Online shoppers today are faced with a staggering variety of cable choices when trying to connect their PC to their TV. They may wonder which cables give them the best sound and picture quality, and may also want to know the various options they have to connect their TV and PC together. High Definition Multimedia Interface leads are by far the most common cable of choice in demand at present, but products such as the Toshiba Satellite L300 have a VGA 15 Pin D-Sub socket, and so a different cable type would be needed.
Connect PC to TV using the latest wireless technology
If your Desktop, Laptop, Tablet PC or Smartphone, has a USB port or ‘socket', there is a multitude of devices available online which will allow you to stream both sound and video content wirelessly from your PC, provided that your Television has a HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) input. Fortunately, nearly all High Definition (HD) TVs on sale in 2012 are retro fitted with a HDMI input, and every new 3D TV is equipped with a HDMI input.
Connect mini USB and micro USB PC to TV wirelessly
Some Laptops, Desktops, Tablet PCs and even Smartphones have mini USB or micro USB ports, and so to stream audio and visual content wirelessly from one of these devices, you would need a micro USB to USB (Type A) converter, or mini USB to USB (Type A) converter to use a Wireless PC to TV streamer.
Connect Apple iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch to HDMI High Definition Television screen
If you want to connect your Apple multimedia device to your TV monitor, you can do this by using an Apple 30-Pin Dock connector to HDMI (Type A) converter along with with a HDMI (Type A) 1.4 lead. This combination of adapter and cable is also compatible with the iPhone 3, 3G, 4, 4S and iPod touch.
The wide availability of product choice can only be seen as a positive thing for the consumer. Due to high competition, consumers have the power to demand ever-increasing levels of durability and transmission quality, at prices as low as 46p for a HDMI cable (the cheapest HDMI cable we have ever come across). It would be best to recommend any form of HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) 1.4 cable from a trusted online retailer.
Are expensive HDMI cables better than cheap ones?
If you have just spent your hard-earned cash on a 42″ High Definition TV, you may think that spending loads on a “top-of-the-range” HDMI cable will ensure better image quality, but it is widely regarded that around £9.99 is a sensible amount to spend on a HDMI cable (to strike a good compromise between value and quality), unless you require a cable of more than 3 metres. Longer HDMI cables tend to cost more than £10, but are surely a cost-effective alternative to connecting PC to TV wirelessly.
If you don't know your PC or TV connection type, use an online configurator to search for a PC and TV connection by Make and Model. If you don't know the Make and Model of the PC and TV you want to connect, you can also search by cable connection type. – Connect PC to TV
If your laptop lacks a HDMI input, but has a VGA input, you have two options:
Option one: Buy a VGA (Male) to VGA (Male) cable, a VGA to HDMI adapter set, a HDMI (Male) to HDMI (Male) cable, and a 3.5mm Mini Jack to RCA cable
Option two: If your PC also has a USB socket, use that instead and buy a Wireless PC to TV streaming kit
Option one will cost you nearly the same as the wireless PC to TV streamer, because the VGA to HDMI converter box will set you back at least 39.99.
Most wireless Computer to Television streaming kits are designed to work from a distance of up to 30 feet, so if you are planning to connect PC to TV wirelessly from a large distance, you should use a high quality HDMI cable, VGA cable and HDMI to VGA adapter, along with a 3.5mm Mini Jack to RCA lead.
You will need a 3.5mm Mini Jack to RCA cable when connecting using VGA because VGA does not carry audio signal. VGA cables must be used in conjunction with a 3.5mm Mini Jack to RCA cable when connecting Computer to Television.
How to connect Apple Mac or MacBook to HD TV
If you have a recent Apple MacBook or Mac Desktop, you are likely to have either a Mini DisplayPort input or Apple Thunderbolt input. Most new Mini DisplayPort adapters and cables are compatible with Apple Thunderbolt for connecting Computer to Television, so if you are planning to connect your Mini Displayport or Thunderbolt equipped Apple multimedia interface to your 27″ Apple LED screen, you can use a Thunderbolt cable. Like HDMI cables, Thunderbolt also carries audio signal.
If you want to connect your Apple Thunderbolt or Mini DisplayPort (input) Computer, Desktop, Laptop, Netbook or Tablet to your HDMI High Definition Television, you can use a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI converter, or Apple Thunderbolt to HDMI converter.
Some new televisions come equipped with a DVI port (either a DVI-Integrated, DVI-Analogue, or DVI-Digital). DVI cables do not carry audio signal, so need to be used in conjunction with a 3.5mm Mini Jack to RCA cable.
