# Connect laptop to TV?



## EVGR (14 Dec 2006)

Hi

Can I connect a laptop to a TV? Would films shown by realplayer come out in poor quality?

Thanks for help!


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## Satanta (14 Dec 2006)

EVGR said:


> Can I connect a laptop to a TV? Would films shown by realplayer come out in poor quality?


Yes. Just need the right cable to transfer the sound and picture across (similiar if not the same as the one's used by PS2's etc.). Any computer/electronic store should be able to provide one for you. Better quality cables (gold plated etc.) can provide better quality as any system is only as strong as the weakest link.

If the original quality of the film/realplayer clip/DVD is good and the TV is good, then the display reslulting on the TV will be good.


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## polo9n (14 Dec 2006)

no that would depends on the pixel output setting on Laptop's video player. in general the output is poorer than the laptop as the quality per pixel is better on the laptop, but if u connect laptop to tv directly is like using a magnifying glass,which doesn't improve the quality. 
unless its a lcd tv compatible with computer and u have adjusted the setting so computer know the signal is goign to a TV, the picture is quite bad regardless how good the cables are!


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## Satanta (14 Dec 2006)

polo9n said:


> no that would depends on the pixel output setting on Laptop's video player.


For the last number of years even the free products (that I've used) available have had excellent and numerous output options available. May take a little toying around to get just right, but even standard outputs shouldn't be bad.



> in general the output is poorer than the laptop as the quality per pixel is better on the laptop, but if u connect laptop to tv directly is like using a magnifying glass,which doesn't improve the quality.


Obviously the picture won't be perfect. Whenever you do a tranfer there will be a loss of quality. 
As for the magnifying effect, as a laptop screen is usually within a few inches and a TV set within a few meters the loss of definition is negligable.



> unless its a lcd tv compatible with computer and u have adjusted the setting so computer know the signal is goign to a TV, the picture is quite bad regardless how good the cables are!


Currently, I do have a compatible LCD TV and the picture is excellent. Having previously used laptops to view DVDs through an old CRT with no special compatibility for laptops I can confirm the picture wasn't a whole lot worse. Definatly what I would consider good.

For the OP, if the picture comes out bad/fuzzy, there are a lot of steps you can take to improve it. Personally, I'd be surprised if you had any noticable problems with all bog standard settings.


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## polo9n (14 Dec 2006)

yes but EVGR didn't mentioned she have a LCD or knowing how to jiggle around the settings...only if shes as techky as we are then she wouldn't even been asking it.
EVGR, let us know type of tv and latop u have.


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## Satanta (14 Dec 2006)

Exactly why I was trying to say that it isn't that big a deal.

You can play with the settings and try and keep it crystal if you're concerned with the quality, but simply hooking up the wires will more than likely provide a more than acceptable (if not good or great) picture. 
(if your realplayer clip is already at low quality, hooking it through the tv will not improve this. The transfer to the tv just won't ruin an existing high quality clip)


The positives of watching a DVD/Clip on a tv compared to a laptop far outweigh any negatives/loss in quality. 

As an aside...
Just a couple of weeks ago happened to have my laptop bag in the car. Grabbed the connection in question, grabbed my uncles laptop and using his (old) CRT TV he had never connected too before, had my little cousins watching a couple of DVDs within 5 minutes.


(To be fair, what one person feels is a good tranfer another may feel is poor. Similiar to the MP3 vs. CD debate. To my ears, little to no loss on an mp3, to others, it's a terrible loss. That debate will never be answered, this one would be in a similiar vein.
All of Polo9n's points are true, but only if your really concerned about good quality. For normal use I personally feel the quality is more than good enough)


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## EVGR (14 Dec 2006)

I'm glad to have started a debate from my query. Also interesting you take for granted I'm a she!?

Anyway, I'm not a techy but I'm interested. I'm not looking for an absolutely perfect picture, but an acceptable one.

I have a new Dell laptop with wireless broadband connection but an old TV. I don't even know what a CRT is. But after Christmas we might be buying a new TV, so I want to be prepared and use my equipment as clever as possible. Would the cable from the laptop be a usb or scart?

It seems like I should go to the shop and ask for a laptop compatible LCD TV?


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## ClubMan (14 Dec 2006)

I have played _DVDs _on my _Sony Vaio PCG-K23 _laptop connected (via the _VCR _front _AV _inputs using a 3.5mm to 3 _RCA_ _AV _cable like [broken link removed]) to the _TV _and the results were fine. As mentioned earlier the format/quality of the original digital video is important (e.g. highly compressed/reduced resolution _AVIs/MPEGs _will probably not look great).


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## Machiavelli (14 Dec 2006)

I recently connected my laptop to my LCD TV using a VGA cable.
Quality was very good and I was able to play some Hi Definition stuff from the DivX website. As expected, the picture was very good, although it was HD material onto a HD TV. The VGA connection was not on my older CRT TV though.
Otherwise I can use a S-video connection which was OK for some video and my older CRT TV had one of these connections.
BTW, these are video only connections so no sound from the TV.


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## Machiavelli (14 Dec 2006)

Heres an example of the cables I mentioned above:
VGA
[broken link removed]

SVideo
[broken link removed]#

Just make sure you get the gender of the cable right if you are buying it.


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## Satanta (14 Dec 2006)

CRT = Cathode Ray Tube. The traditional TV sets (traditional as in before the increase of LCD/Plasma use) produced pictures using the CRT so became known as CRT sets. 

The picture, again depending on the original quality, will certainly be acceptable. (As it happens with most laptops speakers being a bit tinny the sound will be the noticable difference - also achievable by just having speakers for the laptop though)

The cable, you can get all sorts. I have an S-video, but you can get scart etc., not sure about USB though, never come across one of those.


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