Outputting 1024*768 to a widescreen LCD

[bonsai]

Hope someone can help me with this.

Am looking to buy a TV - 32" or so, to display content from a laptop. The laptop will be running at 1024 x 768

I like the look of this TV:

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/2974729/art/samsun...

I'm just trying to clarify whether I will be able to display the 4:3 output from the laptop without it being horribly stretched to 16:9 on the TV. I am not bothered about any vertical borders - which I imagine it would have to show to keep the aspect ratio correct.

All I'm wondering is whether this will be possible? I don't want to buy it and then find out I can't do what I need with it.

I will be using a VGA HD-15 cable between the laptop and the TV.

Hope someone can help.

Thanks

Edited by bonsai on Thursday 8th October 11:39

[TheLemming]

You dont have to output the native display of the laptop to an external monitor.

For example, my laptop is has a native resolution of 1280x800. When I hook up an external monitor, I add the monitor using the "display settings" options (right click the background, it's under "personalise" on Vista) and set the new monitor up with its appropriate resolution (in the case of my spare 1680x1050).

So you should have no problem hooking up the monitor, having it auto-detected and setting it's resolution appropriately.

[bonsai]

Thanks for the reply. Both those resolutions you mentioned have the same aspect ratio however, the TV I'm looking at (and most by the looks of it) has a resolution of 1920x1080 (16:9)

Hmm. very confusing, can't gamble and get this wrong. Will take a laptop home and try on a widescreen there.

[Salgar]

Yep,

The resolution shown on your monitor at home doesn't matter when you connect it to the TV. You should check the maximum supported resolution of your graphics card in your laptop. It will no doubt have a widescreen resolution as an option. Even so, if it really does have to be 1024x768 (which i doubt), it is the dependant on your TV. Check what resolutions your TV supports via its VGA/DVI port. My TV does do black borders round the side, I don't think it would try map a 4:3 resolution to a 16:9 one, but i could be wrong.

[TheLemming]

Salgar said:

Yep,

The resolution shown on your monitor at home doesn't matter when you connect it to the TV. You should check the maximum supported resolution of your graphics card in your laptop. It will no doubt have a widescreen resolution as an option. Even so, if it really does have to be 1024x768 (which i doubt), it is the dependant on your TV. Check what resolutions your TV supports via its VGA/DVI port. My TV does do black borders round the side, I don't think it would try map a 4:3 resolution to a 16:9 one, but i could be wrong.

Although it wont display a higher resolution than the current connected monitor.

What laptop is it?

[bonsai]

TheLemming said:

Salgar said:

Yep,

The resolution shown on your monitor at home doesn't matter when you connect it to the TV. You should check the maximum supported resolution of your graphics card in your laptop. It will no doubt have a widescreen resolution as an option. Even so, if it really does have to be 1024x768 (which i doubt), it is the dependant on your TV. Check what resolutions your TV supports via its VGA/DVI port. My TV does do black borders round the side, I don't think it would try map a 4:3 resolution to a 16:9 one, but i could be wrong.

Although it wont display a higher resolution than the current connected monitor.

What laptop is it?

It does uinfortunately require 1024*768 as it's a slideshow which is autogenerated. Any other resolution looks wrong. The good thing is I can pick whatever TV will do the job so I'm not restricted in that regard. These are just bog standard dell laptops, their native aspect ratio is 4:3.

[headcase]

I often display my laptop onto a panasonic screen, on that i can just adust the picture with the aspect button just like you can regular TV, so i can choose between a 4:3 pic or a stretched 16:9.