Laptop to tv

[makare]

I want to be able to connect my laptop to my tv but my tv is an sd tv*. How can I do it oh wise halforums tech support people?




*I like SD so "get an HD tv" is not a good solution

 

[klew]

What video out ports do you have on the laptop? HDMI, DVI, VGA, s-video, etc.?

 

[Chibibar]

don't do RCA or VGA... s-video will look "ok" (I try using my HD TV)

If you have DVI or HDMI on your TV and laptop, you got a winner!

 

[makare]

I have hdmi and a little port symbol that looks like a vertical line then a rectangle and then another vertical line

 

[Ravenpoe]

don't do RCA or VGA... s-video will look "ok" (I try using my HD TV)

If you have DVI or HDMI on your TV and laptop, you got a winner!

I think you missed the part where she explicitly pointed out SD, not HD.

 

[klew]

vertical line then a rectangle and then another vertical line

Sounds like a VGA port, or 15-pin monitor port, this should do it, though you'll also need at least one RCA/composite cable to connect from the adapter to your tv input. Also, you won't be getting audio from your tv.

 

[figmentPez]

Sounds like a VGA port, or 15-pin monitor port, this should do it, though you'll also need at least one RCA/composite cable to connect from the adapter to your tv input. Also, you won't be getting audio from your tv.

That's not going to work, unless the video-out on her laptop specifically supports that non-standard connection.

It is possible to actually convert VGA to something an SD television has inputs for, but it's going to cost a fair bit (I think they were around $100+ last I looked). I'm guessing that's more money than Makare wants to spend.

 

[klew]

Thanks, I didn't read the whole description, which comes with a warning and a link to a different convertor that claims to convert your computer display signal into a tv display signal.

 

[figmentPez]

Thanks, I didn't read the whole description, which comes with a warning and a link to a different convertor that claims to convert your computer display signal into a tv display signal.

Well, it's possible those have gotten cheaper over time. It's also possible that thing works, but produces a really crappy signal (and the ones I've used looked pretty fuzzy and skewed anyway, despite being $200+ boxes)

 

[makare]

My hope is sufficiently dashed.

Thanks for the help though.

 

[figmentPez]

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but in my experience there are only two things worth using an SD television as a computer monitor for: 1. Displaying slides (lyrics for music, photo presentations, etc.) 2. Playing games that don't require any sort of reading (text looks horrible). I've never been able to think of anything else.

 

[makare]

I just want to watch movies

 

[figmentPez]

I just want to watch movies

Dammit! Now I have to put a third one on my list. (Wait, when did I last update this list?... Crap, it's been a while)

My mom tried watching Hulu on our TV using her Mac for a while (the adapter for her Mac wasn about $20, I think). She eventually got fed up with it messing with her screen resolution and stopped, but it sorta worked. The image didn't even come close to filling the screen, it was noticably skewed, and it looked a little washed out at times, but it was on there. It didn't look as good as a DVD (which is what you'd think would happen).

Wait, that's why it's not on my list. I've always figure there were better things for playing video on a TV, and I don't mind watching directly on a computer monitor either.

 

[PatrThom]

I don't suppose you can post a picture of said ports?

I'm not sure, but I think "|[]|" means DVI (but without seeing it I won't know if it's DVI-D, DVI-I, or DVI-A).

--Patrick

 

[makare]

Ill try to find a camera.

 

[PatrThom]

Alternatively, you may be able to identify it using this handy poster from DeviantArt.

(I highly encourage passing around the link to this image. It's too awesome not to share)

--Patrick

 

[Chibibar]

don't do RCA or VGA... s-video will look "ok" (I try using my HD TV)

If you have DVI or HDMI on your TV and laptop, you got a winner!

I think you missed the part where she explicitly pointed out SD, not HD.[/QUOTE]

nope... I believe if it looks horrible in HD, it would look bad in SD.

 

[makare]

Alternatively, you may be able to identify it using this handy poster from DeviantArt.

(I highly encourage passing around the link to this image. It's too awesome not to share)

--Patrick

Awesome my camera wouldnt work. It is a vga port. Apparently.

 

[Chibibar]

Now to correct my own statement. RCA are usually 640x480 resolution (same with VGA) doesn't look any better with 1024x768 on TVs (even older models) the TVs weren't really design for it. this is why I suggest something of HDMI or DVI output. It is a much cleaner signal and can go higher resolution (hence prettier picture) There are converters out there but they are expensive.

Now... newer TVs DO have the proper input and can act as monitors (so does TV projectors) and those look pretty sweet.

Once you post a picture of your TV inputs and your laptop outputs, we (forumites) might be able to find a happy medium on if it can be done or not without costing an arm or a leg.

 

[figmentPez]

RCA are usually 640x480 resolution (same with VGA)

I think you're a little confused. RCA (also known as composite) is roughly 640x480 but a "VGA" connector can carry much higher.

In order of quality:

Coaxial - lowest quality (except for broadcast HDTV). Don't use this to connect any video producing box to your TV, if you've got another option.

--

RCA/Composite - slightly better than coax, but still low quality.

--

S-Video - significant contrast improvement over composite (due to separated color and brightness channels), but the same resolution. The best option for older devices like pre-HD game consoles.

--

Component Video - for interlaced SD content this is not a huge leap over S-video, but it allows for HD resolutions.

--

VGA (aka HD-15, aka DE-15) - a computer standard that has had it's capabilities expanded over the years. It can handle resolutions much higher than an HDTV's 1080p, and with a good quality monitor will be very difficult to distinguish from DVI. For HDTVs that have this port it can be a fine way to connnect them, depending on the specific model. There should be no problem sending a 1920x1080 signal over VGA.


I'll skip all the digital standards (DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort) because, wireless aside, they should all have the same image quality.

 

[Chibibar]

I got HD TV and my old laptop has one of those cable that allow RCA. It looked BAD (then again it is HD 50" TV) I don't mean blurry bad, the picture is skewed. I try using on a smaller TV (20" or so) still pretty bad. It looks GREAT on a standard CRT monitor.
I try with s-video. still pretty bad (different laptop same TVs)
when I try with VGA with converter box... bleh..

until I move up to DVI and HDMI, then it look pretty good on TVs.

like I said, that is my personal experience.

 

[figmentPez]

when I try with VGA with converter box... bleh..

Well there's your problem. If you're going from a PC's VGA-out to an HDTV's VGA-in, then you'll get (probably) great video quality. If you're converting the VGA to some other signal type (or some other type to VGA), then all bets are off.

 

[Chibibar]

when I try with VGA with converter box... bleh..

Well there's your problem. If you're going from a PC's VGA-out to an HDTV's VGA-in, then you'll get (probably) great video quality. If you're converting the VGA to some other signal type (or some other type to VGA), then all bets are off.[/QUOTE]

Yea... my TV doesn't have VGA in (most older models doesn't) That is why I said VGA will look bad on older TVs since you would need converters as they don't have input. This is why I ask what kind of output does the laptop have and what input does the TV have. I was just giving out my personal experience with it so Makare doesn't do the same mistake as I did.

 

[strawman]

I want to be able to connect my laptop to my tv but my tv is an sd tv*.

Give me the make and model of your laptop and TV and I'll tell you how to do it.