# Hooking up Pc to TV



## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

I have been doing alot of reading about hooking up a PC to my Plasma Tv. This is what I am working with:
Panasonic Plasma Tv Th58PZ700U....Sony DVD S300..DVR..Motorola...Bose Lifestyle V20. I have a Dell Dimension XPS..4 yrs old.

From what I have read, I would get a VGA 15 pin cable for video from PC to TV....Then a male cable from the Audio from PC to TV.
Please believe, I have no idea what I am doing, this is what I came up with just from reading, I could be totally wrong.
Now if the hookup is correct, and I go ahead and do this, would I be able to just turn the Tv on and my Pc on, and I could watch a movie from Pc to Tv, or do I have to change to another source (which scares me since I have no clue how to do this)
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Marilyn


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## Mr. Newton (Aug 26, 2006)

I just checked out the specs on your tv and boy are you ever smart 
Yes you can,just as you describe.
I have done that with my 50"Samsung plasma by taking the VGA cable off my computer moniter and adding enough long extensions to reach tv,all is well,,then I took a y adapter cable I had and plugged one end into the audio out on the back of comp and plugged two rca male plugs into the two female ends of the y adapter,available at comp store or electronics store,radio shack,and plugged the other ends into my home theater receiver,but you can plug into the tv .
Go for it and let us know how you make out.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

crossing75 said:


> Now if the hookup is correct, and I go ahead and do this, would I be able to just turn the Tv on and my Pc on, and I could watch a movie from Pc to Tv, or do I have to change to another source (which scares me since I have no clue how to do this)
> Any help will be greatly appreciated.


I haven't read the specs on your TV but I imagine you would need to change the TV to the video input the PC is connected to. This isn't a big deal and can be done with the TV's remote. 

Let us know how it goes!

Peace...


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## Mr. Newton (Aug 26, 2006)

tomdkat is absolutely correct,sorry I forgot to mention that.It is a button you select on you remote,very easy to find,,on mine it's tv/video input.
You press it to cycle through your options,again on mine it's hdmi or channel 3 or pc.Your tv remote may be different but you should have no problem getting the setting you want.


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Thank you both so much!


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## Mr. Newton (Aug 26, 2006)

You are very welcome,my pleasure


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Keep us posted on how it goes. You might also be able to assign names to the various inputs so it will be easier to locate the input you want. For example, on my recently setup DLP HDTV, I assigned the names of "Cable", "DVD", and "Camcord" to the appropriate inputs so when I choose the input I need I can select from meaninful names. 

Good luck!

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

I am getting ready to purchase my cables, and I found this today: It is a Premium VGA with Stereo Audio Cable. Price 29.95
Am I making the right choice?
Marilyn


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

I should have sent this first:


Item # V15BGM and V25BGM
VGA/M to VGA/M and 3.5mm/M Stereo Audio to 3.5mm/M Stereo Audio


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Can you post a link to the cables you are considering?

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

http://www.monoprice.com/home/home.asp?pn=contact
He suggested #PDI 559 which is both video and audio, or # PID 2121 which is DVI and HDMI then get # PID 650 for audio.

Marilyn


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Ok, here are the links to the cables you are considering:

VGA cable w/ audio

HDMI cable

Now, the VGA cable doesn't have RCA connectors for the audio connections. Here is the product page for the TV.

If your video card doesn't have a HDMI output, going with that VGA cable looks to be your best bet.

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Thank you for your quick reply. I do have a HDMI output on my PC. So now what do you think is my best choice?
I don't know if this would make any difference in your choice, but I have a 25 ft. run from PC to TV, and this would be to watch movies only.
Again, thank you so much for all your help!
Marilyn


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

I'm tempted to say go with the HDMI cable but if you're running low on free HDMI inputs on your TV, going with the VGA cable would be a better option so you can conserve the free HDMI inputs.

The VGA cable is less expensive. I presume you don't have a home theater with an A/V receiver with a HDMI input?

I'm a cheap *******... go with the VGA cable. 

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

OH oh, you presumed wrong! I have Pansonic Plasma..Bose Surround Sound..Sony S300 Blu-ray..and Dvr Motorola.
The only HDMI;s that I could find are on the back of the TV...HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 where the DVD goes into.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

crossing75 said:


> OH oh, you presumed wrong! I have Pansonic Plasma..Bose Surround Sound..Sony S300 Blu-ray..and Dvr Motorola.
> The only HDMI;s that I could find are on the back of the TV...HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 where the DVD goes into.


Well, maybe or maybe not.  How old is your Bose Surround Sound system? If you didn't get it recently, chances are it does NOT have a receiver component with HDMI inputs and output. Since you only have two HDMI inputs and one is being used by your Blu-Ray disc player (or do you also have a DVD player with a HDMI outout that you didn't mention?) I would go with the VGA connection to conserve the remaining HDMI input for a future device you might want to connect to your TV, like a gaming console with an HDMI output. Is the DVR connected using component video connections?

It's funny you mention your Bose Surround Sound system since over the weekend I installed a Panasonic Blu-Ray disc player at my dad's house and he also has a Bose Surround Sound speaker system driven by an old JVC A/V receiver. Of course, his receiver is older and does not have any HDMI inputs but we were able to get digital surround sound audio by using the toslink digital audio output on the player.

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Need help guys, I think I goofed big time! You all have been so good in helping me, I hope you will bear with me one more time.
I ordered the VGA cable with Audio to connect from PC to TV. I forgot to mention a very important point, that being that I want the sound to come out of Bose system, and not TV.
Now I do have the VGA cable for the PC to TV, now am I correct in assuming that I need to run Audio cable from PC to AV?? 
Now if the answer is yes, please don't laugh too loud, but what part of the Bose system do I run the audio to? Is it the large componet on the floor or the box on top of my cable box?
Marilyn


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Of course, that information would have been very useful earlier on in this thread but the good thing is you are still in good shape.  If your PC has a digital audio output (S/PDIF), you can connect a digital audio cable from the PC to the receiver box to get digital audio. This PDF manual will show you how to do the digital audio connection. From the manual, it looks like the receiver box is the smaller box (the media console, I guess it's called), not the Acoustimass module (which I think is the box with the subwoofer that also drives the speakers).

If you still have the manuals for your Bose system, they should provide all the info you will need. The main question you will have to answer is: what kind of digital audio output does your PC have, if it has one? It's either going to be a "coax" output or an optical, or "toslink", output. It looks like the media console has both kinds of inputs but it has more toslink inputs than coax inputs.

Once you know what kind of digital audio output your PC has, you can get the appropriate digital audio cable and connect it to the media console. If you connect it correctly, it should "just work". Of course, you will also need to make sure the digital audio output is enabled on your PC.

You can get the owner and installation manuals in PDF format here.

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Thank you TomKat for all the info. Okay I now have the audio connected and working...thanks to you
Now for one more question: To get the audio to work, I put my Bose on AUX, works great, but (there is always a but) when I get my VGA cable which is due in today, will the movies from my PC also work on the AUX button on the Bose? I realize that I need to connect the VGA from PC to TV, but if I get the sound from the AUX, how will I get the VIDEO? Sure hope this makes sense to you, because this dumb blonde has no idea what she is doing! I don't know why I get myself into these predicaments, but I really love to learn! Thank you for being so patient with me!


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Ok, the video connection from the PC to the TV is *separate* from the audio connection from the PC to the Bose system.

So, for the TV to display the PC video, you need to have the TV set to the correct input (whatever that will be). For the Bose system to play the audio, you will need to have it set to "AUX". So, if the VGA input on your TV is labeled "RGB1" or "RGB" (for example), you would have the TV set to "RGB1" to see the video and have the Bose system set to "AUX" to hear the digital audio.

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

I hate to sound totally stupid, but all I am seeing in the back of the TV is "Componet Video Input" . Could that be it?


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## Mr. Newton (Aug 26, 2006)

Your particular model has a pc interface,which means that there is a connection specifically for your computers' vga cable.Then on your tv remote you should have a button that says something like tv video imput,you cycle through that and find the imput you want for your pc.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

crossing75 said:


> I hate to sound totally stupid, but all I am seeing in the back of the TV is "Componet Video Input" . Could that be it?


Nope, the VGA connection on the TV will be sort of "trapezoid" in shape and will look like this. Ok, so maybe that's like an upside down trapezoid shape. 

EDIT: If you have it, break out the TV manual and it will tell you where the VGA input is on the TV. 

EDIT #2: Ok, there should be an input on the back of the TV labeled "PC". It is to the right of the "Video 1" input and IS documented in your manual. If you don't have the manual for your TV, you can download a PDF copy here.

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Now I have a big smile on my face!! I cannot thank you enough for your help and patience with me!


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Does that big smile mean it's working? 

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Keeping fingers crossed. Cable should be here from Monoprice tomorrow.
I'm hoping it's a go!!


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Ah, that's right the VGA cable hasn't arrived yet. I guess you found the VGA input on the back of the TV. 

Well, keep us posted and make sure you can select the "PC" input on your TV so you'll be able to actually see the video. 

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Okay guys, the VGA Cable arrived, and the only spot that it fits behind the PC is where the screen is hooked up.
No problem with TV, but no luck with PC
Any ideas?


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Yep, disconnect the monitor from the PC, for now, and connect the VGA cable that will connect to the TV. Then, see if you can watch a movie ok. If you can, then you can get a VGA switch box that you can use to easily switch between the computer monitor and the TV.

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Thank you very much! Getting their slowly but I hope surely.


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Thank you so much for all your help!!
It is up and running. I couldn't be happier! Again thank you so much for staying with me until I got it working.
Marilyn


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Great! 

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Sorry to be a pest, but I ordered the Manual Switch Box as you said. It just came, and I have no clue on how to hook it up?
If you could just tell me what to purchase to hook it up I would be very grateful.

Marilyn


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Ok, looking at the back of the switch box (if you got the one on Amazon that I linked to), you will see three VGA ports. One is labeled "A" and will correspond to the "A" switch on the front. One is labeled "B" and will correspond to the "B" switch on the front. The last is labeled I/O and that is the one that will be connected to your PC.

First, unplug the computer monitor from the computer (if it's connected now).

Next, take the VGA cable you bought and connect it to your PC on one end and plug the other end into the "I/O" port on the back of the switch box.

Next, take the VGA cable connected to your computer monitor and connect it to either the 'A' or 'B' port on the back of the switch box.

At this point, you will only be able to see your computer screen on your computer monitor only. You will need an addition VGA cable, like the one you bought or this one, to connect the TV to the switch box. Once you get that cable, you connect one end to the TV and the other end to the open port on the back of the switch box.

Once all the cables are connected, you should be able to switch between the TV and the monitor by using the dial on the switch box.

Another person uses the switch box on Amazon for the same purpose as you. If you bought a different switch box, please let me know as the instructions above are only for the switch box I linked to. 

Let me know if you have any questions.

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Are you saying that I will need another 25 ft. cable, since that's the length I am going.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Not necessarily 25' since you will need a cable to go from your PC to the switch box. If that distance is less than 25', you can get a shorter cable. The NEW cable can connect your PC to the switch box and the 25' cable you have now can go from either port 'A' or 'B' to the TV.

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Okay, thank you so much again! I think understand it now.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Ok, if you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask. 

Peace...


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

So, is everything connected and up and running now?

Peace...


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## crossing75 (Jul 11, 2002)

Yes, everything is running great! I am so glad you told me about the Switch Box, and again thank you for your time and patience.
Marilyn


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Great! :up:

Peace...


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