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Question:

I am trying to configure an entertainment system where I can tie my PC into a large screen TV AND a computer monitor. I'd like to have the ability to watch my regular TV while also on my computer; i.e. Fantasy Football where I can monitor my teams on-line and still watch the games simultaneously. I'd like to have the versatility to use my big TV, though, as a computer monitor when not watching the TV. My PC has a dvd player and audio system in it so I'd be using my TV to watch the movies through my PC. To accomplish this, I need to know what to do to set this up.

Answer:

One of the most frequently asked question we receive here at the Dell Home Theater Learning Center website deals with connecting a Laptop or PC to an HDTV. The specifics vary from "which cable/connection type is best" to "which codec should I use to ensure high quality playback of digital movies." There are actually too many topics to cover in just a single answer so we will deal with each of them in parts. This particular response will go over the various uses of connecting a PC to an HDTV, and the various connections that might be required to complete the setup.

Since the advent of Microsoft Media Player, and similar programs, PCs have been used to play music and video. But not until flat panel HDTVs began gracing "home theaters" did interest in connecting PCs to TVs become interesting. For the remainder of this article we will refer to these connected devices as "Home Theater PCs" or HTPCs.

It's important to understand what goals you have with your HTPC, so let's go over a few scenarios:

The Digital Library - Many who are interested in adding an HTPC to their home theater are seeking the easiest way to enjoy their movies, music, photos, etc. in their living rooms, and/or on a bigger screen. This can be done easily enough by either connecting a PC directly to one of your TV's inputs or by connecting via an "extender" device of some sort.

"Media Extenders" come in a variety of forms and from many manufacturers. They act like a bridge which transports media from the PC to your TV. Some of the more popular media extenders are Microsoft's Xbox 360, and Apple's Apple TV. There are many other options available from other manufacturers like D-Link, Linksys, etc. Many of these work with Microsoft Windows Media Server, which you will find makes it easier to organize and find your media.

Connecting your PC to your HDTV via a media extender is the simplest way to go. You don't need to buy additional cabling, add-in cards for your PC, etc. The down-side to this easy approach is that you need to purchase the extender itself, and that can set you back $100 to $300.

Cable/Antenna Recording - If you are interested in adding recording capability to your HTPC, like with a DVR/TiVo, the needs get a little more complicated. To record cable programming you will need to add ‘cable tuning cards’ to the PC. The functions they perform are similar to what your standard cable box does, except often without the integrated program guide. The same applies to antenna tuning cards for over-the-air reception.

DVD/Blu-ray Playback - One final aspect that readers are typically interested in is being able to play back DVDs and/or Blu-ray discs through their PC to their HDTV. In fact, with internal Blu-ray drives going for as little as $75 - $100, it can be a bit less expensive to buy an internal Blu-ray drive in your PC than to purchase an external, separate component Blu-ray player. The tricky part is ensuring you're getting the full 1080p resolution from the drive to the TV. More about that later when we discuss HDCP.

The Physical Connection

If you're using a media extender, the connection is simple. Most connect to your TV either via component or HDMI cable, just like any other piece of equipment you may have. The other connection needed is to your home network via ethernet cable or wi-fi adapter. If you choose to connect your extender wirelessly and you wish to show HD content, be sure that your wireless network has the capacity for delivering it.

There is typically a simple setup procedure within the menu of your extender device to connect it to your Internet and home network. You will also have to do some setup on your PC to share the files you wish to be accessible from the extender. We may cover these details in a later article, but it is a bit in-depth for our purposes here.

If you are connecting a PC directly for the purposes of Blu-ray playback you should make sure that your PC has a graphics card which is capable of both HDMI output and HDCP copy protection. HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Copy Protection, and is the protection method used by Hollywood to secure digital movies as they transfer over the wire (and soon wirelessly) to your display device. If your graphics card is not "HDCP Compliant", your Blu-ray playback will likely be "down-rezzed" to a lower resolution (480p) and you will not get the full benefit of the 1080p source.

- Shane Sturgeon
Co-Publisher, HDTV Magazine