Question Using TV as PC Monitor?

owen kric

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Hi,

Want to use a SHARP LC-32CHF5111K tv as a monitor for my Dell Studio 540 desktop. The Dell has VGA out, I don't use HDMI for pc's because it is so unreliable.

The Sharp was being used on a different computer with HDMI connectivity for months until yesterday when the Sharp refused to recognise the HDMI-in signal form the other pc. I swapped over to a VGA monitor and the picture was as good as gold.

So how can I convert the visual VGA signal coming from the Dell into composite (or RGBS?) please?

Thanks ;)

Owen
 
looking at the manual online it has
3 x HDMI ports
1 x scart port
1 x composite (custom connection)
1 x component (labelled as ypbpr, custom connection)

The component connection is probably the best option assuming you have the custom cable the TV port uses. You can get cheap cables like these which are VGA to component. But these may not work so well unless you can force your desktop PC into 1280x720@60Hz or 1920x1080@60Hz via it's GPU driver/control panel, also you will need to force 16-235 colour space for TV's in driver.

Also if your PC has USB 3.0 ports buy one of these cheap USB 3 to HDMI graphics chips, they can work surprisingly well. It's only £15 and it may bypass whatever issues the internal GPU has with the HDMI output if the TV is not part of the problem.
 
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Thanks Next010 :)

Funnily enough I already sent off for one of those VGA-to-component things. Fingers crossed. Despite the manual there is no scart socket. The composite looks interesting but it is a mini jack, I guess I'd need a VGA-Composite conversion box to use composite? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Laptop-Com...&qid=1516745781&sr=1-1&keywords=vga+composite Still, it's a possibility if the other workaround fails I guess.
 
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Yeah VGA to composite will work but it will not look pretty at all and have resolution limitations as you can see in the details on the product page.

If using this as an actual primary monitor I'd go with the USB3 to HDMI or VGA to component, those are the only two which will get you the native resolution of the TV.
 
Thanks, it's the VGA to component I've gone for so fingers crossed. :)

I have had problems with HDMI connectivity and computers since it was introduced.
 
Update: The VGA-Composite did not work but I found the HDMI connection does if you muck about with it. Basically, you start the computer on a VGA monitor. When the computer is up, you plug to an HDMI monitor. The VGA will black out for an instant then come back when the HDMI screen comes on. That's it basically.

If you try to boot the computer with only the HDMI screen plugged you just get a black screen and often the pc won't boot properly, it doesn't like HDMI. You have to trick it by using VGA to boot the pc then plug the Sharp.

Windows 7, Dell Studio 540. I dare say all computers behave differently with HDMI, I have never, ever had an issue with VGA. If the Sharp had a VGA socket I would have used it, but it hasn't.
 

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