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Connecting Laptop to TV

coastergrotto
Grafter
Posts: 1,016
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Connecting Laptop to TV

I recently purchased a Belkin Pro Series High Integrity VGA/SVGA Monitor Replacement Cable 5 meters (male to male) to connect my laptop to my TV .  I didn't purchase the Stereo plug as I wanted to see if the VGA cable worked first of all.   
I have tried the cable on both my Dell laptops, one running XP and one running Vista connecting it to my Sharpe Aquos 37" LCD TV but get no image at all from the laptop on the TV.  Obviously I have the TV set to TV input and all I get on the TV screen is PC Input - No signal.      I emailed Belkin support  explaining this but all they said was the cable must be faulty and I should return it.    I'm convinced that I am doing something wrong so I'm just hoping that someone can come up with a solution.
5 REPLIES 5
Njal
Grafter
Posts: 290
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Connecting Laptop to TV

I have no direct experience of this, and the hardware below is different, but the site below may give some clues:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080615144131AAcZwbS
Regards,
Neil
jazz
Grafter
Posts: 240
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Connecting Laptop to TV

That's helpful!!  I tried to connect my Sony Laptop to my Sony LCD TV last week for the first time and got the same problem.  I realised I had to "push" the video out of the laptop somehow but wasn't sure how.  Thanks for your question coastergrotto!.  I'll try the answers given on the link suggested by Njal.
coastergrotto
Grafter
Posts: 1,016
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Connecting Laptop to TV

Thanks for that link.  I'm away from home at the moment and tried it on my friend's Samsung TV last night with the same result - no picture.
Once I tried it using the Fn button and the  CRT/LCD button, which is F8 on this laptop, it didn't work at first and then suddenly - WOW - it did.  I don't know which button actually activated it  but no matter I have a spendid picture.    Pretty good value for the £7.57 delivered price I paid for it.      Now I will order the sound cable.
To fit the TV screen properly though it does automatically change the PC resolution to 1024 x 768 pixels, presumably to match that of the TV.
Once I disconnected it took me a  few tries to get it to work again.  It's a mystery to me why no instructions were provided.    I had already got the returns label printed so had it not been for this forum i would have returned it.  The price is now £11.15 delivered, so I have somewhat of a bargain.
Thanks so much, Neil for the link.
Lurker
Grafter
Posts: 1,867
Registered: ‎23-10-2008

Re: Connecting Laptop to TV

Fn F8 Scrolls through a number of modes, laptop only, external only and laptop and external on Dell notebooks - there is also a often a utility installed to allow you to change the settings (depends which gfx card you have as to which utility will come with it)
You do however have to allow for a time delay whilst your graphics card cranks up to output the picture, and then for the TC to start receiving and displaying (a second or two normally)
You are correct that you need to set the resolution of the external screen to match the resolution that its capable of, but you don't have to change the resolution of your notebook at all. (Notebook graphics cards are already capable of outputting two disparate resolution streams)
coastergrotto
Grafter
Posts: 1,016
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Connecting Laptop to TV

@James_G :
I didn't have to change the resolution of my PC, the laptop screen blipped a couple of times and changed it automatically to match that of the TV (1024 x 768 pixels).      I then went to the Control panel and tried various other settings and the the TV and laptop accepted them but  the image was too large and I had to scroll sideways and up and down to read the content.   Once I reset it to 1024 x 768 pixels, the image on TV screen was perfect, but it did not fill the screen of the laptop fully.
Once I switched everything off and removed the cables then switched the TV back on again it the laptop display automatically reverted to 1280 x 800 pixels.
I'm really pleased with the result as the picture is perfect, with no ghosting.