How to connect from laptop to TV

rnln · 08:12 PM

Is there an easy/inexpensive way to connect my laptop to my TV to play DVD or watch internet things? My TV has RCA, Component, and HDMI connection. My laptop doesn't have TV output. It has usb, firewire, and the normal analog monitor connection. Anyone know how?
Thanks.

Neilk · 09-25-2008, 08:11 PM

Does you TV have a PC input? Otherwise you need a PC to DVI adapter cable plus a cable for sound.

I would just get a cheap DVD player that plays Divx. Check out monoprice.com for good prices on cables.

rnln · 09-25-2008, 08:15 PM

I have dvd players byt there are other purposes such as picture or movies of the internet, Copy dvd won't play in dvd player but play in computer driver, more and more.
So look like i need some kind of adapter huh.
Thanks.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Just update the laptop. My new base dell Vostro has a regular monitor out and an S-Video output.

rick-l · 09-25-2008, 08:27 PM

Are you sure the video on your laptop is analog and not DVI?
Is DVI HDMI without the audio?
Will you video card output 1080?

I don't know the middle one I am asking.

Pazuzu · 09-25-2008, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick-l

Is DVI HDMI without the audio?
I don't know the middle one I am asking.

Kinda, kinda not.

Physically, yes, it is exactly HDMI without the audio.

Electronically, no, it's not. HDMI has HDCP, which is a "language" spoken by appropriate items. If both are "HDCP compliant", meaning, they both say they won't steal copy written material, then you can link them (DVD to TV for example). DVI does not speak that language, so even though it may transmit the exact same info, the TV will ignore it since it doesn't know the "secret handshake".

rnln · 09:15 PM

Wait a min, I think I have the s-video on my laptop. It's rounded and black. It has 7 tiny rounded ports and 1 big retagular port. This is not the same as the normal s-vedio port. The s-Vedio on TV has on 4 little ports.
So do I need a s-vedio cable with 7 little ports on one end and 4 little ports on the other end?

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

How about a VGA to RCA adapter of some sort.

You may still have issues, however, with getting the proper resolution to display on your TV. For instance, where I work, we use Dell D610's and D620's. I can connect the D620's to televisions and projectors all day, all week long, and not have a single issue.

The D610's are not as easy to work with. The video card/drivers just don't always want to play, depending on the television or projector. When they "act up", only a fraction of the laptop's display is visible on the television, but it DOES take up the entire viewing area of the television.

For the price of the adapter, I'd say this was a much better (cheaper) option than "updating your laptop"

Randy

quaz · quaz's Garage

http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-1-8-Meters-HDMI-Male-to-VGA-HD-15-Male-Cable_W0QQitemZ230293424165QQihZ013QQcategoryZ1499 74QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
That is what you need.

rnln · 09-26-2008, 10:11 AM

Thanks Kevin,

Thanks Randy,
I looked at the pic. One end is going to the computer's VGA for picture. The other end has 3 RCA jacks. I only need to use the Video one, and the 2 audio can leave hanging right?
For sound, I have 2 ports on the laptop, one is for micro phone, and one is for headset. Look like I will need another Y from here to get 2 RCA jacks to the TV?

onewhippedpuppy · 09-26-2008, 10:24 AM

If you have an S-video on your laptop, use that. My 3-year old Gateway has it. I use an S-video for the video connection, and a headphone to RCA adapter for the audio. You're talking maybe $15 dollars worth of cable at Wal Mart, or free if you have them lying around like I did. I still have to use the FN+button command to send the video to an outside monitor, but otherwise it works fine.

If I weren't so cheap, I'd just buy a PC cable. My LCD TV has a connection. Oh well, what I have is good enough to watch Top Gear on a real TV.

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnln

I looked at the pic. One end is going to the computer's VGA for picture. The other end has 3 RCA jacks. I only need to use the Video one, and the 2 audio can leave hanging right?
For sound, I have 2 ports on the laptop, one is for micro phone, and one is for headset. Look like I will need another Y from here to get 2 RCA jacks to the TV?

Looking at this one, you'll see it is a VGA to Component Video (RCA connectors) All three connectors are "video".

For audio, you should just need a cable that runs from your headphone jack to the audio input that coincides with the component video input, like this cable.

Randy

rnln · 09-26-2008, 02:58 PM

Got the idea.
thanks guys.

rnln · 10-10-2008, 11:04 PM

ok, after playing with several different cables, I found that using the VGA is working fine. Except the resolution is not that great.
I tried the s-video, but it doesn't work (screen is blank, even I pressed "FN + CRT/LCD" buttons). Maybe because my video card is analog and my TV is HD?

onewhippedpuppy · 10-11-2008, 04:21 AM

Is the TV on the right input? I have to push the LCD/CRT button several times on mine for it to work. I'm in the same boat though, HDTV with an older laptop, and it works fine.

rnln · 11:57 PM

umm... strange. Yours working any mine is not. Yes, I pushed it more than several times

Actually, I had a doubt, so I keep unpluging and plunging it back on and pressing the buttons many times. With VGA connector, it work right away. And yes, I set it to the right input line. What else can it be???

Now I know it's not because the analog video card and HDTV reason. I just hooked my laptop with another older TV, the big screen projector, by s-video cable. The result was the same. Sound is ok but no picture. Whenever I pressed FN + CRT/LCD, the screen flash lightly and stay black again. I tried this more than 10 times now. What can it be?