Help connecting Laptop to TV

I have a Dell Xps 1530 with a 1920 x 1080 display. I connected it to my 40" Samsung LCD 720p using an HDMI cable, but its not as crisp as I have seen such connections be at stores. For example the text isn't crisp at all.

I know you have to go to the Nvidia control to optimize the settings, but I've been playing around with this with no luck. Any help?

Also, I heard that if I connect through an HDMI cable that sound should also be transferred, but when I play something from the laptop the sound comes from the xps rather than the TV.

 

as for the sound if you go to the sound manager and set the hdmi as default this will make it output via hdmi.
may i ask what resolution you are running your LCD tv when connected to the laptop?

 

720p on a 40" is not going to look as nice as 1080p displays you might have seen in stores. What is the resolution you are using with the TV? is it something like 1280x720 ?

 

If you tell me how to check than I will tell you lol. What would the best settings be and where exactly do I have to go to change them?

 

Right click on the desktop > Personalize > Display Settings.
OR nvidia Control panel > Display > Change resolution.

 

ok here is a screen shot of the Nvidia control (both laptop and the Samsung)





and here is a shot of the display settings

 

Pretty sure your screen res should be 1360x768 - (Its the highest screen res that my samsung 720p tv offers me.)

edit - i connect via vga still so it may not be relevant.

 

That's the native resolution on my HD TV as well. While the HDMI connection output only gives me 60hz if I use 720p, so I can't use the native resolution (so it has to upscale, and the text most noticeably loses quality due to this). Probably the same thing is happening to the OP. If I used VGA I'm sure I could get 1360x768 with a proper refresh rate, but I'd rather have the convenience of sound and audio through HDMI.

 

Ok so what exactly should i change to get my font to look crisper? In the Nvidia control or display settings? Details please lol

Oh i also have it set that my TV screen is the same as my XPS, I don't know if that matters, but whatever changes i make to the TV will also be made to the XPS

 

What is your exact TV model ? Technically speaking, 1280x720 is 720p, there are many TVs that support only 1280x720, and there are others that offer slightly higher 1360x768. Without knowing the exact model of your TV there is no way to say for sure.

 

Samsung LNT4053H 40" LCD HDTV

Once again thanks for all the help!

 

According to the user manual, you should be able to go up to 1360x768 with HDMI (PC Display : Page 45). Can’t you increase the resolution from Windows Display settings ? In your screenshot the bar is not all the way at the edge, increase it till you reach 1360x768 (it should be one or two notches to the right).

 

if you cant get the laptop to display 1360x768 for whatever reason, You should try your other HDMI ports as I think not all of them allow the 1360x768 resolution.


Also you could try the Just Scan picture option on the Samsung TV. That should enable 1:1 pixel mapping and display 1280x720 centered with a crisp display.

 

Wow you even looked up the manual for my TV!! Well i tried some of the things in the TV but when i go to setup the "PC" is greyed out (on my tv)

and i can't get the 1360 x 768 it's not even a choice

Edit: Ok I have 3 HDMI ports. I tried 2 and 3 because i have my HD DVR plugged into the first one. 2 and 3 did not let me choose 1360 x 768. I jut plugged it into 1 and it does let me choose 1360 x 768 and it looks nice. Now the question is why does it only let me do it on the 1st port, and will my satellite picture look different if i plug my DVR to the 2nd or 3rd port?

 

This is my understanding of the situation and may not be completely accurate:

Most TV's usually only offer 1 (if any) HDMI ports that includes the DVI screen resolutions in addition to the standard HDMI resolutions. 1360x768 is not a standard HDMI screen resolution.

Your HD DVR is very very likely outputting in 1280x720 and being upscaled by the TV anyway, so there will be no difference is picture when using the different HDMI ports.