How to Connect Your iPad to Your TV

The iPad is a great device for laying in bed and watching a movie on Netflix or laughing at videos from Funny or Die, but sometimes you want to see them on the big screen. So how do you connect your iPad to your TV? Whether you have an old television set from the dark ages or the newest HDTV on the market, it's actually rather simple to get your iPad connected to your TV. And these methods work with both the iPad and the iPad Mini.

Connecting the iPad to Your TV With Apple TV and AirPlay

Apple TV is the best way to connect your iPad to your TV. In addition to streaming Netflix, YouTubeand your iTunes collection, Apple TV supports AirPlay, which means you can stream apps like Crackle, a free app with movies and TV shows from Sony Pictures Entertainment Company. And even with apps that don't directly support AirPlay, you can useDisplay Mirroring to replicate your iPad's display on your TV.

Apple TV is more expensive than some of the other options, but it is also the only solution that is wireless. And being wireless will really come in handy for games like Real Racing 2, which fully supports AirPlay to deliver a console-like experience.

Apple TV also works great with the iPhone and iPod Touch, allowing you to both stream video through AirPlay or just use your entertainment system's speakers to play music.

Connect the iPad to your HDTV through HDMI

Apple's Digital AV Adapter will allow you to connect the iPad to your TV through an HDMI cable, which transfers both HD-quality video and sound. The original iPad is capable of 720p video with the Digital AV Adapter, and the iPad 2 and iPad 3 support up to 1080p.

Like connecting with Apple TV, hooking up an iPad with the Digital AV Adapter supports Display Mirroring, which means you'll see your iPad's display even if the individual app doesn't support video output.

You can also stream your movie collection from you PC to your iPad to your HDTV using home sharing. This is a great way to finally switch from DvD and Blu-Ray to digital video without losing the ability to see it on your big screen TV.

The Digital AV Adapter is also a great solution for the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and 4th Generation iPod Touch.