The BIG Screen Experience

Within the next 1 – 3 years chances are good that you will be purchasing a new computer and television. If you make the correct choices you will be able to easily start enjoying slide shows, video clips and photos on your home entertainment system. It doesn’t have to be expensive if you make the right choices when you decided to upgrade your old TV and buy a new computer. You might even be able to use your old laptop!

I can't wait to show my friends, who recently returned from Hawaii, how beautiful their photos of orchids look on the big screen. Many of the photos they took on their trip are simply breath taking on the big screen!

My next project will be to create a slide show with sound and narration of a trip we took to Yellowstone Park with the kids and grandkids. It will be really fun to watch their reactions as they relive the high points of the trip (one was the water slide and swimming at the hotel one evening). Fortunately the days of the boring old home movies are now gone forever!

Using the new Heritage Collector Suite will make it fun, simple and mch more interesting when combined with the big screen.

Best of all, I won't have to waste the time and effort it takes to make and burn a DVD. YEA! Just turn on the big screen and laptop and away we go to Yellowstone, Hawaii, on our last biking trip or family history!

Please Keep an Open Mind.

Before you dedide it will be too expensive, at least have some fun window shopping at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Costco and other electronics or furniture stores. You don't ever have to leave home, just go to Amazon or another internet site to shop around and see what's available. You can even do this in phases if you plan correctly.

Here's What You Will Need:

Display Equipment. You have several choices to consider. Projector, plasma, LCD or rear projection big screen. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Projectors and projection TVs have a bulb that will eventually burn out - still a very good value. Plasma can be expensive and you can get screen burn in if your children play games on it. LCDs have a little different display medium.

You will need to consider your budget, room space and how you plan to enjoy a big screen system. Both my sons chose a 57 inch rear projection systems. Their systems are big, beautiful, unbelievably clear and bright and only weighs about 90 pounds. High definition TV is out of this world both in color and clarity.

Laptop or Desktop Computer With a Dual Display Card. Most laptops come with a dual display card as standard equipment. Hang on to that old laptop. It might be fast enough and have a big enough hard drive to do the job. At least give it a try before buying a new laptop unless you need an excuse to convince your spouse that it's time to upgrade.

Video Cable and Adapter. You will need a video cable and and probably an adapter to connect the computer to the big screen. Check BEFORE you purchase to be sure that the big screen has the connectivity built in and the kind of input jacks that will work with your computer.

Audio Cable. Go to Radio Shack or another electronic store and pick up an inexpensive audio cable to plug into the headphone jack of your computer and then into your input jack of your sound system and you will have big sound for just pennies.

Home Network - Optional. This can be really fun since it allows you to share and use the photo, video clips, audio and other files on the other computers in your home. It's not expensive. Windows XP comes with the home network software you need. If you don't want to run wires, purchase a wireless router that will allow you to access the network or the internet from anywhere in your home (including the big screen). Sounds Expensive? No, since most new laptops come with a wireless network card as standard equipment or you can add a wireless card to your older desktop or laptop.

Shop Around. My oldest son just purchased his rear projection big screen. He saved over $800 dollars purchasing through Amazon.com and the shipping was free!

The Process.

Be brave! This is not rocket science and you CAN do it - I did!

1. Connecting the Laptop / Computer.
2. Connecting to the Big Screen.
3. Big Screen Settings.
4. Computer Display settings.
5. Audio, Network and the Internet.

1. Connecting the Laptop / Computer

This is simple. Just connect a standard video cable to your laptop or computer as shown in the photo.

2. Connecting to the Big Screen.

Locate the white PC / DVI connector on the back or bottom of the big screen.

Note: You may need to purchase an adapter to connect the video cable that connects to the big screen.

Video cable attached to adapter that will be plugged into the big screen.

Connection to the big screen from the lap top..

3. Big Screen Settings.

The next step is to set up the TV to accept the input from your computer. Your display settings may not look the same as this tutorial.

Please note. We are using a Mitsubishi 1080P DLP HDTV for the screen shots in these instructions.

On the remote, click the INPUT button. This will allow you to change the input to the device you want to use - DVD player, cable or in the example, we want the PC input.

Our display looked like this after moving and selecting the PC input connection.

Press the Enter button on the remote and your TV is now ready to accept the input from your computer.

Some systems will automatically "sense" the connection to the computer if the big screen turned on before you turn on the computer. Other systems may work opposite. So do a little experimenting and see what works best with your big screen and computer.

4. Computer Display Settings.

You are almost there! Just one more setting.T

this step may be a little challenging for some of you. So what are friends for? You are not on a trip and lost, so you men out there, ask for some help! (I'm a changed man and now ask for help - it's so much easier and who cares if they think you are dumb - you'll get more free help from the egotistical types anyway).

I'm certain you have a son / daughter, grandchild, neighbor or colleague at work that would love to see your new setup and might be really intrigued at what you are attempting to do. SO ASK or offer to do a "show and tell."

OK, so you are the timid type. Just ease into the request. Do the Tom Sawyer trick and start painting the fence while they watch or listen. Next, tell the uninterested party (that will soon change) that you would like to hook up your NEW big screen to your computer. If their facial expression changes and a little grin or smirk starts to form, that's the green light. Go for it. ASK For Help or Morale Support!

Money always talks. If yout want to watch just call in an expert. However, as my dad once said, "You only call the plumber once!" OK - I'll translate my dad's cryptic and inspired advice. As the installation of your big screen and comp[uter progresses, take notes, photos or whatever you need so that you can do it all by yourself the next time.

It's not that bad. Here's what you need to do.

1. Go into the control panel on your computer and select Display. When you click on the icon, you will see something like the adjacent display.

Note: Your computer must have a display card that can output to TWO displays. Otherwise you may only see ONE blue rectangle representing one monitor option.

2. You may need to make changes to the settings so that the your big screen will share or have the same images as your computer.

This is no different than hooking up a projector to your laptop.

Some display cards (Nvidia) allow you to make and save special settings that you can click each time you want to use the big screen. This is very helpful if you want to use your laptop for other things.

Unfortunately, I must leave you at this point of setting up the display. Each display card has a little different setup. However, if you are determined you will figure it out. If all else fails, read the manuals that came with your big screen and the display card in your computer. And you can ASK FOR HELP!

IT WILL BE ONE OF THE FUNNEST THINGS YOU HAVE DONE IN A WHILE and it will impress everyone that sees your new entertainment system.

Best of all, you can now use your Heritage Collector Pro version to show the photos, slide shows and even play audio.

5. Audio, Network and the Internet

I saved the easiest for last. It's just a matter of plugging a few more cables.

Connect an audio cable to the headphone jack if it's a laptop or line out if it's a desktop computer.

Radio Shack should have what you need. Make sure that the other end of the audio cable has the appropriate kind oft connectors that will work with your sound system.

If you have a wired home network, plug in the network cable. You will then be able to surf the internet with the family and they will all be able to see and participate for the first time!

I'm having great fun and it was definitely worth the time, effort, a little frustration and money.

You big screen TV manual may also have helpful instructions so check that out if you have problems.

Good Luck and Have FUN!