TV & Home Theater

[pureskillx3]

Hi, i was wondering if i can connect my computer to my tv to watch shows (mainly wrestling) we do not have cable. I was planning on getting a HDMI cable and connecting to my tv. My question is will that work? and will i be able to use my computer while watching the show on tv? or do i have to leave my computer alone to watch the show? I want to know if there is a way to watch shows on your tv from your pc and use your pc to play games at the same time.

[NoNoBadDog]

Unfortunately, no one can answer your wuestion, as youhave not provided the exact make and model of either your computer or your TV.  There are so many variables that it is literally impossible to answer your question with the very limited information you provided.

[pureskillx3]

Im sorry, I meant that if i connected my computer to my TV. When i am running a show on it, can i still use my desktop? Or do i have to leave my computer alone in order to watch the show. ( Can i minimize the show on the computer and play games. Or will it show the games instead of the show?).

[NoNoBadDog]

Once again, there is not enough information.  A lot depends upon your processor, your video card, the amount of RAM, and what software you use for video playback.  Without specific information, no one will be able to answer your question. 

[CrystalWoW Community Veteran]

Yes in general you can. IF you plug it in, go into your display settings, and tell it to extend desktop, you can drag the window with the video over to the t.v., and continue doing whatever you want on your computer. This may not be very good for online gaming if you are streaming video at the same time and many other conflicts that could happen, but in general without specifics, should work.

[Entropy]

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@CrystalEmployee wrote:
Yes in general you can. IF you plug it in, go into your display settings, and tell it to extend desktop, you can drag the window with the video over to the t.v., and continue doing whatever you want on your computer. This may not be very good for online gaming if you are streaming video at the same time and many other conflicts that could happen, but in general without specifics, should work.

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Some video cards/drivers only permit "overlays" (such as that used for video playback) to be used on the primary display.

Again - need MUCH more information, in this case including what video chipset, what outputs are available, and what OS.

[ljuilfs]

Do you know a lot about computers/tvs so that if I provided you with my information you could help? I bought a Toshiba laptop from Best Buy recently  (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Toshiba+-+Satellite+Laptop+with+AMD+Turion%26%23153;+II+Dual-Core+Mobile...) and I frequently watch tv programs online via Hulu. I have tried research a little bit on how to watch what is on my computer on my tv, but I don't have a lot of computer knowledge and basically need someone to tell me what to buy. My tv is a Philips and it's not a HD - I currently have Time Warner basic cable and a basic dvd/vcr player connected to the tv (not sure if that makes a difference or not). Any information you have for me on what I might need would be greatly appreciated and if you might need any other information in order to give me suggestions just let me know and I'll do my best to find out. Thank you!

[Entropy]

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@ljuilfs wrote:

Do you know a lot about computers/tvs so that if I provided you with my information you could help? I bought a Toshiba laptop from Best Buy recently  (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Toshiba+-+Satellite+Laptop+with+AMD+Turion%26%23153;+II+Dual-Core+Mobile...) and I frequently watch tv programs online via Hulu. I have tried research a little bit on how to watch what is on my computer on my tv, but I don't have a lot of computer knowledge and basically need someone to tell me what to buy. My tv is a Philips and it's not a HD - I currently have Time Warner basic cable and a basic dvd/vcr player connected to the tv (not sure if that makes a difference or not). Any information you have for me on what I might need would be greatly appreciated and if you might need any other information in order to give me suggestions just let me know and I'll do my best to find out. Thank you!

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What inputs does the TV have?  If it is not an HDTV, it likely only has composite or S-video inputs.  It is very likely that it will be easier (and not much more expensive) to buy a new TV than to try and get S-video output with acceptable quality from the laptop.

[ljuilfs]

Yeah it just has the S-video component, that's a bummer that it's so expensive. I think I'll just stick to watching things on my computer since I can't really afford a new tv right now and can't see buying a new one since the current one is working. Thanks for the help though!