There are different reasons why anyone would want to connect a computer to a TV. There are those who would like to make a video presentation and use a TV as their output, others just want to play their video games, and others may have a damaged screen on their laptop and just need a temporary alternative screen in order to retrieve files before turning in their portable computer for repair or replacement.

However, there are a few things you need before you can connect your PC to a TV. You also need to figure out which cable you’ll need in order to do this. Everything largely depends on what connection options are available both on your computer and on your TV.

Connection Options

There are many different options to connect a computer to a TV. As stated earlier, the options depend on what ports are available on your computer and which connections are available on your TV. Figuring this out will require you to look at the back of both your TV and your computer. You need to match both devices with a common cable that can be used on both.

Here are some of the cables you can use to connect a computer to a TV. Make sure you have everything figured out before you go and buy any cables. You don’t want to end up buying a cable you will never actually use. You need to identify which cable is compatible for both your TV and your PC.

S-Video

This is the cheapest way to connect a computer to a TV and by far the most common way to get the job done. The cheap price is quite attractive, which is the main reason why more people prefer to use this method to connect the two devices. Another reason why this connection option is popular is simply because almost every TV has an S-Video port.

The hitch comes in the form of different types of S-Video cables. There are four-pin S-Video cables and seven-pin S-Video cables. Unfortunately, an incompatibility problem sometimes occurs. A lot of laptops and computers are equipped with seven-pin cables while TV’s are usually outfitted with four-pin ones.

Obviously, this method won’t work if the number of pins both on your computer and on your TV doesn’t match. A possible work around is to use a seven-pin to four-pin S-Video cable converter. The drawback using pin converter is that the video quality won’t be as good.

VGA Cable

This might be the most practical method to connect a computer to a TV if you have an HDTV. The video quality you get using this connection is a whole lot better compared to S-Video. The cable is comparably cheap so the added video quality for the small jack up in price is very reasonable. The drawback to this method is that this will most probably work only on HDTV’s so if you have a regular one then this option won’t be available for you.

DVI Connection

This connection uses digital signals to transfer video from your computer to your TV. This basically means that the video quality you get out of this cable is far better than the first two cables mentioned earlier. However, the drawback to this cable is the high price. If you are prepared to pay as much as $80 for a cable and your TV and your computer supports this kind of connection then go ahead and get one. As you might have guessed, this option is most likely available only for HDTV.

Scan Converter

If your computer doesn’t have an S-Video connection at the back but your TV does you can use this device to convert the signals from your computer into S-Video. This is a great option if you only have an older computer at home.

Match the Hardware with the Price and Connection Options

With these options you now need to match your hardware options with the price you are willing to pay to connect a computer to a TV. You should also consider the quality of the video you’ll get if ever your computer or TV gives you room for different options. Be sure to adjust your computer’s video settings to match that of the TV. If you’re using a laptop, press ‘Fn + F8’ or ‘Fn + F11’ or whatever key combination is required by your brand of portable computer to transfer video from your computer screen to the TV.