# TV as computer monitor **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-as-computer-monitor/619004 "2012-04-17T03:13:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![automagic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a698b9/32.png) [@automagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/automagic)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-as-computer-monitor/619004/1 "2012-04-17T03:13:29Z")
I am in the market for a new TV in which I can connect my laptop to it. This way I can be working on my laptop while also enjoying Netflix on my TV. I have an old CRT monitor which I currently do this with but I want something better. The video output of my laptop is VGA but most of the TV’s I see out there have HDMI inputs. I have found several VGA to HDMI cables so I do not think this should be a problem??? If anyone has any suggestions on a good way to do this please let me know. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-as-computer-monitor/619004/2 "2012-04-17T04:36:30Z")
I don’t think you’re finding VGA -\> HDMI cables… VGA -\> DVI maybe, but the former requires re-coding while the latter doesn’t. But that doesn’t really matter, since most TVs have VGA inputs - a quick check on the spec sheet and a standard VGA cable should be all you need. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-as-computer-monitor/619004/3 "2012-04-17T04:46:29Z")
> [@automagic](#): > > I have found several VGA to HDMI cables so I do not think this should be a problem VGA cannot be turned into HDMI with just a cable. The cables exist, but they will not turn an analog signal into a digital signal. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-as-computer-monitor/619004/4 "2012-04-17T04:55:19Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > VGA cannot be turned into HDMI with just a cable. The cables exist, but they will not turn an analog signal into a digital signal. Would a digital scan converter work? I’ve seen them for under $20 on ebay. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-as-computer-monitor/619004/5 "2012-04-17T05:05:20Z")
Many new TVs will also have a DVI input (you can check for this on the specs), which means you’ll need a VGA to DVI adapter. You won’t get the best quality, but it won’t be any worse than a VGA output, either. Of course, you won’t get sound out of the TV, unless you also connect the sound output from your laptop to the TV, but you would have had the same problem before anyway. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-as-computer-monitor/619004/6 "2012-04-17T09:47:32Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Would a digital scan converter work? I’ve seen them for under $20 on ebay. I’ve tried something like this. The processing required may cause delays in the video, resulting in out-of-sync audio and video and making gaming impossible. Most HDTVs now have VGA in, more than DVI, I think. My Panasonic C series LCD TV has it, and that’s their lowest end. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-as-computer-monitor/619004/7 "2012-04-17T13:58:15Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Most HDTVs now have VGA in, more than DVI, I think. My Panasonic C series LCD TV has it, and that’s their lowest end. Hell, all the TVs in our house have VGA-in - our nice 50" LG, the 42" cheapo Dynex it replaced, and the little TV/DVD-player combo Dynex-_knock-off_ (“Daenyx”) we have in the bedroom. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-as-computer-monitor/619004/8 "2012-04-17T15:28:41Z")
As others have mentioned, there are VGA inputs in alot of new TVs. In fact, my Sony Bravia manual specifically says to use the VGA input for a computer and not the HDMI/DVI inputs.