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On this page I'll show you the possibilities on how to connect you PC to your TV-set. There can be several reasons on why to connect a PC to a TV, but I think the most important one is to playback movies in either DivX, VCD, SVCD or DVD format on your PC and showing it on TV. Naturally, you will need an ATI videocard that supports TV-out. At the moment of this writing, I only cover videocards by ATI and nVidia. This page is for ATI cards (Rage, 7000 series, 8000 series, 9000 series, etc.). For nVidia cards, like the Geforce and TNT family, see the nVidia page. There are more TV-Out enabled videcards out there, however I do not own them, so if you have one and are prepared to write a page on that particular card, then please let me know, it will be highly appreciated by other WeetHet visitors (mail me)! For the required hardware connections see: How to connect my PC to my TV. Both brands offer high quality cards, but currently ATI is the runner up. Note: for QUESTIONS visit our FORUM. Questions I receive by mail will most likely NOT or VERY LATE be answered! Tip: Take a look at the tip by Tranzy (see also the WeetHet forum) at the bottom of this page! Note: read the disclaimer.

PC to TV

Before we can do anything, make sure the PC is connected to your TV. If you're not sure if you have done this OK, then please read this article: How to connect my PC to my TV.

ATI software

Note: Screenshots might be different for different cards, operating systems and driver versions. The screenshots on this page a ATI RADEON 9000 MOBILITY based.

When you have an ATI desktop videocard, consider downloading the latest driver version from the ATI website.

Note: Laptop users should visit the laptop manufacturers website for the latest drivers!

Make sure you PC's TV-Out is connected to the TV. Switch the TV ON!

Go to the Windows "Start" button. Go to "Control Panel" - "Display".

Go to the tab "Settings".

ATI - Settings of the videocard

Now click the button "Advanced".

ATI - Advanced settings

Click the tab "Displays".

ATI - Displays - Here we activate TV-Out!

In the most right column, called TV, you might see this - which indicates that the TV is not properly connected:

TV not connected!

Click the RED switch at the TV column to enable TV-Out. It will now turn blue! In the TV-Column click the blue button with the circle in it (), so the window will look like this:

ATI - TV-Out is now active and primary screen

You should now see the computer screen image on your TV (modern TV's automatically detect the connection and switch to the proper channel, older TV's need to be set to AUX or EXTERNAL).

Klikking the -button is needed to set the TV as a PRIMARY screen. This is needed for video. As Video (DivX etc) will ONLY display on the PRIMARY display! This is for both extended screens and duplicated/cloned screens!

Tip by Tranzy

Note: Not all ATI cards / drivers have this option!

A few additional ATI settings can be found in the "Overlay" tab.

Click the tab "Overlay" (see image below).

The Overlay page, which is available with some ATI cards

Now click the "Clone mode options" button .

Clone options

Here you see detailed settings on:

1. Overlay display mode
2. Theater mode settings
3. Display device aspect ratio

At 1. (Overlay display mode) for example, you will see the Theater mode. Using this option you will only see the relevant part of the display on your TV. So no more desktop or media player.
this will be activated as soon as you start a Divx/DVD/SVCD.

At 2. (Theater moder) you can activate "Full Screen Video" ... downside would be the black bars vertical or horizontal next to the video.

At 3. (Aspect ratio) you can indicate if your TV is standard sized (4:3) or widescreen (16:9).

These are valuable options whihc you should try.

ps. I still have to switch to 1024x768 mode (even if my monitor uses 1280x1024) otherwise the screen won't fit my TV.