Connecting Laptop to TV

[tjmudder]

So I posted earlier about this but it turns out the way I was trying to connect my laptop to my plasma hdtv wouldn't work. My laptop is a Dell Inspiron 1720 and has a vga out on it. So I ended up buying an vga and audio input to hdmi output converter. So I hooked all of this up, set my resolution to 1280 x 720. When I did this I received a picture but the picture was split and not centered. Basically what should of been in the middle was on the left of the screen and then there was a split and what should be on the left was on the right. Also the bottom was cut off. So I tried a lot of searching and couldn't find a fix for this. Then I updated to the latest Nvidia graphics driver and now I cannot even connect to an external monitor. So I need help to first fix my vga ouput problem and then I need to know how to align my picture correctly on my hdtv.

Thanks,

 

[akugami]

The only thing I can say is a lot of TV's are picky about what resolutions they receive. My friend has an HDTV and it will not accept anything but the native resolution from his computer. Check the TV manual to see what the native resolution is as well as the supported resolutions. Try using lower resolutions to see if that works.

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: tjmudder
So I hooked all of this up, set my resolution to 1280 x 720.

@60Hz? If so, then I'd suspect the converter is bunk and test it with another computer before returning it.

Originally posted by: akugami
The only thing I can say is a lot of TV's are picky about what resolutions they receive.

This is true, but not for 720p over HDMI, All HDTVs have to handle that.

 

[tjmudder]

Well I kinda got my vga out to work again but it seems to be trial and error cause I'll have everything set up the same way and it may or may not connect to the tv. I've learned that maybe the powerstrip program may help me. Anyone have any luck with that?

 

[kylebisme]

You can play with the output timings in Powerstrip, but that comes down to figuring out what your convert wants, if it can work properly at all. Again, are you running 60Hz?

 

[tjmudder]

Yeah I'm running 60Hz. I may have to try another computer on it to see.

 

[tjmudder]

OK so I tried a different lcd tv and a different computer which is running xp and I don't think that it's the converter's problem. But the highest resolution I can get only seems to be 1024 x 768. I'm still think I can get a higher resolution. So I figure that my laptop or the bigger plasma tv is not wanting to cooperate. I would like to think that it's my laptop cause I can hopefully figure out the problem. Are there any good resolutions that work on 720p hdtvs or should 1280 x 720 at 60Hz work fine on all? Also my laptop seems to want to output only through the vga and not along with the laptop screen when hooked up to a tv, not monitor, instead of going clone view. Is there a way to fix this? It's running vista.

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: tjmudder
OK so I tried a different lcd tv and a different computer which is running xp and I don't think that it's the converter's problem. But the highest resolution I can get only seems to be 1024 x 768. I'm still think I can get a higher resolution.

What do the specs on the converter say? How about your laptop's VGA out?

Originally posted by: tjmudder
Are there any good resolutions that work on 720p hdtvs or should 1280 x 720 at 60Hz work fine on all?

1280x720@60Hz is 720p, and any modern HDTV will accept it. However, if the max resolution of the converter out the VGA out on the laptop is the issue, then perhaps something lower but still 16:9 will be the best you can get.

Originally posted by: tjmudder
Also my laptop seems to want to output only through the vga and not along with the laptop screen when hooked up to a tv, not monitor, instead of going clone view. Is there a way to fix this? It's running vista.

What video device is in the laptop?

 

[tjmudder]

The converter is supposed to output all the way to 1080p.

http://www.monoprice.com/produ...format=3#specification

The Laptop has a Geforce 8600m GT in it. I've been able to output to a resolution of 1680 x 1050 before on my lcd monitor. I hope that's what you were wanting to know.

 

[kylebisme]

Yeah, that answers my questions. Note the specs on the converter:

The supported VGA input signals are:

640x480 @ 60, 72 & 75hz

800x600 @ 60, 72 & 75hz

1024x768 @ 60, 72 & 75hz

1280x1024 @ 60hz

1600x1200 @ 60hz

So while seems it can output resolutions like 720p and 1080p, it apparently isn't designed to accept them.

 

[tjmudder]

Yeah I saw those signals. So does this mean that I really can't get anything higher than 1024 x 768 with an 720P hdtv?

 

[kylebisme]

Not necessarily, but it doesn't look like you'll be able to run 720p. Did you try 1280x1024 or 1600x1200?

 

[tjmudder]

Yeah I tried those too and they didn't work. I read on here (http://www.monoprice.com/produ...q=1&format=4#feedback) in the customer review section that you most force custom resolutions. I'm wondering if that will help me get it to work. I'm using Powerstrip so I'm hoping someone may know something I can do with this program that will get it to work. I just don't really like how 1024 x 768 is the highest I can go right now because it's just not that high of a resolution.

 

[tjmudder]

Ok so I just learned something by looking at specs. Apparently the 50" plasma tv I had been trying to hook up to earlier before I switched to my smaller 32" lcd tv only output to 1025 x 768. That's ridiculous in my opinion. My lcd tv I think has a native resolution of 1366 x 768. So is this possible to achieve with the converter box on my lcd tv? I figured that if a tv was 720P it would be able to output 1280 x 720 resolutions but it seems that I've got more to learn about tvs.

 

[AlucardX]

Originally posted by: tjmudder
Ok so I just learned something by looking at specs. Apparently the 50" plasma tv I had been trying to hook up to earlier before I switched to my smaller 32" lcd tv only output to 1025 x 768. That's ridiculous in my opinion. My lcd tv I think has a native resolution of 1366 x 768. So is this possible to achieve with the converter box on my lcd tv? I figured that if a tv was 720P it would be able to output 1280 x 720 resolutions but it seems that I've got more to learn about tvs.

this is why plasmas aren't great for hooking up PC's. they will accept and display the ATSC signals 720p and 1080p but the actual resolution it runs at can be something else entirely.

i would recommend searching the model code/number on avsforum.com and see if you can find any threads on the tv. from there search the thread about pc hookups. if you don't find anything make a post there too.

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: tjmudder
Ok so I just learned something by looking at specs. Apparently the 50" plasma tv I had been trying to hook up to earlier before I switched to my smaller 32" lcd tv only output to 1025 x 768. That's ridiculous in my opinion. My lcd tv I think has a native resolution of 1366 x 768. So is this possible to achieve with the converter box on my lcd tv? I figured that if a tv was 720P it would be able to output 1280 x 720 resolutions but it seems that I've got more to learn about tvs.

The TV sure to accept 720p, but your converter box apparently doesn't.

Originally posted by: AlucardX
this is why plasmas aren't great for hooking up PC's. they will accept and display the ATSC signals 720p and 1080p but the actual resolution it runs at can be something else entirely.

Most so-called 720p TVs are actually 768p, Plasma or otherwise.

 

[s44]

Originally posted by: kylebisme

Originally posted by: AlucardX
this is why plasmas aren't great for hooking up PC's. they will accept and display the ATSC signals 720p and 1080p but the actual resolution it runs at can be something else entirely.

Most so-called 720p TVs are actually 768p, Plasma or otherwise.

Currently, yes, but most 720p plasmas used to be 1024*720 (rectangular pixels).

 

[kylebisme]

My point is that for the vast majority of "720p" LCDs "the actual resolution it runs at" is "something else entirely" too; 1366x768 rather than 1280x720. Also, while aside from Panasonic no one makes the 37" 1024x720 models anymore, "720p" 42" models have rectangular pixels too, 1024x768. Regardless, while the rectangular pixels might sound bad in theory, such plasmas tend to have respectable scalers in them which handle displaying 16:9 resolutions respectably, so it generally isn't an issue in practice.

 

[postmortemIA]

as I suggested earlier, couldn't you just use s-video to component converter and use component input on your TV? most cards will understand this and figure out that you are using component output.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814999019

btw if you want to work on 1366x768 it is gotta be directly VGA out to VGA in, or HDMI to HDMI. Everything else will result in scaling by your TV

 

[kylebisme]

That isn't a converter, and that isn't an s-video plug on it either. It is a 9-pin mini-DIN to component adapter, for Radeons designed to use it.

 

[tjmudder]

Well I think right now that my converter doesn't like 16:9 ratios, only 4:3. I'm pretty sure I've tried everything and the converter is what is holding me back. A review said that you could enforce custom resolutions but I'm beginning to feel like the guy really didn't get it to work like he thought. I do feel like the description of the product is a little misleading if you don't understand that 1024 x 768 is basically the resolution that would work for 720P and not that the converter can output at a 720P resolution. So I'm thinking about sending it back. But I was wondering if there is anything out there that would do the trick? I'm looking for something that uses sound and either uses my vga out or possibly usb. If not I may just give up and settle for what I've got. Too bad my TVs don't have a simple vga input with audio or my laptop had hdmi out. If it was only that simple. Well I at least know what to look for in my next computer and TV purchases.

 

[postmortemIA]

Originally posted by: kylebisme
That isn't a converter, and that isn't an s-video plug on it either. It is a 9-pin mini-DIN to component adapter, for Radeons designed to use it.

imagine that it works with all my nvidia cards as well!

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: tjmudder
But I was wondering if there is anything out there that would do the trick? I'm looking for something that uses sound and either uses my vga out or possibly usb.

There are various VGA to component converters that would work for video and you'd have to run the sound separate, but I'm not in a position to recommend one in particular.

Originally posted by: postmortemIA
imagine that it works with all my nvidia cards as well!

Curious. I've got similar outputs on my Nvidia cards, but they aren't compatible with the Radeon adapter. Regardless, I doubt tjmudder's laptop has any such output.

 

[postmortemIA]

Originally posted by: kylebisme

Originally posted by: tjmudder
But I was wondering if there is anything out there that would do the trick? I'm looking for something that uses sound and either uses my vga out or possibly usb.

There are various VGA to component converters that would work for video and you'd have to run the sound separate, but I'm not in a position to recommend one in particular.

Originally posted by: postmortemIA
imagine that it works with all my nvidia cards as well!

Curious. I've got similar outputs on my Nvidia cards, but they aren't compatible with the Radeon adapter. Regardless, I doubt tjmudder's laptop has any such output.

almost every laptop has S-video out, especially inspiron. In user manual for mine E1505 this is explained in details, all ways that S-video out can be used as HDTV output and as as digital sound out.

 

[tjmudder]

Originally posted by: postmortemIA

Originally posted by: kylebisme
That isn't a converter, and that isn't an s-video plug on it either. It is a 9-pin mini-DIN to component adapter, for Radeons designed to use it.

imagine that it works with all my nvidia cards as well!

Yeah I've actually got one of those but the picture is so bad that it's pretty much not worth it.

Also I had been looking into those vga to component converters but I would get one only if it will allow me to do a 16:9 ratio.