Hook up a PC to a TV via VGA cable and stereo audio cable

Here's how to hook up your pc, laptop or netbook to your TV.

My Shopping Tech Expert Note: In order to do this your television must have a VGA input, which is a blue plug with 15 holes, 3 rows of 5 holes that are staggered. Your TV must also have an audio input which should be a small, round hole next to the VGA input. You can find these easily, as they are generally marked "PC IN". Sometimes the small hole is marked "audio", sometimes it is not. If your TV does not have these inputs, this particular solution will not work for you.

HOW TO DO IT:

SHOPPING LIST:

1 VGA cable with 2 male ends
1 stereo audio cable 3.55 mm with 2 male ends

(both cables should be the same approximate length)

My Shopping Tech Expert Note: For those who are unfamiliar with electronics terminology, when a cable end or an adapter end is male, it means the prongs are protruding out. When a cable or adapter end is female, it means there are holes instead of prongs.

There are different configurations of adapters and cables M/M (both ends with prongs protruding outwards), M/F (one end with prongs protruding outwards and one end with holes instead of prongs) and F/F (both ends with holes instead of prongs.

PREPARATION:

Before you buy these cables, you need to figure out how long each cable needs to be. You are running both cables from your pc or laptop to the VGA and audio inputs on your television set. Measure the length and give yourself a minimum of that same length of cable. It's OK to give yourself some slack with more cable in case you move your pc or want to run the cable by a wall or in a place where there won't be so much traffic. Go longer rather than shorter.

My Shopping Tech Expert Note: Most standard VGA and stereo audio cable comes in the following lengths: 3 feet, 6 feet, 12 feet, 15 feet, 25 feet, 50 feet, 75 feet, 100 feet.

Stereo audio cable is fairly cheap compared to VGA cable. Regular VGA cable is pretty thick and unruly at longer lengths. There is an ultra-thin VGA cable available but be prepared to pay almost double for it.

ATTACHING CABLES:

1. Find your VGA connection on the back of your pc, laptop or netbook (this is the blue plug with 15 holes) and connect one end of the VGA cable to it

2. Find your VGA connection on your TV (this is also a blue plug with 15 holes) and connect the remaining end of the VGA cable to it

3. Take your stereo audio cable and plug one end into the headphone jack on your pc, laptop or netbook

4. Take the other end of your stereo audio cable and plug the remaining end into the small round hole marked next to the VGA connection on your television

My Shopping Tech Expert Note: There are some television models that might have difficulty recognizing sound coming from other sources. You may have to tinker with the sound settings on your television or the audio settings on your computer, if this is the case. Every situation is different depending on the model of the TV and the operating system you are using on your computer. In most cases, with most computers and televisions, this simple solution should work.

SOLUTION 2:

If you are having trouble configuring the sound out of your television or the speaker system in your computer is better than the one in your TV, never fear. Connect only the VGA cable and not the stereo audio cable and listen to the sound through your computer.

Happy viewing!