Connecting a Computer to an HDTV

Question

Hey everyone,
One of the most frequently asked home theater questions we see here on the forums is “How do I connect my computer to my HDTV?”  Well, depending upon the model(s) you own you may have a number of options.
For starters, the most common option to connect a computer to an HDTV is to use a VGA cable.  Often referred to as RGB, D-sub 15 or even generic “PC” inputs on many TVs, these connections are present on a healthy majority of desktop and laptop computers.  Some laptops will even feature miniature versions of these ports that can be easily converted to a full-size VGA connection through the use of a special adapter.
The second option, connecting the two using component cables, is primarily used by consumers that own an older HDTV.  Most often found in the home theater section of a store, these cables are not only relatively inexpensive, but can also generally be identified by their red, blue, and green color coding as explained by Rodney-GSHQ in this other thread.  There is, however, one slight problem: most video cards do not feature component outputs.
The next available option is to use a Digital Video Interface (DVI) cable.  These connections are quite common on newer desktop computers, and are often considered to be the digital successor to VGA.  That’s right – everything up to this point has been analog only.
Last, but not least, you may have the option of connecting your computer to your HDTV using an HDMI cable.  HDMI outputs are typically only found on newer (and higher-end) computers, but are considered by many to be capable of providing the highest-quality digital signals available.
Regardless of which method you choose, remember that you will need a separate cable to run audio from your computer to your TV!  Additionally, it’s strongly recommended that you double-check your TV and computer’s owner’s manuals for step-by-step instructions as there are a number of precautions that you should take before attempting to connect the two.
Still not sure how to proceed?  Give us a call at 1-800-GEEK-SQUAD (1-800-433-5778) and we’d be glad to help you out!
Aaron|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
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Answer 1

I know for a FACT that HDMI and DVI are intercompatible. I was talking about the sets themselves. NOT the specs. Many HDTVs have EDID tables that are not compliant with PC signal specs or in some cases, they give off EDID information that isn't understood by various electronic devices that rely on such information. This is a well-known fact and has been a particular problem with older sets. Yes, you can tweak the signal from your PC using PowerStrip, the Nvidia/ATI driver hacks, or whatever applies to your particular setup, but those don't always work. As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't work until it works out of the box and there are only a few sets that will work with PC signals over anything other than VGA by design. I know this from my own testing done at Best Buy on nearly two dozen of the 1080P LCDs with my own HDMI/VGA equipped notebooks using the latest (non-Beta) drivers from Nvidia, ATI/AMD, and Intel. I tested both HDMI and VGA from the notebooks for nearly three hours. VGA was the clear winner for out of the box connectivity on most of the sets and HDMI lost big time because the signal was either not displayed at all or displayed improperly with no clear way to resolve the issue. The Sony Bravia LCDs were the only ones that passed both the HDMI and VGA connectivity tests that I did. You simply got lucky with the two LCDs you have used because they were likely intended for multi-media use. The Westinghouse certainly was at any rate since they have always catered to that market.