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    Questions about connecting laptop to HDTV ?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Raven390, Sep 18, 2007.

  1. Raven390

    Raven390 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have a 15.4 " laptop widescreen 1280x800 resolution and a 720p 26 inch HDTV I want to know what cable I need to get to connect my laptop to the TV , a VGA or DVI cable? My TV has both VGA and DVI connectors But my Laptop has one port for an external monitor. What is better to use DVI or VGA Also, when I connect the laptop to the HDTV it would still be the same resolution on the HDTV right? Not like 640x480
     
    Raven390, Sep 18, 2007
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  2. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    So...which port does your laptop have? And DVI is better than VGA, and your TV will not run at the same resolution as your laptop screen as its native res is 1367x768, not 1280x800.
     
    Budding, Sep 18, 2007
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  3. Raven390

    Raven390 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Ok it is VGA port on my computer
     
    Raven390, Sep 18, 2007
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  4. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    In that case your best option is to use a VGA to VGA cable. You will be able to output 720p, which will look very good on your TV from the appropriate distance.
     
    Budding, Sep 19, 2007
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  5. Smooth317

    Smooth317 Notebook Geek

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    Why is DVI better than VGA? Also, his 720p set would be 1280x720 native resolution no?

    To the original poster, either way, once you run the notebook's VGA out to the TV's VGA in, the display control panel on your notebook should allow you to set the secondary display (in this case, your TV), to 1280x720.
     
    Smooth317, Sep 19, 2007
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  6. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    In short, DVI is digital and VGA is analog, which makes DVI better.
    A TV supporting 720p has a native resolution of 1366x768. The TV upscales the 1280x720 image to its native resolution.
     
    Budding, Sep 19, 2007
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  7. Raven390

    Raven390 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I guess the TV was 1366x768 pixels but it was 720p HD. Should both ends of the VGA cable be the same right? and also does my laptops Video card depend on what resolution it can get? I don't have a graphics card on my laptiop its integrated.
     
    Raven390, Sep 19, 2007
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  8. Rsaeire

    Rsaeire Notebook Guru

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    Although 720i/p is technically 1280x720, most HDTV manufacturers sell displays as 720 capable even though the maximum resolution is 1366x768.

    Yes, both ends of the VGA cable should be the same.

    And also, your laptop graphics card is dependent on what resolution you can view on an external display. Even if you only have a laptop screen capable of 1280x800 your graphics card can possibly support higher resolutions, which can then be output to a HDTV or similar device.
     
    Rsaeire, Sep 20, 2007
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  9. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    If your laptop was manufactured anytime after 2001, the graphics card that comes with it will have no problems outputting 720p.
     
    Budding, Sep 20, 2007
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