# What do I need to hook my computer up to a TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 3, 2001, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429 "2001-06-03T14:10:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Felix\_007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Felix\_007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Felix_007)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/1 "2001-06-03T14:10:57Z")
What do I need to hook my computer up to a TV? Should I buy a tv to suit my computer? or Should I buy a graphics card to suit a tv? ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/2 "2001-06-03T14:18:14Z")
You need a video card with video out capabilities. Most video chipsets have an option for video out. Be warned, though…usually video out looks fairly bad…it maxes out at 640x480 resolution (you can sometimes do 800x600, but it doesn’t look too good.) and it doesn’t usually fill the whole screen. It looks especially bad in comparison to a monitor. However, if you want to make VHS movies, I guess you’ll need to do that. Some cards have somewhat decent video out, but it’s not the same as cable or anything like that. Jman ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/3 "2001-06-03T21:40:10Z")
i’ll second what Jman says…and… you’ll need, in your computer, either a tv-tuner card that supports video-out, or a pci-vga card that supports video-out or an agp card that supports video-out or one of the latest motherboards that have inbuilt video-out capabilities as part of the onboard graphics controller… so, generally, buy a new graphics card not a new tv…just make sure that the tv has video/audio in jacks, that’s all. and if you’re a comp-with-tv buff, a tv-tuner card would be a great idea…set the software to record your fav. tv shows, power on when the match begins, etc. an agp tv-tuner card is the best option. ---
**Author:** ![Raziel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@Raziel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raziel)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/4 "2001-06-03T21:55:28Z")
On a similar subject… Hmm. I have an S-Video out jack next to my DVD ROM on my laptop. A little adapter (S-video -\> RCA A&V jack) came with the laptop. I’ve plugged in the adapter, plugged an RCA cable from my adapter to the TV, run WinDVD, and yet I get nothing on the TV. What’s up with this? ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/5 "2001-06-03T22:07:10Z")
I have some questions: How will these newfangled $1999 HDTV fare when hooked to an ATI All-in-Wonder or other TV Tuners/Video card hybrids? (I knew I should have gotten this card. I knew it.) Has anybody have experience with it? Will it still have the same resolution problems that the old TV’s have? ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/6 "2001-06-03T22:19:44Z")
Raziel, try tuning your tv on the video band. similar to what we had to do when we connected a vcr to the tv and saw espn instead of that pr0n movie 🙂 Felix, whynchya send me in yer HDTV 'n i’ll see what i cans do. seriously, dunno, i have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/7 "2001-06-03T22:22:14Z")
oops… not Felix, make that capacitor. i think i shorted a capacitor in me brains 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/8 "2001-06-03T23:20:43Z")
Try looking at the Dazzle ($200), it has TV OUT. That ALL in Wonder card ($100-150) has connections to do that. There are also cheap TV out cards around $50, I suppose. Or you can get a video projector ($2000)… but I dont know how it does tv. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/9 "2001-06-03T23:23:28Z")
I use a Snappy which cost me about $90 a few years ago. Many camera shops sell them now…for a lot less. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/10 "2001-06-03T23:24:50Z")
Whoops. The Snappy is used to run the TV signal to the computor, not vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![Raziel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@Raziel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raziel)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/11 "2001-06-04T07:38:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xash \* > \*\*Raziel, try tuning your tv on the video band. similar to what we had to do when we connected a vcr to the tv and saw espn instead of that pr0n movie 🙂 > \*\* You mean put the TV on the “Input” channel? Come on, dude. That’s like when a pilot calls us in the shop and says “Hey, the VTR isn’t recording. I think it’s broken.” We op check it, and then call him back. “Sir, what position did you have this switch in?” “The official position.” “What’s that sir? Say again? You mean the OFF position?” “Oh.” If that’s not what you meant, then forgive my ignorance. But anyhoo, I’m still not gettting video from my DVD output. I was thinking that maybe I had to (mechanically or via software) actually TURN ON the output…anyone know anything about this? I have a Dell Inspiron 8000, btw. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-need-to-hook-my-computer-up-to-a-tv/67429/12 "2001-06-04T15:21:34Z")
At [http://www.google.com/](http://www.google.com/) if you input: Dell Inspiron 8000 DVD output You can read the web on this subject. Did you read the manual?