How can I connect my computer to my television?

There are two essential choices: cable or wireless. So how to choose?

Here are some points to consider:

• how much am I willing to spend?
• how smart and hi-tech is my computer equipment?
• what connection options does my television provide?
• how do I plan to use my new set-up? 

How much am I willing to spend? 

The cable option is the cheapest, although you get what you pay for. Higher quality cables will give a better result and if you are planning to show video material it is worth paying for the best. A separate audio cable connection will usually be needed unless you only want a silent screen.

If you want a low-cost system without wires, then a Bluetooth adapter will allow you to show photos on the TV from a Bluetooth-enabled computer, but not much more.

WiFi is the other alternative. Digital Media Adapters, which provide a wireless link through your home network, will cost between £100 and £200, although prices will no doubt continue to fall. These adapters will identify those video and picture files on your computer which can be displayed on the TV screen. They can also be linked by Ethernet to the PC or Mac. Some users recommend an Ethernet connection with the computer for streaming High Definition content to the TV. 

The Apple iTV will cost you around £200 for the basic model. You will need a widescreen TV and an 802.11 g/n wireless network. The basic Xbox 360 from Microsoft, which can be adapted to act as a media player, will cost about the same, but you will need to allow extra to adapt it for wireless.

How smart and hi-tech is my computer equipment? 

Most modern computers and laptops, including Apple/Mac, are equipped with TV-out sockets or can be provided with the necessary video card. A DVI-I socket will provide the link for High Definition Television, but component video cables can also be used for HDTV.

What connection options does my television provide? 

All wide-screen televisions have a DVI socket and component video sockets and provide instructions on connecting a computer. Older TVs should have sockets for S-Video and RCA jacks. Audio sockets should be available on all modern TV sets.

How do I plan to use my new set-up? 

Thanks to the Internet, the sky's the limit (no, not just Sky) for connecting ourselves with the world through the medium of the television set. We can if we wish download films and TV programmes that we missed (see TV on the Internet), view live television from distant parts, share our own video productions or just show off the family holiday pictures.

So first decide what you want from the system and what you can afford to spend and then explore the type of kit which will meet those needs.