Streaming from laptop to tv issue

[#1]

I have a TG585 v8 connected wirelessly to my laptop. When I connect by vga to my Sony bravia tv, it will not stream, flashplayers just buffer endlessly even though I have  the laptop screen showing on the  TV.  I have asked for help from the Plusne t's tech people and they can offer no explanation or solution. They replaced the router but still getting the same problem.
Has anyone else experienced this problem or better still resolved it.
Help very much appreciated!

[#2]

So you can stream normally to your laptop but not when you connect it to your TV with a VGA cable?  Could the streaming quality be influenced by the resolution of the monitor so when you switch to a high resolution monitor you end up trying to stream at a higher data rate than your internet connection can cope with?
What are you doing about audio, by the way?  If it works won't you end up with a big picture but weak/poor sound? 

[#3]

Hi crawfordrainow,
Can you confirm what streaming source you are using?
i.e is it iPlayer, Sky Go, or other.
As noted, can you stream to the laptop without the VGA cable normally?
Can you stream if using an Ethernet cable from the router to your laptop?
As you are using wireless, does it stream in other parts of the property?

[#4]

Hi thanks for your interest.
The laptop streams normally from iPlayer and other sources without problems. As soon as I connct either audio to hi fi or vga to tv, the stream stops and just buffers endlessly.  I have tried switching laptop on first, then tv and vice versa, makes no difference. I can pick up wifi and streams around the house.  I have tried ethernet connection but same problem.
Laptop is an old Toshiba satellite with Vista Home premium.
                                                                                                    Thanks again
                                     

[#5]

Suppose you place your laptop next to the TV and run a speed test then connect it up via the VGA cable and run another speed test.  Do you get the same result?  For that matter, do you get the same result if your laptop is running on battery or plugged in to the mains adaptor?

[#6]

Hi Thanks,
Download speed 5.4mps
VGA plugged in (tv switched off) - speedtest stalls!

[#7]

My feeling is there is some sort of noise pick-up when you connect to your TV that drowns-out your internet connection.  Maybe something on the mains that does not get through the transformer on your laptop power supply but comes down the earth connection as soon as you connect to your TV?  But I'm not al all expert on this sort of thing; hopefully somebody else more knowledgeable can contribute? 

[#8]

Was that speed test using Flash? That might be something to look into as it's the same thing being used in streaming services like iPlayer.

[#9]

Do you have another VGA cable to try - definitely worth trying as dodgy cables can cause all sorts of issues.

[#10]

Hi, thanks for your responses.
I'm inclined to rule out the vga cable as connecting an audio jack to the laptop sound out socket has the same effect.
The speedtest was Thinkbroadband's standard one, I will try running their Flash test and let you know.
This really seems baffling, hopefully some bright spark can diagnose it!  It's beyond me!
                                                                                                                                                    Thanks again.    Alex

[#11]

Quote from: crawfordrainow

I'm inclined to rule out the vga cable as connecting an audio jack to the laptop sound out socket has the same effect.

 
But you are connecting the audio jack to your hi-fi which is another device running off the mains and it possibly also connected to the TV,  Fits with my noise-pick-up down the cable theory, such as it is. 

[#12]

Hi ReedRichards,
I,ve also noitced that when I plug in vga/audio cable to the laptop  there is no problem until I connect the other end to tv/hifi, then within seconds I lose internet and the light on the router goes out!
That might support your theory, but, what can be done???
                                                                                                    Thanks    Alex

[#13]

I think you have to try to isolate the source of the problem.  If possible, unplug your TV and your Hi-Fi from the mains an also unplug anything else that is cabled to either, Sky box, DVD player and the like.  My bet is that if you connect the cables with everything unplugged you will not see a problem (but I could be wrong).  Then plug in one thing, say the TV, but don't switch it on.  Try a speed test or probably any form of internet connection on your laptop.  Does it work?  Then switch the TV on and repeat.  Then repeat with everything else until you lose the connection.  If you see a problem as soon as you plug-in/switch-on one particular device then leave that unplugged/off and test the other devices. 

[#14]

Hi Reed Richards,
Shortly after my last post it occurred to me to try unplugging the tv from the mains, which is on a trailing gang socket along with hifi,  dvd player etc (which are all connected to the tv), so nothing was plugged into the mains except the laptop on a different socket (as it usually is).
I found that as soon as I connected the vga to the unplugged tv the usual thing happened, internet lost.
I don't know if the tv has any kind of residual 'charge' or field, but if not, it suggests that the problem is not mains 'interference'.
Any further thoughts appreciated.
                                                              Thanks again.    Alex

[#15]

And the same thing still happens if you connect the audio output to the Hi-Fi?  And if the laptop is running on battery power only?