How do you connect a computer to a TV to play avi files?

[icarus]

Hello, techies!

We're buying a new TV. (The old one died a few weeks ago.)

In an ideal world, we'd have a way to hook the TV up to the computer so we can play our downloaded avi files on the TV.

Is that possible? What do we need to get to make that work? We can get a TV with a USB port (although it would cost a bit more).

What else would we need?


ETA: Apparently there are several ways to handle this.

1) Get a TV with a VGA connection (that big rectangular thingamabob that connects your computer to your monitor). Then your TV can act as your monitor.

2) Connect your computer to your TV via an S-Video or HDMI connection. Almost all TVs will have S-Video connections, and some will have HDMI. My computer, sadly, has neither. But most computers will have one or both.

3) Get a Divx capable DVD player and just burn a DVD with your avi files of choice.

4) Foreswear all TVs as obsolete and just get a really big, nice monitor for your viewing needs. :D

Comments

[venivincere]

If you already have a DVD player with USB, you can hook up your computer (or external hard drive) that way. That's what I do. Just make sure your file system is FAT32 if your DVD player requires it (mine does). If you don't have one, (and you can get them for $40) it might be better just to go ahead and get the TV with the USB port right on it.

Thinks to check for:

--Memory compatibility. May not be able to read NTSB memory, just FAT32. It'll say in the TV specs.

--May only display the first 8 characters of folders and file names. This is annoying for obvious reasons.

--May only be able to "see" a limited number of objects on a drive. My DVD player can't see more than 644 files or something stupid like that, so your device may have limitations, too.

--May only be able to play a limited amount of file types. Mine can only see .avi and .mpg movies. No .wmv, no .rm, no .flv, no .mov files.

Good luck and have fun! I've got a dedicated external 360 GB FAT32 hard drive permanently hooked up to my DVD player and it's brilliant. Play chains right from one file to the next, so I've put all my files in order in a folder, and I don't even have to touch the clicker to get to the next episode. Brilliant, I say. :-D

[ifyouweremine.livejournal.com]

I just read an article about how to turn your PC into a TV (http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1262/), I hope that helps!

[princessofg.livejournal.com]

thank you so much for asking this. i'm about to make some similar decisions in anticipation of the digital tv changeover next winter.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, marvelous -- thank you!

(Will post this information above for the good of all.)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, now that's very cool.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Yup. We're thinking of that, too.

TV...

[heythere10.livejournal.com]

The easiest option is S-Video. Most newer computers have an S-Video output... check by the monitor hookup on your computer. It's round and has some holes in it. Most TV's also have S-Video, so all you'd need is a cable and you're set. If you don't have S-Video on your laptop, you should be able to get a TV with the same sort of hookups as a monitor (VGA)... the weird shaped (kind of rectangular) jack with all the holes in it on the back of laptops/computers... lol. Hopefully that description helps! Anyways, with those hookups, you should be able to use a monitor cable to plug your computer into your TV. I've never used the second option, but when I asked my Dad how to hook up my old computer to my TV, that's what he suggested. If you just have VGA on your computer but you have S-Video on your TV, I would think that there would be some type of converter/cable you could pick up to make things work.

Hope that helps!

[stentoriansista.livejournal.com]

My tv has the same type of port you use to hook up a monitor to a desktop computer (looks like it's called VGA? It's vaguely rectangular with lots of little holes.), and we just plug that into my laptop and set the computer to recognize the tv as a second monitor. Easy peasy.

Re: TV...

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I've checked out an S-video cord and I'm looking on the back of my computer... glrgh. I'm pretty sure that I screwed up and didn't get S-video on my one-year-old custom computer where I could have easily asked for it. I vaguely remember my computer guy mentioning it.

Or is this this thing that usually attaches the mouse or keyboard?

VGA... that's that hefty rectangular multi-prong connector, right?

I can easily (and plan to get) S-video on our TV, so maybe that's the best way to go.

Thank you! Great advice.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Cool. That sounds hopeful. What kind of computer do you have?

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

There are a number of teles now that have monitor inputs. I'd personally go for one of those.

I highly recommend Acer lcd televisions. They're essentially a giant monitor and thus have monitor inputs. We bought one a couple of years ago and it ended up being cheaper than a plasma or lcd televsion from a regular company.

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

And not knowing what size tv you want to buy, if you're only looking for a smallish tele, why not get a large monitor with tv inputs? When our bedroom tv died we just moved the 24 inch Dell monitor into the room.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Er. I mean, what kind of TV do you have?

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

We just have a 17" monitor now. I run that idea past WG but I think he might be attached to the idea of "owning a TV." The TVs he's looking at are in the 32" range. Me, I'm cool with a bigger monitor, but it's his TV.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, cool. I have an Acer Aspire hard drive. Sounds like compatibility wouldn't be an issue.

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

Nup. We have a Mac mini connected up to ours :)

[nicocoer.livejournal.com]

Psst- if you want just a cord from monitor jack to your TV (Your TV would be a monitor), and you decide on an HD TV, you'll be fine. This is for even if you don't have an S-vid output on your computer.

The only cords I found in my quest in the Evil empire WalMart was the HDTV hook ups- and I don't have an HDTV? So if you do go for an HDTV, Wlamart DOES carry the cord I'm describing. :)

[wyomingnot.livejournal.com]

I just go with the sorta convoluted use of a divx capable dvd player (which are generally cheap). Burn my avi files to disc (cd or dvd) and play them on the tv. No special hookups needed.

But that's just me. I've been pricing tvs recently. I want to know what happened to cheap tvs. I think if either of mine died, it just wouldn't get replaced (as it is, my main computer's monitor is bigger than most of the tvs I've ever owned).

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, now that's a cool idea. I have a very, very cheap DVD player I picked up for a hundred bucks 8 years ago and it works fine, but it'll be worth it to play avi files because we watch downloads together all the time.

(And our couch is just not comfortable enough for two people, not when one of those two is 6' 2" tall.)

Hmm. I talked to him about getting rid of the TV, but he wants to actually have the TV and computer in separate rooms. So a hook-up where I can connect my portable external drive to the TV or DVD player capable of playing avi files would be best.

[wyomingnot.livejournal.com]

...to the best of my knowledge, the divx capable dvd doesn't take inputs like a hard drive. It just reads the avis off the cd or dvd.

(unless that's not what you're saying, but that's what I'm reading)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, I understood. In fact, Divx compatible DVD players are pretty cheap, too.

Now WG's asked me how much a big LCD monitor would cost and never mind a TV. We can put a bookshelf in its place. :D

I put the four different options on how to do this in the main post.

[threnodyjones.livejournal.com]

My flippant answer is a definite 'D'. Stop being so analog Icarus. Sheesh!

;)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

LOL!

Oh, that reminds me, I must swing by your LJ for more recs.

[stentoriansista.livejournal.com]

It's an Envision, which is some random brand we got at Costco.com. I think that jack is pretty standard on new tvs; we got ours like 3 months ago.

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

Just got a v37 inch samsung yesterday - with the VGA/HDMI/USB connection as this was recced to me by a friend who is very very very into tv's for sticking the computer to it. I am going to get a laptop to connect to it to the net next month - (this month... NO! want but cannot have. TV is gorgeous. NOte: He said "get a samsung" because they make all the screens anyways!

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

It is slightly pink. as in a very very deep red surround. Looks frightenly co-ordinated with house.