Play movies from laptop to TV

[jhebi]

Hello, I am new and don't know anything.

I would like to know how do I play movies that I have on my laptop to my TV.

What are the things I need, and how to do it?

Thanks,

Alex

[guns1inger]

First you need to find out what outputs the laptop has.

For instance, my Toshiba has a VGA output, and an S-video output. I just hook up the s-video out and a 3.5mm stereo jack to stereo RCA cable from the headphones to my home theatre amp, and I get a pretty good picture.

If you only have VGA out (rare on anything three years old or newer) then you will have to get a VGA to composite converter. At which point you might consider whether or not it is worth it and just buy a portable player instead.

[redwudz]

What video outputs does your laptop have? I'm guessing S-video and VGA. If you have a TV that accepts either, then it's easy. Some S-video outputs also may be able to use a adapter for composite video, though that will usually not look too good on most TVs. S-video should look OK. VGA would need a add-on converter if your TV doesn't have that input.

So you would need to check your laptop manual for TV type outputs and your TV manual for computer type inputs.

And welcome to our forums.

EDIT: guns1inger beat me by 6 seconds.

[jhebi]

Hello All,

I have the svideo output and my tv has as well. I plug on my laptop and tv, but nothing shows....I have a movie downloaded in my laptop but it doesnt show on my tv....do i need anything else?

thanks

[guns1inger]

Once you have them connected, you then have to tell you laptop to direct the output to the TV. On a Toshiba it is Fn+F5. I find with mine, and the crappy Intel graphics it has, that I have to direct it's full attention to the TV or else I get jerky output. If you have better graphics you may be able to feed both the TV and the laptop screen at the same time.

Once you switch the output across to the TV, you see the entire computer screen on your TV. It may not be clear, but it will be there. Load you avi into the player and see what happens. If you see a black display area in your player instead of the video, go into the advanced setting of the Graphics Properties -> Display Settings and turn down hardware acceleration until it shows up.

[jhebi]

ok, how do i do that? I have a dell laptop inspiron e1705

thanks

[jhebi]

I got it, thanks...

Now how do i make the sound come out on the TV, because the sound now is only through my laptop....

thanks

[guns1inger]

S-video only carries video. I use a 3.5mm-to-stereo RCA cable and plug the headphones out on the laptop into a spare audio in on my AV amp. You should probably plug yours into the audio ports next the s-video port you are using.

[jagabo]

Like this:

http://www.buy.com/prod/AV_multimedia_cable_mini_phone_stereo_3_5_mm_male_RCA_male_6_f.../10029279.html

[jhebi]

Got it, thanks for the great help guys =)