Adding HDMI port to HP Laptop

[cadetgideon]

I have a HP Pavilion dv6700t Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 2.0GHz 3GB 250GB 15.4" laptop computer i bought but it is not the upgraded version with the HDMI port. There looks to be a spot for the HDMI port on the side. I am wanting to connect my computer to my receiver so i can play movies through my laptop and the sound will come through my surround sound speakers. Is there a card i can buy that i can install in my laptop to give it an HDMI port?

[Nelson37]

Very, VERY few laptops can accept this kind of modification.

[edDV]

Just trade computers. You would need the HDMI model's motherboard and firmware.

[cadetgideon]

I figured i had the same motherboard as the upgraded version of my model. I could download any firmware i would need. Does anyone know what card i would need that fits in my HP model? I also could use a docking station that had a DVI output or an HDMI output. Does HP have a docking station for the DV6700t that has a DVI out?

[poisondeathray]

HDMI is a function of the graphics card. Find out what graphics chip your sku model is using. If it's an integrated model (e.g. Intel GMA XXX), you can't do it because it's part of the motherboard. If it's a dedicated modular video card (usually from Nvidia or ATI) , you might be able to do it by swapping video cards and updating drivers

You should ask HP support for more info

[guns1inger]

Have you looked at HP's website to find out ?

I do not know of any PC cards for laptops that provide HDMI, and a quick google didn't throw up anything hopeful. If you had a DVI port you could get a converter, however you won't get audio over DVI->HDMI, and if it doesn't support HDCP you can't show Bluray at full resolution.

[redwudz]

HDMI is a digital output format. Your version of the laptop likely has S-Video and VGA, both analog outputs. Trying to convert it to the digital HDMI/DVI version would be very unlikely. But the VGA output should work fairly well for a external display. At least better than S-video. Most video displays that have digital inputs also have analog inputs available. There may be a card slot DVI/HDMI adapter available for the laptop, but I doubt it.

Audio output depends on the available connections. Probably just analog stereo. Unless it has available Dolby 5.1 or better sound available on the laptop motherboard. But you may be able to add a plug-in audio card for that.

[cadetgideon]

Well, that sucks. Guess i should have done more research before buying my laptop. I was planning on using it as my media center for the most part with 2 2-TB externals full of movies plugged into it and then having my laptop plugged into my receiver with HDMI or DVI. Guess i will have to buy one of the double sided headphone jack cables and then one of those spliters that turns head phone jack into left and right stereo jacks and just plug that into my receiver and plug my laptop into my tv using VGA cable. At least then i would have normal stereo sound coming out of my speakers versus just my laptop speakers. Anyone have better idea than that for better video or sound quality?

[Cornucopia]

For audio, NO, I'd get an adapter card that allows SPDIF output. (IIRC, there are some out there)

Then you can digitally output AC3/DTS 5.1 surround or LPCM 2ch to a receiver/display. Much better, less interference, more channel possibilities.

For HDMI, think about it:
The bandwidth expected to be driven through an HDMI port would overburden a non-graphics pipeline. IOW, USB/Firewire/Cardbus ports really wouldn't be up to the task. That's why you'd need to look for it supported on the MOBO.

Scott

[cadetgideon]

Cornucopia, i looked and my motherboard has the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 integrated so no good there. I will do some searching for a PC card that allows for SPDIF output and see what i come up with.

[guns1inger]

Get a WDTV. It has HDMI, you can use your external drives, and you won't have to get to laptop out to watch a movie.