How-Tos
How to Set up Video Chat in your Livingroom: 3 Simple Steps
Posted 12/12/09 at 10:00:00 PM by Alex Castle
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It’s the Holiday season, and that means a lot of time catching up with relatives on the phone or in person. You can make those long-distance calls a lot more personal though, by setting up your living room TV to act as a video phone.
And really, setting up a video chat session on your living room PC isn’t all that hard. We’ll show you how you can get started video chatting with just three simple steps: Finding the right connector, setting up a webcam, and installing video chat software.
We’ll warn you ahead of time: this guide is written to be a little more newbie-friendly then our usual how-tos here at MaximumPC. Now, we’re not forgetting our power-user fans, but we wanted to make this guide something you can send to your parents and other relatives, so that they can get in touch for the holidays.
Read on for all the details.
Connecting your laptop to your TV
The trickiest part of the process can actually be connecting your laptop to your TV, which can require one of several different cables and adaptors, depending on your TV and laptop hardware. To find out what connectors you need, start by looking at the back of your TV. Look for the following connectors, in this order, and keep track of which ones your TV has:
HDMI
Well good for you, you’ve got an HDMI port, which has the most bandwidth of any standard plug and is found on the newest TVs.
DVI
The DVI port is another common port on laptops and televisions, easily distinguished from the older VGA port by its longer appearance and the slot on the right side.
VGA
A VGA port is an older, analog connector. It’s very common on older laptops and computers.
S-Video
Also common on older laptops, S-Video is another analog video connector.
Composite Cable
Usually seen as part of a red-yellow-white RCA cable triplet, the yellow connector is for composite video.
skype is just great
Submitted by dd102 on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 9:47am
i am at college and we have used skype to communicate with colleges around the world and with tele seminars its great
Submitted by joeleighton on Fri, 03/12/2010 - 3:29am
Skype is a fantastic tool & extremely user friendly...I only wish the Skype out calls to 3rd world countries weren't so expensive.
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Submitted by facinoricci67 on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 1:52am
Thanks for the tutorial Alex. I really appreciated your
post. I have problem on putting a Video Chat and came to this post. I have now
use it frequently. By: John Master Shine On
Submitted by PcGeekery44 on Thu, 03/04/2010 - 12:18am
it's agreat tutorail indeed, but, it's not that necessary, really, in a real house. maybe fro companies and elitists. lol. but seriously, it's an overkill, why would you even think about that. well, actually, it's a great idea, or i think it's just me..
Submitted by memento58 on Mon, 01/11/2010 - 11:16am
Dude, thanks for the information. I have follwed your instructions and have been succesfully set up video chat in my living room. It is a unspeakable experience.
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Submitted by gfreidman on Mon, 12/21/2009 - 4:59am
What has been your experience with TokBox for video chat. I like the idea that I need not download and install more services on my computer and can just use my browser.
Submitted by Biceps on Tue, 12/15/2009 - 12:44pm
"Use a computer like a phone?? That's crazy!"
Now he can use Skype (so I am with the commenters below that Skype is most user friendly), but he still won't stop shouting.
Submitted by GoldenMonkey on Mon, 12/14/2009 - 4:02pm
Is that a MSI laptop with the red trim?
my laptop has HDMI my tv
Submitted by nekollx on Mon, 12/14/2009 - 10:48am
my laptop has HDMI my tv has composite considering HDMI is high rez wount it be able to prot to composite ok?
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Submitted by snapple00 on Sun, 12/13/2009 - 7:36pm
Forehead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Submitted by kevin000000000000001 on Fri, 03/12/2010 - 3:25am
A good read, definitely worth a cut and paste. Thanks!
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Gtalk is cool...
Submitted by Modred189 on Sat, 12/12/2009 - 6:40pm
But my family has recently been getting into video calls, and I have to say, I like Skype better. It's a simpler interface, the setup and options and troubleshooting is more dummy-friendly.
I'd have to second Skype.
Submitted by Quakindude on Sat, 12/12/2009 - 10:21pm
I'd have to second Skype. I've used gtalk and Skype extensively and Skype is by far the easier of the two for technologically family members to set up. And trust me, my brother's 9 y/o knows more about computers than he does, yet he got Skype working easy as pie.
MaximumPC Moderator
***The views I express are my own and do not represent the views of MaximumPC Magazine or Future US.***
Submitted by americaeh on Sun, 12/13/2009 - 12:59am
I also have to go with skyp my mother who still uses AOL even knows how to use skype
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