Can I hook my laptop up to my tv?

Starring_Emma · 11-01-2009, 01:03 AM

Can a tv be used as a monitor by hooking it up to a laptop?

m_vanmeter · 11-01-2009, 08:13 AM

yes....or no......depends on the laptop and the TV. Many new flatpanel HDTVs allow a direct connection by VGA cable, but the video card driver for the laptop must support the resolution of the TV. Some newer laptops have built-in HDMI support and you connect an HDMI cable from the laptop to the HDTV and get a very good digital connection between the laptop and the TV.

I just purchased a Dell Studio 15 laptop computer which includes HDMI output and connected it to my Vizio 32" LCD HDTV via a 15' HDMI cable from www.monoprice.com I was impressed with the quality of the picture on the HDTV, no real setup involved...just hooked it up and it worked ! Just for grins, I logged into www.hulu.com and streamed a TV show I had missed last week. Again, it just worked and worked extremely well. After spending years trying to get computers to do what I hoped they would do.....this was a change....it just worked.

So, yes it can be done very successfully....but not with "any" TV or laptop, particullary if they are older models.

djmattyb · 11-01-2009, 08:28 AM

I have a Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop and I hooked it up to a projector last night using an s-video cable. So if your laptop has that, it's another option. But you only want to do that if you're trying to do low resolution.

m_vanmeter · 11-01-2009, 03:58 PM

so, to continue the discussion....what computer do you have, or want to get....and which HDTV ?

alpheus · 11-11-2009, 09:46 AM

Yeah, I agree -- unless you have a setup which makes it easy, it often isn't worth the effort as the resolution will suck.

ellmonte86 · 11-13-2009, 01:24 PM

I have a low end 720P 32"LCD and hooked it up to my Gateway netbook with a VGA cable. It works fine although I have to run a separate RCA cable that runs from the headphone jack to my receiver for the sound.
Also don't forget to use Function/F5 buttons to send the video signal out the VGA output. You can have the picture on the laptop and TV simultaneously or just on the TV making the laptop screen black.
If you have HDMI on the laptop then you will need only that cable for the video and audio.

11-01-2009, 01:03 AM	#1
Starring_Emma What is HD? Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 1	Can I hook my laptop up to my tv? Can a tv be used as a monitor by hooking it up to a laptop?

11-01-2009, 08:13 AM	#2
m_vanmeter WD4JCM in KY Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 669	yes....or no......depends on the laptop and the TV. Many new flatpanel HDTVs allow a direct connection by VGA cable, but the video card driver for the laptop must support the resolution of the TV. Some newer laptops have built-in HDMI support and you connect an HDMI cable from the laptop to the HDTV and get a very good digital connection between the laptop and the TV. I just purchased a Dell Studio 15 laptop computer which includes HDMI output and connected it to my Vizio 32" LCD HDTV via a 15' HDMI cable from www.monoprice.com I was impressed with the quality of the picture on the HDTV, no real setup involved...just hooked it up and it worked ! Just for grins, I logged into www.hulu.com and streamed a TV show I had missed last week. Again, it just worked and worked extremely well. After spending years trying to get computers to do what I hoped they would do.....this was a change....it just worked. So, yes it can be done very successfully....but not with "any" TV or laptop, particullary if they are older models.

11-01-2009, 08:28 AM	#3
djmattyb High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Age: 32 Posts: 132	I have a Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop and I hooked it up to a projector last night using an s-video cable. So if your laptop has that, it's another option. But you only want to do that if you're trying to do low resolution.

11-01-2009, 03:58 PM	#4
m_vanmeter WD4JCM in KY Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 669	so, to continue the discussion....what computer do you have, or want to get....and which HDTV ?

11-11-2009, 09:46 AM	#5
alpheus My plasma is High Def. Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 6	Yeah, I agree -- unless you have a setup which makes it easy, it often isn't worth the effort as the resolution will suck.

11-13-2009, 01:24 PM	#6
ellmonte86 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Hemet, CA Posts: 43	I have a low end 720P 32"LCD and hooked it up to my Gateway netbook with a VGA cable. It works fine although I have to run a separate RCA cable that runs from the headphone jack to my receiver for the sound. Also don't forget to use Function/F5 buttons to send the video signal out the VGA output. You can have the picture on the laptop and TV simultaneously or just on the TV making the laptop screen black. If you have HDMI on the laptop then you will need only that cable for the video and audio.