I'm sorry this post is so long. Unfortunately, there are a large number of connections at the rear and sides of my TV and also a large number of on-screen menu options displayed by my TV's remote control.
I felt a need to describe these for anyone who will try to help me connect my PC to my TV. With any luck, perhaps I can find Sony's User Guide online as well as a description of the on-screen menu options displayed by the TV's remote. I will try to find those later.
FYI, I should begin by stating I have a fairly modern PC running Windows 7 and a one-year old Sony LCD TV - model number KDL-32S3000. The PC has both VGA and DVI video output connections.
There are approximately five different sets of connections found at the rear of my TV as well as an additional set found on one side. I will try to describe each of these sets together with the types of connections and cables that make up each set. But I will begin by describing the individual connections and cables that are used by each of the five sets.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION ONE - DESCRIBING THE CONNECTIONS FOUND ON MY TV - AUDIO CONNECTIONS & AUDIO CABLES
The rear of my TV contains a large number of "connections". Most are inputs that contain video and/or audio signals and I chose to temporarily call these "audio connections" that use "audio cables" because those type of cables are almost always used to carry audio signals in stereo systems and I couldn't think of a better name for them to use temporarily until someone can tell me their correct names. I'm hoping that most people who read this post will easily recognize the type of connections and cables I am referring to when I say they are the ones that are commonly used when connecting components of stereo systems.
I will now attempt to describe these "audio connections" and "audio cables". The easiest way may be to say they are the kinds of connections and cables used in stereo systems. They are often color-coded.
One is usually red and the other usually white (or black) and the reason they are color-coded is to keep track that one color is used for the left channel in a stereo system while the other is used for the right channel. The ends of these cables are circular and contain a solid metal plug with diameter measuring approx 0.25cm surrounded by a thin metal "ring" measuring approx 1cm.
All of the stereo systems I've ever used contain one or more of the following devices: amplifier, tuner, receiver, turntable, tape deck, etc. These devices have always been connected to each other by two cables (one usually red and the other usually white in order to keep track of the two different channels in stereo systems - one for the left channel and the other for the right one. The ends of these cables have always been round and plug into connections that are also round. I don't know the proper names for these kinds of connections or cables. But I will call them "audio connections" and "audio cables" until someone informs me of their correct names.
UPDATE: I have been doing some research and believe these cables are actually called "RCA" cables.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION ONE - DESCRIBING THE REAR OF MY TV - VGA CONNECTIONS
For many years, all the IBM PCs I have owned used a cable connecting the primary video output from the PCs display card to the PC's monitor. I will temporarily call this type of cable a "VGA cable" and I will also call the connections it uses "VGA connections". The ends of this cable are shaped somewhat rectangular. However one of the long sides is slightly longer than the other long side. Each end of these cables contain 14 tiny circular pins. My PC is an example of the more modern type of PCs. It contains two types of video connections. One is called "VGA" and the second is called "DVI". I'm told the DVI type of connection is more modern and provides a better quality image.
At any rate, the rear of my PC contains both a VGA style output video connection as well as a DVI style output video connection which means I can use either or both a VGA type cable or a DVI type cable to connect the PC's output video signal from its video adaptor (aka video card) to the PCs monitor.
Unfortunately, the TV does not contain any DVI type input. It only has a VGA type input. You may be interested to know that I have both VGA and DVI types of cables and often connect both from my PC to my monitor. I can use both types of cable at the same time. I also should confess that I understand pitifully little about these two styles of video connections and cables (VGA & DVI) and would surely appreciate if anyone could offer a general explanation as well as the reason people might use both types of cables at the same time. Alternatively, I'd love to learn that if I have the option to select one of these types of cables, should I automatically choose the DVI type because it is more modern?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION ONE - DESCRIBING THE REAR OF MY TV - RGB CONNECTIONS
The rear of the TV contains two sets of input connections that each contain five "audio type connections". They are labelled "COMPONENT 1 IN" and "COMPONENT 2 IN". I have been using "Component 1 IN" as the primary input for my video and audio signals and they are currently output from my PVR (Personal Video Recorder) which receives its input from the cable provided by my cable company.
Before buying my current TV, I had never previously seen this type of connection labelled "RGB connetion" at the rear of the TV. This type of connection contains five color-coded "audio type cables".
The first three cables are labelled and color-coded as follows:
1) Red - PR
2) Green - Y
3) Blue - PB
4) Red - Audio (Right)
5) White - Audio (Left)
So, "COMPONENT 1 IN" contains my primary input signal while "Component 2 IN" remains unused and presumably it exists to allow me to attach a second input source to my TV at some future time. I can then use the TV's remote control to select which input device I choose to display on the TV (either "Component 1" or "Component 2".
I should also make it clear that it seems to me I can use both an RGB type input from my PVR as well as a VGA type input from my PC. At least it seems like I could connect both and then select which one I want to use from my TV's on-screen menu display. Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to get this working.
I also need to say that I'm confused about one aspect of Vic2pc's first post in which he says, that "if my TV contained an RGB input at its rear, then I could use the TV like a big monitor for my PC. The reason I am confused is that the two input connections at the rear of my TV are clearly labelled RGB connections and they each consist of five "audio type of connection". As a result, I had never imagined that when Vic2pc mentioned an "RGB type input", he could possibly be referring to some other kind of input. But, that is apparently what he intended. It seems to me that he has referred to what I am calling a "VGA type cable" as an "RGB type of cable". If anyone would like to try and help clairfy this misconception, I would certainly be quite grateful. Specifically, I'd very much like to learn what the correct terms are for those connections I have been calling "audio connections" and "audio cables", "RGB connections" and "RGB cables" and "VGA connections" and "VGA cables"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, at this point, I have described what seems to be the two most important input video groups found at the rear of my TV. The first contains two sets of connections labelled "Component 1 IN" and "Component 2 IN". Both of these contain five "audio type" connections and cables and and the first one is used to input the signal from my PVR into my TV. The second remains unused and is available to be used with some other type of input device at a future time.
The second most important video input group contains what I've been calling a "VGA type of connection" and I hope and expect to be able to disconnect the cable that normally carries the signal from my PC's video card to my PC monitor and, instead, connect it to what I have been calling the "VGA type" input connection at the back of my TV which is labelled "PC". At present when I try to connect that cable to the "VGA type connection" connection at the rear of my TV (the one labelled PC), I get the following message, "Unsupported Signal. Check your device Output.".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION TWO - THE GROUPS OF CONNECTIONS FOUND ON THE TV - 1ST GROUP - HDMI IN
There are five different groups of connections found at the rear and sides of my TV. The first group is labelled HDMI CONNECTIONS and this group contains two different sets. The first set is labelled "HDMI 1 IN" and the second set is labelled "HDMI 2 IN". I know almost nothing about HDMI and I'm assuming it will not be used to connect my PC to my TV and so I will not say anything further about it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION TWO - THE GROUPS OF CONNECTIONS FOUND ON THE TV - 2ND GROUP - PC IN
This next group of connections is labelled "PC IN" and it contains only two connections. The first is a VGA connection used to carry a video signal from my PC's display adaptor. The second is a circular connection labelled "AUDIO". It is very similar to the kinds of connections that I've been calling "audio connections" but the innermost hole is slightly larger. I have never seen this before and I have no idea what type of cable I would try to connect to it. I also have no idea where that cable would originate. I assume this group would be used to carry the video signal from my PC into my TV.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION TWO - THE GROUPS OF CONNECTIONS FOUND ON THE TV - 3RD GROUP - VIDEO IN
This next group contains three sets of input signals labelled "VIDEO 1 IN", "VIDEO 2 IN" and "VIDEO 3 IN".
The connections for "VIDEO 1 IN" and "VIDEO 3 IN" are found at the back of the TV while the connections for "VIDEO 2 IN" is found on the left side of the TV. They each appear to use a very large cicular connection called an S-VIDEO connection. "VIDEO 1 IN" and "VIDEO 3 IN" are found at the rear of the TV while "VIDEO 2 IN" is found on the side of the TV.
I know almost nothing about S-VIDEO and I'm assuming it will not be used to connect my PC to my TV and so I will not say anything further about it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION TWO - THE GROUPS OF CONNECTIONS FOUND ON THE TV - 4TH GROUP - COMPONENT IN
This next group contains two sets of input signals labelled "COMPONENT 1 IN" and "COMPONENT 2 IN". Each set contains five input "audio type" of connections. I described these five connections earlier.
I've been using "COMPONENT 1 IN" as the primary input for both my audio and video signals and they are currently output from my PVR (Personal Video Recorder) which receives its input from the cable provided by my cable company.
I must admit that I am confused about one aspect of Vic2pc's first post in which he says, that "if my TV contained an RGB input at its rear, then I could use the TV like a big monitor for my PC. The reason I'm confused is that the two input connections at the rear of my TV are clearly labelled RGB connections and they each consist of five "audio type connections". As a result, I had never imagined that when Vic2pc mentioned an "RGB type input", he could possibly be referring to some other kind of input. But, that is apparently what he intended. It seems to me that he has referred to what I am calling a "VGA type cable" as an "RGB type of cable". I would certainly appreciate if anyone could shed some light on this.
Specifically, I'd very much like to learn what the correct terms are for those connections I have been calling "audio connections" and "audio cables", "RGB connections" and "RGB cables" and "VGA connections" and "VGA cables"
UPDATE: I have recently learned these kinds of connections and cables are probably called "RCA" connections and "RCA" cables.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION TWO - THE GROUPS OF CONNECTIONS FOUND ON THE TV - 5TH GROUP - AUDIO OUT
The last group is labelled "AUDIO OUT" and contains two audio type of connections - one is Red and the other White. They are labelled as "VAR / FIX".
It also contains an unusal connection labelled DIGITAL OUT (Optical). I've never seen that type of connection before and I assume the connections used in AUDIO OUT are used to pass the audio signal out to some device (maybe a CD recorder) which is just used to record the audio.
Please note that I hope to update this post to describe the on-screen menus displayed by my TVs remote control. I'm thinking that info really needs to be known in order to solve this problem.