[kizer]

Ok, I have a regular run of the mill PC with video out, audio out via the head phone jack style plugs. Its basically a Dell 2.4ghz machine

I'm looking to buy a new TV for my office since I have a big screen in the living room and we currently use an Xbox running xbmc.

Now I'm looking to plug my PC into an LCD stytle TV that I have not purchased as of yet. Is there a specific plug other than PC in I should look for? I mean HDMI comes pretty much standard on most TV's, but my PC doesn't have a HDMI connection unless there is a convertor or something.

Why am I worried about this? Well if I goto look for a 32-inch TV and it doesn't have a PC imput then I have to upgrade my PC which honestly I'm not wanting to do it since I don't consider it of the highest grade to start with, but I guess in the end if its what I have to do then I have to.

[SlaveUnit]

So your current PC only has a VGA out right? No DVI?

[kizer]

Exactly only has the standard VGA output. Its one of those onboard video cards. It only has a PCI card so I couldn't expand it to one of the fancier PCI Express cards either.

In the future I'd like to build a HTPC, but this is basically going to be for an office invironment and I thought I'd do what I need to get buy or hack up another Xbox for watching shows via my NAS.

Could you get a VGA to DVI adapter and hope the TV has a DVI input or is it different signals? I mean I have bought this TV as of yet, but I'm trying to make sure it has imputs I need, but keep it reasonable in price.

[SlaveUnit]

Ok so the best that MAY BE possible is going from VGA to component. So you might want to look into that. Or you can spend $40 plus shipping on this. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814131082 But with that you would need a DVI to HDMI adapter. They are usually about $10 in the store or $3 from here http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8308 But that place is really slow in shipping. Prepare for 3 weeks if you are in the states. Personally I would just give in to the new video card. Then at least you will get a nice digital HD signal.

You can choose any card from here I just tossed that one up cuz of the price, the 2400 Ati chip (is fine for XBMC) and the passive cooler on the card. http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLis...2&name=PCI

[kizer]

Wow man. Thanks for all the effort. I was just brainstorming today and thought Hmmmm, If I buy a new hang on the wall type of TV what should I look for and wow....

It was either that or pickup a low brand widescreen PC monitor I saw at costco for $300, but figured I'd be better off with a TV for multiple purposes.

[SlaveUnit]

To answer your question from the #3 post...
"Note: DVI adapters work from a DVI-I source (with the analog output) to a VGA destination. VGA is a an analog signal....you just can't convert with a simple adapter an analog VGA signal from a computer to a digital DVI-D signal input on a monitor; for that you'll need a "VGA to DVI Conversion Box" that we have below.
" is taken from http://www.svideo.com/dvi.html

As mentioned, going the other way around is easy though (from DVI on the computer to VGA on a monitor). But that isnt what you need.

[natethomas]

I'm not sure if I understand the original question. Are you saying you have not yet bought the TV?

If that is the case, the only thing you need to worry about is getting a TV with a PC-in (aka VGA in) and an HDMI in.

You want to really avoid conversion if you can avoid it, because the possibility of losing signal in the conversion process is always high. If, in the future, you get a computer with only a DVI out, the switch from DVI to HDMI is not a signal conversion. It's simply a change of the plug at the end.

As far as signals, VGA and HDMI/DVI are currently the best available. It would be pointless to actively search for converters if you have one or the other available from both the PC and the TV end.

[SlaveUnit]

TVs with d-sub (VGA/PC inputs) are not always easy to find if you are looking for a certain price range.

[kizer]

Yeah I was looking for a $300-$400 range in a 32-inch.

Ah I was looking at this just to look at it and it even has a PC input on the lower scale of TV's http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.d...id=5623472

Thanks a lot guys. I just didn't want to break the bank on a really expensive TV since I do have my BigScreen at home and even it has a PC input, HDMI and lord knows what else when I only wanted a smaller TV for an office environment when the wife says NO, I don't want to watch that and I could just disapear into my area and watch what I wanted.

[SlaveUnit]

Yeah a lot of the vizios seem to have the dsub input.