Connecting a laptop to a TV via VGA consists of three main steps: determining available ports, selecting a cable, and setting up a display. The order remains the same when connected via different interfaces - HDMI, VGA, tulips, etc.
Before purchasing a cable for connection, you need to decide what connectors the equipment has. Laptops usually have VGA and HDMI ports, TVs - HDMI, SCART, DVI, VGA, tulips.
If the connector of the same type is found on both devices, then use it to connect. If the laptop and TV do not have the same ports, then you will have to use an adapter or an active adapter to connect.
If the laptop and TV have a VGA (analog) or HDMI (digital) port, then there will be no problems with choosing a cable: almost any cord will do, except for outright Chinese fakes. The task becomes a little more difficult when the connectors do not match. A typical situation: the laptop has only HDMI, and the TV has VGA. In this case, the cable is indispensable, you need an active adapter that converts the digital signal to analog.
The image quality will suffer a little when using an HDMI to VGA adapter, but you can connect your laptop to a TV. To transfer not only the picture, but also the sound, you need to purchase an HDMI to VGA adapter with tulips for connecting to audio connectors or a 3.5 jack plug.
After connecting via an adapter or using only a cable, you need to set up the connection on the TV and on the laptop.
On some models there is no menu with signal sources. Typically, on such devices, tulips (RCA) or a SCART connector are used for connection. If you managed to establish a connection (for example, via a VGA to RCA or to SCART adapter), then try switching the source using the “TV / Video” or “AV / TV” button.
If the signal source is selected correctly, the laptop desktop will appear on the TV screen. For convenient work, you need to make a small adjustment.
Since you now have two displays, you need to choose the mode of their interaction. There are four options available:
The same modes are available on Windows 8 and Windows 10, so the setup is no different. You can also use the laptop's function keys to switch between screens. For example, on ASUS computers, the Fn + F8 combination works. 
The image setup is complete on this one, but the sound still remains. Simultaneous transmission of audio and video is possible only via HDMI. If a VGA cable or adapter is used for connection, then tulips are needed to transmit sound. In any case, on a laptop, the setup will be the same:
Now the sound will be sent to the port you specified and further to the TV audio system. If the desired connector is not in the list of playback devices, then you need to right-click on the free space and select "Show disabled devices." If the connection is established correctly, the connector will definitely appear, all that remains is to select its use by default.
With a large TV and a small screen laptop, many people want to combine them.
Before proceeding to the description of how to connect a laptop to a TV, a little theory that will definitely benefit you.
Connecting a TV to a laptop is absolutely independent of models. It can be either an Lg, Samsung, Panasonic TV (regular, analog, old), or a Sony, Acer, Samsung, HP or Asus laptop - the technologies are the same.
The first thing you need to pay attention to is the inputs and outputs on the TV and laptop - this is the most important step.
Even if you have a smart TV with wifi support, you can only connect the Internet without a cable.
You won’t be able to play games, and the standard smart TV browser itself wants the best, and it’s inconvenient to write from the remote control.
So let's look at the inputs and outputs. The best are HDMI and DisplayPort - they are the “newest” and receive, transmit the most high-quality image and sound, and only one such cable is enough.
The dimensions of the HDMI cable for connecting a TV to a laptop are different: from 1 meter to 30. This is an important point, because if the TV screen is large, then sitting close, you will not see anything.
Also note that if there is no input or output you need on a laptop or TV to connect, you can always do it by using an adapter or a combo cable: HDMI -> DVI, DVI -> VGA, mini HDMI -> HDMI, DisplayPort -> DVI , DisplayPort -> HDMI and so on.
Every modern laptop and TV has an HDMI output for transmitting high-definition and high-quality digital signals, including sound.
This means that you can connect a TV and a laptop with an HDMI cable. What it looks like in the picture below.
HDMI inputs in TV and laptop look like this (see below):
Some modern TVs come with an HDMI cable right away (they are not cheap), and how to set up a laptop will be described at the end of the post.
After connecting, the image and sound of the laptop will be displayed on the TV. The picture of the image will be clear, and the sound without distortion.
An old TV can be connected to a laptop computer via a VGA cable. This technology is not of high quality.
You can of course use an adapter, but it will not improve the quality. The vga input is used for analog (conventional) signals.
Only when connecting a laptop to a TV via a vga cable, there is one thing - you will not have sound, you will need another cable - sound, as in the picture below.
VDI technology behaves much better - this is a digital version. Please note that if there is no vga input on both devices (laptop and TV), then you can use a combo cable or adapter to connect.
DVI technology is better than VGA, it is digital. Today there are a large number of combination cables and adapters that have one end with a vdi head.
Therefore, if you have, for example, a TV with a dvi input, and a laptop with hdmi, then you can safely use such a connection using a combo cable or adapter (some modern TVs are sold with an HDMI cable, for example, Samsung does not have LG).
To see if you have a dvi input, see below what it looks like.
DisplayPort technology can be said to be the newest, only a very small number of devices have such inputs so far - it is a competitor to HDMI technology, although it was developed to replace DVI.
If you find a DisplayPort input in your laptop or TV, then feel free to take on this connection - the signal quality is excellent. Here's what DisplayPort looks like:
As soon as you connect the TV to the laptop with a cable, first make the settings on the TV, namely: tell it which connection to use.
In older TVs, this function is not, only in new ones. For example, in LG it looks like this:
Now let's set up the laptop. Click on any free space on the laptop desktop with the right mouse button or touchpad.
The menu will appear. Click on the "screen resolution" line. In theory, if there is a physical connection between the TV and the laptop, then you should immediately see the second monitor, if it is not there, then click "find".
When it appears (the second monitor), select one of the two options: "duplicate these screens" (the image will be in the laptop and TV) and "show desktop 2 only" (only the TV will work).
Also opposite the line "screen" specify the parameter you need. That's not all - the TV may not have sound.
Then right-click on the "speaker" icon on the taskbar and click on the line "playback devices".
A window will appear in which you should see your "box". Select it, click "apply" and "OK" at the bottom (you can turn off the rest of the speakers).
That's actually all. This description can be said to be universal, so it is possible that you have problems during the connection process - there are enough nuances.
Sometimes you may need to adjust your graphics card. To do this, be sure to download the latest video card driver and, after opening it, make the required changes in the install multiple displays section.
How this is done in NVidia, see the picture above. I have one laptop without changes in the manual mode of the video card settings to the TV was not connected.
Today, there are thousands of different models of TV and portable computers on sale (you can also connect a tablet, smartphone).
Therefore, the standard connection option may sometimes not work - you have to experiment, especially for older models.
However, the problem can always be solved. Problems will arise - write in the comments - here the answers usually appear quickly, sometimes instantly. Good luck.
Reading time: 6 minutes
In this article, I will talk about ways to connect a laptop to a TV to broadcast a video signal to the screen. Let's take a look at the settings.
Modern televisions have many useful features.
But the advanced model is not able to perform some tasks that are subject to the computer.
Connecting a laptop to a TV will provide a number of previously unavailable conveniences that only the sharing of two devices can provide. Here are some of the benefits.
There are several ways to connect a TV and a laptop. Each is quite simple - it does not require special technical training from a person. All you need is a communication cable and simple settings that will not take much time. More difficult is to determine the connection method that will provide the best sound and picture quality. To determine the available options, you need to study which communication interfaces are available on the laptop and TV.
Without fail, any modern computer model has VGA, HDMI connectors. Additionally, DVI and S-Video slots may be present. TVs have all the connectors listed above, plus there are RCA, Scart interfaces. To connect two devices, it is enough to connect the corresponding slots to each other using a special cable.
The number of interfaces should not be scary. For each of them there is no special connection procedure. Conventionally, the connection between a laptop and a TV receiver can be divided into three stages, regardless of the type of interface:
Connection via HDMI interface is the highest quality. This method transmits video and audio signals most clearly. To do this, you need only one cable, through which all the necessary streams will be transported. Video bandwidth (admissible resolution) - 1920x1080 at an image frequency of 60 Hz. Audio transmission - 24 bits, frequency 192 kHz.
A distinctive feature of the HDMI connector is a trapezoidal shape. If one of the devices does not have such a slot, then you can buy or order an adapter converter. Its cost is low.
Once the cable is connected, you need to set up your TV by selecting the appropriate data channel. The Source button on the remote control is responsible for this.
Next, you need to configure the transfer of images from a laptop. In some computers, this process is automated, if not, then user intervention will be required.
Modern TVs have multiple HDMI slots. To transfer an image, you need to select exactly the one to which the cable is connected. It's done like this.
In the latest version of Windows (starting from 8), the screen settings are called up with the win + C keys. A window opens with options for selecting the functions of the second screen: "Expand", "Second screen only", "Duplicate". Our second option.
The most modern video signal transmission interface is DP - DisplayPort. It has been specifically designed to transmit images at the highest available resolution. The upper limit of this indicator is 3840x2160 at an image intensity of 60 Hz.
DisplayPort is fully compatible with DVI and HDMI, making it easy to connect to any modern device. An adapter is required to communicate with analog equipment.
Connecting using the DVI interface
This is the most common interface on the basis of which the connection between a computer and a monitor is built. DVI is compatible with DisplayPort and HDMI. There are three types of named interface in the world:
The main advantage is prevalence. It is available on all laptop models, both the oldest and the newest. The connection is carried out similarly to the previous options - using the appropriate cable. Finding it is not a problem. It is enough to go to any electronics store. Minus the interface - it transmits only the video signal.
There are several ways out of the situation. You can connect a powerful audio system with a subwoofer to your laptop to enjoy high-quality surround sound. The second option is to connect the laptop's sound card to the TV via an RCA connector, which is familiar to many as a "tulip". We connect the cable responsible for audio transmission, and leave the rest of the fitting unclaimed.
Previously, this method was the most accessible. The S-Video slot was mandatory on every computer or laptop. Modern models may not have such an interface. It was abolished by the advent of more advanced methods of communication. This is not surprising. After all, viewing the same HD-image through S-Video is impossible. And this interface is not suitable for transmitting an audio signal. Its connection is carried out with a cable through the S-Video connector or Scart adapter, in the absence of a slot.
This article is a bit of an assistant to help you understand the process of connecting a laptop to a TV. After all, you see, it's nice to watch your favorite downloaded series on the big screen. Moreover, the game on such a scale gives the process itself a special zest. In general, if for some reason you want to know how to connect a laptop to a TV, then this article will help in this matter.
Availability of exits
The first thing you need to deal with is the availability of the necessary connectors both in the laptop and in the TV. Therefore, before asking the question, you need to check the availability of the following outputs: VGA, HDMI or DVi. The presence of one of them already gives certain chances that the laptop will be connected to the TV. The TV must also have one of these connectors, or a SCART output. It is universal, that is, using the right adapter, you can connect almost any device that supports this function to the TV. SCART is present on almost all televisions: new and old, digital and conventional. All you need to do is to get yourself an appropriate adapter, for example, VGA-SCART (the first name of the input depends on the connector available in the laptop).
I think this type of connector does not need to be introduced. This is the oldest way to connect devices to a TV, nicknamed "tulip". If you are thinking about how to connect a laptop to an old TV, then this option is one of the solutions to this issue. Yes, this connector is sometimes found on laptops. This option is now considered quite outdated.
An established and most common way to connect devices to a TV. In this way, you can transfer a picture from a laptop to a TV (well, a PC can also be connected in this way). This output is used to connect the video card of a laptop (personal computer) to a TV. A distinctive feature is that it is impossible to transmit sound. To receive audio, you must use other outputs.
The characteristics are not far from VGA, but still the outputs are different. It is extremely rare on laptops, much more often it can be found on PCs. Considering the question of how to connect a laptop to a TV using a DVI connector, you must be guided by the presence of an adapter, for example, DVI-BGA or DVI-SCART. Such a connector does not transmit sound, which makes it important to purchase additional adapters.
The most modern and efficient way to connect the "book" to the TV. Very convenient and common outlet. How to connect a laptop to a TV using HDMI can be described in two sentences. All you need to do is purchase (if one is not available) an HDMI cable and connect it to the appropriate outputs on your laptop and TV. Then, in the TV settings, set the image output mode to the HDMI output. This option transmits both picture and sound, and even in high quality. You can even watch videos in 3D with it!
In general, answering the question of how to connect a laptop to a TV, you can say with almost 100% probability that any laptop can be connected to any TV. Of course, it happens that you come across a very rare model of both a laptop and a TV, which simply cannot be combined. But this happens extremely rarely.
Laptops can act not only as a portable computer for work. By connecting your laptop to a TV, you can turn it into a media center, stream videos from your favorite services, including YouTube, or play files stored on the laptop's disk. You can play games on the big screen or edit documents without straining your eyes. Read this guide to learn how to connect your laptop to your TV.
Part 1
Determine the type of connectionDetermine what type of connector your laptop uses. There are different types of video outputs, and your laptop may have more than one. The video output is usually located on the side or back of the laptop. If you want to connect a MacBook to your TV, check out this article.
Check which video inputs are used on your TV. It depends on whether you have a standard or high definition TV. As a rule, video input connectors are located on the back of the TV, but can also be installed on the side wall.
Choose the right cable to connect your laptop to your TV. If there are several connection options (for example, VGA, S-video and HDMI), use the one that gives the highest quality. HDMI is a standard port in all new laptops and TVs, it provides a high-quality signal and requires a minimum of settings.
Purchase an audio cable if necessary. Some computers and TVs can be connected to transmit audio and video with a single cable, but most will require a video/audio connection using separate cables.
Part 2
Connect laptop to TVTurn off your laptop. If you are connecting using one of the older connector types, it is recommended that you turn off your laptop when connecting to the TV. When connected via HDMI, the laptop does not need to be turned off.
Connect the video cable to the appropriate jacks on your laptop and TV.
Set your TV to the correct signal source. Most inputs on the TV are labeled. Select the input to which your laptop is connected from the TV menu. If necessary, look at the instructions for the TV.
Turn on your laptop. From now on, setting the TV as a monitor will differ depending on the operating system used on the computer. Sometimes the picture on the TV will be displayed immediately, or the image on the monitor and TV will be duplicated. In some cases, there will be no picture on the TV yet.
Set your TV as a monitor. Many laptops have a dedicated Display button that can be accessed by pressing the Fn (Functions) key. With this key, you can switch between all available options for displaying images on monitors. You can extend the image to both screens, duplicate the image to both screens, or turn on only one of your monitors (either laptop or TV).
Set the screen resolution if necessary. Often, the resolution on the screen and the TV is different, especially for older TVs. Right-click on the desktop, click Properties/Screen Resolution, and select the screen whose resolution you want to change.
Adjust TV zoom. Some TVs correct the different aspect ratio by scaling the picture. If you see that the image on the TV is "cropped" around the edges - make sure this setting is disabled.
wikiHow is a wiki, which means that many of our articles are written by multiple authors. When creating this article, 13 people worked on editing and improving it, including anonymously.
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