How can I use my tv as a monitor

[knobtwiddler]

I really want to play my computer games through my tv. The tv is older but I assume there's something I could plug into the vcr. I do this with my video ipod and it's great. What kind of cord can do this? Do I have to have a certain video card? I'm running 10.4.1 on a 1.83 GHz intel core duo macbook. Any help is appreciated. You guys have always been great in the past!

 

[Telp]

I think it needs to have an HDMI port...I could be wrong.

 

[topgunn]

If you are connecting it through your VCR, you are going to be limited to running your game at 640x480 resolution. Even if you connect directly to your TV with an S-video, composite cables or coax, you are still limited to 480 lines of resolution. The only way to get something better is to use component cables, DVI or HDMI. Each of these will allow you to achieve up to 1080 lines depending on your TV. This is equivilent to 1920x1080 on your computer. If you have a 720i/p TV, you are limited to 1280x720. If you do not have an HDTV at all, you are limited to 640x480.

Also, as bad as 640x480 looks on a 17" computer monitor, it will look even worse as the screen gets bigger and the dpi drops. At 17" and 480 lines, you are looking at 47 dots per inch. At 32" and 480 lines, you are now at 25 dpi.

 

[Dustman]

All you need is an S-Video cable if your graphics card has the port for it. You need a seperate cable for sound though, if you wanted that to be routed to your tv as well though because S-Video only carries.. video. But yeah, 640x480 resolution.. which is okay for fullscreen, dvd quality movies. But for games.. it would look like.. crap.

 

[knobtwiddler]

I'm only going to be playing emulated NES and sega games. Would the tv resolution be ok for this? It's an older tv (before high def). If it will totally suck, I can deal with my computer's monitor.

 

[topgunn]

NES games were made for that resolution so it will be fine. There may be a slight lag but I don't think it will be noticeable.