Laptop to TV

[johnmark]

Have you used a SVGA cable to connect a laptop to your TV. Is there anything that I need to know about to do this? I wanted to display email and video attachments on my TV. How about using this method for streaming movies from the net? One of the cables I saw only had a nine inch long audio cable attached to it. That would be too short to run from the rear connection on the laptop to the audio outlet on the front. I guess I would have to add an extension to it. Any info on this would be appreciated.

[texnet]

I think you actually mean a SVGA cable :-)... and if so then yes I have many times over the past 20 years and even when it was only EGA. You may/may not get good results, just according to the resolution of the TV and how you config the output resolution of your laptop. To display video out your SVGA port you will need to connect the TV, then use the Function Key and whatever key on the top row of the keyboard switches the modes of the video board.

As for audio, you could either extend the existing cable or just use a set of speakers plugged into the laptop.

[wa8yxm]

My TV doubles as a monitor (has an actual VGA input) however if yours does not have a matching input.. They make devices that take the VGA or _VGA (fill in the blank) from the laptop and "convert" to NTSC video.

NTSC... Acronym; "Never Twice Same Color" (Old broadcast engineer's joke. I used to lunch with them all the time)

[Theberrys]

If you don't have a VGA connector on your TV then this will do the conversion to Composit or SVGA for the TV input (about $16.00). Audio is just a cable from the computer to the input of the TV if it has one on the port you use for Computer input, usually there is associated audio on the Composit or SVGA inputs of the TV.
Amazon.com: Black PC VGA TO TV Converter (Convert VGA to AV/RCA/Composite Video/SVideo) with Audio cable PLUS AGPtek USB 2.0 All-in-one Card Reader: Electronics
Don't expect great quality, but you could read E-Mails and some casual browsing.
Dick

[Turferrw]

We use Apple TV to stream movies, music, pictures etc. It works together with itunes and our wireless mifi. Cost is $99, works well with all media but not for emails etc. Hope this helps

Apple TV - Watch HD movies, TV shows, Netflix & more - Apple Store (U.S.)

Good luck!

[HD4Mark]

Depending on the age of your laptop it may have S-video or even HDMI out connections that might be a better option. The TV would need the input of course. We have used my laptop to play DVDs that the MH player would not play by using the S-video for the TV and earphone jack to the dash stereo. Worked pretty good in a pinch.

[garym114]

I have mine connected to the flat screen with a VGA cable and can display a clone of the laptop screen or use it for a separate display. If I want audio I use the aux input, mp3, on the radio. Even watch DVD movies from the laptop. Don't know why you shouldn't expect a good quality picture from the VGA cable.
Streets and Trips looks great on the TV.
Just get a cable that will go from the laptop mic connection, mini stereo, to the audio input RCA jacks on the TV.

[texnet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by garym114 Don't know why you shouldn't expect a good quality picture from the VGA cable.

The resolution of the TV will determine the quality of the picture. Just because the TV has a VGA connection doesn't mean it will work well for a connection to a computer. We have a 15" LCD with built-in DVD player. I hooked up my laptop to it one time and it was terrible! However, I really didn't expect it to be too good as it was a cheap unknown brand.

Hey garym114... we live in the same "neck of the woods"... we live south of Granbury on 51.

[johnmark]

Here is my update.

I'm in,this is great, I connected my new VGA cable with audio cord to my laptop and TV and it works very well. I am glad that I did not invest in that VGA to HDMI gadget. I thought that there was something magic about HDMI and thought I had to go in that direction. I had myself convinced that it would give me a better picture. What I have now is perfect. I didn't have to fiddle with any buttons at all. A screen came up on my laptop that asked how I wanted to view it. There was a default to mirror the TV and laptop and that is what I used. I need to thank everyone for their help. I really appreciate the PC, RV Forums, so many people are anxious to share their knowledge and help out.