Connecting laptop to tv

[blondie]

I have been trying to look into this but the number of websites and opinions are very confusing. There are those who say that VGA to HDMI is impossible since VGA is analogue and HDMI is digital which may explain why it is so difficult to find that cable.

I also purchased a VGA to VGA after the sales guy being adamant that all tv´s have VGA connections, guess what, mine doesn´t.

No what¿?

[blondie]

Don´t know if anyone cares anymore since noone replies to this thread - but the only option I can see at the moment is to buy a VGA to DVI adapter, then a DVI to HDMI lead - but the question is would this work?

[janda_grant2]

Blondie. what are you trying to do by connecting your laptop to the TV? If it is to watch downloaded programmes, I transfer mine to a movie cube and watch that through the TV using a HDMI cable which I bought from PC City for about 15€, but am not sure how you would do it to watch 'live' tv.

[blondie]

Well yes for now it is downloaded only, but I would like to be able to watch streamed programmes once I can get Iplayer working. Whats a movie cube?

[pigs-might-fly]

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/Sea ... pNo=379982

[markwilding]

I've seen a movie cube today in Media markt for 39 euros. It doesn't have a hard drive but can be used to view DIVX from a pen drive, media card, HDD etc.
Streaming is a different thing,
I have a PS3 which is a fantastic media player which can accept many streaming video codecs, plus it has a blue-ray player on board, plus for the kids it's a games consul
I do believe some of the newer high end TVs can also accept steamed video

[Conehead]

VGA to HDMI is not simple, as you say it requires analogue to digital conversion. This means it is not a straightforward cable but requires a box of electronics. This of course is not cheap.

Search for VGA to HDMI convertors an example is :-
http://sewelldirect.com/Component-VGA-t ... r-720p.asp for 720 scaling or
http://sewelldirect.com/ATLONA-VGA-TO-H ... SCALER.asp for 1080 scaling

The above is a US site to give you an idea.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listin ... nkCode=asm

from UK Amazon (swipe the 2 lines before pasting).
You will get what you pay for as its all in the conversion. Had a lot of experience in the days of converting analoge output to digital from video cameras before the days of firewire etc.



If you laptop has S-video out, I have not looked back up this message, you might of said, then your cheapest solution would be S-video to probably composite (RCA) or SCART with the correct cable.

[blondie]

Hi Conehead, thanks for that - that is more or less the message I am getting now - that it is not easy!

I have seen a VGA to DVI converter and then DVI to HDMI cable all for about 20 euros - but I have doubts about whether it would work since as you say normally it seems you would need a lot of electronics and I cannot see how a simple converter would do it.

I spoke to a computer guy last night and he says the way to go forward is simply to have a tower which connects to your TV and internet and use that for everything i.e. internet , images, photos, chat, videos, music - and you do it all on the TV screen via a wireless keyboard.

It does seem very tempting but would render my new laptop obsolete which I do not want to do. he also said that even if I did get it connected I need to check which graphics card I have as it could overheat.

Guess I will have to stick to watching things on the laptop - thanks for everyones help on this.

[pigs-might-fly]

SCREAM!
My HDMI cable arrived today and I connected it from our HDMI equipped laptop to the TV.
Great -instant big screen viewing BUT, the HDMI connection cuts off the laptop sound completely.
The HDMI connection also immediately disables the TV SCART output through which I have been using my wireless headphones!
Connecting the input from the wireless headphones base unit to the TV audio out plug/s disables the TV sound.
I need headphones to listen to the TV, as I'm very mutt & Jeff.
Result: I can hear the TV if I plug in directly: SWMBO can't
The idea of using the SCART output was so that both of us could watch the TV at our own sound level.
Our DVD/VCR recorder has no HDMI input socket, so connecting via than and then to the TV isn't physically, never mind electronically, possible.
Any ideas?

[El Cid]

You could buy a set of cheap PC speakers. As these are powered units, they should run off the same TV output that you are now using for the headphones. If so you just need a splitter to connect both.

If that doesn't work then get SWMBO to learn to lipread

Sid

[pigs-might-fly]

I spoke too soon - the TV audio out doesn't work, whatever the program source - TV or DVD, so that's scuppered.
I have never used it before as I have connected via the DVD/VCR recorder before currently using the SCART out plug.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

[pmb]

SCREAM!
My HDMI cable arrived today and I connected it from our HDMI equipped laptop to the TV.
Great -instant big screen viewing BUT, the HDMI connection cuts off the laptop sound completely.
The HDMI connection also immediately disables the TV SCART output through which I have been using my wireless headphones!

Any ideas?

What make of laptop is it pigs? I've seen reports on the web that Acer's do this. I've just bought a Dell with W7 which carries the audio fine. May be worth a google.

[pigs-might-fly]

Acer 7540!

[pmb]

I've just had the opposite on my laptop in that the HDMI audio was fine but there was no audio from the computer speakers. Somehow HDMI audio became selected as the default. Changed it back to the computer and it was fine but HDMI audio disappeared. To enable HDMI audio I have to make it the default but I'm not sure that was always the case. Maybe worth looking at this setting pmf. Access it from the headphone symbol at the top with W7.