How do I connect my PC to the TV?

sephiroth1215

Topic

PedanticOmbudsman · Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 3:52 pm Post subject:

A few ways...

If your video card already has a TV output (many of them do), then you're already set. Some video cards (even some that are built into the motherboard) have a yellow RCA video jack built in, others have a connection for a little add-on cable that came with the card that has several little doohickies on it including a yellow RCA plug. Just consult the documentation for your video card to see if it has a TV output & how to use it.

If your current video card doesn't have a TV output, you have a few choices. You can get a new video card with a TV output. Depending on budget, you can either get a really nice one to replace your existing video card, or you can look for a cheap old (possibly even used) PCI video card & put it in your computer to use as a secondary video card, which you'll use only for its TV output.

If you don't want to open up your computer to install a new video card, the other option would be to buy a device that accepts a monitor cable as input, converts it to a TV signal, and has a yellow RCA video jack as output. I don't remember what these devices are called, but I used to use one for hooking the monitor output of a laptop into the input of a big video projector.
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dieKatze88 · Trick Member Joined: 10 Aug 2003

sephiroth1215 · Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:00 pm Post subject:

Thank you

PedanticOmbudsman · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 5:10 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I know those things are pretty expensive... they're mostly marketed to business people who need to hook their laptops up to video projectors & big conference room TVs & stuff. The video card would be a better idea unless you're unable or unwilling to crack open the computer, or it's a laptop. As I mentioned, if you don't want to make a big purchase to replace your main video card with a better one, you can get a cheapo PCI video card with a TV output to use as a secondary -- Stepmania will run fine on just about any video card from the past few years.
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Shippo · Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:52 pm Post subject:

I dont get it...what the hell is a video card?

huh?...
Can u explain this to complete computer idiots

dieKatze88 · Trick Member Joined: 10 Aug 2003

PedanticOmbudsman · Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2005 4:57 pm Post subject:

The video card is the thing in your computer's case that you plug your monitor into. The blue D-shaped monitor plug on the computer is part of it, but most of it is hidden inside, consisting of various hardware that's in charge of drawing things & getting the video signal ready to send out ot the monitor. Many motherboards these days have a video card physically built into the motherboard (this is true of most "budget" computers because it's simple, compact, and cheaper), but video cards are also available as add-on components that snap into a PCI or AGP slot inside the case (which has removable plates so that the port for the monitor can stick out the back of the computer). Upgrading your video card is usually as simple as buying a new one, opening up the computer, swapping the new one for the old one (or, if possible, leaving both of them in so that you can use them to run multiple monitors if you're into that sort of thing), and installing some drivers. People have been known to spend well over $500 on top-of-the-line video cards because of the better graphics they can offer in 3D games -- video cards with more memory, faster graphics processors, and other features can render sharper, more detailed 3D graphics at higher resolutions and at faster speeds than a lesser video card can.

Stepmania is extremely simple in terms of graphics compared to most of today's commercial computer games, so pretty much any video card will give you adequate performance. The video card of just about any PC produced in the past few years will be more than enough for Stepmania.

All video cards include at least one monitor output (some have more than one), but many include television outputs so that the computer's video output can be hooked to a TV, VCR, etc. Those desiring this feature but lacking an existing video card with a TV output can buy one & install it in the PC's case. This can be expensive (if you want to buy a kick-buttocks video card to replace your existing one) or cheaper (if you buy a lower-end video card & install it in addition to your existing video card just so that you'll have a TV output).
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