Laptop to HDTV

never plug in hdmi when comp.is on you may burn your hdmi port

Most TVs will have HDMI and RCA component and composite jacks. Some TVs will also have a VGA port. Your laptop will have a VGA port. (If the laptop is fairly new, it may also have an HDMI port.)

Not all TVs will support an HDMI signal from a computer, so the VGA signal is often better. However, that limits you to SD (anything with HDCP will fail.)

Very few TVs ship with the HDMI or component cables. However, there are some vendors who do package the HDMI cable with their TV. Without knowing which exact model of TV and laptop, I can only make a few suggestions. I know that the TCP42ST30 (Plasma 42") doesn't have a VGA port.

Look at your laptop for any external monitor port. VGA ports are generally blue female ports with 15 holes (D-Sub). If your TV has a matching VGA port, get a standard VGA monitor cable.

If you have the VGA port on the laptop but not on the TV, you can try a converting from VGA to HDMI. (You may need a DVI to VGA adapter and either a DVI to HDMI cable or a DVI to HDMI adapter.) Note: this gives an analog signal (RGB format) to the TV. You'll also need to make sure that your VGA port is active (in the BIOS for some computers) and then set your computer to send the signal to the external monitor. It is best to turn off both the computer and the TV before connecting the two. Then turn on the TV and set it to the correct input before turning on the computer. (In Windows 7, I set the video signal for the external monitor by right clicking on the desktop and selecting Graphics Properties. Set the signal to the external monitor and click Apply. Then click OK (in the external monitor's screen).)

If this doesn't work, you need a VGA to component video converter. (Not a VGA to component video cable - those are for projectors that read the RGB signal.) See http://www.ramelectronics.net/audio-video/video-converters/vga-rgb-hv-to-component-video/c10000-c11200-c11215-p1.html .

Some laptops come with an HDMI, mini-HDMI or a DisplayPort option. For the latter two, you will need the appropriate cable with that end and the HDMI connector on the other. Then connect the TV and the computer as described above. (Note: my TVs accept a computer signal at the HDMI port labeled HDMI/DVI. However, you need to make sure that your TV understands this signal. It isn't the same format as that from a set-top box. My laptop has VGA and HDMI out; the desktops have VGA, DVI and HDMI (on one).)

If you add a comment with the model of your TV and laptop, I'll be glad to give you more specific options to connect the TV and the computer.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(A DVI port is a digital video out option with ~21 pins and is usually white.)

I dont believe that laptop has an HDMI port on it. If you have an LCD TV then your TV may have a VGA or DVI input on it. You can connect your laptop to the TV by using a VGA to VGA or VGA to DVI cable. If you your TV doesn't have one of these input ports, then you're not going to get your laptop connected to your TV.

So here's a quick walk-through of all the methods that I know (if you know any more, please comment) to connect a laptop or PC to your TV:
1. S-Video - This is probably the most common method out there currently because an S-Video cable is cheap as heck and just about every TV under the sun has a S-Video port. You'll have to make sure you laptop is equipped with this port. Remember, there are two types of S-Video cables: 4-pin and 7-pin. Most laptops and PC's are equipped with a 7-pin port, so if your TV only has a 4-pin S-Video port, then this method will not work.
2. VGA - If you have a HDTV, then you will be better off connecting using a VGA cable . It gives much better quality than S-Video and as with S-Video, the cable is very cheap. You usually won't find a VGA port on regular TV's though, so this option is if you have an HDTV.
3. DVI - DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface with "digital" being the key word there. The digital signal will give a higher quality picture than either S-Video or VGA. Of course, your computer will need to have a DVI connection and your TV will need to be an HDTV. This cord is definitely not cheap, it ranges anywhere from $40 to $80.
4. HDMI - Using HDMI will give you the best quality by far. No computers that I know of yet have HDMI ports, but you can get a DVI to HDMI cable to connect it to your HDTV. HDMI is compatible with DVI.
5. Scan Converter Box - This is the last method that I could think of and it involves using a scan converter box, which takes a VGA signal and converts it into S-Video or component video.
Here's a graphic I created with some pictures of the various cables:

Hope this helps someone! If you have any other ideas or suggestions, please feel free to comment!!! Thanks!

Connect by this way:
1. S-Video - This is probably the most common method out there currently because an S-Video cable is cheap as heck and just about every TV under the sun has a S-Video port. You'll have to make sure you laptop is equipped with this port. Remember, there are two types of S-Video cables: 4-pin and 7-pin. Most laptops and PC's are equipped with a 7-pin port, so if your TV only has a 4-pin S-Video port, then this method will not work.
2. VGA - If you have a HDTV, then you will be better off connecting using a VGA cable. It gives much better quality than S-Video and as with S-Video, the cable is very cheap. You usually won't find a VGA port on regular TV's though, so this option is if you have an HDTV.
3. DVI - DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface with "digital" being the key word there. The digital signal will give a higher quality picture than either S-Video or VGA. Of course, your computer will need to have a DVI connection and your TV will need to be an HDTV. This cord is definitely not cheap, it ranges anywhere from $40 to $80.
4. HDMI - Using HDMI will give you the best quality by far. No computers that I know of yet have HDMI ports, but you can get a DVI to HDMI cable to connect it to your HDTV. HDMI is compatible with DVI.
5. Scan Converter Box - This is the last method that I could think of and it involves using a scan converter box, which takes a VGA signal and converts it into S-Video or component video.

1. S-Video – This is probably the most common method out there currently because an S-Video cable is cheap as heck and just about every TV under the sun has a S-Video port. You’ll have to make sure you laptop is equipped with this port. Remember, there are two types of S-Video cables: 4-pin and 7-pin. Most laptops and PC’s are equipped with a 7-pin port, so if your TV only has a 4-pin S-Video port, then this method will not work.
2. VGA – If you have a HDTV, then you will be better off connecting using a VGA cable. It gives much better quality than S-Video and as with S-Video, the cable is very cheap. You usually won’t find a VGA port on regular TV’s though, so this option is if you have an HDTV.
3. DVI - DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface with “digital” being the key word there. The digital signal will give a higher quality picture than either S-Video or VGA. Of course, your computer will need to have a DVI connection and your TV will need to be an HDTV. This cord is definitely not cheap, it ranges anywhere from $40 to $80.
4. HDMI – Using HDMI will give you the best quality by far. No computers that I know of yet have HDMI ports, but you can get a DVI to HDMI cable to connect it to your HDTV. HDMI is compatible with DVI.
5. Scan Converter Box – This is the last method that I could think of and it involves using a scan converter box, which takes a VGA signal and converts it into S-Video or component video.
Here’s a graphic I created with some pictures of the various cables:

1. S-Video ? This is probably the most common method out there currently because an S-Video cable is cheap as heck and just about every TV under the sun has a S-Video port. You?ll have to make sure you laptop is equipped with this port. Remember, there are two types of S-Video cables: 4-pin and 7-pin. Most laptops and PC?s are equipped with a 7-pin port, so if your TV only has a 4-pin S-Video port, then this method will not work. 2. VGA ? If you have a HDTV, then you will be better off connecting using a VGA cable. It gives much better quality than S-Video and as with S-Video, the cable is very cheap. You usually won?t find a VGA port on regular TV?s though, so this option is if you have an HDTV. 3. DVI - DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface with ?digital? being the key word there. The digital signal will give a higher quality picture than either S-Video or VGA. Of course, your computer will need to have a DVI connection and your TV will need to be an HDTV. This cord is definitely not cheap, it ranges anywhere from $40 to $80. 4. HDMI ? Using HDMI will give you the best quality by far. No computers that I know of yet have HDMI ports, but you can get a DVI to HDMI cable to connect it to your HDTV. HDMI is compatible with DVI. 5. Scan Converter Box ? This is the last method that I could think of and it involves using a scan converter box, which takes a VGA signal and converts it into S-Video or component video.

Depends on what connections are on your laptop and tv check them both. If you have a HDMI port on both you can use that. If not most recent TV's have a VGA port which you can use using a standard vga cable if not they will have a DVI or S-Video port and you will need one of those cables which are all availble from any computer shop. But check which one you need first

The first step is to inspect both your laptop and TV and identify the connections, easily located on the back of either component. There are five basic types of jacks, or ports involved:
*Composite/phono plug (RCA)
*S-Video
*Video graphics array (VGA)
*Digital video interface (DVI)
*High-definition multimedia interface (HDMI)
*An RCA connector, sometimes called a phono connector, is used for analog audio and video components. Three round, colored sockets are standard — left audio is white, right audio is red, and composite video is yellow. These are standard jacks on older TV’s and laptops. A three-prong cable, readily available at any computer or electronics, is the easiest way to make an RCA laptop to TV connection.
*S-Video, or Super-Video, a more advanced analog video connector, uses a four-prong round plug, like those used in TV cable installations. Separate audio cables are the same as for the RCA connector, left audio/white, and right audio/red. S-Video is commonly found on older TV sets and some laptops.
With S-Video on both TV and laptop, connecting a laptop to a TV is a simple matter of a single S-Video cable. If your laptop has a great sound system, you won’t need audio cables, but for better quality you’ll also want audio cables.
RCA to S-Video cable, a special laptop to TV cable, is available when you have RCA jacks on one device and an S-Video port on the other.
*A VGA connector and cable are used to carry analog video signals plus display and graphics data. The VGA is a 15-pin connector commonly found on laptops and other devices. With this port you need a PC-to-TV Convertor to connect laptop to TV. You simply plug the VGA cable from the source into the convertor, and use an S-Video or RCA cable out to the TV. The converter is USB powered, so there’s no external power adapter to carry around, making this laptop to TV connection entirely portable.
*A DVI port is rectangular with 24 pins arranged in three horizontal rows of eight pins for digital video; separate RCA analog audio cables fit into white and red plugs. DVI ports are found on Macintosh laptops; sometimes they are smaller than normal DVI ports and require an adapter, which usually comes with the laptop.
*The HDMI port, one-half the size of the DVI port, is also rectangular with 19 pins. It provides digital audio in addition to digital video, despite it’s smaller size, for a complete TV to laptop connection. These ports are found on new HDTVs, and sometimes there are two or more. TVs with HDMI ports are the only ones that do not require additional audio cables.
TV’s with a single digital port labeled HDMI/DVI require only one cable when the source is another HDMI component. But when source is a DVI laptop, you need a DVI-to-HDMI cable for the video and a separate pair of RCA analog stereo cables.
NOTE: Whenever ports do not match, you can by adaptors and/or cables to make any connection.

I am assuming that you want to display your laptop on your TV. Since you did not post what TV you have, I am listing multiple ways to connect your laptop to your TV. Just pick the right type connection that works for both your laptop and TV, connect OUT of laptop to an INPUT on your TV. Set your TV to that input (mode) and if you see nothing on the TV, look at your laptop keyboard at the F keys (function keys) for the one with a double display image on it, pree the function button and the F key to set the laptop to external display.
1. S-Video – This is probably the most common method out there currently because an S-Video cable is cheap as heck and just about every TV under the sun has a S-Video port. You’ll have to make sure you laptop is equipped with this port. Remember, there are two types of S-Video cables: 4-pin and 7-pin. Most laptops and PC’s are equipped with a 7-pin port, so if your TV only has a 4-pin S-Video port, then this method will not work.
2. VGA – If you have a HDTV, then you will be better off connecting using a VGA cable. It gives much better quality than S-Video and as with S-Video, the cable is very cheap. You usually won’t find a VGA port on regular TV’s though, so this option is if you have an HDTV.
3. DVI - DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface with “digital” being the key word there. The digital signal will give a higher quality picture than either S-Video or VGA. Of course, your computer will need to have a DVI connection and your TV will need to be an HDTV. This cord is definitely not cheap, it ranges anywhere from $40 to $80.
4. HDMI – Using HDMI will give you the best quality by far. No computers that I know of yet have HDMI ports, but you can get a DVI to HDMI cable to connect it to your HDTV. HDMI is compatible with DVI.
5. Scan Converter Box – This is the last method that I could think of and it involves using a scan converter box, which takes a VGA signal and converts it into S-Video or component video.
If by chance you are attempting to hook up the TV to the laptop to capture video from the TV, you need to hook up your wire to the OUTPUT of the TV and you will need a capture card or hardware and software to do this. I hope this helps and good luck. Please vote appropriately and leave a comment.