connecting laptop to hd tv

jamespir

i have a compaq presario c700 and wish to connect it to the tv (as a second monitor to watch films on the tv im using a vga to hdmi cable

but the laptop wont find the tv i rebooted the laptop and the tv gave me a display to say there was a input but once laptop got of the boot screen that stopped and it went back to no video found


im using a technicka tv can anyone help laptop has vista

GunJack

you may need to lower the laptop screen resolution before you hook up to the tv, down to 1024x768 or even lower for the tv to be able to display from a vga output.

roddydogs

VGA wont give HD, you need a Lappy with HDMI output.

almillar

VGA is capable of far higher resolutions than even full HD, 1920x1080. However, some TV's have pretty rubbish VGA inputs that don't allow full resolution.
As OP is using the HDMI input on the TV, it seems that they need to check the video settings on their laptop. Is there a key, or key combination, like Function and F5 for example, that cycles through different display modes? You may be able to cycle through some or all of the following - laptop screen only (what you're currently on), TV mirrors laptop screen, desktop extends onto TV, TV only. You will only get a picture of any sort on the TV with the last 3 options.
Or, in Vista, go into the display properties, and the settings tab (or something like that, I'm on XP at the mo), and you should be able to see 2 screens, and set which one does what in there.

jamespir

almillar wrote: »

VGA is capable of far higher resolutions than even full HD, 1920x1080. However, some TV's have pretty rubbish VGA inputs that don't allow full resolution.
As OP is using the HDMI input on the TV, it seems that they need to check the video settings on their laptop. Is there a key, or key combination, like Function and F5 for example, that cycles through different display modes? You may be able to cycle through some or all of the following - laptop screen only (what you're currently on), TV mirrors laptop screen, desktop extends onto TV, TV only. You will only get a picture of any sort on the TV with the last 3 options.
Or, in Vista, go into the display properties, and the settings tab (or something like that, I'm on XP at the mo), and you should be able to see 2 screens, and set which one does what in there.

thank thats the problem the laptop does not see the tv as an option
ive tried the f4 option (turn on vga ) but nothing apart from my laptop screen going black

Notmyrealname

roddydogs wrote: »

VGA wont give HD,

Rubbish. VGA was running at far higher resolutions than 1080p HD before even TFT monitors were thought of.

OP: Check you've got the latest graphics driver for the laptop. Use the graphics driver utility rather than pressing f4. It'll allow you to configure whether to mirror whats on the laptop, set the primary display when they're both connected etc.

almillar

I'm not sure I trust a VGA-HDMI converter. Does your TV have an actual VGA input? Can you try using that? Any old VGA cable you have lying around should be sufficient to test, and that F4 key you've found should be used to cycle (slowly) through the options.

Niv

When my tv doesnt pick up my laptop I go into the laptop display settings and 'search for monitors', it picks up the tv everytime (for me that is).

Niv