How do you get your tv to video mode?

Answer 1

This depends on whether you mean video mode as in like a DVD vs tv mode, or as in like you are using your HD flat panel television for a computer monitor. Here at the fork in the road, the first is a simple answer. Most user interfaces on newer televisions (that support multiple input sources) will have an "Input" button or "Source" button on the remote. Simply press the input button several times, and each press will cycle to the next input source, and after 3 or 4 presses will start from the top of the list again (eg. tuner>input 1>input 2>RGB source> back to tuner).

On the less traveled road, if you are using your tv as a computer monitor: If you are using an SVideo or single RCA connection on legacy video cards - forget it, because it's like watching television through a fogged up window at best. However, an HD television can act as a secondary or primary computer monitor. The cable between your video card and the television will be a DVI (male to male) or a VGA (male to male) cable. If the connectors are different on the video card and television, you can get a converter cable (Male to Male) DVI <-> VGA. If the television is setup as a secondary display, you can right-click on an empty portion of the desktop (in Windows 98 and later), select properties, and then go to the settings tab. Here you will see a drawing of a crt, and in the case of 2 monitors, 2 rectangles on the monitor with one grayed out. Right click on the Grayed out monitor and specify "monitor is attached/present"... and Voila!