When you get a new PC or monitor, the first thing you will need to do is connect the pair of them. If you haven’t done this before, it is pretty straight forward and relatively uncomplicated if you have a basic set up. If you aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry we’re here to help and if you want to extend your system, we can talk you through adding an additional monitor!
Ports
When you first unpackage your new PC, you’ll be given a generic diagram that may in fact look nothing like the machine you have in front of you. The first thing you are going to need to do is look at the ports on the back of your machine and on the back of your monitor. Monitors and PC will come with three ports or a mixture of the three depending on the age of the machine you has VGA, DVI and HDMI. If you are choosing which port you want to use to connect up your monitor, it is best to always chose DVI or HDMI. DVI isn’t as common as HDMI, so this is likely your best option. VGA isn’t a digital connection, so this should be your last option and DVI only sends video from one end to another, so you won’t get any sound.
Newer Ports
The ports we have listed off so far are older and now new technology is on the rise, especially in connectivity. You may find that if you want to connect your MacBook Pro to your monitor, you won’t be able to with a HDMI as the latest MacBook’s don’t have a HDMI port. So, in this case you will need a USB C cable, they are inexpensive and very easy to set up, it is simply plug and play.
Connecting A Second Monitor
If you find yourself needing more screen space, you may want to connect up a second monitor to your pc. This means that you can spread your tasks across both screens and move between them as though they are one. This isn’t difficult to do as long as you have the correct equipment and spare ports available to you. If you don’t have a spare HDMI port, then you will need to update your graphics card to make sure that you have this spare. Once you are all plugged in, click on the control panel and hit connect an external display. Sometimes it will read that it can’t locate the 2nd monitor, and if that is the case, take the plug out from both the monitor and the pc, switch them round and start again. Once the PC can see both monitors, you can then choose which one is the primary and which one is the secondary.
Resolution
When you chose your monitor for your PC to a monitor, you want to make sure that it will give you the correct resolution of the native PC. There is nothing more irritating than plugging your pc in only to see the resolution on the screen is small, unreadable or even in some cases so blurred you can’t make out what it is. To make sure that this doesn’t happen you need a good monitor. If you are plugging in an old monitor, you may find that this blurring occurs, if it does, it is because it is getting to the point of being obsolete. You may not have previously considered purchasing a new monitor prior to connecting it, but if it isn’t working in the correct manner, then it is something you might want to consider. If you are now in this position, then it will be worth future proofing yourself for as long as possible and investing in a 4k monitor is the best way to do this. Not only will it make sure the resolution is what you want it to be, it will also give you amazing picture quality.
Final Thoughts
Connecting up your pc and your monitor isn’t difficult to do as long as you have the right hardware available to you. If you can avoid using the VGA port, this will be better for you as this is an analogue port and is all but outdated. You will also be able to connect up a second monitor easily to give you a better viewing experience. Finally, if the resolution isn’t what you expected, then you may well need to upgrade your monitor, whilst this may sound costly, you can do it relatively cheaply, but it is always worth future proofing yourself and investing in a 4K monitor if you can.
About Nick
Nick is a Software Engineer. He has interest in gadgets and technical stuffs. If you are facing any problem with your Windows, feel free to ask him.