OK, mini display port to VGA adapter-is the VGA cord the one that goes into the port labeled RGB and audio on the back of the Samsung? Sorry to be a dummy but Samsung monitor is 6 years old and has always been plugged into an old Mini Mac but now I want to ditch the Mini Mac and connect to my laptop. Thanks a million for your help!

You can go 2 different ways either through VGA along with a good old fashioned mini audio cable or run a single HDMI cable, I recommend the HDMI for a better HD experience and a single cable that covers both audio and Video for the Dell Latitude E6400 Notebook you will need a Display port to HDMI adapter but its well worth the experience.

Several styles of technology have been used, michealnorth;

1) VGA;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA_connector

2) DVI;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface

3) HDMI;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI

4) Mini Display-Port,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_DisplayPort

Let's say your computer has a DVI female connector on the back, but you have a VGA cable to your monitor. (With male VGA connector)
Use a VGA to DVI adapter,

http://www.directron.com/dvi.html

Other way around? DVI cable on monitor, but VGA port on back of computer?
Use a DVI to VGA adapter,

http://www.directron.com/dviadapter.html

[HD-15 is the proper name of a VGA connector ]

Same for HDMI, or Mini Display-Port.

On the back of your computer is the I/O area.
Input/Output area.
It has a rectangular thin metal shield around it, usually.
The I/O shield.

Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, Audio {Sound} connectors, and USB ports, are in the I/O area.

There are horizontal slots at the back of the computer also.
These slots are used for expansion cards. A graphics/video card, is an expansion card.

If you have a graphics card in one of these horizontal slots, connect your monitor to it, and NOT to the I/O area.

Graphics comes from the graphics card now, and not from a VGA, or DVI port in the I/O area.

For additional questions please post in a Comment.
Regards,
joecoolvette

An HDMI to component video cable will not work. These are meant for projectors that work with computers and have only component in jacks.

You will need is a VGA to Composite video converter, VGA to component video converter or HDMI to component video converter. These translate the computer output to the input the TV will understand. Here are some VGA to component video converters: http://www.ramelectronics.net/audio-video/video-converters/vga-rgb-hv-to-component-video/c10000-c11200-c11215-p1.html . (The exception is if your computer has a TV-out port. In this case, you need an adapter that looks like an S-video plug that will then have composite or component video jacks.) If you want to use the TV speakers, you will also need a 3.5 mm to 2 RCA audio adapter (either M and F/F for an RCA cable to the TV or F to M/M for a 3.5 mm audio patch cable) or cable (3.5 mm M and M/M RCA).


I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(A computer gives RGB output on the VGA cable; the TV reads PbPrY on the component video. Thus you need for the converter rather than a simple adapter. Similar communication differences apply on the HDMI signal.)

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.)

In order to connect your laptop to your TV using RGB, you need an RGB adapter. RGB is also known as component video; it breaks up a video signal into red, green and blue. laptops do not have RGB outputs. However, many laptops have VGA, DVI or HDMI outputs. An RGB adapter connects the single VGA, DVI, or HDMI cable to an RGB cable, which is actually three different cables tied together. INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Connect either the VGA, DVI or HDMI (in the order of increasing video quality) cable to the VGA, DVI or HDMI port on your laptop, depending on what is available. 2. Connect the other end of the cable to the side of the RGB adapter with the single input. 3. Connect the RGB cables to the red, green and blue ports on the other side of the RGB adapter. 4. Connect the other end of the RGB cables to an available component input on the back of the TV. 5. Tune the TV to the component video input you used through your television's menu. 6. Turn on your laptop. The laptop should now display on your TV screen.

What type of laptop (make/model) do you have? What video outputs are on the unit.

For most laptops, you need a VGA cable (assuming your laptop has a VGA port); the cable is sometimes labeled as a 15 pin D-Sub cable. If you want to use the TV speakers, you will also need a stereo 3.5 mm audio patch cable (male/male) . With both the TV and the laptop off, connect the VGA cable between the computer and the TV and put the patch cable from the audio out of the computer (speaker or headphone jack) to the VGA audio in on the TV. (The label is RGB PC for both jacks.) Then turn on the TV and then the laptop. (With some laptops, you may need to access the BIOS and enable the external video port. This is done by pressing the appropriate key repeatedly as soon as you start the computer. The key is Esc, F1, F2 or F10 depending on the brand of laptop.) Some laptops will automatically send the signal to an external monitor when it is present. On most though, you will need to set the display to the external monitor. This depends on the OS. Some laptops have a function key that does this. In Windows 7, you can do this by right clicking on the desktop (a spot with no icons or running programs) and choosing Graphics Properties. Then set how you want the display to run (external only, both screens or the laptop screen only). Please note that you may need to adjust the resolution for your graphics system. The best choices are 1920 x 1080 or 1360 x 768 at 60 Hz, depending on the laptop.

The GV42L does not correctly interpret an HDMI signal from a computer so do not use the HDMI port if your laptop has one. Also do not use a VGA to component video cable. If you have a laptop without a VGA port, you will need the correct adapter (DVI to VGA, for example).

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

I purchased the AOC 2436Vh display yesterday. To get my MacBook Pro to work with it I purchased Apple's Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter. Since the monitor comes with the VGA cable, all you need is the adapter to plug it into your MacBook Pro. It works beautifully and set up is easy if you know your way around the Mac. Although the HDMI works perfectly with my PS3, I strongly recommend the Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter. I hope this helps.

The 13" White MacBook 2.0GHz has a mini-DVI out port. The adapter you need is
Apple Mini DVI to VGA Adapter
On the TV side, more information is needed. You need to specify what ports on the TV you are using for your signal, and what kind of adapter cable you are using. I suspect this is the component or connection where your problem lies.

There are several ways to do this. The two best are:

1. Get a DVI to HDMI cable. This will allow you to plug directly from your computers DVI to your TV's HDMI.

2. If your computer has an analog (rgb (vga) 15 pin) input, you can simply get a dvi to vga adapter and plug into that port.

Currently, I am using option 2 for my own use.

In the photo below, I point out the HDMI, RGB (VGA), and audio inputs. You must use the audio input but you have a choice of using the HDMI or RGB for video input from your PC. If you have the extra HDMI slots, I would use that. If not, the RGB is fine.

DVI to Composite Video (yellow) adapters are available in many online stores for mail order. You will need to get a separate mini-RCA jack to stereo RCA adapter to hook the audio output from the computer to the stereo audio (red and white) connections of the cable.

Search google for DVI to composite video adapter, and the mini-RCA adapter can be found at most home entertainment or electronics stores (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc)