Is there a way I can hook up my TV to my laptop? I’d like to download movies and such and then watch them on the big screen. Is there an easy way to do this?
Depends on the laptop, depends on the TV. We need to know what outputs your laptop has and what inputs your TV has.
You’ll need something that can convert RGB to your TV’s input (S-Video/Coax/Composite/Component etc)
If you’re TV has an RGB input it’s just a matter of getting a monitor cable, for all else you’ll need a converter.
Not necessarily. Some laptops (mine, for example) have s-video out. Many newer ones have HDMI out. Again, it depends on what outputs your laptop has and what inputs your TV has.
Do either have HDMI jacks? That’s the easiest way. But don’t get ripped off on the cable.
Mine does…but my TV doesn’t
My computer has the RGB and HDMI (if google images pointed me in the right direction). My TV has an S-video slot and the red/white/yellow holes that the Playstation is hooked up to. I’m guessing I’ll need a converter?
I recently bought this converter box from Radio Shack:
GrandTec Model GXP-2000
It works really great. It connects to the video output of my laptop. The converter has several choices for connection to a TV. I use the Yellow (video), White (left channel audio), and Red (right channel audio). If you use this connection, you’ll have to buy an audio cable that plugs into the headphone jack of your computer with red and white RCA plugs on the other end. Note that it only provides VGA-level resolution. But this the best possible with standard TV.
I paid about $100.00 at Radio Shack but it looks like Amazon has it much cheaper.
Mostly, I watch streaming video on the PBS website. See also Hulu.
You’ll need to get something that converts FROM[RGB/HDMI] TO[S-Video/RCA]
If you really want to be sure you get the right thing, take a picture of the the laptop outputs and the TV inputs, bring them to Radio Shack and say “I need to connect this to this” and see what they hand you.
P.S. The GXP-2000 gets power via a (supplied) USB cable you plug into your computer.
Thanks for your help!
Be aware that the video output from a PC, even with a converter, often does not display all that well on a TV, especially an older TV with no existing digital inputs. You can do it but the result is usually far from the high quality picture you seen on your computer monitor. It’s less of a problem with movies and video than with text and windows screens which can almost be illegible because of the TV’s relative lack of resolution.
Consider getting an AppleTV. This is exactly what I use it for… It is essentially a computer without a monitor that connects to your television.
You can also go wireless: Warpia Wireless USB Audio & Video Display Adapter Set. I got one for my fiancee, and although we’ve only used it a few times, it seems to work pretty well, if you’re close enough to the TV. It’s HD capable, so if you upgrade to a better TV later, it’ll support that.
I started a thread on HDMI cable from the laptop to the TV You may find some additional information there.
In our case we never got audio through the TV and the video failed after a few hours and we could never recover it.
It would appear that in theory the HDMI should be all you need if the TV and the laptop have compatible input and output but the difference between what should happen and what does happen appears to sometimes be a mystery.
I was using a VGA cable to watch sporting events from the internet on my HD television. It worked for a while but now the computer doesn’t seem to realize I’m hooked up to another monitor (i.e. the TV). Don’t know what went wrong but it may work for you.
This is similar to my, rather my wife’s, experience with HDMI. Worked awhile and then quit. She knows a bit about it but she gave up. Seems something curious is going on.
I read online about this happening to others as well. I initially thought it was my OS (vista), or my cable went bad (unlikely) but I think something else is going on.
I just read that persons were having this start up and then quits forever problem with Verison DSL or Verison Wi-Fi or Verison something. Or rather I should say they are blaming it on Verison. Damn, forgot where I read it but I am thinking it was probably one of the Netflix forums.