Using vga cable to connect tv to computer

debitcardmayhem

Hammyman wrote: »

Makes no difference you or anyone else would be able to notice.

To the OP you need to go to Control Panel, Display and see what options are in there. It should show two displays and allow you to select whether to have one as the primary display, extend the desktop over both monitors or have the same displaying on both.

In my experience you want the display you're watching the film on as the primary otherwise you end up with a picture of media player window with a black screen. Also you'll be wanting the sound on your telly? You should find a 3.5mm headphone socket labelled PC input. You need a lead to go from the speaker/headphone socket of your PC to that one - a 3.5mm stereo to 3.5mm stereo cable.

still no idea of what tv and whether there is any sound when trying ,nor if the telly displays anything when selecting pc/external

liam8282

I was trying to do the same a while back, but trying to watch films from my laptop on my tv.

I was told on this thread I would need a converter box, to convert the computer output signal, into a signal that the tv can display.

Something like this I think? (not 100% sure if that is the correct box)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PC-VGA-to-TV-RCA-S-Video-Signal-Converter-Switch-Box-UK_W0QQitemZ230568385640QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=206884034951&rvr_id=206884034951&cguid=ec41084212d0a0aa12862266ffe666e4

In the end, I thought it was too much hassle.

cherry76

Thanks, I do think it is not as simple to just attach a vga cable from computer to tv. I also think I need a converter and as it is too much of a hassle if you do not know what you are doing, I am going to give it a miss. I can watch films I have downloaded if I save them on my usb memory stick and use my dvd player. The other half likes to stream live football on the computer, I am afraid he has watch it that way. I am not that confident to do it. Thanks for all your help and advice.

A.Penny.Saved

Hammyman wrote: »

Makes no difference you or anyone else would be able to notice.

That largely depends on the setup. It can make a big difference if leads are long because it's an analogue signal whereas a digital signal won't be affected unless the signal gets really bad.

I have been looking at VGA switch boxes and many of those give an awful picture with ghosting and noise at high resolutions/refresh rates due to cross talk and interference. The better quality ones are quite expensive.

For short cable runs with high quality cables and VGA can give very good quality which is what I get with my PC monitor and CRT screen even at very high resolutions of 1920 or above and high refresh rates. But with longer cables and poor quality cables and things don't work well with VGA.

Cherry has never given any info on the setup or TV so we cannot know how long the cables are or even what the TV VGA input is capable of. Anyone responding has been doing so pretty much blind to half the needed info because the thread starter has not provided it.

liam8282 wrote: »

I was trying to do the same a while back, but trying to watch films from my laptop on my tv.

I was told on this thread I would need a converter box, to convert the computer output signal, into a signal that the tv can display.

Something like this I think? (not 100% sure if that is the correct box)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PC-VGA-to-TV-RCA-S-Video-Signal-Converter-Switch-Box-UK_W0QQitemZ230568385640QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=206884034951&rvr_id=206884034951&cguid=ec41084212d0a0aa12862266ffe666e4

In the end, I thought it was too much hassle.

Without providing information on what you are trying to do, no one can guess. Convert from what? VGA? Why do you need to convert? What inputs does your TV have? S-Video only? Scart RGB or Composite/S-Video? DVI or Hdmi?

It can be more complex for older TV's because newer video cards don't like outputting the correct resolutions and refresh rates or interlaced video which older TV's need. If the TV has VGA input there shouldn't be too much of a problem. But for older TV's something like Powerstrip is needed to create custom resolutions to drive the TV correctly.

liam8282

A.Penny.Saved As I said, I started a thread about this about a month or so ago and went through it in more detail then. I wanted to watch catch up tv, but have Virgin now anyway. With the replies on the thread came to the conclusion that I would need a converter, and for me it wasn't worth it.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2807240


I was just guessing that cherry76 had a similar problem, and it appears they do.

A.Penny.Saved

The resolution and refresh rate can be a problem as windows will usually only support 60Hz and won't go down to 50Hz refresh rates. So your TV would have to support 60Hz refresh rates as standard. Many do. But doing so gives a smaller screen due to the smaller resolution 480i on american NTSC screens. This is all for SD and not for HD screens. Composite video/S-Video and scarts will only support SD video.

That's where Powerstrip can be useful as it can create custom resolutions and refresh rates.

These sites have details on how to setup a TV out with custom resolutions. It's about rgb scart but would apply to other SD connection methods such as composite or S-Video. I'm in the process of trying to do this myself ATM but another thing has sidetracked me.
http://www.idiots.org.uk/vga_rgb_scart/
http://www.nexusuk.org/projects/vga2scart/

Your AV connector is composite video with left and right audio. So I think your problem was the resolution and refresh rate and possibly interlaced video which PC's don't usually output. Powerstrip can set all that up.

ATI cards are meant to be even better as they can output a combined sync which would mean me not having to mess around with circuits to combine the HV sync. It's not available in the powerstrip options on a nVidia card because it's greyed out.

I don't think a TV will accept a progressive signal through composite/S-Video.

buglawton

Most modern widescreen TVs have a proper VGA connector. OP started off the thread with "I have connected the ty to the computer using vga cable" giving me the impression that OP's TV has such a socket. I use such a setup, with the simplest option - connect laptop to TV using a standard VGA cable, using the primary screen on the computer. It works just fine, no subtle technical issues at all.

cherry76

Thanks for all your response. I have got a 32 full HD Panasonic TV in my bedroom and it has all the connections I need e.g vga, hmdi My computer is a dell desktop 5150 window XP. I bought a vga male to male from ebay and connect it at the back of the computer (tower vga) and to the TV. I thought that was it as I have been watching how to do it on you tube and it seems very easy. When I click on properties and then settings I can see two monitors side by side. One big one and a small one. The second monitor, small one is inactive and when I clicked to make it active and ticked extend my window desktop into this monitor, then clicked applied and then ok. It reverts back to the first monitor as primary and does not seem to recognize the second monitor. The problem is it will not let me make the second monitor active. When I input tv to computer on my TV, the screen is blank and only shows the pc in text. I must be doing something wrong. I did not realize I also need more cables for the sound, I have got some white,red and yellow, are they the ones? I hope this make sense to those who are trying to help me with this. I think I am going to give up before I crash the computer. Thanks again

Dave101t

i connect my laptop to my projector all the time, just a vga cable for video, and audio jack to hi fi.
when i extend desktop, you then have to 'drag' a window across off the right of your 1st screen, to activate the 2nd screen. then maximise the viso on the 2ns screen to see it full screen.
it works a treat but i remember when i 1st did it, years ago, it was a right chew on, changng resolutions, colour pallets etc when all that doesnt need to be done.
unless your on a regular tv, then resolution needs to be 640 c 480. HDTV can usually be 720.
also google the problem as thats how i sorted it.

debitcardmayhem

Hammyman wrote: »

Makes no difference you or anyone else would be able to notice.

To the OP you need to go to Control Panel, Display and see what options are in there. It should show two displays and allow you to select whether to have one as the primary display, extend the desktop over both monitors or have the same displaying on both.

In my experience you want the display you're watching the film on as the primary otherwise you end up with a picture of media player window with a black screen. Also you'll be wanting the sound on your telly? You should find a 3.5mm headphone socket labelled PC input. You need a lead to go from the speaker/headphone socket of your PC to that one - a 3.5mm stereo to 3.5mm stereo cable.

Read again what Hammy is saying here, the VGA cable does not carry sound, so you need a 3.5mm cable (like the one that goes into the desktop speakers if you have them ...I assume you have those and if you are lucky it may be male-male rather that a male one end and inside the speakers) . Also as he said use the primary for the Telly using the VGA socket in the relative higher position on the back of the Tower . Then you can then hopefully be able to watch the ouput (including windows etc) on the telly.