[Updated] Connecting Laptop to TV Issues

PizzleStixx · November 2011

Alright so here's the problem. I'm trying to get a laptop hooked up to my 42" tv and I'm having a hell of a time.

I've got two different laptops and two different tvs that I've tried to connect to, and none of them are projecting any sort of image on the television. I'm using a VGA to HDMI cable right now ... now I've looked at all of the "How To's" online, and for some reason I feel like I'm just missing a step somewhere.

Now the two different laptops I'm using are fairly old ... one is from 2007 (Alienware) and one 2001 (Dell).

I know there has to be some sort of thing I'm forgetting or doing wrong. Let me know PA community!

MushroomStick · November 2011

What brand/model is the tv?

Edit: Also, a lot of the time there is a hotkey or something to activate a laptops vga out.

SeñorAmor · November 2011

Two suggestions:

1) Hook the laptop up to the tv, and while it's still connected, reboot the laptop. Sometimes laptops will only automatically recognize there's an external cable in use on boot.

2) Look for any manual key combination to tell your laptop to output to the VGA port. On my laptop it's something like Fn + F5. It may look like this:

PizzleStixx · November 2011

SeñorAmor wrote:

Two suggestions:

1) Hook the laptop up to the tv, and while it's still connected, reboot the laptop. Sometimes laptops will only automatically recognize there's an external cable in use on boot.

2) Look for any manual key combination to tell your laptop to output to the VGA port. On my laptop it's something like Fn + F5. It may look like this:

I did the first option and nothing really happened.

I'm gonna try the second one, now that is not the exact same icon that I have, the one I have looks like a chair almost (like --> _/) then a slash and two boxes (I have no clue wtf that means. Otherwise the only other icons that I have are sleep mode, some sort of radar or wireless signal it looks like, a camera timer, toggle for the touchpad, mute, screen brightness, and then something for synching with a cellphone I think.

The tv's are an LG and a Westinghouse.

PizzleStixx · November 2011

Ok, so I tried that and my screen flickered and nothing happened. I even tried the reboot then that but nothing happened as well.

I went into my display options and it brought up the set up of the displays while it was connected. There it showed that there was something else connected, but I couldn't transfer the image directly over. The option was for sending the screen to a projector, but when I did that, nothing went to the TV.

MushroomStick · November 2011

I'm assuming the laptops only have vga outs and no hdmi. Does the tv have a vga in? This vga to hdmi cable you wrote about sounds kind of proprietary-ish and I'm not confident its compatible with everything.

Hahnsoo1 · November 2011

Also, try turning the TVs off and on again. Most people assume that HDMI works just like a regular video in/out, but it's not... some TVs have to be restarted in order to detect an HDMI connection. This happens all the time to me when my PS3 crashes while playing a game... in order to get a HDMI signal detected on my TV, I have to turn it off and on again after I've rebooted my PS3.

Skoal Cat · November 2011

Since you can see the TV as a connected monitor, but no image shows up, try changing the resolution (on your computer) for the TV. It might not be able to display what you're sending it.

PizzleStixx · November 2011

Yes, the laptops don't have any HDMI output (there is a DVI output though). The TV doesn't have a VGA in either ... is there another type of cable that I should look into getting?

Surprisingly enough I don't think I've tried that @Hahnsoo1, I'll give that a try.

Skoal Cat · November 2011

VGA to DVI? Though I really don't think the cable would be causing this.

PizzleStixx · November 2011

Sorry, I meant that there were VGA and DVI outputs on the back of my laptop.

I've been using a VGA to HDMI (into the tv) cable so far.

MushroomStick · November 2011

Well, I've never heard of vga to hdmi, but dvi is basically hdmi without the audio in a different shape. So you can buy a dvi to hdmi adapter that will at least get you a video feed (as long as you set the laptop to a resolution compatible with the tv.)

PizzleStixx · November 2011

Ok check, I'll look into getting a cord tomorrow.

What would I then do for the audio though?

MushroomStick · November 2011

Headphone jack on the laptop to either the 1/8" in or rca ins on the tv. Or if its being too difficult, you can hook up pc speakers to the headphone jack.

Essee · November 2011

A DVI to HDMI converter/cable would give you a much better picture, actually, so if you're willing to invest in that bit of hardware and it turns out to solve your problem anyway, that would be swell. DVI and HDMI, from my understanding, are pretty much built off of the same picture standard, but HDMI has a different plug and usually carries audio too (I seem to recall that certain video cards allow sending sound over DVI connection, but that's not the norm, and it might just be via a DVI-to-HDMI converter in that case). And DVI is better than VGA, so not only is this setup likely to be more compatible, the end result turns out to be better. If you're not going to grab one... I don't know, I've had issues getting VGA to work and look right on TVs before. I've done all sorts of crazy troubleshooting the last couple years with laptops, trying to get them and the TV to be friends, and it can be pretty frustrating. The only thing I can think of to recommend on that front is to poke around in your video card settings and change them to every combination possible. What is your video card in that laptop, by the way? That might help us pin down a solution for you.

Edit: Dangit, I take too long to type. But yeah, we have things set up exactly like that with a desktop PC, headphone jack to the inputs on the TV. You can do this with a couple of bits and bobs from Radio Shack and/or a dollar store. We're using a headphone splitter and a stereo cable (red and white to red and white, one end in each headphone jack on the splitter) because that was the cheapest option at the time.

PizzleStixx · November 2011

Thanks Essee ... I'm going to look into a DVI to HDMI cable now ... is this what I'm looking for:

http://www.amazon.com/DVI-HDMI-Cable-6ft-Male-Male/dp/B0002CZHN6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322534170&sr=8-1

So should it be as simple as just buying that cable?

I (think) I have a NVIDIA GeForce GO 7950 GTX ... now there's an option in there (that I referenced earlier) where I can send my output to a projector and that's where it seems to be failing. I do that, and then I lose the screen on my laptop and nothing gets transferred to the TV as well.

I'm either going to buy that cord (unless you guys say it's shit) or I'll pick one up at RadioShack tomorrow ish.

Thanks again guys, this really helps.

Essee · November 2011

In addition to the option to "send" the screen to a projector, you should be able to find options in your video card settings and/or Windows' own display settings to "clone" or "mirror" your desktop (display the exact same thing at the exact same resolution on both screens), as well as an option to "extend" your desktop (meaning you can have seperate content on multiple monitors). I almost never actually put the display on ONLY the TV (which is what you're making it do right now) because that option's only really useful if your laptop's screen distracts from watching a movie (well, at home, anyway).

That cable should work just fine. When it comes to digital cables, as long as the cable is of the right type and doesn't have a short in it, quality rarely matters; this is very different from analog cables, whose quality definitely depends on the brand. Anyway, that cable should be fine, and don't ever buy Monster-brand cables, is my point. :P

MushroomStick · November 2011

That cable is junk. The copper is too thin and has a nasty habit of breaking inside of the insulation.

My recommendations would be:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023104&p_id=2404&seq=1&format=2
or http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10419&cs_id=1041902&p_id=2029&seq=1&format=2

PizzleStixx · November 2011

Ah there were those options too, I just tried a bunch of them that didn't work, so I "extended" and nothing occurred. But yes, I definitely tried the others to all the same failed results.

Thanks for the suggestions MushroomStick, I'll be ordering one tonight and we'll see how it goes.

When it comes, I'll make sure to do all of the updated things you guys listed and also play around with the resolutions as well.

Thanks again guys, I'll update regardless in a couple days!

Essee · November 2011

Yeah, I have to admit that I didn't look into the reviews or anything for that cable. It's usually not a problem for most cables, though. At any rate, Monoprice is the best source for cables in general.

Best of luck with the new cable!

Skoal Cat · November 2011

Yea, don't buy cheap cables on Amazon. Buy cables from Monoprice. They don't, to the best of my knowledge, carry garbage.

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[Updated] Connecting Laptop to TV Issues

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