A good television is the best device you can use if you want to watch movies and television shows. But, not everyone has access to a good television. Some people only have access to a computer monitor. Because of that, in this guide, you are going to learn all about how you can use a computer monitor as a television screen.
To Use A Computer Monitor As A TV Screen, What Do You Need?
For you to use a computer monitor as a television screen, there are a couple of things that you need.
Before you can do anything, you need to have a device that you will be connecting to your computer monitor. For some, this will be a Blu-Ray player. For others, this may be a streaming device, such as a Roku or Amazon Fire Stick. Some people may have a cable box that they want to connect to their computer monitor.
Regardless of which device you wish to connect to your computer monitor, you need to ask one question: what outputs does your computer monitor support?
Every computer monitor is a little different. Most of the new ones have an HDMI and DVI output. But, a lot of the older ones have only a VGA or DVI output.
A monitor with an HDMI output is ideal. The reason for this is because just about every modern device supports HDMI. It is easily the most common format. But, if you don’t have an HDMI output and, instead, have a DVI or VGA output, you will need to purchase an HDMI adapter for one of those outputs.
So, you need a device that you can connect to your monitor, as well as an HDMI port or an adapter for a DVI or VGA port.
Make sure you have those devices – the ones that you need, specifically – so that you are able to connect your television devices to your computer monitor.
The next thing that you need to have is a monitor that possesses these two major qualities: built-in speakers, and HDCP compliance.
If your monitor doesn’t have any built-in speakers, then you won’t be able to hear the audio coming from the device that’s plugged into the monitor.
If your monitor isn’t HDCP compliant, then the content that is being streamed won’t be decoded, meaning that you won’t see anything.
Some monitors don’t have built-in speakers, but they do have an audio jack. Making use of this audio jack allows you to connect an external speaker to the monitor which will, in turn, allow you to hear the audio that’s emanating from the device that is plugged into your monitor.
If your monitor doesn’t have any built-in speakers or an audio jack, there are certain adapters that you can purchase – similar to the VGA and DVI adapters mentioned earlier – that provide an audio jack, allowing you to connect external audio devices to the device that’s being connected to the monitor.
In the end, to use your monitor as a television screen, you need a device that you will connect to the monitor, a monitor that’s HDCP compliant, the necessary cables and ports to make the connection, as well as a way to play the audio that is coming from the media that you are displaying on your computer monitor.
How Can You Connect A Cable Box To Your Computer Monitor?
To connect your cable box to your computer monitor, all you need is the cable box and the necessary cord/adapter.
Right before you do anything, make sure the cable box is plugged in. Then, plug in the video cord, making sure that it’s long enough to reach your monitor. Right after that, if you have a cord that fits the ports on your monitor, you can plug it in. Doing that will allow you to turn on your monitor, switch to the cable box output, and use your cable box as you would on a regular television screen.
Let’s say, though, that you don’t have the necessary port. To fix this, you will need to purchase an adapter. Plug the cable box’s cord into the box, and then take the other end of that cable and plug it into the adapter. Upon doing so, you can connect the other side of the adapter to your monitor. After doing so, you can use the cable box as you would normally it.
If your computer monitor doesn’t have a built-in audio system, then this process will be a little different. You will need to purchase an adapter that allows you to connect an external audio device to the device that’s plugged in. These are usually fairly inexpensive. With this adapter, you can connect headphones or speakers to the device that’s being displayed on the monitor, ensuring that you are able to listen to whatever device you are using.
How Can You Connect A Smart TV Device To Your Computer Monitor?
More and more people are choosing to purchase Smart TV devices such as the Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire Stick. All of these devices are fantastic, and they make it very easy for you to access all of your favorite streaming services and all of your favorite content.
Since the Smart TV devices that you can purchase are all quite new – the concept hasn’t been around for very long – they all support HDMI. Most of them only support HDMI, as a matter of fact, which means that you must have an HDMI port to use these devices.
All you must do, if your monitor has an HDMI port and built-in audio, is plug in the Smart TV device and then use the device as you would on a regular television screen. But, of course, if you don’t have an HDMI port or built-in audio, then the process will be slightly more complex.
You can, as mentioned numerous times earlier, invest in an HDMI adapter that allows you to use DVI and VGA for just about any device. For you, if you don’t have an HDMI port, that may be the best choice.
But, that’s only for the video output. If you don’t have any built-in audio, then you will need to purchase an adapter that allows you to connect an external audio device to the Smart TV device that is connected to your monitor. Make sure you have some speakers or headphones on hand to do this.
By the time all of that is said and done, and the Smart TV device is connected to your monitor, you will have no difficulties enjoying your favorite media!
How Can You Connect A Blu-Ray Player To Your Computer Monitor?
The entire process of connecting a Blu-Ray player to your computer monitor is exceptionally easy. Right before we dive into this process, it must be mentioned that both Xbox and Playstation game consoles can play Blu-Ray discs. This process will work for those consoles, as well, in case you want to play Blu-Rays but don’t own a player that’s meant only for Blu-Ray discs.
Right before you do anything with your Blu-Ray player, you will need to know which input/output it supports. Most Blu-Ray players support HDMI exclusively, so make sure you have that port on your monitor.
If you have an HDMI port on your monitor, as well as a built-in audio system, then you can just connect the HDMI cable to your monitor and turn on the Blu-Ray player.
Let’s say that you don’t have a built-in audio system and, as such, won’t be able to listen to the movies and shows that you are watching. If that is the case, then you will need to purchase an adapter that splits the audio that your Blu-Ray player is emanating, allowing you to attach an external audio device to the Blu-Ray player.
As mentioned earlier, these devices are rather inexpensive, and they work extremely well. Make sure you have speakers or headphones that you can use, before you make the purchase.
But, if you don’t have an HDMI port on your computer monitor, then you will need to do one thing a little differently. Rather than searching for an adapter that can split the audio of a particular device, you will need to find an adapter that changes the output/input of the device that you are attempting to display on your monitor. If your monitor doesn’t have any built-in audio, then you will need to find one that offers an external audio connection.
Right after you acquire such a device, you can connect your Blu-Ray player to your computer monitor. From that, you can begin using it as you normally would, without any problems or issues.
Conclusion
In the end, a good computer monitor is just as good, if not a little better, than a regular television screen! By following this guide, you won’t have any problems connecting your favorite television devices to your computer monitor. That way, you can watch all your favorite movies and shows with ease.
