PC-TV Connection Easy on the Eyes

There are lots of reasons to connect your PC to your TV: To watch TV shows downloaded to your computer. To view photos and videos stored on your PC. To browse the web.

For my octogenarian parents, there's another reason: Being able to browse web pages or read through email on a bigger screen makes it possible to read text that can be hard to decipher on the smaller PC screen. Even using the built-in zoom features on Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox on the PC often pushes too much off the page view.

They recently bought a 37-inch LCD HDTV, so while visiting I made the PC-TV connection for them. It couldn't have been easier. Having a new HDTV with multiple video and audio inputs made it simple. Here's how:

1. First, get the right cable. Determine which kind of cable connects your PC to your TV. In this case—a Dell Inspiron B130 laptop and a Magnavox LCD HDTV—a VGA male-to-male cable connected the two.

2. Switch the TV to PC input. Check your TV's manual to find out how to make the switch. For this Magnavox, using the TV's remote, I hit the Source button then scrolled to PC and clicked on Ok.

3. Switch from the PC monitor to the TV monitor.Next, you'll need to move what's on your PC monitor to your TV monitor. Look for the function key (Fn) on your lower-left PC keyboard and the function key on the top row that controls the monitor. Mine says "(CRT/LCD)," but there may just be an image of a monitor. I tapped the Fn button and the F8 button, and the PC screen image appeared on the TV. I tapped them again, and the image filled the entire 37-inch screen.

4. Wireless keyboard and mouse. If your cable is long enough, you don't need a wireless keyboard. But if you're doing a lot of web browsing via your TV, it can make it a more pleasant experience. I bought my parents a Logitech Wave cordless keyboard and laser mouse. It works well, though you do have to stay in fairly close range to the PC USB receiver. That's fine for my parents' setup, but it may not be ideal for everyone.

To test it out, my dad and I went to iTunes, which has been difficult for him to navigate on the PC. With his library writ large on the the 37-inch display, we dropped and dragged some of his Al Bowlly collection and other 1930s jazz favorites into a new playlist to make a Christmas CD for his brother in Ohio.

A good day. I think this will make a big difference in their day-to-day use of the PC and the web.

Post any other PC-to-TV tips that have worked for your family below.