I have recently bought a TV which can be connected to a PC

[lumsdale]

What practical uses for this connection are there. Maybe show a powerpoint presentation on the TV screen to an exstatic audience, perhaps even share my digital holiday photographs with family and friends, who Im sure would be enthralled. To be quite honest I have no idea how or why I would want to connect my PC to the TV. Will it mean that I can watch TV on my PC I wonder? Help

[cosybike]

You pretty much answered it yourself

You wont be able to send TV to your PC without a capture card in the PC but it makes a smashing big monitor for video editing and the like.

Young people even play video games on them these days!!

[jake-the-peg]

Chanel 4 and BBC now offer free download and view services so you can see programs you've missed on demand.

check out
http://www.channel4.com/4od/index.html
and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

[vehelpfulguy]

lumsdale, your append about showing a powerpoint presentation to your friends and relatives is in a very sarcastic tone, but I think you unable to see the change that is happening in the world of TV and computers.

The technology of TV and computers is merging and in 5 or 10 years time we will ALL probably have a PC (of sorts) alongside our TV.

If you think of a Sky+ box, or freeview device with a built in hard disk, that is not much more than a PC. You record a program to hard disk, you play back a program from hard disk.

More and more "media" such as films, TV, photographs, music etc is available in digital form downloadable to a PC.

If you are going to watch or play that media why not do it through a TV rather than a relatively small laptop screen.

more.....

[Ethel]

I connect my mp3 player to the tv so that I can listen to my music in surround sound.

If I had my music on my laptop I would probably listen to it through the tv from time to time.

I connect my laptop to the tv to play dvds that are Region 1.

[vehelpfulguy]

continued...

Various companies already produce software to make your PC or laptop into a media centre.

Microsoft have a product called Windows Media Center Edition that was part of Windows XP (it is also built into some versions of Vista).

This runs on an "ordinairy" PC that has a TV tuner built in, and has a remote control, picture here:

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/images/feat ures/2003/09-30WMCenter_l.jpg

Using a PC attached to your TV running this version of Windows you can watch TV programs via the PC, record programs on the PC, look at pictures or videos stored on the PC, listen to music on the PC and so on.

More and more companies are producing "media" PCs that run like a PC, but look like a DVD player, here is an article about one.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/technology/0 3shuttle.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

more........

[vehelpfulguy]

continued...

More and more entertainment companies are realising that people get their entertainment via a PC and NOT a TV.

The BBC have recently introduced the iplayer that allows you to watch BBC TV programs on your PC. If you are going to do that why not watch it on your TV. More here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

Channel 4 have an "on demand" service where you can watch their programs on a PC, and again, why not do it with the picture on your TV rather than a laptop. More here

http://www.channel4.com/4od/index.html?cntsrc= ppc_4od_google_channel+4

more...

[vehelpfulguy]

continued...

Finally, BT have anounced BT Vision, which is a device that connects to your aerial AND your broadband connection.

It can watch programs on freeview, but also download programs and films via broadband.

This is a real merging of TV and computer technology. More here:

http://www.btvision.bt.com/vision/?s_intcid=co n_intban_btcom_con_hub_visionpromo_homepage_sm alladslot

Sorry to go on, but there isa HUGE amount happening in the merging of TV and computers.

[heathfield]

If your computer allows it, you could perhaps use it as a second monitor. If you haven't enjoyed the experience of using a computer with two monitors, you don't know what you're missing.