Cable to connect Laptop to TV

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kiwirider

15 posts

Geek

#23211 22-Jun-2008 13:14

I currently connect my laptop to my PC to watch movies, and I use the cord with a number of different small pins, and the 2 crews on the side (sorry, don't know what this type is called). I see it's possible to get a cord with one end the same as what I'm using, which I could plug into my laptop, and one which has HDMI, which I could plug into my TV. Would this provide a better quality picture, or would my laptop need to be HDMI also?

stroke64

60 posts

Master Geek

#139730 22-Jun-2008 15:03

I use the cord with a number of different small pins, and the 2 crews on the side

Sounds like you are using a DB15 VGA connector.

I see it's possible to get a cord with one end the same as what I'm using, which I could plug into my laptop, and one which has HDMI, which I could plug into my TV. Would this provide a better quality picture, or would my laptop need to be HDMI also?

I've never seen a VGA-HDMI cable, do you have a URL?. I know for sure that you can get a DVI-VGA cable, so I'll touch on that: AFAIK this cable works around the oposite way to what you are hoping. Most video cards with DVI include analog signal pins in their DVI output connector, in addition to the digital signal which DVI is designed to provide. It is so that hook up an analog VGA display onto your DVI video card.

If you look at an DVI plug, there are a few pins around the large flat pin - AFAIK these carry the analog VGA signal. I would bet that the DVI input on your TV has the analog pins blocked off, to stop you from connecting the incorrect signal/cable.

I guess the key is that you can't push an analog signal into a digital input.

aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#140012 23-Jun-2008 19:23

I think the DVI connection fits the description as well... small pins and two screws on the sides... if the pins are round, that's VGA signal, which is analogue. If they are somehow flat and one of them on one side is wider, that's DVI, and the cable you mentioned should be "DVI male / HDMI male", it should work, but no audio signal through it.

if the pins are round and you really want VGA to HDMI, you can try this: http://www.zantech.co.nz/converter/format/cp261h.html
I would not expect the quality to get any better, as there is only so much info transmitted through the VGA connection. This box I assume will create a digital signal, but that's all, it cannot create info where it is missing, to increase the picture quality. It is like someone would tell me that you can watch a clip downloaded off YouTube and by some miracle, you can watch it on your screen in HD, the way you watch Bones...

It takes audio input to "inject" it through the HDMI, as well. I have no idea how much could cost.
if the tv has VGA input (same kind of connector), use the setup you are using now, no reason to change anything.

For clarification, you can see how the VGA, DVI and HDMI connectors look like.

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kiwirider

15 posts

Geek

#140092 24-Jun-2008 08:28

Thanks for that guys. It looks like what I've seen is a DVI / HDMI cable, but my computer requires the VGA, so no luck.