Connecting Laptop to TV

Drone31

newdawn wrote: »

Thank you. Just checked out my resolutions. Dont have that one so assume that my picture my look a bit odd but hopefully still be ok?

Will buy a VGA- VGA cable as not got one.

It's very unlikely it'll work; you will have a picture but it'll be awful - flickering, off to the side etc. To configure a card outside of it's native resolutions requires a lot of tinkering. You could give it a go, but I don't reckon it'll work unfortunately fingers crossed though!

You cold try updating your card drivers'; it's unlikely but the manufacturer may have included support for resolutions it's capable of, but weren't invented or widely used when it was made

newdawn_2

Damn! Is this likely to happen if I brought a desktop? Weighing up my options. Still want a TV in the bedroom but also need a monitor for computer/laptop.

Was hoping to not have to fork out for a computer - but dont want another new laptop as so many problems with this one.

A friend is selling me a old sony vaio for £40 so maybe that will have the right screen resolutions.

Drone31

newdawn wrote: »

Damn! Is this likely to happen if I brought a desktop? Weighing up my options. Still want a TV in the bedroom but also need a monitor for computer/laptop.

Was hoping to not have to fork out for a computer - but dont want another new laptop as so many problems with this one.

A friend is selling me a old sony vaio for £40 so maybe that will have the right screen resolutions.

Personally, I would go with a desktop, unless that Vaio has the right resoution (but you can just turn it on and check now you know what to look for).

It'll be cheapest of all to buy a VGA cable off Amazon or Ebay and give it a go; but failing that, you could just buy a large widescreen computer monitor and sacrifice the TV.

If you go look at a few desktops, just enquire about the price for the base unit only - prices usually include a monitor, and can be a hundred odd quid cheaper without one. generally, if a PC has a DVI connection at the back and it's only a few years old it'll support the TV; if it's got an HDMI output you're laughing.

Also, go to the independant computer shops rather than PC World. They usually have insanely cheap base units, nothing fancy, but they'll enable you to have that connection.

Think of it as future proofing yourself if you need to buy a new machine - the whole HD revolution is like VHS & Betamax.

newdawn_2

Drone31 wrote: »

the whole HD revolution is like VHS & Betamax.

Ha Ha Ha...My partner just had to explain that to me!

Will get the Vaio and pop into the nearest independant computer shop too...nearest one is about 30mins ago.

Wont be buying from PC world ....they sell you what is in their interest...and at inflated prices!

PS What do you call cheap?

Drone31

£180 + postage would be reasonable for a desktop, with onboard graphics which should support up to 2048x1536. Under £200 anyway, if you shop around online

The independant shops are the best though. You can tell them what you need, and they'll tell you what they can do for you - a shop near me sells ridiculously cheap base units if you just want to surf the web, run applications etc