PC to TV connectors

[Slaav]

Go easy on me everyone but I have started catching up on stuff we have missed with the various on demand services - iplayer etc - and wanted to stream these through my TV rather than watch on laptop.

Do I simply connect the laptop to the TV via an appropriate lead?

And any obvious problems or mistakes to avoid?

Thanks

P

[bogie]

nope...usually its just a case of the right cable, modern TVs detect the signal and go into the right mode...thats about it really

[Slaav]

bogie said:

nope...usually its just a case of the right cable, modern TVs detect the signal and go into the right mode...thats about it really

OK, I will check what outputs I have on laptop and then just buy the appropriate cable? That easy?

Edited by Slaav on Thursday 27th August 09:24

[qwerty123]

Check you tv has a PC input (fat plug with pins that can be screwed on). This is probably the easiet way to output to a TV and nearly all LCD's and Plasma's will have this input.

If it doesn't recognise the input, try and change the input on the TV to PC and on your laptop, you can specifically tell it to output through the monitor - on my laptop its called CRT I think.

[headcase]

What TV have you got?

[hugo a gogo]

afaik, only HDMI will take sound and picture from computer to tv

DVI (the bigger trapezoid(!) shaped one with the 2 screws, and s-video are video only

[Plotloss]

hugo a gogo said:

afaik, only HDMI will take sound and picture from computer to tv

DVI (the bigger trapezoid(!) shaped one with the 2 screws, and s-video are video only

Close.

DVI-D is a digital signal akin to that which travels up HDMI
DVI-A is an analogue signal akin to VGA (RGBHV)
DVI-I is both analogue and digital

DVI doesnt carry sound in any capacity.

[hugo a gogo]

so in what sense was that 'close' and not 'dead right'?

[headcase]

Its all in the name

Digital Video Interface

High Definition Multimedia Interface

You were both dead right

oh yeh not forgeting the lower end Hi Def used on the 'Argos and Tesco' generation of TV's, we call it HDMA or High Definition My Arse

Edited by headcase on Thursday 27th August 21:52

[Slaav]

headcase said:

What TV have you got?

Will check as still use a giant Sony 37" CRT (100KG!) in one room but a Panasonic 32" in another where we watch most TV

[headcase]

Its doubtfull any of your TV's have HDMI or DVI, so what connectivity does the TV have that you plan to use with your laptop and what outputs have you on your laptop?

[Slaav]

headcase said:

Its doubtfull any of your TV's have HDMI or DVI, so what connectivity does the TV have that you plan to use with your laptop and what outputs have you on your laptop?

Its not as bad as it seems - the Panasonic is a relatively new Plasma and the Sony is about 5 years old and loads of Scarts - also have no issue playing photos through a connector in the front - will check all info and come back.

Thanks so far!

[Slaav]

Sorry to drag this up again but have just managed to check the plasma and it is a Panasonic TH37PX600B - hope that makes sense?

Will now google and try and see what connections it has.....

[headcase]

That has a vga connector on it so all you need is a standard vga lead

[Slaav]

headcase said:

That has a vga connector on it so all you need is a standard vga lead

Thanks, will try one and report back!

[Slaav]

headcase said:

That has a vga connector on it so all you need is a standard vga lead

Just been reading up on this and looking for a VGA connector and it has occurred to me that these are video only aren't they? What about sound?

Apologies for the numpty questions.....

[Slaav]

Just found this.....

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-connect-your-l...

Seems straight forward!

[headcase]

Either just use the laptop spekers or you will need a 3.5mm stereo jack (headphone plug) to 2x phono lead.

[Slaav]

headcase said:

Either just use the laptop spekers or you will need a 3.5mm stereo jack (headphone plug) to 2x phono lead.

Thanks again