Working! 48" flat screen smart TV as computer monitor

[Willabe]

Problem is desk top tower has 1 VGA, 4 x USB (2?) and 1 Ethernet outputs but flat screen TV has HDMI (ARC) input.

A friend had 2 monitors hooked up and running at the same time, mouse could go to either monitors screen and had 2 different programs running on the 2 screens. Very handy for CAD stuff.

I'm very tired of zooming in/out to do layout drawings. My eyes are not what they used to be at 57.

I think I'd rather use an external video/audio card adapter that goes from a USB 2 to a HDMI than install a video/audio card that has a HDMI output.     

I'd like to do this for CAD and also for things like youtube vids.

How do I do this and bigger question how much$$?

               Thanks, Brad   

[John]

I know they have cables that go from HDMI to VGA. Not sure if the resolution would be good enough on that big of a screen though. And, not sure exactly how well they work, for that matter.


I do have a widescreen monitor (older style) hooked up to my new laptop at the shop for customer display, and the adaptor cable works quite well. But that's the reverse of your problem i.e. I'm going from new to old, and you're going from old to new.

[Ritchie200]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7fCaWms3Zo

Maybe give this a look see?

Jim

[Ritchie200]

Sorry, I thought this showed a converter...

Jim

[Willabe]

Thanks John, but the VGA would be a pain because I'd have to switch them from 1 monitor to the other every time. And I would like to use both simultaneously sometimes.   

[Willabe]

Sorry, I thought this showed a converter...

That's alright, question is do I want to install a video/audio card with a HDMI connector or go with an external video/audio card that has a HDMI on 1 end and a USB 2 on the other.     

[Ritchie200]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYi__xzfct0

This is the one I thought I copied!

Jim

[Ritchie200]

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_15?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=usb+to+hdmi+converter+cable&sprefix=usb+to+hdmi+con%2Caps%2C341

Or this, price isn't bad...

Jim

[Jack_Hester]

I don't tend towards converters.  HDMI video cards are reasonably priced, and you get all your audio though that port, as well.  I have one in the Linux machine close by, and connected to my 40" Samsung TV.  I like sitting in the recliner and working on drawings.  Or just browsing. 

Jack

[Ed_Chambley]

If you plan to use a large TV for a monitor, it is often times more difficult.  If sitting too far away you cannot read text and if to close you cannot see everything at once.  I have a computer connected to my flat screen 50" and it does not work well at all to aid in vision.  Great for movies, but terrible for running applications


I would recommend just getting a 24" or similar cheap tv.  Dual monitor are easy, you simply need a video card that supports dual monitors.  If you computer is fairly new it probably already does.


Whatever connection your computer has for video out be it VGA, DVI, Svideo...etc.  You simply need a converter connector or cable like DVI to HDMI.


Think about how far you will be from the monitor.  When even selecting a movie to watch I am about 20" from the screen and I cannot see everything and if I back up I have to do the glasses on glasses off things.

[Willabe]

     I love it!     

Picture looks great to me. Writing this on the 48" with the wireless mouse/keyboard I have.

I bought a PNY/Verto/NVIDIA GeForce GT610 graphics card, 2048MB, has HDMI/DVI-I/VGA outputs, ~$54. I'm using the HDMI to the flat screen, VGA to my Dell monitor. Took a little while to figure it out but now I have the extended screen working, so both screens 2 different pages on them. Mouse glides from 1 screen to the other and back.

I've never opened up a PC before, was very easy to install the card. A little kid could do it. While I was in there I vacuumed it out real good, very carefully. I couldn't believe how much dust was in there, ~6 years old.     

Express SCH looks great, now I can use it without zooming in and back out no where near as much, gonna be much easier to us. Can't wait to try Visio.   

Have a Lonnie Mack album (Wham) video on youtube going through the Bose faux surround sound system, left/right/sub woofer. Turns out youtube has a HD setting and theater mode setting, enlarges video, nice! 

[John]

That's cool, glad it came together for ya!

[Willabe]

Thanks, this is the best thing I've done for a while.   

I can even look at the comic strips on the flat screen now! 2 Cows and a Chicken, Pooch cafe, Peals before Swine, Prickly City, Get Fuzzy. 

Thanks to all for the input, guidance and info.