Sharp images, powerful sound and easy connectivity in one beautiful package-this is what Philips TVs promise. Why not take advantage of all these features by hooking up your Philips TV to your MacBook? It's a fairly uncomplicated process and takes no more than a few minutes to set up. Here are the steps to connect your MacBook to your TV:

First, locate the corresponding output / input ports on both your TV and MacBook. For our purposes here, let's look at the Philips TV models "15PFL4122", "19PFL4322", and "20PFL4122". The output / input ports on these models are located in a panel at the back of the monitor. Look for the VGA port (D-sub 15-pin port); it is usually the blue port. The MacBook's Mini Display Port, used to connect to a TV or a secondary monitor, is found on the left-hand side of the MacBook. It's between the ethernet port and the USB ports if you're using a MacBook Basic, or, if you have a MacBook Pro, then you can find it between the fire-wire port and USB ports.

Second, connect your cables. Use a VGA cable to connect your Philips TV to your MacBook. Nowadays, it's easy to get a VGA cable made specifically for connecting MacBooks to TVs , especially on the Internet. Connect one end of the 15-pin monitor cable to the VGA VIDEO jack on the TV and the other end to the MacBook's Mini Display Port. Next, connect your audio cable-this is the 3.5 mm stereo mini pin cable (1/8 "stereo mini pin) to the VGA AUDIO jack, also found on the back of the TV. Do the same for the other end, connecting it to the Audio Output jack on the MacBook. This will ensure that the sounds will come from your Philips TV instead of the speakers of your MacBook.

And third, configure your TV. Turn on your TV, then your MacBook. Press the "AV" key on the remote control to display the Source list. Use the "Up Arrow" "Down Arrow" keys to select PC mode and validate with "Right Arrow".

And there you have it-you should be able to see the desktop of your MacBook on your TV. You can also switch on the mirror mode on your MacBook to use the Philips TV as a secondary monitor.