Connecting Your Computer To A High Definition Television

This question comes from one of my Twitter friends. Connecting your computer to your high definition television is very easy.

Donna writes,

"I wanted to connect my laptop to my television. Since I have an HDMI adapter for my laptop, I thought this would be relatively easy. The salesman at the electronics store sold me this very expensive HDMI cable. When I got home I connected the two and after a 3 second flash of the desktop on the television, the screen went blue. Did I buy the wrong (expensive cable) or is there something else that I need to do?"

Believe it or not, this is a common problem. I have seen it many times with connections to different video and projection media.

First, let's address the expensive cable from the electronics store. You can find the same cable at a discount store for much less. The cable itself does not need to be the most expensive on the shelf. Tests have shown that there is very little difference if any in the quality of the picture between an expensive well known brand name cable and the inexpensive, not so well known, manufacturer's cable. So don't let an electronics store salesman talk you into the most expensive cable, unless only the best will do for you.

Connecting your laptop, or desktop, computer to your television using HDMI is a very simple process. Plug your HDMI video adapter to your computer. Plug the other end into the HDMI cable. If your computer has an HDMI output, then you can plug the HDMI cable into that. Plug the other end of the HDMI cable to your high definition television.

Here's the easy, but often missed part. Make sure to take note of the number on the television's connection. Use your television's remote to tune to the proper HDMI connection. On your laptop or desktop computer's keyboard, press the F8 key slowly, allowing a few seconds between each key stroke. This will prompt your computer to change monitor arrangements. There are three possible monitor arrangements, laptop or desktop monitor, mirrored between both monitors, and peripheral monitor (TV).

If you have chosen the correct HDMI connection on the television menu, you should easily see your computer's screen on your high definition television.

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