How Do I Connect a Media Center PC to My Home Theater System?

When you put a Media Center PC in your living room, you're faced with the challenge of how to connect everything together. Although different Media Center PCs have different back-panel connections, you still have a lot of options to choose from. For instance, which of the video outputs should you use -- HDMI, DVI, component video, S-Video, or composite video? And the same for audio -- should you use optical digital, coaxial digital, or plain old analog stereo RCA jacks?

Although there is no single "correct" way to connect your system, there are some general preferences to which you should adhere. So read on to learn the best ways to connect your Media Center PC to your components.

Connecting the Antenna Input

Connecting the Video Output

All Media Center PCs have to be connected to a television display (or computer monitor, for desktop systems). This is the case even if you're using your Media Center PC strictly for music, not to play or record television or videos. The reason why is simple: You need to see the Media Center interface to control the Media Center PC, and the interface is displayed on your television set.

Connecting the Audio Output

Connecting to a Network

After you make this final connection, you're ready to turn on your Media Center PC and start enjoying all your digital home entertainment!

Michael Miller is a writer and commentator on technology and digital lifestyle topics.