Monday, April 5, 2010

What to do with an old working computer?

Another frequently asked question I get is "what should I do with my old working computer now that I have a new one?" Without knowing all the facts, my answer is usually "it depends".

If the machine is less than 6 or 7 years old and your expectations are not on the HD level, it can likely be used to stream Internet video to your TV. This includes streaming from Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Fancast, and others. Now some people may be thinking "why can't I just get that Netflix streaming device for $89.00?" Actually, you can, but this device is primarily designed for use with Netflix and a few other services such as Pandora radio.

If you want to be able to get anything and everything from your PC to your TV, the only way is to connect your PC or laptop to your TV. You may need a PC to TV converter device costing around $50.00 or perhaps a video card with a TV output added to your PC. You will also need a wire that has a headphone jack on one end and RCA left and right channel jacks on the other to bring sound from the PC to the TV. The actual parts required will depend upon your TV's inputs, and this can be accomplished with an older "square screen" TV or a newer widescreen HDTV.

I stream video from my Lenovo netbook using a PC to TV converter, the sound wire described above and an inexpensive handheld remote mouse. The process is nearly seamless and once it gets going, nobody can tell I am streaming off the Internet. I can also run powerpoint presentations on my 32 inch TV, or almost any TV for that matter. Then when I travel, I simply unhook the netbook, put it in my handbag and go.

If streaming from your PC to your TV is not possible or desirable, there are other things you can do with an old PC. You may be able to donate your old PC to a local PC Users Group and receive a tax deduction while ensuring that the data on the hard drive will be totally erased. Please see the Green Computing page of my website for more information.

Sometimes, even broken computer equipment can be recycled, especially laptops. Feel free to contact me if you need help setting up a computer to stream to your TV, or if you have an old or broken laptop that you would like to have recycled.

Stay tuned for answers to more frequently asked questions such as: Can I still get Windows XP on my new computer? and... Will my new computer be compatible with my older computers? and...Do I need to purchase new software for my new computer or can I use my old software?

If you have a general question that you would like to have addressed in a subsequent email, please feel free to submit it to me.