There are many reasons why we would want to see our computer screen on television. From working more comfortably on a larger screen, to viewing vacation photos as a family, in a much larger size. It is clear that the possibilities are endless, and the truth is that connecting both devices does not require much: just knowing how to do it, and having the necessary elements for it.
In many cases it will be enough to use an HDMI cable, a VGA cable or a DVI cable. Or even depending on how innovative and current our television is, today it is perfectly possible even to do so by wireless transmission, as long as we have a smart television, or a transmission device that offers this possibility.
However, if our television does not have the possibility of receiving wireless connections, then most likely we should only do it with a cable. Again, the choice of one cable or another will also depend on the type of connection the TV has , or what we want to see / reproduce.
For example, a VGA cable is characterized by being an older type of connection, but it only allows video to be sent, so if we want to reproduce the sound from the computer on the TV we must also connect an audio cable. The HDMI cable, however, is a bit more advanced, since it allows you to send high definition video and audio, all through the same cable.
Connecting our computer to the TV through an HDMI cable
It is an extremely simple and straightforward option. At first, we must connect our computer to the television with the help of a male-to-male HDMI cable . We must bear in mind that the HDMI port of the computer will be exactly the same as the HDMI port of the computer, so the cable we use must have the same connector located at both ends.
Of course, since it is extremely likely that our television has more than one HDMI port, it is convenient to keep in mind in which port we have connected the cable, to continue with the next step.
With the help of the television remote control, now we must change the TV input, to modify the TV input to the HDMI port where we have connected the computer. Some televisions can do this automatically from the moment they detect a signal, while others show a warning for a few seconds that offers the possibility of quickly selecting it if we press the ‘OK’ button on our remote.
Now we must configure the computer. To do this, we will have to right-click on the desktop, and select Display settings . Then, we must click on Detect , in such a way that the system will automatically search for the television that we have connected. If a second screen appears in this window, it means that the computer has detected it without problems. It will show some boxes with the number that the system has assigned to the computer monitor and the television screen. In most cases “1” will be the main screen, and “2” will be the secondary screen.
Finally, we will only have to click on the drop-down menu of Several screens , and choose some of the available options. It is possible to duplicate the screens, extend them, or show only the content on screen number 1 or screen number 2.
Connecting our computer to the TV through a VGA cable
If you opt for a VGA cable because your computer or your television does not have HDMI connectivity, in this case you only have to connect the computer to the television with the help of a male-to-male VGA cable . As with the HDMI cable, both the VGA port on the computer and the television must be exactly the same, and both must have the same connector located at each end.
On some televisions, the VGA input may be labeled “Computer IN” or “PC IN,” depending on the manufacturer itself.
Of course, remember that this option will only show the visual content of the computer, since it only transmits video. Therefore, if you also want to listen to the sound, it will be necessary to connect the computer to the television with a male-to-male audio cable , which will consist of a 3.5 mm stereo audio cable, similar to the typical end of a headphone jack.
Once this is done, we will only have to change the input of the television , and make the necessary settings on the computer, in the same way as we have done in the section dedicated to the connection through an HDMI cable.
