Section 3.2. Installing a Monitor | PCs: The Missing Manual

3.2. Installing a Monitor

CRT monitors just plug into a plain old VGA port (Section 1.8.1): a 15-hole, D-shaped, round port found on nearly every computer.

Digital LCD monitors can often plug into either of two ports, depending on their connectors. Some plug straight into a VGA port, just like CRT monitors. The more expensive ones just plug into a DVI port (Section 1.8.1), found only on a digital video card. If your LCD monitor comes with only a DVI portand your PC doesn't come with a DVI port to connect the monitor's cableyou need to buy and install a video card (Section 3.8.2) with a DVI port.

Once you plug a video cable into its port, twist the two knobs next to the connector to hold it in place.

TROUBLESHOOTING MOMENT
Getting Rid of Old Monitors

When you finally replace your old CRT monitor with a sleek new LCD panel, don't just drop the old one in a dumpster; that can get you arrested in some states. If you can't give your old monitor to a neighbor or keep it around to outfit your PC with dual monitors (described in the next section), here are your options.

Donations . Many large national charities no longer accept CRT monitors (or TV sets, for that matter). But if your monitor or PC still works, some schools , small nonprofits, local computer clubs, or local training programs might accept it.
Drop-offs . Some cities offer hazardous waste disposal, letting you drop off your obsolete or frazzled electronic gear. Check with your city's landfill department to see how they're handling the problem and whether they charge for the service.
Recyclers . A few companies now tread the computer recycling waters. If you're lucky, you'll find a recycler in the Yellow Pages who will take the monitor off your hands for a nominal fee.

To find recycling options in your area, contact Earth 911 (www.earth911.org), a fantastic resource for a nation brimming with dead cell phones, monitors, and other technological castoffs. The site offers a huge database of recycling information, sponsored in part by Home Depot, Hewlett-Packard, and ESRI software.