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80's kid
Lv 6
80's kid asked in Computers & InternetHardwareMonitors · 8 years ago

Need tech advice on HDMI cable from computer to a TV?

What I want to do is simple: Connect a line from my computer hard-drive to a tv in another room. I want to be able to see whats on my computer on my TV screen.

Here are the details. I have a dell computer, with a flatscreen monitor, and with a regular tower hardrive. on the front of the hard drive, there are 2 hdmi cable slots - the same slot that you can plug a thumb drive into, or some call it a travel drive?

My tv has several connectors, and will receive hdmi cables as well.

Now, can I just run an hdmi cable from this hardrive and into the tv and be able to see it as a second monitor?

The other question is this: on the back of my hard drive, there is a different kind of connector that my dell monitor plugs into - i don't know what this connector is called, but its larger and screws in on the sides of a multi-point plug. Next to this there is an empty plug, the same kind, on my hard drive. I don't know if my tv has this kind of connector or not.

So, what would you suggest? Would an hdmi cable bring video and audio signals from computer to tv. Or do I have to use that second (computer screen plug) to the tv?

thanks for any help.

Update:

Thanks Chris!

I was about to edit this question but saw your answer at the same time - I was wrong about the 2 slots on the front of the hard drive, they are USB ports I believe, not HDMI. I guess I should take a better look on the back and see if this has the HDMI. By the way, are USB ports an option if there are no HDMI ports? Is there a USB to HDMI cable to go to the tv - I doubt it but might as well ask.

2 Answers

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  • ?
    8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    HDMI slots are not the same as USB ports. You can use an HDMI cable from a computer to a tv as long as both have HDMI ports. Once you connect them you might have to go under your display properties to set the tv as a secondary monitor.

    Source(s): Do it all the time.
  • Anonymous
    8 years ago

    FYI, a hard drive is a device inside of the tower, not the tower itself.

    There are video cards that have HDMI on them that will output sound as well, so all you have to do is connect the one HDMI cable from video card to TV and youre done!

    However, your computer may not have this capability.

    You may need to get a videocard that will do this, but it may not necessarily be expensive.

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