TV AV input, but picture stayed black despite laptop seemingly recognizing TV resolution and supporting it (I toggled pixels some with no positive result). Is this just an impossible connection? I know the composite is analogue so doesn't the cable adapt from DVI to analogue? Or which wrong path am I on? appreciate any thoughts





buffoon said:


> sorry, should have said component out (not composite). the out (resp. input) into the TV is red green blue plus additional L/R audio from laptop audio output. TV has all these inputs. cable connects to laptop via DVI, as aforementioned and sound (only sound) works.


Make sure you have the latest drivers for your computer's graphics card. Also, I have a feeling that DVI supports audio, although I might be wrong I'll have to confirm it for you in a bit. If it's the case you shouldn't need the extra cable. Let me get back to you on that one.

Welcome to TSG buffoon... I think you're going to like it here.


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

thanks Cancon. I already do like it on TSG. Feel my trial with the DVI out component in cable will probably give me not such good image, once it does (should) work. It works ok between my HDD/DVD recorder and the TV TFT but, being analogue, has nothing on the HDMI also connected between the two. I connected it just to try the cable was ok. won't use it there though since the HDMI does me fine there. Sadly both my laptop and desktop have no direct HDMI connectors. Only DVI resp. VGA. Anyway nothing exploded on my first try, so that's something.


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## cancon (Jul 22, 2005)

thank god for that.


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

While still waiting for DVI/HDMI cable (they have to send out for it hereabouts) I wired an older laptop up to the TV via VGA (for which TV has socket) plus extra RCA audio lead. Works all right for the moment. Only analogue image and sound but better than nothing. Shall look foward to a digital image once I've got the other cable, even though I understand that audio will remain analogue (who's got $ 600.000.00 ears these days anyway??) Thanks all for your help.


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

OK y'all,
I finally got fed up with every little shop having to send out for the DVI-HDMI cable and went some 50 km to buy the damn thing. Works fine. Does not, as expected, support the audio but took care of that via separate RCA analogue audio lead.
Thanks psnfry and cancon for the help.
P.s. Incidentally for other readers: I had to toggle the monitor outputs of my laptop to DVI only. I could have both the laptop screen and the
TV screen showing image at same time, but this only worked in the XP
display on the desktop. Works for viewing photos on both aswell BUT VIDEOS only ran on the laptop monitor. Now (DVI only) the laptop monitor stays blank and VIDEOS (as well as everything else) are displayed on the TV monitor only. Only problem I still have is that I have to reset the monitor output every time I start up (in my case FN + F3
once for laptop monitor, twice for laptop and DVI and third time for DVI only). Don't know yet whether there is some way of storing this setting.


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