How to Connect a Laptop Computer To Your Television Screen

I’ve been using an S-video to SCART (Europe) on our main TV for years, but have to use AV25 as the input (not AV1 or AV2). If I try to use AV1 or AV2 it’s fuzzy black and white. Not all TVs have a second SCART socket to connect to. Our little portable doesn’t and I only get monochrome when connecting to that. It’s something to do with the pins in a SCART plug apparently, there may be a way around it though, if you know what that is, please tell me

db

Hi Amit
Me and Abhishek had tried this experiment some time back and its interesting to see it happen. And it is also possible to connect the laptop to TV even if TV does not have a S-video input, there is a cable available in market which has S-video port on one end and a DVD component ports on other end, we used that cable as our TV didn’t have a S-video input. The resolution was not very good though.
Also there is a setting in TV for PAL/NTSC setting which improves the picture if selected properly.

If youtube and flickr are the only requirements, Apple TV should be the right choice :-)

With the setup as explained above you will not get any sound when you use only the S-Video cable.

In order to get sound you will need to connect the audio cable where you have one audio connector at one end and a dual connector at the other end.

Connect the single connector to the audio ouput of the laptop and the dual connector to the audio input on your TV screen.

I watch a lot of movies downloaded from bit torrent sites this way and the resolution and sound clarity you get is quite amazing.

That great..I want to try later.. :)

How can this be done on XP if one does not have Vista?

If you have a older generation TV set

Try the S-Video to RCA adaptor (http://www.directron.com/svideotorca.html)

OR If you don’t have a S-Video output try the VGA to S-Video/RCA adaptor(http://www.amazon.com/EFORCITY-VGA-S-Video-RCA-Adaptor/dp/B000P3UB24)

I’ve tried them both and it does work with some reduction in picture quality.

The quality is a lot better if you have a Flat screen LCD TV.

I forgot to add that this works with Win 2000,XP and Vista.

I connected my laptop to my TV (LCD, HDTV)using VGA to HDMI cable but it doesnt seem to work. I’ve followed all the instructions above and then some. Do you have any suggestions on how I can connect my laptop to the TV (TV only supports VGA to HDMI according to TV manual). Thanks!!

Amendment to above, I mean DVI to HDMI cable, thanks

James, I’v recently hooked up my Gateway laptop to my Samsung DLP HDTV using the VGA out on the laptop to VGA in on the HDTV and works great. However, if you have a DVI out on your laptop go DVI to HDMI! Not sure why the manual would say that, but you would have to buy a converter box or cable(s) to go grom VGA to HDMI, not sure if you even can. The KEY is to right click and go to either properties or Graphics options. There you will need to reset the resolution and set your TV as the primary monitor. For resolution for a 720p HDTV you can go to 1200′ish X 768p. The audio is pretty simple…just use the headphone out to component IN on the TV using a 3.5mm mini jack to RCA (Red and White splitter)cable. Hope this helps.

i connected my laptop to my tv using an HDMI cable (HDMI 2 HDMI cable)i get the video but no audio comes out of my tv just the laptop. what setting should i change to get audio from my tv?

You need to buy a separate audio cable that fits from your PC headphone socket to your TV audio input. In other words a Twin Phono to 3.5mm Stereo Jack Lead

Just type this into google, the leads are cheap as chips.

Porto

I connected the VGA cable from my laptop to my samsung HDTV, but then the “pc” doesn’t comes out on the settings. Only HDMI(which is connected to my DVD) and TV are the only one appearing on video mode. I lost the manual so I’m totally clueless on what to do. In my laptop it works, only on my TV doesn’t work. Do I have to connect that s-video thing to it? PLs help me!!!! Email ur concerns to queen.lei@yahoo

Thank you so very much! I had a time trying to figure out why I couldn’t get my laptop connected to the TV. I didn’t realize I had to go in and muck around with the settings in Personalize, hit the Connect to projector blah blah blah and hit the connect display button there. Even then, in the settings; a help window pops up stating if the screen still isn’t displayed to hold the function key while pressing f5(had to toggle it a few times)..for me it’s f4 but whatever it works now! Thanks!!

Hey

I have laptop model HP Pavillion dv6285eu and samsung Full HD TV both have VGA port. I connected both using VGA Cable. But after all this I could see only blank screen(back ground light of laptop)connection seems ok with VGA cable, but I couldn’t see any video on TV from laptop. I don’t know what kind of setting do I need to in Laptop. would you please

Ajish

Ajish I found link in the HP tech support. If the notebook PC is connected to multiple monitors, you can either display the same information on both monitors, or different information on each monitor.

Highlight the image of the monitor you want to designate as the main monitor and mark the check box at the This is my main monitor option. If you want different information on each monitor, highlight the image of the secondary monitor and mark the check box at the Extend the desktop onto this monitor option.

If the Windows desktop is placed on the secondary monitor, when the monitor is disconnected the desktop is not visible. Leave the desktop image on the built-in LCD monitor. link tells you how to set up the TV connection and how to troubleshoot it. Hope it helps. Lilly

I would like to connect my Presario C700 to my TV. I used a cable with S-video connector(7 pins) on one end and 3 output (2 audio and 1 video) tulip connector on the other end to connect to my TV. However, the TV is not recognised even after I change the settings in the display properties. Do I have to download any driver for the purpose? My system uses a Mobile Intel 965 Express Chipset family.

Hi,
I have an Acer Laptop with only a VGA output and an old television with RCA(i.e the 3 coloured cables)input. Is there any way to connect the laptop to the TV??? If so how? please help.

I have an Toshiba Laptop with a VGA output and an television with RCA input. but i don know how to connect the laptop to the TV?

hi earlier i was able to connect my laptop to tv using s-video cable but now i am not able to connect. i am not getting the options in settings –advanced where i get an option to connect to tv can anybody help i dont know how the settings changed

I have HP Pavilion 2000 notebook and trying to connect to Samsung 29″Flat TV using S video 7 pin output with 3 input type pin for TV. but i am not able to see anything on TV.

Please help

i have connected the audio cable from my PC to my TV (i.e 3.5mm Stereo Jack Lead) however I still cannot get any sound from the TV?? Pic works fine.

Is there a sound setting I need to change on my computer, and if so, what is it please???

This blog was great!!! I was able to find a solution to my problem in about 30 seconds after 6 months of trying. I am happy and can’t believe it was all within my own personalized settings. The problem is, it’s not user friendly on how to get there through my Vista’s help and support. So I thank you kindly!

Much appreciated!
~Joi Novo~

Hey i my compaq laptop has a 7 pin S video port and my TV has a 4 pin S-Video port i tried connecting using a 4 pin S-Video cable but am gettig no pic in the TV i have a XP OS do i need to change anything to get the picture…pls advise!!!

Hi, i have a Packard Bell laptop with a VGA port and i want to connect it to my Sony TV,which has no VGA port,but an S-video port,and a yellow,red and white port.What wires would i need to connect the two,and what settings would i need to adjust on my laptop and how?Your help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks.

Hi,
I have IBM T23 laptop has a 7 pin S video port and my TV has a 4 pin S-Video port i tried connecting using 7 to 4 pin S-Video cable but am gettig no pic in the TV i have a XP OS. I don’t have any options in settings –advanced option to connect to tv. I also can’t get sound with audio cable from my PC to my TV.

Hi,
I have Toshiba Notebook has 4 pin s video plus the connection for vga with windows vista and my tv is hdtv sony wega!I turn on my notebook n tv set on video5 but i get blank screen all the time !I clicked fn and f8 need help plz !Thanks for reading my msg !Wait for your reply
bye

Hi All
Anyone come across this problem yet and know the answer??
Wanted to connect the laptop to a big screen tv, used a VGA to VGA 15 pin D-sub cable, pressed F4 or F5 on the laptop and up came the desktop on the tv, brill.
Sound was through 3.5 plug to RCA x 2
Loaded media player on the laptop to play a DVD and watch on the tv, could see everything on the tv, media player screen, mouse.
Could see the film playing on the media player on the laptop but the screen was blank on the media player showing on the TV screen?????
Have you any ideas

is that possible to connect LCD monitor to my laptop….. if it is do inform me plz.
can any body guide me that i” connect LCD to laptop and h’ve different screen on LCD

i have a gateway with XP and trying to hook up at HD15 cable to the tv. Everything works after i change my settting to 1280 pixels but then my tv screen stays black for 3 sec and still says unsupported signal, please check the device output..can someone please help me!! ahhh

Hi guys. I have a toshiba laptop with Windows XP.

Itd b really nice if sumbody could make a me a step by step instructional thing or watever. on how to connect my laptop to my 40″ samsung hdtv.

By using a VGA cable.

ive tried to do it myself. but all that happens when i go to the pc input screen. well it comes up with my screen for 1 second then goes black saying no signal. then after a few more seconds the tv turns itself off.

any help is really appreciated.

If you could please submit your post to my email which is.

link

yes they are hyphens not underscores. thanx.

Hi guys,
I have the similar problem explained by David Bradley in this blog. I have an old Panasonic which has 2 SCART Connection (AV1 & AV2) and 1 RCA Connection (video + audio). I have bought a S-video+RCA Audio to SCART cable and connected my Laptop to TV. But now the video is not coming at all in TV. I have connected and tried in both AV1 & AV2 and video is not getting displayed. I have Win XP Prof and IBM T41 laptop.
Please help, how to make the video come on the TV? Thanks in advance.

hi there guys i just bought the vga to s-video and rca wire but i tried to connect to to the television but it doesnt seem to be working for me. i have an acer aspire 3050 as a laptop, is there something in my display settings that i have to do. let me know thanks in advance here is my email.

I have connected my compaq presario laptop to my lcd using the vga lead however the lcd only shows desktop or(screen saver) without any of the icons.If i run the curser to the right(out of the laptop)it then goes to the lcd.How do i make the screens the same?

Hi Lewis, There is a video in svideo.com for this. You have to go to Desktop properties, choose the 2nd Screen, right click and enable ‘Attached’. Thats basically like you are getting an extended screen of your laptop. Then drag your Window by your mouse to the 2nd screen which is your LCD. This should work.

Hi, me too.. i jest recently plugged in my laptop with vista to my samsung dlp hdtv 61″.. in laptop, it detected, i use graphic option to set the multi display or single display etc..but on my tv it is not detected..the back panel of my samsung dlp hdtv 61″ there is some pc in port (D-Sub 15 pin) and PC audio in (3.5 mm) besides the AV1,2,3,component,etc..normally when you connect some cable behind the tv panel using av,component, on the tv menu, select source, it detected and can be choosen..but this pc thing an exeption, after i plug both vga cable, on the menu tv i still couldn’t get the laptop detected resulting i cannot select the source to PC, only AV1 and AV2 which currently being used by my dvd and my antenna decoder..

anyone have some type telivision like this? do you know why the tv cannot detected the pc in port??

Hi, i have not solve problem. i have samsung tv. and i want to join dell laptop. so anyone suggest what i need and how i will do. i have cable tv connection too. so will you please give me suggestion.

Hey
I hooked my gateway laptop to my 42′RCA tv with a HDMI cord i have my picture and i bought 3.5mm mini jack to rca for sound and i still don’t have any sound what can i try now?

Hi Everyone,
I have an HP9000 with a VGA and S-video (7pin) also an expansion port 3 (not sure what this is), and want to connect to a Sony Wega HDTV 55″ to look at vacation photo’s and websites (it’s hard for others to see the notebook’s screen). TV has S-video and HDMI (according to the book). I need help to take TV out to see back where connection is, but book says it does not have VGA.

I bought S-video cables, connected them to front of TV and notebook, but couldn’t find anywhere in the notebook (under display) to change it to ‘out to TV’. I have XP not Vista.

Does anyone know the exact steps to change this in XP?

Hi guys. I have a toshiba laptop with Windows XP.

Itd b really nice if sumbody could make a me a step by step instructional thing or watever. on how to connect my laptop to my 40″ samsung hdtv.

By using a VGA cable.

ive tried to do it myself. but all that happens when i go to the pc input screen. well it comes up with my screen for 1 second then goes black saying no signal. then after a few more seconds the tv turns itself off.

any help is really appreciated.

If you could please submit your post to my email which is.
link

I have Thoshiba and Vista and Sharp TV. But I couldn’t connect. I could hear sound but not a video. Anybody please help me. I have thoshiba 17 inch screen.

Please help me.

Thanks,
Suresh

hello,
i want to connect my laptop to the TV useing s-video. however my computer has 7 pin, and my TV has 4 pin. and there is no other way that i can hook it up (i don’t think) is there anything i can do? also.. i know i need a RCA cable. how do i go about hooking that up?
thank you

I have Dell D600. i bought the s-video cable and tried to connect my laptop to the Tv but it did not work. i pressed fn+f8 many times but it still does not work. i even tried to select the extend screen option in the display setings but it did not save the settings as it should. please help.

hi,

i have an ibm laptop and a vga output and a philips tv(lcd). i use the blue rga wire but the tv does not even recognise the connection. can someone explain me the vista settings??

thanx

Hi can someone help me? I connected my s-video from the laptop to a television, the extended display worked but i cant see any of my desktop icons on the tv screen. so its like just the background and nothing else. If i change resolutions , i can see the icons on the tv screen but my comp goes blank, and sometimes both go blank and i have to restart my comp. I use xp, my bro has a vista and it works fine, its like a mirror image of his desktop. can some one help me figure out how to do the same with my xp laptop?? thanx

Hey everyone, i managed to connect my dell inspiron 6400 from the 7 pin s video socket to my tv with a 3 pin ie the yellow, white and red jacks, that’s rca i presume what you guys keep talking about, i’ve used a separate cable for the audio.. my problem is the bloody picture is in black and white.. thats all .. the picture’s there so is the sound.. but why BLACK AND WHITE.. ??? its like so close yet so far.. .. please help

hello,

i’ve had the same problem as alex….was able to get the picture and audio to work great (using s-video and normal audio inputs), but the picture is in black and white…sooooo frusterating. if someone knows how to correct that i’d love to know.

hi there…ive got a HP laptop connected to my 52″ sony bravia but the picture resolution or graphic images is not that good on big screen compare to the pc monitor…what setting should i perform? should you recommend to purchase a pc tower with higher graphics/resolution? or can it be sorted out through setting change…please advise me…tnx

hi there.. i got a compaq pesario connected to my 42″ samsung plasma.. im use the vga for both but the tv does not even recognise the connection. can anyone help me? my OS is vista..

Hi,
I have an Acer Laptop with S-Video output and an television with RCA and DVD COMPONENT in (i.e the 3 coloured cables)input. Is there any way to connect the laptop to the TV??? If so how? please help.

Machine Configuration is
Acer Aspire 5052AWXMi, ATI Radeon Xpress 1100 chipset