HDTV: frequently asked questions

What do I need to connect my computer to an HDTV?

That depends on your television. Some HDTV sets can connect to a standard VGA cable, which is the most common connection for computers. If your television does not have a VGA input, though, you may need to use a DVI cable or component video cables. If your computer does not have these video outputs, you might be able to replace the video card in your computer with a newer, HDTV-compatible video card.

After connecting my computer to an HDTV, the display is stretched. How can I fix it?

You need to change the resolution settings using Display in Control Panel. Because most HDTV sets use the 16:9 format, you need to choose a screen resolution that matches the wide format of the TV. If your computer's video card has been designed with HDTV in mind, it might come with its own software for setting screen resolution to match the 16:9 format.

Can I connect a computer to both a monitor and an HDTV at the same time?
Yes. If your computer's video card is HDTV-compatible, it will probably have two or more video outputs. Connect one to your computer monitor and another to your HDTV. Both of them should automatically display what's on your computer.

After connecting my computer to an HDTV, why can't I see certain windows on my computer monitor anymore?
This is normal. Certain kinds of computer information, such as games and video, will only appear on the HDTV. You will see a blank screen or a blank window on the computer monitor. To see this information on the computer monitor, you must temporarily disconnect the HDTV.
For more help, please refer to the manufacturer supplied documentation or the Windows Help and Support where this information resides.

Connect a TV signal to your computer

If your computer has no TV tuner, an optional analog or digital TV tuner is required to play and record TV in Windows Media Center.

Windows Media Center lets you set up a variety of TV signals. You can watch TV over an antenna, over cable TV, or from a satellite TV provider. The type of TV signal you set up is determined by the type of TV tuner you have installed on your computer and the area in which you live, as well as your cable or satellite provider. (In Windows Media Center, high-definition signals that are transmitted through a cable or satellite set-top box will be converted to standard signals.)

Windows Media Center supports both standard and high-definition TV (HDTV) signals that are broadcast over-the-air to an antenna. The following procedures describe the steps to set up a TV signal for the different types of TV signals and hardware installed on your computer.

You can watch and record a standard TV signal using Windows Media Center if:

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  The Windows Media Center computer has one or more tuners that supports a standard TV signal for your region.
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  You have an antenna connected to the Windows Media Center computer that is capable of receiving a standard TV signal for your region.

You can watch and record high-definition TV using Windows Media Center if:

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  The Windows Media Center computer has tuner hardware that supports a digital TV signal, such as ATSC or DVB-T.
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  You have an antenna connected to the Windows Media Center-compatible tuner that is capable of receiving a high-definition TV signal for your region.
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  You can receive a high-definition TV signal in your area.
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  Your computer has a Digital Cable Tuner device and you subscribe to digital cable in the United States.