Easy Way to Use Your TV as a Computer Monitor

If you find your computer monitor or laptop screen too small and boring, why not use your TV screen as one? Modern TVs have HDMI and VGA input ports for this purpose. This will be great, especially if you are a gamer or like watching movies on your computer. You can use various standard cables or adapters to do it. This article will guide you through the steps to follow if you want to use your TV as a computer monitor.

Step-1: Identify the ports

Firstly, before you connect your TV to use it as a computer monitor, you have to identify the ports on your TV and computer to determine which cables to use. You can find the ports at the back or on the side of your TV, depending on its model. The most common ports you will likely see clearly labelled are HDMI and VGA. You may find two HDMI ports labelled as HDMI 1 and HDMI 2. You can easily identify the VGA port because it is usually coloured blue.

Now check your computer or laptop; they usually have more options than just the HDMI and VGA. However, most newer laptop models do not have the VGA port.

Step-2: Plug in the cable

Now that you have correctly identified the ports, connect the one you want to use to your TV. Whether it is HDMI1, HDMI2, or VGA, make sure to have it selected on your TV. As soon as you connect the cable to the ports on both ends, your TV will display whatever is on your computer monitor. You can now use your TV as your computer monitor.

One thing you must know is that VGA does not transmit audio signals. Therefore, if your interest in using your TV as a computer monitor is to watch movies or anything that needs sound, then you will have to use a different audio cable.

When and How to Use Adapters

If you find that it is impossible to connect your TV to computer using VGA or HDMI, you can find a way around it with adapters and other standard ports that you can find on your TV or computer. They include Mini-VGA, DVI-D, DVI-I, Mini-DVI, Micro-DVI, Mini-HDMI, Micro-HDMI, DisplayPort, Mini-DisplayPort, and USB Type-C. If you have one on your computer or TV that matches them, you will need to find an adaptor that will work for you.

A good example of adapters is a HDMI to USB Type-C. You can plug it in your devices to convert HDMI to USB Type-C and enjoy using your TV as a computer monitor by following step-1 and step-2 above.