AnimeSuki Forums

Urzu 7 · 2011-12-25, 13:48

I'd like to play some PC games on my HDTV. I bought an HDMI cable for this purpose. I just know that it isn't totally straight forward. I was told about having to choose the right settings on my display options, and having to set up the latest drivers and I believe some other things. Does anybody know of a good webpage detailing what to know when it comes to these things?

I am operating Windows 7 Home Edition, if that helps any.

Strahan · 2011-12-25, 22:50

Well, I never used HDMI personally but I do have a computer hooked up to my HDTV using the 15 pin VGA connector. All I did was set the PC's resolution to the TV's native 1080p res. If your TV has some oddball resolution, then you may need to mess around with driver settings to try to get the native res as an option.

Depends what kind of TV and video card you have.

sa547 · 2011-12-26, 00:49

@TS: what's the video card you're using, and also the HDTV set?

blaze0041 · 2011-12-26, 18:59

Also, is it a desktop or a laptop? Most laptops (and some desktop graphics cards) these days include a HDMI port on the side, which generally makes things easier. If it doesn't, it will require a few extra cables, I think.

Dhomochevsky · 2011-12-26, 19:04

HDMI includes a protcoll by which windows can determine the type of screen attached to it, inlcuding it's native resolution. You just need to plug it in.
Windows 7 should then automaticly switch to that resolution. At least that is what it does for me. Just make sure, the tv is the only screen attached at that point.

For full screen games, you might have to chose that same resolution again in the game options (if your video card can handle it).

0utf0xZer0 · 2011-12-31, 01:24

Even if you do have you monitor plugged in when you attach the TV, I don't think you'll have much trouble with it. Just right click on the desktop and go to screen resolution - it's not that hard to figure out from there.

If you HDTV has a "game mode" or "PC mode", make sure it's enable on the input you're using. By default most HDTVs buffer a couple frames before displaying them because it allows for using certain kinds of image processing - but in games, you don't want the lag this entails.

If the option is available, you want overscan off on both the TV and computer - overscan causes the TV to crop the edges of the picture (good for TV broadcasts where the technology used often causes the image quality at the edges of an image to be garbage, but not for games), and many graphics cards have some sort of overscan compensation enabled by default because many TV are set to this by default. There is an option to turn this off on both nVidia and ATI cards although I'm drawing a blank as to exactly where right now.

Transitions · 2012-01-02, 10:25

it's a Pc or Laptop? perhaps you need installed in case of Pc one video card with HDMI like this:

for my experience as technician, i recommend ATI

in the case of Laptop it's difficulty, because should come with factory-integrated chipset.

once seen these requirements, there are only seeing the other characteristics, RAM, operating system and the resolution of the same card.

Urzu 7 · 2012-01-02, 11:10

The computer is a desktop. I have an ATI card with an HDMI port (Radeon HD 5750). The TV I have is a Samsung. I forgot the model of it. I'm going to play around with it now. Maybe I can get things to work with some of the help I've gotten so far. I'll give it a go.

2011-12-25, 13:48	Link #1
Urzu 7 Juanita/Kiteless Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New England Age: 40	Playing PC games on an HDTV I'd like to play some PC games on my HDTV. I bought an HDMI cable for this purpose. I just know that it isn't totally straight forward. I was told about having to choose the right settings on my display options, and having to set up the latest drivers and I believe some other things. Does anybody know of a good webpage detailing what to know when it comes to these things? I am operating Windows 7 Home Edition, if that helps any. __________________

2011-12-26, 00:49	Link #3
sa547 Senior Member Author Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Philippines Age: 47	@TS: what's the video card you're using, and also the HDTV set? __________________

2011-12-26, 18:59	Link #4
blaze0041 a.k.a. Flammenkrieg IT Support Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Down under...	Also, is it a desktop or a laptop? Most laptops (and some desktop graphics cards) these days include a HDMI port on the side, which generally makes things easier. If it doesn't, it will require a few extra cables, I think. __________________ "Make sure you do a good job with your life's blueprint." - Kanna Makino

2011-12-31, 01:24	Link #6
0utf0xZer0 Pretentious moe scholar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Vancouver, Canada Age: 37	Even if you do have you monitor plugged in when you attach the TV, I don't think you'll have much trouble with it. Just right click on the desktop and go to screen resolution - it's not that hard to figure out from there. If you HDTV has a "game mode" or "PC mode", make sure it's enable on the input you're using. By default most HDTVs buffer a couple frames before displaying them because it allows for using certain kinds of image processing - but in games, you don't want the lag this entails. If the option is available, you want overscan off on both the TV and computer - overscan causes the TV to crop the edges of the picture (good for TV broadcasts where the technology used often causes the image quality at the edges of an image to be garbage, but not for games), and many graphics cards have some sort of overscan compensation enabled by default because many TV are set to this by default. There is an option to turn this off on both nVidia and ATI cards although I'm drawing a blank as to exactly where right now. __________________ Signature courtesy of Ganbaru.

2012-01-02, 10:25	Link #7
Transitions by John Digweed House Mix Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Baja California sur Mexico Age: 40	it's a Pc or Laptop? perhaps you need installed in case of Pc one video card with HDMI like this: for my experience as technician, i recommend ATI in the case of Laptop it's difficulty, because should come with factory-integrated chipset. once seen these requirements, there are only seeing the other characteristics, RAM, operating system and the resolution of the same card. __________________ "Cuando un hombre descubre sus faltas, Dios las cubre. Cuando un hombre las esconde, Dios las descubre...cuando las reconoce, Dios las olvida." -San Agustín

2011-12-25, 22:50	Link #2
Strahan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Pennsylvania	Well, I never used HDMI personally but I do have a computer hooked up to my HDTV using the 15 pin VGA connector. All I did was set the PC's resolution to the TV's native 1080p res. If your TV has some oddball resolution, then you may need to mess around with driver settings to try to get the native res as an option. Depends what kind of TV and video card you have.

2011-12-26, 19:04	Link #5
Dhomochevsky temporary safeguard Join Date: May 2004 Location: Germany	HDMI includes a protcoll by which windows can determine the type of screen attached to it, inlcuding it's native resolution. You just need to plug it in. Windows 7 should then automaticly switch to that resolution. At least that is what it does for me. Just make sure, the tv is the only screen attached at that point. For full screen games, you might have to chose that same resolution again in the game options (if your video card can handle it).

2012-01-02, 11:10	Link #8
Urzu 7 Juanita/Kiteless Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New England Age: 40	The computer is a desktop. I have an ATI card with an HDMI port (Radeon HD 5750). The TV I have is a Samsung. I forgot the model of it. I'm going to play around with it now. Maybe I can get things to work with some of the help I've gotten so far. I'll give it a go. __________________