# Connect PC to LCD TV



## imjpwutup (Jul 29, 2008)

i plan on using a DVI-HDMI cable to hook up to my tv i plan in buying in the future however i kno video cards dont have sound.

I was wondering how would i go about getting sound to my TV from PC? What kinda cables would be deemed necessary and is it possible to use digital ones?

My computer is a HP pavillion a6040n, it has digital audio ports so would it be better to use those? The input is black and the output is orange. 

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00864946&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=3377278


Thats the specs of my computer though i have upgraded hard drives and video card. XFX 8600GT 256MB

if anyone can tell me how and what cables i would need. espicially for the digital audio id appreciate it.


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## stressfreesoul (Mar 17, 2008)

For digital audio you should be using optical or coaxial. It also depends on the type of input on your TV, for example mine has 4 HDMI inputs, one of which has a headphone socket next to it for stereo input (almost all PCs have either component or stereo audio outputs in the form of headphone sockets). This isnt what I wanted, so I plugged the PC coaxial sound output into my surround sound amp (most modern all-in-one DVD/home cinema systems have coax input and/or component audio/optical input, if you dont have a seperate cinema amplifier). This gives me 5.1 surround from my PC.
To make life easy for yourself, when you buy your new flat screen, make sure it has the type of audio input you need (optical/coaxial for surround sound and headphone socket/phono input for stereo).


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## imjpwutup (Jul 29, 2008)

well im not gonna have a whole surround system in my room since my room is too small and i wouldnt have the money for a whole theatre system for surround sound. but im just wondering what kind of cables would i need.

im assuming i would need coaxial since my PC doesnt have an optical slot or anything. it has two coaxial ports

the input is black and the output is orange. 










looks like that yellow one in the pic except theirs two. ones output and ones input. What kind of Cable would i need to plug into my TV? i wanna make sure i have everything ready once i buy it

also is it possible to connect a TV to the coaxial ports on the back of my computer. This is the first time im doing this obviously


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## magnethead (Mar 18, 2006)

if your Tv has the coax digital input, just a regular RCA cable can be used.


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## stressfreesoul (Mar 17, 2008)

You may find that the only input your new TV will have is either a headphone socket (Analogue Output, with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm jack cable)
or a Phono/RCA input (3.5mm jack to red/white RCA jacks). These should provide you with adequate sound. I believe analogue cables can still carry up to and over 192Khz, so the quality should be high.
You could always just use the speakers you already use for your PC.


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## imjpwutup (Jul 29, 2008)

true, personally im not sure what all these cables are haha. i just figured if i could use those digital outlets the sound would be superior then my speakers.

i guess ur right its just im trying to use as lil space as possible. so i would have to keep my speakers. if you have any suggestions or know of any good TVs i could use as a monitor and for gaming (xbox 360 or computer) id appreciate it. i guess ill have to keep looking


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## stressfreesoul (Mar 17, 2008)

IMHO, the speakers you would find in a TV are almost always inferior anyway. If you were a true audiophile (like me) you would have built your own speakers and have fashioned a rudamentary 5.1 amplifier out of twigs and beaver spit....:wink:
Joking...

3.5mm to RCA cable:









coaxial cable









Optical cable


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## imjpwutup (Jul 29, 2008)

hahaha that im not. an audiophile that is. im just a college student trying to make use of what lil room i have.

by looking at the pics u sent me im guessing i would need coaxial cables? since my computer doesnt have fiber optical ports.










thats the closest model to my computer i can find to mine in the back. if you look where the keyboard and mouse would hook up, above that those orange and black ports are the digital audio im talking about.

the black one being marked in and the orange being marked out. My computer doesnt have RCA ports like the picture (red and white ports).

how would i exactly connect the black and orange port to a TV? what kinda cable would be necessary? If you can give me a link, that would really help since this is the first time im ever doing this:4-dontkno


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## imjpwutup (Jul 29, 2008)

And what kinda ports should i make sure my TV have? obviously besides plenty of HDMI ports. i wanna make sure i can hook up the tv for video and audio before buying it.


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## stressfreesoul (Mar 17, 2008)

Sorry, I took from the picture in post number 3. Thought that was your machine. Your cheapest option is










or.....










...depending on the input on the TV.


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## imjpwutup (Jul 29, 2008)

o haha, no i cant find any pictures of my machine. im just showing what the ports look like on the back of a computer that has the same ports as mine. Mine doesnt have the optical ports or the RCA ports. Just regular ports on a computer with digital audio ports.

Ok, so assuming that i buy coaxial cables. could u explain to me what exactly i would have to connect? i mean im guessing id put one end into the orange port since that one is marked out right? to get the sound to go into the tv.

and if thats done, do most lcd tvs have ports to take coaxial? i kno alot of optical ports


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## magnethead (Mar 18, 2006)

Right next to the optical should be a coaxial. Usually they're marked. That will run the audio and the HDMI should carry video.


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## stressfreesoul (Mar 17, 2008)

> do most lcd tvs have ports to take coaxial?


No. Simple as that. If your TV has some sort of cinema link for connecting up an entire surround system, or comes with a surround sound system, then it might.
The majority of LCDs on the market now have optical and/or stereo. 
Your best bet is to stick with stereo (either headphone jack to headphone jack or headphone to RCA cable). You can always upgrade in the future.


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