I’m sure many of us can relate to the frustration of having lag when streaming from your PC to your TV. My recent experience with this issue was especially annoying, but after doing a bit of research, I was able to solve the issue and find other solutions that may work for you. In this post, I’m going to share what I learned in the hopes that it can help you fix lag from PC to TV.
When you’re experiencing a lag when your PC is connected to your TV, there are three overall causes. Firstly, settings on your TV can cause input lag, such as motion smoothing. Secondly, input lag could be caused by your computer. Finally, the lag could be due to the connection between your devices.
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| 1. Your Input Port is to Blame for Lag | Use a different TV input port |
| 2. High Computer Resolution | Lower your computer resolution |
| 3. Picture Altering TV Settings | Turn off picture altering TV settings |
| 4. Audio Causing Lag | Use external speakers to play your PC audio |
| 5. Power Saving Mode Enabled on TV | Disable power saving mode on your TV |
| 6. No Game/PC Mode on TV | Turn on Game/PC mode when connecting PC to TV |
| 7. Connection Issues | Check the connection between the PC and TV |
Table of Contents
7 Causes For Input Lag From PC To TV (And What To Do)
Let’s break down eight possible reasons for input lag when your PC is connected to your TV!
#1: Your Input Port Is To Blame For Lag
As we briefly mentioned above, input lag particularly impacts gamers playing video games from their PC on their TV. Many gamers have reported that certain input ports on televisions can cause an input lag. Before proceeding to the other causes and fixes on this list, you should check the input port you’re using.
Solution: Use A Different TV Input Port
When using an HDMI cable to connect your computer and television, you can try using a different input port on your TV. Luckily, most modern TVs have at least two or three HDMI ports. Using the other ports on your TV could resolve the lag between your devices while gaming or watching moves from your PC.
#2: Your Computer Resolution Is Set Too High
When connecting your PC to a monitor, you’ll be able to adjust your computer’s resolution settings based on the monitor’s capabilities. Similarly, when connecting your PC to your TV, you can adjust the resolution. However, if the resolution is set too high, it could result in a lag between your devices.
Solution: Lower Your Computer Resolution
If you suspect your PC’s resolution is causing input lag, you should lower your resolution on your computer. For instance, by sacrificing the crisp 4K video quality of your TV for a 1080p resolution, you can significantly improve the lag between the PC and TV.
#3: Picture Altering TV Settings Are Causing Lag
There are many TV settings that alter your picture quality, including Motion Smoothing/Enhancer, CineMotion, Noise Reduction, and Dynamic Range Control (DRC). Input lag is known to occur when these settings are enabled on your television while your PC is connected.
Solution: Turn Off Picture Altering TV Settings
To ensure picture-altering settings aren’t causing an input lag, you should manually check the video and picture settings on your TV. When checking these settings, you should ensure any settings that can alter your picture/video are disabled.
#4: Your Audio Is Causing A Lag From PC To TV
HDMI cables are considered the easiest and most effective way of connecting your PC to a TV since it’s a single cable that can transmit both audio and video signals. However, using your TV’s speakers for your audio could cause considerable input lag.
Solution: Use External Speakers To Play Your PC Audio
To prevent input lag caused by using your TV’s speakers, you can connect external speakers to your computer. A soundbar or portable speaker can be easily connected to your PC to reduce the additional strain it causes on your TV. Using separate speakers can also improve your overall immersion in a game or movie!
#5: Power Saving Mode Is Enabled On TV
Many modern televisions are equipped with various power-saving settings and features. While these power-saving settings can effectively reduce the amount of power your TV uses, they can cause input lag between your devices, particularly when using your PC for gaming on your TV.
Solution: Disable Power Saving Mode On Your TV
To ensure power-saving settings aren’t causing the lag between your PC and the TV, you should ensure all power mode settings are disabled. By disabling these features, you can reduce the input lag between the computer and the television.
#6: You’re Not Using Game/PC Mode On Your TV
From this list, it’s clear that many TV settings can cause an input lag between your computer and the television. However, an increasing number of televisions now have a Game or PC mode designed to improve your gaming experience on your TV. If you have this mode and it’s not activated, it can cause increased lag.
Solution: Turn On Game/PC Mode When Connecting PC To TV
To fix this issue, you should check whether your TV has a Game or PC mode that can be enabled. By enabling this feature, you can improve the quality of the connection between your PC and TV. Unfortunately, not all TVs are equipped with this mode.
#7: Your Connection Between Your PC And TV Is Causing Lag
The specific connection between your PC and the TV could also cause input lag. If you’re wirelessly casting to your TV, the Wi-Fi connection may not be strong enough to support the connection, especially for gaming. If you’re using an HDMI cable, a poor-quality or damaged cable can result in a delay between your devices.
Solution: Check The Connection Between The PC And TV
If you suspect the connection between your PC and your TV is to blame for the input lag, you should troubleshoot your specific connection. If you’re casting, try switching to an HDMI cable. If you’re using an HDMI cable, you should try using a different cable or input port.
Conclusion
There are many possible reasons for input lag when your computer is connected to your television, including faulty input ports, picture-altering TV settings, and a poor connection between your devices. You can resolve the input lag by identifying the reason for the lag from your PC to your TV.
Read more: How to stop remote control interference
