Connecting to an HDTV

My notebook will be here sometime next week, and one of the features that I'm looking forward to the most is connecting the notebook to my HDTV. Now I know that the notebook will have VGA, DVI, and Svideo, but my HDTV only has Svideo, HDMI, and something called "service only" which looks like it could possibly be a VGA connection.

Now it terms of connecting the notebook to the TV, what kind of options will I have? Are there any sort's of adapters I can use, or maybe a special cable of some sort?

Also, DVI, SVideo, HDMI, and VGA are only for video right? So I wont get any sound in the TV from it, what options will I have to connect the sound as well.

Thanks in advance

 

Well, for true HD, you're going to need a Blu-ray or HD-DVD drive. But to get a picture that aupports HD, using a DVI to HDMI cable will be the best option. You can use the VGA to VGA cabl, however, picture quality may be compromied. I'm not entirely sure what options you have for sound, but you may be able to connect to a seperate amplifier, but that probably is impractical. I am sure there is a way to get sound, though. Maybe someone else can help you with that.

 

If your TV has a VGA port, plug your laptop in via VGA. Your laptop should be able to match the native resolution on your HDTV (secondary monitor).

As it says "service only", you may not have VGA, so you wont really be comprimising on any picture quality.


Once you've plugged it in, press your external display quick key to cycle through the various video outputs... Fn + ...


You are quite right. The above interfaces are video only. If your TV has an audio input you could use a line in/out standard audio cable.

If you have external speakers, with S/PDIF and your laptop had S/PDIF you could use that for surround sound.

If you have neither, but your TV has a composite total input, you could use an audio (3.5mm) port to Composite Audio (Headphone jack to Composite Red + Yellow Jacks).

 

HDMI has sound support, but DVI, VGA and S-Video don't. So you will not able to get sound on your TV from your laptop using just 1 cable. with a DVI to HDMI cable, you will be able to output in HD resolution, but a VGA will be able to at most reach the native resolution of your screen (depending on the quality of your VGA cable - the more expensive the better).
The most economical and best way for you would be using a DVI to HDMI male to male cable as your PC has a DVI port.

 

nice, thanks for helping guys. Looks like I'll be getting the DVI to HDMI cable

 

Just FYI with SVideo the text is illegible but you can view photos

 

Well, with my TV I have the standard red/white in the back for audio, I don't completely understand how I will be able to connect sound to the tv from the headphone jack on the laptop... unless there is some sort of adapter.

 

I hook up my E1705 to my HDTV through a DVI to HDMI and the picture quality is stunning, the text is VERY clear. I hook up my roomates Fujitsu notebook to the HDTV through VGA to VGA and the picture, text is very nice ( a LOT better than S-video ) but not as good as DVI-HDMI. Don't get the expensive cables, just grab any cheap one, I have tried both the $120 and the $19 ones and I couldn't tell the difference, it's a myth. For the sound I use this audio Y cable:

Hook it up to the headphone input.

 

nice, the DVI to HDMI should run me abour $30 for a decent lenghty cable, and for the audio Y should cost about $8. Looks like I'm all set guys, thanks again for the help

 

You need one of those cables. The slim green jack goes into your headphone port on your laptop, and the Red and White plug into the back of your TV. They are very cheap to buy from a cheap Electronics Store.

However, as DVI and Composite Audio might be on different channels, your TV might not be able to recieve and display Sound from Composite on one channel and sound form Composite on another channel.

If it does not work, look at your TV Instruction manual or youll have to use external speakers.

 

Or just hook it up to your sound system, if you have one.

 

one last question Is there any difference between HDMI to DVI cable and DVI to HDMI cables?

 

I don't know if this has been addressed but make sure your male DVI connector matches that of your PC's DVI female port. There are various standards of DVI (DVI-I, DVI-A, DVI-D) and the connectors for them are all different. Also DVI and HDMI are forwards and backwards compatible respectively, so just make sure the ends of the cables match the output port on your PC and input port on your HDTV.

 

No, both cables are the same thing, as either way the interface names are, the cable will have male DVI and HDMI on the ends.

 

Some Laptops like my Toshiba come with S/PDIF /toslink built in through the headphone jack .Check your manual to see if optical is available.