Getting my laptop on my tv?

[CQ]

Ok, here's the thing. We want to figure out how to hook up my laptop to have it displayed on our tv. Hubby likes to play World of Warcraft and would love to be able to play on the 53" tv instead of the computer screen. I also have PowerPoint presentations that I use for teaching and such, and it'd be GREAT if I could do that on the big screen!

This is my laptop:
http://www.gateway.com/products/gconfig/proddetails.asp?seg=hm&system_id=m275x

Can one of you techie gurus take a peek at that and let me know what we'd need to buy to get my laptop on the tv? THANK YOU!!!!!

BTW, I've attached a pic of the back of our tv, so you know what kind of available slots we have back there.

 

[Ryanwb]

Connect via S-Video

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[Ryanwb]

You could also use your DVI connection but you'd have to get a converter to fit your VGA (monitor) out. I have a ton of DVI connectors sitting around

 

[CQ]

Connect via S-Video

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That makes sense, but I don't have S-Video out on my version of this laptop. Next idea please...

 

[Ryanwb]

BTW, the resolution is going to be pretty bad... it's probably not really worth it

 

[CQ]

BTW, the resolution is going to be pretty bad... it's probably not really worth it

Really? Shoot... (See, this is why I came to you guys first, because we really wouldn't have any kind of clue!)

So, even if I got a converter for the VGA, blah, blah, blah... the resolution would be bad?

 

[Ryanwb]

Really? Shoot... (See, this is why I came to you guys first, because we really wouldn't have any kind of clue!)

So, even if I got a converter for the VGA, blah, blah, blah... the resolution would be bad?

I'm wondering if you hooked up via the Digital DVI connection whether it would be better resolution? Last time I saw it done was with S-video.

I'm sure somebody on here will know for sure

 

[CQ]

I'm wondering if you hooked up via the Digital DVI connection whether it would be better resolution? Last time I saw it done was with S-video.

I'm sure somebody on here will know for sure

I figured if anyone would know around here, it'd be you.

 

[Ryanwb]

I figured if anyone would know around here, it'd be you.

I don't do this sort of nerdy stuff.... I'm a manly man. I watch football, drink beer and watch the Travel Channel

 

[CQ]

I don't do this sort of nerdy stuff.... I'm a manly man. I watch football, drink beer and watch the Travel Channel

ROFLMFAO!!! You can't fool me Mr. Ryanwb! I've seen your collection of Xbox games!

 

[nathan]

I agree with Ryan. There's no point in doing this if you expect good resolution. Depending on what you want to do, it's possible that you might want to do this. Playing videos or showing pictures is fine (I prefer watching video clips on my tv to computer). Don't expect to be able to see fine detail (such as text if you try to type with Word).

As for equipment, you'd need something like this:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=578791&CatId=1428

 

[CQ]

I agree with Ryan. There's no point in doing this if you expect good resolution. Depending on what you want to do, it's possible that you might want to do this. Playing videos or showing pictures is fine (I prefer watching video clips on my tv to computer). Don't expect to be able to see fine detail (such as text if you try to type with Word).

As for equipment, you'd need something like this:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=578791&CatId=1428

I will pass this info on to hubby! Thank you!!! The primary reason we started thinking about this is for his gaming. So it'll be up to him. I just wanted to get some advice and input from you guys to pass on to him.

 

[bratwurst]

I've done this before with a laptop using S Video like Ryan suggested, for two things, one was watching a DVD ISO I had, and the second was to play games using MAME. The resolution going from the laptop to a TV (unless it is a EDTV or HDTV) is going to be really bad. MAME didn't have an issue with resolution simply because the old arcade games were played on 640 x 480 resolution usually, and that converts ok to normal television sets.

I used to do this at work to play the old arcade game Rampart with three players after hours.

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[CQ]

Our tv is HDTV.

 

[bratwurst]

There is a digital in on your TV, and your laptop should have a VGA out.

You need a VGA to DVI adapter (like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814999201 ) and a DVI cable.

That should do the trick. Someone else chime in if I am off base... but it should work, just like plugging a laptop into a projector for a presentation.

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[SweetD]

What is the model of your laptop? If you don't have a S-Video out you should have a componet one. It will look like C

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[nathan]

What is the model of your laptop? If you don't have a S-Video out you should have a componet one. It will look like C

She already posted the laptop model. It just has an Intel Graphics chip integrated on the motherboard.

 

[Chaz]

OK

The resolution is going to be the problem.

If you use S-video or the composite (single yellow RCA type) then your max resolution will be 640x480.

If you want to have an HD picture from your laptop to an HDTV you will need a DVI connection or you have to have a VGA to component transcoder.
However, that is not the hard part. You will also need to modify the output to be timed and set to the proper resolution for the TV. There is a program called powerstrip that does this.

The caveat is it you send the wrong resolution or timing to your TV you could overdrive it and it will break.

 

[Chaz]

What is the model of your laptop? If you don't have a S-Video out you should have a componet one. It will look like C

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You are thinking composite. That is the single yellow video plug.


Component is the three color plugs like this.

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[thirty-two]

wow these pictures are really helpful!

:visuallearner:

 

[Ryanwb]

So to recap:


no