How to Get a Computer Monitor to Display HDTV

You have no doubt heard about high-definition television, or HDTV, and seen HDTV appliances on display at electronics stores and the like---but did you know that you can watch HDTV on your computer monitor? Setting up a computer monitor to play HDTV is simple. One option is to select a cable TV set-top box that has HDMI output and connect it to a monitor, allowing you to watch HDTV transmissions directly on your monitor. Another option is to store an HDTV file on your computer, assuming it supports playback of HD video, and play it using an HD-capable media player like WinDVD.

Things You'll Need

• Set-top box with HDMI output
• Computer monitor with HDMI capability
• HDMI cable
• HDTV file
• HDTV-capable media player

Instructions

Connect to a Set-Top Box

1. Connect one end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI output of the set-top box.

2. Connect the other end of the cable to the HDMI-capable monitor. If your computer monitor does not have HDMI capability, you need to get an HDMI-DVI adapter. In this case, you also have to connect the sound output to speakers to get sound.

3. Set the aspect ratio of the set-top box to 16:9. A different aspect ratio will result in black bars at the top and bottom of the picture.

Play HDTV Files on Your Computer

1. Save an HDTV file to your computer either by copying it from an HD DVD to a folder on your hard drive or by downloading it from an Internet site. Right-click the file, select "Save As" from the drop-down menu, and browse to the folder where you want it saved on your computer. Click "Save."

2. Open the HD-capable media player on your computer.

3. Click "Open" on the "File" menu, and then browse to the HD file that you want to play. Select the file and click "Play."

Tips & Warnings

• Try playing HDTV on the largest monitor you can. HDTV is more effective on larger screen sizes.

• Refresh rates may be different for computer monitors, which could affect HDTV display.

References

• Tom's Hardware: Connecting an HDTV to a Computer
• Jake Luddington's MediaBlab: How to Play HD-DDs on Windows Vista

Resources

• HighDef Forum