I was given a working PC tower to install Windows on, but I don't have a monitor, so I'm trying to use my TV instead. The PC has DisplayPort outputs and the TV has HDMI inputs. I connected them with a DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable and selected HDMI1, but the TV only shows "No signal" or "Weak signal." I also tried the other PC and TV ports, including HDMI2/ARC, power-cycling both devices, and reconnecting the cable. The TV occasionally says that a device was recognized, but no BIOS screen or Windows display ever appears. Since I can't see anything at all, I can't check display settings or reinstall Windows. Could the cable, the PC's video output, or the connection type be the problem?
4 Answers
You should normally see the BIOS or startup screen before Windows loads, so this probably isn’t a Windows driver or resolution setting. First confirm which video ports you’re using. If the computer has a separate graphics card, connect the cable to that card rather than the motherboard’s video outputs. If that fails, try the motherboard output with the graphics card removed, assuming the processor supports integrated graphics.
HDCP or a failed HDMI handshake can occasionally cause this, but since there isn’t even a startup display, I’d investigate the cable and physical output first. Also make sure the cable supports the required signal and isn’t limited to the opposite direction. Resolution and refresh-rate settings are unlikely to be the cause if the BIOS never appears.
Check the DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable carefully. Some adapters and cables are directional: they must specifically support DisplayPort as the source and HDMI as the display. A cable intended to carry HDMI into a DisplayPort monitor will not work in the reverse direction. Trying a known-good, correctly labeled active adapter or cable would help rule this out.
The TV recognizing something does not necessarily mean it is receiving a usable video signal. Unplug both ends of the cable, turn off both devices, reconnect everything firmly, select the correct HDMI input, and then power on the TV and PC. If there is still no BIOS image, test the PC with another monitor or TV, or test the TV with another HDMI device, to identify which side is failing.
Exactly—the operating system and its drivers cannot be responsible for the missing BIOS screen. If every port and a correctly oriented cable fail, the next useful test is another display or a basic monitor.