MAY 2020 • TECH ADVISOR 95You’ve probably already got a big screen in your
house, though – a TV. At the end of the day, isn’t an
HDTV just a giant, living-room-oriented computer
monitor? Not exactly. While you can use a TV as a
computer monitor in most cases, that doesn’t mean
it’s the best option. In fact, it’s likely less attractive,
convenient, and usable than you think (not to mention,
probably not that cheap). There’s a reason dirt-cheap
32in HDTVs aren’t flying off the shelves to be used as
budget-friendly jumbo screens.
You definitely can use an HDTV as your PC’s display,
though. Here’s everything you need to know about how
to set up a TV as a computer monitor – and why you
might not want to.
Will it even work?
The short answer: Yes. You may need a special cable,
depending on your PC’s outputs and your HDTV’s
inputs, and you’ll need to check a couple of settings,
butyoushouldn’thavetoomuchtroublehooking
mostmodern PCs up to most modern HDTVs.
Modern HDTVs have HDMI outputs. Some older
HDTVs have DVI inputs, and some even have VGA
inputs specifically designated for ‘PC use’. If your
graphicscardhasanHDMIoutput,you’regoodto
go:justuseanHDMIcabletoconnectyourPCto
yourHDMI.
If you’re using an older graphics card or
motherboardthatonlyhasa DVIoutput,youcan
snagacheap DVI-to-HDMI cable and plug it into your
HDTV’s HDMI output. Although some older HDTVs and
some older computers only have VGA inputs/outputs,