How To Watch TV On My Computer Monitor?
I have 27" flat screen lcd computer monitor. I already use it for my xbox 360 but i also want to use it as a tv. Its not connected to the computer. Is there some kind of cables i have to get for it? As in connect my cable into my Monitor so i may watch tv?
Thanks!
3 Responses to “How To Watch TV On My Computer Monitor?”
By aviatingamateur on Apr 30, 2010 | Reply
Your 27" flatscreen LCD monitor sounds like one of the newer ones, so most likely it’s HDCP-compliant. That means you can directly connect it to a digital HD cable box, which has either a DVI or HDMI output. When you connect an HDCP-compliant monitor to a digital HD cable box, you turn that monitor into an HDTV.
So check your monitor and see if it is HDCP-compliant, and if you don’t already have a digital HD cable box, call your cable TV company and upgrade your service to digital HD.
Hope this helps.
By Fish on Apr 30, 2010 | Reply
Your xbox is a computer but a special purpose one for which you use the monitor as a user interface. For TV you need a TV signal converter that needs to reside in a computer. This circuit board has the correct connector to which you connect your cable TV.
By been there done that got shirt on Apr 30, 2010 | Reply
There’s many different answers, depending on the connectivity of the monitor that you’re using.
If you’re using HDMI to connect your 360 to the monitor, and your monitor has built-in speakers and/or sound output (headphone jack, red/white RCA cables labeled "output", optical/coax digital out), then all you’ll need are a high-def and HDMI capable cable or satellite box*, a HDMI switch box, two new HDMI cables (one for cable/sat box to switch box connection, one for switch box to monitor connection). The cables don’t have to be very long so they won’t be overly expensive, and the switch box can be bought on the internet for around $30 if you don’t need fancy features.
If you’re using component video (5 connectors – 2 red, 1 green, 1 blue, 1 white) to connect your 360 to the monitor, you’ll need a high-def cable or satellite box, a component video switch box, two new component video cable sets (one for cable/sat box to switch box, one for switch box to monitor). These cable sets don’t have to be long or high-end so they shouldn’t cost too much, and the switch box for this setup can be bought for around $20 on the internet if you don’t need fancy features.
If your monitor has lots of different inputs (DVI, HDMI, VGA, Component), you can just use the monitor instead of buying a switch box to switch between your devices. You’ll still need to obtain a HD cable or satellite box. As for connectivity…
- If your computer is connected via DVI and the 360 is connected via HDMI, you can connect the cable/sat box to the component video connection.
- If your computer is connected to DVI and the 360 is connected to component video, you’ll need to obtain a HDMI capable cable or satellite box* and probably an HDMI cable, as most cable providers don’t include these with HD boxes.
- Most cable and satellite boxes don’t like DVI ports. Avoid attaching a cable or satellite box to a DVI port if possible. Also, you won’t be able to use the VGA port with your cable or satellite box.
I hope this helps.