Many of us have an older television sitting around the house that isn’t being used very often. But here’s a handy trick: you can often turn a modern TV into a perfectly usable computer monitor with nothing more than a simple cable.
I recently did exactly that with a Sharp LC-43CFE5111K,at the suggestion of my wife and the results were surprisingly good.
If you have a similar TV, this could be an easy way to create a large workspace without buying an expensive new monitor.
Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Connect the Computer Using HDMI
The easiest way to link a computer to a television is with an HDMI cable.
Plug one end of the HDMI cable into your computer’s HDMI port.
Plug the other end into one of the HDMI ports on the TV.
Turn on the television.
Most TVs have several HDMI inputs, usually labelled HDMI 1, HDMI 2, HDMI 3, and so on.
In my case, I had to cycle through three HDMI inputs before I found the correct one, so don’t panic if the screen doesn’t appear immediately.
Using your remote control, press Input or Source and select the HDMI port where your computer is connected.
Step 2: Tell Windows to Use the TV
If the screen doesn’t automatically appear:
Press Windows + P on your keyboard.
Choose one of the following options:
Duplicate – the TV shows the same screen as your computer
Extend – the TV becomes a second display
Second screen only – the TV becomes the main screen
For productivity, Extend is often the most useful.
Step 3: Set the Correct Resolution
To get the clearest picture:
Right-click on the desktop.
Select Display Settings.
Set the resolution to 1920 × 1080 (Full HD), which is the native resolution of many televisions.
You may also find that 125% scaling makes text easier to read on a large screen.
Step 4: Improve Text Clarity
Televisions are designed primarily for video, not desktop text, but a few adjustments make a big difference.
First, rename the HDMI input to PC in the TV’s input settings if the option exists. This tells the television to switch off extra video processing.
Next, adjust the picture settings:
Turn Game Mode ON to reduce input lag
Set the picture size to Just Scan or Full Pixel if available
Disable any unnecessary picture enhancements
Finally, run Windows ClearType to optimise text rendering.
Click Start.
Search for Adjust ClearType Text.
Follow the quick tuning process.
A Surprisingly Good Workstation
Using a 43-inch TV as a monitor creates a huge amount of screen space. You can comfortably place multiple windows side-by-side, which is ideal for writing, research, spreadsheets, or editing.
For many people, this can be an inexpensive way to build a large desktop workspace using equipment they already own.
Sometimes the best tech upgrades are simply about making better use of what’s already in the house.
Why did my wife hit on this idea? Whilst watching the Artemis II mission (a cousin of hers works at mission control) she saw the large monitors the mission control staff were using, thought about our rarely used 43 inch Sharp TV and thought "My husband needs a larger monitor!"
Other modern TV sets will also work as monitors, though you'll need to refer to their handbooks.
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