How to Hook Up Your Panasonic Plasma to Your PC

By Steve Lander

i Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images

Panasonic plasma television sets are equipped with a wide range of inputs, making it very easy to connect your computer to them. If your computer is equipped with a High Definition Multimedia Interface port, you can use a single cable to send both a video and audio signal. Alternately, if your computer only has a 15-pin Video Graphics Adapter port, you will need to use a VGA video cable as well as a separate audio cable.

Via HDMI

Step 1

Turn off your Panasonic plasma TV by pressing its "Power" button.

Step 2

Insert an HDMI cable's flat connector into the HDMI output port on your computer. Because it has blades on one side, it will only fit when it is correctly oriented. While you might feel a little bit of pressure as you insert it, you will not need to force it in.

Step 3

Insert the connector on the other end of the cable to an open HDMI input on your Panasonic plasma TV. Note which HDMI port you used.

Step 4

Press your Panasonic's "Power" button to turn it on.

Step 5

Press your TV's "Input" button to open the input selector. Use the arrows on your remote's directional pad to highlight the HDMI input you are using and press the "OK" button to select it.

Step 6

Press your computer's "Power" button to turn it on if it is not already booted up. If it is a notebook or laptop and its desktop does not appear on your television, you need to press a special key combination to activate its video output. Typically, you will hold down the "Fn" key and one of the numbered F-keys. Look for an F-key with a marking that looks like a computer monitor or a computer and a monitor or markings that contain text like "VGA/LCD" or "CRT/LCD."

Via VGA

Step 1

Turn off your Panasonic plasma TV and computer by pressing their respective "Power" buttons.

Step 2

Insert a VGA cable's connector into your computer's VGA port, being careful to orient it correctly. If the connector has thumbscrews, tighten them to ensure a secure connection.

Step 3

Insert the 3.5mm mini plug on a stereo mini plug to dual phono plug audio line-out adapter into your computer's audio line-out or headphone jack.

Step 4

Plug the other end of the VGA cable into your Panasonic plasma TV's VGA input. Tighten the thumbscrews to secure it.

Step 5

Plug your Panasonic TV's audio/video breakout cable into the jacks located to the right of the VGA connector.

Step 6

Plug the red and white or black plugs coming off of the audio adapter into the jacks on the Panasonic breakout adapter. Connect the red plug to the red terminal and the black or white plug to the white terminal.

Step 7

Press your Panasonic's "Power" button, then press its "Input" button to open the input selector. Use your remote control's up or down arrows to highlight the PC input and press the "OK" button.

Step 8

Press your computer's "Power" button to boot it up. If it is a notebook or laptop you may turn on its video output by holding down the "Fn" key and an F-key. Different computers use different F-keys, but "F4," "F5," "F7" and "F8" are particularly common choices. Try ones with appropriate-looking markings first.

References

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