Will the laptop to TV adapter work? How to connect a laptop to a TV via Wi-Fi: we use different methods

There are several reasons why you want to use your TV as a secondary monitor. The most common is viewing photos or movies in good quality. The TV can also be used as a gaming monitor. There are different ways to connect a laptop to a TV. The choice of the appropriate method depends on the model of the TV and laptop, and they are divided into the main types: Scart, RCA, S-Video, Wi-Fi, DVI, VGA and HDMI. To select the appropriate method, you need to familiarize yourself with all the details.

Let's look at how a laptop is connected to a TV via HDMI. This method is considered the most affordable and easy, especially if you have this cable. If you don’t have a cable, then there are many options in stores, even gold-plated ones are sold. The type of connector is convenient not only for ease of connection, but also for the fact that it ensures the use of the maximum resolution of the TV.

Users can easily find this video output on their own laptop if it is new, released in the last 2-3 years and does not belong to the category of budget models. The next step, how to connect a laptop to a TV via hdmi, will be to find the appropriate connector on the TV. If the interface is not detected, then in addition to the cable itself, you will need to purchase adapters for various kinds connectors or you need to use a different type of connection. If there is an interface, then we connect the devices with a cable and proceed to the software part of the instructions on how to connect a laptop to the TV via hdmi.

You can go to the screen (monitor) management menu in the laptop if you right-click on the free space on the desktop, and then select the “Screen Resolution” section. A window will open where you can select the method for applying the secondary screen. There are the following options for connecting laptops to an hdmi TV:

Cloning an image. An identical picture will be shown on the TV and on the laptop.
The TV plays the role of the 2nd monitor. The user will be able to watch a movie on TV, and at the same time continue to work on a laptop.
A single space in the form of two screens, the desktop will expand.
Depending on the video card software you are using, other options are possible.

In this tab, the user can not only connect a laptop to a TV, but also set the required video resolution for display on TV. For this connection option maximum rate resolution is 1920x1080 pixels, which is Full HD resolution.

What to do if the laptop is not visible on the TV via hdmi? Setting up a TV is much easier than a laptop. It is enough to select the input signal source in the program menu. In this case, the HDMI input is selected. Depending on how the TV is equipped, there may be several interfaces, and they are indicated by the numbers 1, 2, etc.

Another way to connect a laptop to a TV is to use an HDMI-RCA adapter. Below is a video on how to do it and a link if you want to buy it.

View information and reviews on the adapter on Aliexpress.

VGA output

The method of connecting a laptop to a TV via vga is relevant if the TV has this interface. Almost every laptop has a VGA connector. If the TV has such a connector, then you can connect a laptop to the TV using a regular cable to a monitor for a personal computer. If the TV does not have such a connector, then the VGA laptop is connected to the TV via special adapter cables (VGA-RCA, VGA-HDMI, VGA-SCART).

This connection of a laptop to a TV has a feature. The VGA interface is only capable of transmitting video signal. To ensure the transmission of an audio signal to the TV speakers, you need to use an additional cable or use laptop acoustics. The connection type is perfect for viewing photos on a large TV screen. The resolution will be no more than 1600x1200 pixels. If you play computer games with headphones, then you don’t have to worry about the presence of an audio cable.

This interface is found even on netbooks with a screen diagonal of 10 inches. Watching movies on such a monitor will not be comfortable, so you can connect a laptop to a TV using a VGA cable. It is also desirable to transmit sound to TV speakers, but there are netbook models with a fairly powerful audio output.

DVI

The connector is the receiver of the previous version. It has a more modern digital video output / input. With this interface, the situation is the opposite, it is often present on TVs, almost all on personal computers, but it is very rarely added to laptops. You can connect a laptop to a TV via a DVI cable using a cheap adapter and a DVI cable. Thus, the resolution on the TV screen can be increased to 1920x1080 pixels. If you use a rarer version of the Dual Link DVI-I connector, you can get a resolution of 2500x1600. It is difficult to choose a television matrix with these indicators. Answering the question of how sound is output from a laptop to a TV via DVI, it should be noted the need to use additional wires for acoustics.

RCA and S-Video

These methods can be combined into a group of unlikely. Connectors are quite common, but only on old technology. On laptops, they are almost never found. This option can only be used if there are no other options left. To connect, use converters and adapters.

You can display an image from a laptop on an outdated TV only by using RCA (“tulip”). Since such video outputs are rare on portable equipment, a VGA-RCA adapter is required. You can buy an adapter on Aliexpress.

SCART

This universal interface is available in old and modern TVs. It is capable of transmitting video and sound of excellent quality. Use this method of connecting a laptop to a TV only through the appropriate adapter cable. The SCART interface is not found in laptops. The most common option is VGA-Scart, and an audio cable is provided in the kit to output sound from a laptop to a TV. To a ten-year-old TV, a method will help connect a laptop. For modern models, it is better to use methods with HDMI or Wi-Fi connection.

WiFi

Consider the most convenient option, how to connect laptops to a TV via wifi. So you can get rid of wires, and play media files directly from TV using DLNA technology. You can even place your laptop in another room. The main thing here is that it be turned on with Wi-Fi activated. You will need to make settings for accessing the necessary folders.
This will allow you not only to view photos and videos, but also to listen to the existing audio collection. The method will be especially relevant if Hi-Fi acoustics are connected to the TV.

To implement a way to connect a laptop to a TV via wifi, you need to use a router. A laptop and a TV are connected to the device, after which, using the TV remote control, you can conveniently watch movies that are in the remote device. Manufacturers have created special software that allows you to quickly solve the problem of connecting a laptop to a TV via wifi. LG provided Smart Share for this, Samsung - AllShare, Sony - VAIO Media Server. So you can connect not only a laptop, but also smartphones, other devices with built-in Wi-Fi.

If your TV does not have built-in Wi-Fi, then you need to purchase an external adapter. It is important that modules from different manufacturers are not interchangeable, so you need to choose for your model and specific brand. If the TV does not see the laptop, then you need to connect it, like any other wireless product. To do this, select the appropriate items in the "Network settings" or in the "Network".

Wireless monitor

With the help of wires, you can solve the issues of how laptops are hooked up to a TV, for online or computer games. So far, not everything is so good with the use of wireless technology. Most TVs with built-in Smart TV (post 2013) support Miracast or Intel WiDi, but it's still too early to use it for gaming. The essence of the technology lies in the ability to transfer a picture from a laptop screen to a TV via a Wi-Fi wireless connection.

The main disadvantage is the delay. According to the technology, the picture from the monitor will be compressed and transmitted to the TV wirelessly. This happens pretty quickly. For viewing photos, videos, surfing the Internet, the speed is enough. With active games, the delay becomes more noticeable, light slowdowns will appear on the screen. Because of this, gamers will have to use wires.

To use "ViDi" or "Intel Miracast" is not enough only built-in support for this technology in the adapter or TV. It is necessary that the laptop works on the "Intel" platform latest generations. Other platforms are simply not supported.

conclusions

From the above information, how to connect a laptop to plasma TVs and LCD versions, you can compile an abbreviated instruction for better perception:

We determine the available video outputs on the laptop.
Marks the video inputs on the TV.
We combine the received information to determine the type of connection.
We make an audit of our adapters and cables. We buy new ones if necessary.
We select the video source on the TV and configure the software part on the laptop.
We spend time setting up, but we start wireless communication.
We get the final result.

There is a pattern according to which the newer the technology, the easier it is to connect it to each other. If the user is more interested in picture quality (games, movies with high detail), then you should choose an HDMI connection. If efficiency and convenience are in the first place, then a Wi-Fi connection will do.

Modern television panels are equipped with connectors that allow you to connect various kinds of equipment to them. The most commonly used is a laptop.

It is very convenient to use such a bundle for presentations or at home to view multimedia content. In this case, you can connect a laptop to both a TV and a projector, even if these are outdated models.

Signal types

The whole essence of the connection comes down to connecting the ports of the transmitting device and the receiving one. Other than a physical connection? configuration and, in some cases, additional software installation will be required. The transmitted signal, depending on its type, can be:

analog;
digital.

A signal is an electromagnetic disturbance having different shape and frequency. To convert vibrations into a form accessible to perception, complex electronic blocks are used. Analog transmission is a continuous signal, while digital transmission is discrete, that is, a sequence of short pulses with a certain duration and amplitude.

Digital transmission allows you to transmit a high quality signal using different encryption algorithms. In one standard, both video and audio content are transmitted simultaneously. Analog transmission is characterized by high susceptibility to interference and low bandwidth compared to the digital stream.

The simplest connection is when the same type of interface is used for transmitting and receiving. But it happens that there is a need for the need to convert one type of signal to another. For this, analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and digital-to-analog converters (DAC) are used. Such a connection between devices is possible using a cord to connect a laptop to a TV and using a special adapter.

Signal conditioning devices

In order to connect modern devices, most likely, you will not need any adapters and adapters. But in order to connect to an old TV, you cannot do without a DAC device. The following types of connectors can be found on a TV and a laptop: HDMI, DVI, VGA, RCA, S-Video.

The first two connectors are for digital signal transmission. The HDMI protocol is an extended version of DVI. Using new encryption algorithms, several revisions of HDMI have been released. Starting with revision 1.3, this kind of connection allows you to fully transmit sound in one channel. The maximum resolution of video data is 3840×2160, for revision - 1.4 b.

The next three connectors are used for analog transmission. Now they can be found on obsolete equipment. The most advanced of them is the VGA interface, which allows you to transfer video with a resolution of 1280 × 1024 pixels. S-Video is somewhat preferred over RCA and has a resolution of 1024*768. The adapter between S-Video and RCA does not require active components and is easy to make yourself.

Thus, the following type of adapters are used:

HDMI-VGA;
HDMI-RCA;
VGA-HDMI;
VGA-RCA.

Devices designed to convert signals from one type to another are called converters. When selecting such an adapter, attention is paid to the nominal input and output resolution of the device and the screen refresh rate at this resolution. Any of these types of converter is required to ensure signal transmission without distortion.

HDMI to VGA converter

Such a converter will be needed when using a modern laptop and an outdated model of a television device. The adapter itself is built on active ingredients and uses a microcontroller in its electronic circuit. The converter does not require a separate power supply, since all the necessary voltage is supplied through the lines of the connector itself and is formed in the transmission device.

The whole essence of the connection operation comes down to switching the laptop output directly to the adapter, and the converter output is already switched by a VGA - VGA cable to the TV. In the TV settings, the item for outputting an image via the VGA interface is selected.

An interesting feature of this adapter is that it you can organize and broadcast sound. In HDMI adapters with a revision of at least 1.3, a jack is installed, usually 3.5 mm, which is connected with a wire that has 3.5 mm jacks on both sides. The connection is established with the Audio input. True, in this case, in the settings of the laptop's sound card, audio broadcast via HDMI is selected.

VGA to HDMI adapter

Such a converter is useful if you need to get an image from an old laptop to a modern TV panel. Similar to the reverse adapter, the adapter does not require additional power and contains active electronic components. Sound in this case has to be transmitted via a separate cable. The connection is simple: a VGA cable from the adapter is connected to the laptop, and the output of the converter is connected to the TV input. The TV is set to output from HDMI.

Other type of adapter

The other two species are not as popular, but still used. First of all, it concerns HDMI-RCA. The tulip connector is found in many older generation TVs. If there is an adapter, the physical connection should not be difficult. In this case, it is important to observe the colors of the RCA adapter plugs and the TV. The sound is transmitted separately.

Software connection settings

The output of information to an external display is provided by a video card installed in the laptop. The main manufacturers of video cards are AMD, Intel, NVIDIA. Each manufacturer uses its own software. As a rule, it is installed along with the drivers on the card.

In order to find out which card is installed in a laptop, you can refer to the description of its technical characteristics or study the stickers on the device case. If such information is not available, you will need to use utilities that display information about the installed equipment in the laptop. For example, Everest, CPU-Z or use the standard features of the operating system (OS).

So, for Windows OS, you will need to left-click on the shortcut "My Computer" and select "Properties" in the context menu. Next, select the "Hardware" tab, and then "Device Manager". In the menu that appears, find the "Video adapters" tab and look at the name of the video card. In the settings of the video adapter, find the item related to the output of the image, and select the output connection for two screens.

If OS tools allow, it is easier to use standard tools. To do this, you need to go to the display properties. In the operating room Windows system XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, it's easier to right-click on an empty spot on the desktop and select "Properties" from the menu that appears, and then "Settings". A graphical representation of multiple monitors will be displayed in the window that appears. One will be activated, this is the laptop screen itself, and the other will be gray. To activate it, you need to click on it with the left mouse button or select the connection located at the bottom of the menu.

For Windows, starting with the eighth version, the steps have been simplified. By right-clicking on an empty spot on the desktop, the item "Display settings" is selected in the drop-down list, and on the open page, at the very end, the item "Detection" is pressed. All screens that are currently connected are activated.

Modern equipment allows you to avoid these configuration steps, since it automatically recognizes the connection of the display at the hardware level.

Once the display is recognized, the next step is to select its destination. It can be connected:

I would like to note such a moment that there is a device called a splitter. The output from the laptop's video adapter is connected to it, and he himself, using electronic circuits, duplicates the image to his outputs. There can be from four to 16 such exits. They display a picture that repeats the image on the laptop screen. In this case, you can connect the laptop both to the TV and at the same time to the monitor or projector.

Physical connection of equipment

To connect a TV set to a laptop, netbook or PC, you will need to connect them together at the physical level. This can be done by connecting the laptop to the TV both via cable and wirelessly.

Wired connection

Before starting the connection, you need to prepare all the elements that will be involved in the connection. In a simple case, this is one cable, in a complex one - adapters, adapters, extension cords. When connecting devices using a cable, you will need to complete the following steps:

The connection itself is reliable, and the next time you need to transfer an image from a laptop to a TV screen, you just need to plug the cable into the connector. In this case, instead of a laptop, you can use any device with a similar output.

Wireless connection

Such a connection is preferable, it does not require a cable from the laptop to the TV. The limitation of such a connection will be the capabilities of the television panel. It must have a built-in WiFi adapter, or it must be possible to connect an external transmission device.

An external device is connected to the USB port of the TV or HDMI. If there is no WiFi card in the laptop, a similar device is also connected to it. Connecting WiFi devices is also associated with the installation of software for their proper operation. Setting up a wireless connection is easy.

First of all, you need to refer to the instructions that come with the TV, which will indicate not only the setup sequence, but also the types of supported devices.

Here is a list of the most commonly used adapters:

Google Chromecast;
Android Mini PC
Compute Stick;
Miracast.

On the laptop, you will need to find the "Network" section in the control panel, then "Network settings" and select the type of Wi-Fi connection.

When the connection is established, special programs are used to display the picture. For example, WiDi, Samsung Share, Miracast, home media server, etc. Some programs are universal, suitable for any type of equipment, while others are designed only for specific manufacturers.

Thus, having all the necessary wires and adapters, you can arrange to view the desired material located in the laptop on a large screen.

What is good about a laptop is its mobility, you can always take it with you and you do not need to buy a computer desk for it. But what is bad about it is its relatively small screen compared to desktop computer screens, which creates certain inconveniences when working. But this matter can be easily fixed if you connect your laptop to a modern TV.

So you get a large screen, which will be much more convenient to work, watch photos and movies, browse the web. And it will be more convenient to play on a laptop by connecting it to a large screen TV receiver.

Imagine that you want to watch a movie with friends that is stored on your laptop. You simply launch a special application and send a file to watch on your TV and enjoy the movie on the big screen. You do not need to connect various cables for this and copy files to a USB flash drive to connect it to your TV later.

If your TV does not support an Internet connection, this can be quickly fixed by connecting a computer to it or, which will expand its capabilities even more than a standard TV receiver has, which has a module to connect it to the network.

Below you will find some tips on how to connect a laptop to a TV using dedicated applications and connection interfaces.

Connecting with a cable

This connection allows you to use the TV in quality, which is very convenient when working with programs and games.
Before we deal directly with the connection, we need to decide on the cable with which we can connect the two devices together. To do this, you need to see which connectors your laptop has and which ones are on the TV. After that, you will need to select the appropriate cable and connect the devices together.

Now let's talk in more detail about the interfaces and cables that you may need.
Modern TVs have several interfaces for connecting external devices, but each of them is designed for specific equipment.

Connectors with which you can connect a laptop to a TV.

HDMI connector

The first connector you need to pay attention to is called HDMI or High Definition Multimedia Interface.
This is a modern interface that supports high screen resolution, with which you can transmit not only a video signal in good quality, but also sound. So, if you have an HDMI connector on both devices, then it is best to use this interface to connect them.

HDMI connectors on devices look like this:

There can be several of them, both on a TV and on a laptop; any port can be used to connect.

An HDMI cable can be found with some TV models, so you need to look at it there first, and not rush to the store to get it.
When buying such a cable, you need to pay attention to its length, in the store you can find options from 1 meter to 15, respectively, and the price for it increases along with the length and in order not to overpay, you first need to decide how far the laptop will be from the TV.

VGA connector

The next interface we need is called VGA.
This is an old connector that is often found on laptops and old TVs, and can also be found on some newer models.

It looks like this:

This is a trapezoidal connector with fifteen pins and it is impossible to confuse it, it is always alone in a TV or laptop, there is simply no other like it.

The downside of this interface is that it does not support high resolution and can only be used to transmit a video signal; a separate cable will have to be used to transmit sound. But if you have a good audio system for your computer, then the sound can be sent through it, and not through the TV.

If your devices have such a connector, then you can connect them with a simple VGA cable that connects monitors to the computer's system unit.

The standard VGA cable is short, but you can find options up to 15 meters in the store, so connecting devices should not be a problem.

If you have an HDMI connector on your TV, and only VGA on your laptop, then you will have to purchase a special converter with which you can connect the devices to each other.

There are HDMI-VGA cables on sale, but they are not suitable for this type of connection, as they transmit a signal from the HDMI port to VGA, and you need the other way around. When connecting such a cable, you will not see the image. Such cables are used, for example, when connecting a projector to a computer that has a VGA input.

In order to transfer a signal from a VGA port to HDMI, you need to convert it, for this you need a special converter.

Such converters can be found in stores or online, and their price can vary from 300 rubles to 2000. I bought myself such a device on Aliexpress and it does its job perfectly. With it, I connected an old netbook to my smart.

If you need such an adapter, you can order it from the links below, it came to me in just three weeks, which is just great.

http://ali.pub/1w7jyr

http://ali.pub/1wiuto

These are the main connectors that are used to connect computers and laptops to the TV.

Other connectors for connecting media devices

In addition to these connectors, there may be others on the TV to connect various video equipment, such as a camcorder, VCR, player, etc. and they are not suitable for connecting a laptop.
For information, you should know about them so as not to waste your time looking for cables and adapters for them.

RCA connector

Such a connector is also popularly called a “tulip”. This is an old connector that was widely used in VCRs.

It consists of three nests, which are painted in different colors. Into the nest yellow color connect a cable with a video signal, the other two are needed to connect the sound.

Component

Outwardly, such connectors are similar to RCA, only technically they are executed differently.

Here, three inputs are already used for the video signal, and not one and two for the audio signal. Due to the fact that the video signal is divided into three cables, it is possible to achieve better color reproduction and higher resolution. Such connectors are often used by game consoles.

SCART

SCART or “comb” is a connector with which you can connect various video devices to your TV.

It was created in the late 70s and was mainly used to connect VCRs to a TV receiver.
There are SCART-HDMI converters in nature, which in theory allows you to connect two devices together, but I recommend using this option only if no other option can be used.

S-Video

This connector is also designed to connect video equipment such as camcorders, game consoles, players.

This is a round black connector, the number of pins it can vary, depending on its functionality, from four to nine.
In nature, there are adapters from VGA to RCA and S-Video, but this is a simple adapter, not a converter, so you will not see images on TV either.

As a rule, all connectors on devices are signed, and if you don’t know what one of them looks like, you can always read its name.

TV setup

After connecting the devices with a cable, in order to see the image, in the TV menu you need to select the input to which you connected your device.

For some models, immediately after connecting the cable, the name of the input to which the device has just been connected appears; by activating it, you will immediately see the desktop of your laptop on your TV screen.
For some models, you need to do everything yourself, but there is nothing complicated here.

For example, when choosing a VGA input, you need to select the “PC” or “PC” item in the TV menu. For the convenience of the user, manufacturers sometimes mark all inputs with an icon by which it is easy to recognize the connector you need.

On some models, the inputs that are active are highlighted, and the ones that are not active are barely visible, making it easier to find the desired input.
Each TV has its own menu, so each user needs to figure it out on their own.

Laptop setup

After connecting the devices, you need to set up the laptop to display the screen in such a way as to get the maximum convenience for working with it, this is done very simply.
This can be done in several ways, I will describe only two of them.

First way (fastest)

If you press the keyboard shortcut WIN+P, then a window with options for screen settings will open, the active option will be highlighted in a different color. You only need to select the desired option and the changes will immediately take effect.

In total, there are four modes for setting the screens of connected devices.

Shows only the screen of a laptop or computer;
Screen duplication. Both screens show the same information;
Screen extension. Both screens work like one desktop;
Shows only the TV screen, on the laptop the screen is off;

Each of these methods can be useful to you, depending on the tasks.

If you connect an additional monitor to your laptop, then it is clear that you will need the first option only during device setup.
To work, you need to choose one of the last three options. Which one to choose is up to you, try each of them and decide which one suits you best.

Second way

Right-click on an empty area of the screen and select “Screen Resolution” from the menu.

When an additional display is connected to the computer, the item “Multiple displays” and the line “Connect to projector” are activated in the menu.
By clicking on the “Multiple Screens” item, you can also choose one of four options for how your devices work.
By clicking on the line “Connect to the projector”, you will open the same menu that opens when you press the hot keys.

These were the ways to connect a laptop to a TV using a cable and set them up. This option works well when you need a large monitor for your laptop.

But if you only need to watch photos or movies on the TV screen, then it is not at all necessary to connect both devices with a cable. By installing a special program, you will forget about different cables, and the laptop can be at any distance from it, even in another room.
Only one problem, for such a connection you need a modern Smart-TV and it must be connected to a common local network.

How to watch movies and photos on TV using dedicated apps

Communication technologies are constantly developing, and if yesterday we connected a USB flash drive to watch a TV movie, today it is not necessary to do this at all.
Modern TVs have several standards for transmitting and receiving data between devices, and using them makes life much easier for users of these gadgets.

For example, Wi-Fi Direct technology allows you to connect your TV wirelessly to other devices that support this technology.
For example, LG TVs have the LG Connect Apps function, with which you can view photo and video files and listen to music from devices that support LG Connect, for example, using the LG TV Plus program.
There are many such examples, each manufacturer has its own chips for exchanging data between devices.

For a laptop and a computer, one of the easiest solutions is to set up a connection using DLNA technology, provided that your TV receiver supports this technology. To do this, you only need to install the application on your computer and configure it.
I will briefly talk about some of these applications, you can learn more about them in special posts on this topic.

smartshare

The first program is called SmartShare, this application works with LG TV and you can download it from the official LG website:

http://www.lg.com/ru/support/smart-share

The installation of the program is standard.

During the installation process, you will be prompted to connect any directory to the server, but you can do this later.

When you start the program, you will see a window where you will need to select the category of files you want to view. Here you can select any option, then you can also change it.

There are several items in the program window that you need to pay attention to.
At the top right there are tabs with categories of files, on the left side you need to select a server to work with.
If you do not see a list of files, click on the "Update" button, which is located at the bottom right.
If you need to open a file to watch it on a TV, just right-click on it and select “Play With” from the menu that opens and select the playback device.

To change the program settings, click on the "Options" item at the top of the window.

Here you can disable access to the server, specify new directories to view or delete old ones. Also in this window you can change the name of your server, which will be visible in the TV settings.

Home media server or HMS

With this application, you can also view media files on the screen of your Smart TV.
This is a free application with great functionality, which is perfect for transferring data between devices.
This application is distributed on an “as is” basis, in other words, the developers do not give any guarantees, but they do not ask for anything in return.
I had no problems with this program, my LG gets along fine with it.

You can download it from the developers website:

http://www.homemediaserver.ru/index.htm

The installation is standard, it can be installed with default settings. Only first you need to choose a place to unpack the archive, and only then install the program.

During the installation process, you will be prompted to add or remove directories for access, you can do it right away, you can do it later.

The program window is divided into four parts.
The buttons for managing the program are displayed at the top. In order for the server to start working, you need to click on the “Start” button, then select one of the file categories, movies, music or photos.
The available directories are displayed on the left. Those that have been added you need to look for in the “Catalogs of media resources” section.
The files of these directories will be displayed on the right.
The lower part is purely informative, it can be closed.

If you click on the “Settings” button, a new window will open where you can add or remove files, change the name of the server, and a whole bunch of other settings.
After adding a new file, you need to click on the “Scan” button so that it becomes visible to the server.

You can open the file on the TV right away in this application. To do this, right-click on the file and select “Play to” from the menu and then specify the name of your TV on which you want to view it.

Also, all servers and files open for access will be visible in the TV menu. To do this, go to its settings, where connected devices are indicated, and select the server you need from the list.
Each device has its own menu and you have to figure out how to do it yourself.

That's all, using the methods described in the article, you can easily connect your laptop to a TV to perform absolutely any task.
Write in the comments what programs you use to view files on TV, it will be interesting to know.
Good luck!

Connecting a laptop to a TV is very simple, but even that can cause a whole bunch of problems for novice users. The first thing you need to decide is the presence of connectors on a laptop (PC) and a TV.

The first option is the simplest connecting with an HDMI cable, for this you need to make sure that the TV and laptop have these connectors and have the HDMI cable itself.

Connecting with VGA

The second method is suitable for people who have only VGA connector .

Connection using adapters and converters

The third way is the most difficult, this is the connection with combined cables. It is necessary when the laptop has only VGA or HDMI, and the TV has some 1 input or no input at all. This is solved by cables VGA - HDMI, HDMI - VGA, VGA - Scart, VGA - RCA (tulip). In principle, all adapters have been created, you just have to find it on the Internet and order it.

Also, instead of VGA - HDMI cables, there are special converters, according to their manufacturers, such converters give better output quality than a VGA - HDMI cable.

70 comments on “How to connect a laptop to a TV”

1 valera Added at 21:56 July 15th, 2012:
2 Alexey Added 16:56 August 15th, 2012:
does not work on Fudjitsu Siemens Fn-F10
3 Alexey Added at 16:58 August 15th, 2012:
TV says no signal.
4 anna Added at 21:20 October 18th, 2012:
LED TV Samsung writes that there is no HDMI signal, the laptop that the monitor was not found, through the network with ALL Share video, photos and music files, the TV plays back, you may need a driver
5 Serega Added at 00:32 November 11th, 2012:
thank you so much for the post useful article :)
6 Alexander Added 11:55 December 16th, 2012:
When connecting a samsung R70 laptop via HDMI to a samsung plasma, for some reason there is sound, but no video. Shows only the desktop without shortcuts and that's it.
7 alexey Added 14:16 December 18th, 2012:
EVERYTHING WAS GREAT THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! P/S YOUR HANDS ARE GROWING FROM THE ASS
8 nikita Added 20:55 January 4th, 2013:
tell me please: I connected hdmi and pressed, not knowing, the screen display mode is only on the TV, but I can’t turn it back on in the way described in the article ((
9 nina Posted at 17:18 January 12th, 2013:
And how to connect a laptop to a TV using a Wi-Fi adapter. those. without cable? I installed a home media server and now you can watch movies that are on the laptop on the TV screen. but I'm interested in the picture from the laptop being transferred to the TV to watch movies from the Internet online
10 jonic Added at 07:29 January 21st, 2013:
thank you very much helped
11 Victoria Added at 15:17 January 24th, 2013:
the laptop is connected to the TV via VGA, as described in the second method. When watching a movie on the TV (and at the same time I work on a laptop), the sound freezes (lags behind the picture)
12 Valery Added 06:01 January 26th, 2013:
I replaced the VGA cable with a new one, the Windows picture froze on the TV. I put the old cable, everything works. What is the reason?
13 Elena Added at 05:56 February 8th, 2013:
Thanks a lot. Being in another country, I set up a laptop for viewing without any problems.
14 Elya Added 13:58 February 9th, 2013:
15 Varvara Added 00:51 February 10th, 2013:
Thanks for the article, I connected it in the second way via Vga, but there is no sound on the TV, but there is a laptop. How can I fix this? And I also wanted to ask why I couldn’t do it with a regular computer, I connected everything correctly, but there was no effect. What is the problem? Thanks in advance!
16 Alexander Added 13:03 February 12th, 2013:
When connecting an ACER laptop via VGA to a Philips LCD, for some reason there is sound, but no video. Shows only the desktop without shortcuts and that's it.
17 yuriy Added 15:07 February 14th, 2013:
everything appeared, but without a red color. I changed the cable, TVs too.
18 Kuandyk Baibatyrov Added 17:20 February 18th, 2013:
connected to TV but no sound laptop VGA cable
19 Vasily Added 12:13 February 20th, 2013:
People!
The VGA cable does not transmit sound, only video, while the HDMI cable transmits both audio and video!!
Therefore, if the Note has a VGA connector, then you won’t get sound on the TV set, connect speakers to the note !!!
20 farit Added 19:03 February 21st, 2013:
what cable to buy to connect with noobuk HDMI and TV Sckart Nuno is there anything else?
21 Aleksandr Added at 19:29 February 27th, 2013:
I connected the laptop to the TV, but the sound comes only through the laptop. And there is no sound on the TV. Help me figure it out. And the picture is larger than the TV screen and only shows half. Can you help?
22 Max Added 23:02 February 28th, 2013:
Please, explain for the "dummies" - how to connect the laptop to the TV after all? SVGA cable, but the TV set with the laptop does not find each other, there is no signal ... If someone tells you step by step, I will be VERY grateful!
23 Julia Added 16:12 March 5th, 2013:
thanks, all worked well
24 Arkady Added 18:39 March 5th, 2013:
thanks a lot for the advice!!
25 Nastya Added 00:47 March 13th, 2013:
on a computer VGA, and on a TV set HDMI. Maybe with the help of a VGA-tulip? So that the sound was on the TV set.
26 svetlana Added 22:52 March 19th, 2013:
thank you everything worked out.
27 Bogdan Added 01:15 March 20th, 2013:
I bought a VGA \ DVI adapter, connected it, chose “duplicate screens” on the TV, chose “dvi devices”, tried a PC, dvi pk, anyway, the video card seems to see the samsung mantor, it still writes “no signal”, what should I do? please help, I'm confused..
28 Anton Added 12:14 March 23rd, 2013:
Help I bought a VGA-RCA cable on the ACER 5250 VGA laptop, and on the Samsung RCA Plasma, when connected to the TV, it writes the screen resolution is not suitable, what should I do ???
29 Sergey Added 11:20 March 24th, 2013:
30 Ruslan Added 02:53 March 26th, 2013:
Hello! I have a laptop ASUS-X55U, I want to connect to a regular Samsung TV with audio / video output RCA connectors ("tulip"). I bought an HDMI cable with RCA "tulips". I connected this cable to TV + laptop. and switched the channel to video AVI for DVD, but there is no picture of the image .. Please tell me if I bought this cable correctly to connect the TV. After all, an HDMI cable with RCA "tulip" transmits video and sound in one cord? Can you throw off some kind of program.
31 Vladimir Added 20:45 April 9th, 2013:
Connected laptop via HDMI - no sound
I connected the second audio-tulip cable, but there is still no sound, what's the matter?
philips tv
32 Tatiana Added 23:08 April 22nd, 2013:
Very sensible explanation—it worked right away. Thank you!
33 Natalia Added at 12:37 April 28th, 2013:
Hello! We bought a VGA-Audio set, i.e. VGA cable and 2 bell plugs. When connected, there is a picture on the TV, but no sound. What are we doing wrong?
Thank you!
34 Elena Added at 22:11 April 30th, 2013:
Everything turned out wonderfully when connected after pressing the Fn and F7 buttons, but when the laptop was disconnected from the TV, the sound disappeared from the laptop .... and in all settings it shows that the sound is turned on to the full .... I really feel like a kettle ((((how to return laptop sound ??? (rebooted, it didn’t help either). Help me ..
35 farit Added 14:59 May 10th, 2013:
Hi all! help there is a slot for an HDMI cable in the TV and there is no sound in the laptop thanks
36 Stranger Added at 20:22 May 11th, 2013:
Hello, I have s-video, tulip, scart on my TV in 2003 - but no vga, on a netbook there is only vga - tell me how to connect a netbook to a TV. What is better adapter or converter to buy and which one?
Thank you in advance.
37 Alex Added at 19:10 May 15th, 2013:
I connected the laptop to the TV (there is a VGA connector in the laptop, and an RCA connector in the TV set) on the TV the screen triples and twitches, on the laptop I changed the screen duplication modes, the TV is the main screen and still the screen triples and black and white, what to do.
38 glory Added at 14:21 June 6th, 2013:
LED TV PHILIPS writes that there is no HDMI signal, the laptop that the monitor was not found WHAT TO DO
39 natalia Added at 11:10 July 8th, 2013:
vga is connected correctly, the TV says no signal
40 Michael Added 11:46 August 17th, 2013:
Thank you very much, I found what adapters I needed, pressed the necessary buttons and now I’m writing on a laptop and watching how I’m typing on the TV.
41 nikolay Added at 19:16 August 17th, 2013:
I connected the laptop to the LG SMART-TV via an HD cable and the screen on the laptop decreased, so it should be or not.
42 Natalia58 Added 15:01 August 22nd, 2013:
Hello! I bought an HDMI (M) - HDMI (M) cable. Connected, as written, according to the first method. There is an image on the TV screen, but there is no sound: neither in the beech, nor on the TV. Help me please. Thanks
43 Serge Ast Added at 23:43 August 30th, 2013:
I connected my “telly” to the laptop .... Everything seems to be NORMAL ... .. I turn it off, ALL settings in the laptop get lost ... Even the “icons” on the desktop ....
44 ildar Added 17:38 September 3rd, 2013:
Who knows I bought a VGA-HDMI cable on a netbook VGA TV set HDMI I can’t throw a picture on a TV set netbook model samsung n100 ma20ru updated the driver by pressing the fn + F4 key combination does not work
45 Alex Added at 15:29 September 16th, 2013:
Hello. The laptop has VGA and HDMI connectors, the TV has only SCART and "tulips". Is it possible to connect (with sound)? If so, tell me which cable you need to purchase?
46 Boris Added 10:25 October 7th, 2013:
Hello. I connected the HP Pavilion dv6-6b54er laptop to the Sony KDL-32R423A TV via HDMI (M) - HDMI (M), as written, according to the first method. No picture on TV screen no sound. Help me please. Thank you.
47 Maria Added at 14:00 November 3rd, 2013:
Hello. It seems that they connected everything correctly, foolishly clicked on the image only on the TV ... Now there is no image either there or there. The computer never turned on the image. How to fix???
48 Anton Added 16:01 November 11th, 2013:
Hello, in general, the situation is this, I connect the laptop to an old TV with a VGA-RCA cable, only one ripple appears on the TV and that's it. What can you suggest to solve the problem?
49 Alexander Added at 22:52 December 28th, 2013:
Hello! I have an ASUS-X54C laptop, I want to connect it to a regular TV, with audio / video output, RCA connectors (“tulip”). I bought an HDMI cable with RCA "tulips". I connected this cable to TV + laptop. and switched the channel to video AVI for DVD, but there is no picture of the image .. Please tell me if I bought this cable correctly to connect the TV. After all, an HDMI cable with RCA "tulip" transmits video and sound in one cord? Can you throw off some kind of program. Thanks a lot for your help
50 glory Posted at 22:13 February 6th, 2014:
hello! such a problem connected a sony vgn-nw32f laptop to a sony klv37s550a TV via hdmi-hdmi, there is sound on the TV, but there is no image, the signal is not supported. I started to tune on the note, the image disappeared. I turn off the cord, the laptop shows everything. I don’t know how to bring everything to mind. Thank you in advance.
51 Maria Added 19:22 February 10th, 2014:
Hello, how can I be unable to connect an NDMI output on my TV and a VGA output on my computer
52 PASHA Added 13:05 May 1st, 2014:
please help me solve the problem I bought vga 3RCA 1.M model TS3034 WITH TULIPS BLUE RED GREEN I CONNECT TO A PRAST TV AND THERE IS A BAD PICTURE AT ALL IS NOT VISIBLE AND THERE IS NO SOUND WHAT IS THIS CRAP?
53 PASHA Added 13:46 May 1st, 2014:
I connect from no beech to the telly, I tried it and from the laptop I still don’t know what kind of crap))))) who knows, tell me
54 Yana Added 08:06 July 19th, 2014:
55 Anna Added at 00:58 September 19th, 2014:
Hello, in general, the situation is this, I connect the laptop to an old TV with a VGA-RCA cable, change the monitor and nothing happens at all, what should I do?
56 Ilnaz Added at 21:54 October 28th, 2014:
When I press Fn and f3, I get to duplicate, etc. when i press duplicate it says no signal
57 Sergiy Added at 19:23 November 1st, 2014:
I have this problem: the laptop does not have an HDMI input, but has VGI, and the TV does not have VGI, but has HDMI. What to do??
58 Arthur Added 5:45 pm November 22nd, 2014:
Nothing will work with adapter cables, this is Fake.
way only through HDMI - HDMI
VGA -VGA (sound comes separately)
or converters
I saw options through VGA scrat and VGA - component RCA, but not everything is so simple there .. it is possible to install additional programs. to adjust the screen resolution
59 Jiriy Added at 14:21 December 21st, 2014:
the signal from the computer to the TV through the NTMI cable does not pass
60 elena Added at 10:39 December 25th, 2014:
help pliz I have a Samsung TV connected my laptop to the TV via an HDMI cable, but there is no sound on the TV only in the laptop, only speakers play in the devices, there is no TV icon at all, and the function to show disabled devices does not work, more precisely, I press show but there is no sense, how make the sound on the TV set, thanks in advance
61 Anton Added at 20:57 January 8th, 2015:
Who, when connected via VGA on the TV, only has an image of the table without shortcuts, you need to go to the start, control panel, screen, connect to the projector, duplicate.
62 vyacheslav Added 10:21 February 2nd, 2015:
People please help me, everything connected works perfectly, but then after 5 minutes the mouse cursor starts jumping and the mouse buttons do not work
63 Hope Added 15:51 March 11th, 2015:
I have it connected via an HDMI cable when I press Fn and F3 I get duplicated, etc. when I press duplicate it says there is no signal why
64 Hope Added 15:59 March 11th, 2015:
I have it connected via HDMI cable when I press Fn and F3 I get duplicate, etc. when I press duplicate it says there is no signal why
65 Nikolaykh Added at 07:20 June 7th, 2015:
I walk and the kettle, but not quite connect the Sonya Bravia TV via vga-hdmi, I don’t light up the TV monitor, tell me what to do!
66 Alexey Added at 17:56 October 7th, 2015:
Hello .... I can’t connect my laptop to the Philips TV ((((I connected it via hdmi 15 minutes ago, everything is fine ... I tried again, and it doesn’t connect .... I put it in the laptop to duplicate it, but it’s not in any ... .. the TV writes no network (((((Tell me step by step ... .. thanks in advance ...
67 Alexey Added at 17:57 October 7th, 2015:
no signal says
68 Victor Added at 13:43 January 2nd, 2016:
I connected the laptop to the TV via VGA on the TV, there is no signal before I connected the signal was the SUPRA TV
69 Julia Added 11:33 February 2nd, 2016:
everything is connected, but there is no sound on both the TV and the laptop
70 Vladimir Added at 14:10 October 25th, 2016:
Hello. Can I somehow connect the Sat Integral satellite receiver to a laptop so as not to carry a TV with me? Is there an HDMI, VGA output. Can I have some adapters, or buy a USB tuner?

When you connect a laptop to a TV with wires using HDMI or VGA ports (or a combination of both, when using adapters / converters), you may find that all this does not work as expected. Below are typical problems that may arise and how to solve them.

No signal or just picture from laptop on TV

When this problem occurs, if you have Windows 10 or 8 (8.1) installed, try clicking windows keys(with logo) + P (Latin) and select "Expand". Perhaps the image will appear.

If you have Windows 7, then through the right click on the desktop, go to the display settings and try to determine the second monitor and also set "Expand" and apply the settings. Also, for all versions of the OS, try to set the second monitor (provided that it is visible) to a resolution that is exactly supported by it.

When connecting a laptop to a TV via HDMI, there is no sound, but there is an image

If everything seems to be working, but there is no sound, and no adapters are used, and it's just an HDMI cable, then try to check which playback device is set by default.

Note: if you use any adapter option, then keep in mind that sound cannot be transmitted via VGA, regardless of whether this port is located on the TV or laptop side. The sound output will have to be configured in some other way, for example, to the speaker system through the headphone output (do not forget to set the appropriate playback device in Windows, described in the next paragraph).

Right-click on the speaker icon in the Windows notification area, select Playback Devices. Right-click in an empty area of the device list and turn on show disabled and disconnected devices. Notice if there is an HDMI device in the list (maybe more than one). Click on the one you need (if you know which one) with the right mouse button and set "Use by default".

If all devices are disabled or there are no HDMI devices in the list (and they are also missing in the sound adapters section of the device manager), then it is quite possible that you do not have all the necessary drivers for your laptop motherboard or video card installed, they should be taken from the official laptop manufacturer's website (for a discrete video card - from its manufacturer's website).

Problems with cables and adapters when connecting

It is also worth considering that very often problems with connecting to a TV (especially if the output and input are different) are caused by low-quality cables or adapters. And the point is not only in quality, but in a misunderstanding that a Chinese cable with different “ends” is usually an inoperable thing. Those. you need an adapter, for example this one:.

For example, a frequent option - a person buys a VGA-HDMI cable, but it does not work. In most cases, and for most laptops, this cable will never work, you need a converter from analog to digital signal (or vice versa, depending on what is connected to what). It is only suitable for cases where the laptop specifically supports digital output via VGA, and there are almost no such cases.

Connecting Apple Macbook Pro and Air laptops to a TV

Mini DisplayPort Adapters at the Apple Store

Apple laptops are equipped with a Mini DisplayPort output. To connect to a TV, you will need to purchase an appropriate adapter, depending on what inputs are available on your TV. For sale on the Apple Store (can be found elsewhere), the following options are available:

Mini DisplayPort - VGA
Mini DisplayPort to HDMI
Mini DisplayPort to DVI

The connection itself is intuitive. All that is required is to connect the wires and select the desired image source on the TV.

More wired options

In addition to the HDMI-HDMI interface, you can use other wired connection options to display an image from a laptop to a TV. Depending on the configuration, these may be the following options:

VGA to VGA. With this type of connection, you will have to separately take care of the sound output to the TV.
HDMI to VGA - if your TV only has a VGA input, you will need to purchase an appropriate adapter for this connection.

You can assume other options for a wired connection, but I have listed all the most common ones that you are likely to encounter.

Wireless connection of a laptop to a TV

Update 2016: I wrote a more detailed and up-to-date instruction (than what follows) on connecting a laptop to a TV via Wi-Fi, i.e. without wires: .

Modern laptops with Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors can wirelessly connect to TVs and other displays using Intel Wireless Display technology. As a rule, if you have not reinstalled Windows on your laptop, all the necessary drivers for this are already there. Without wires, not only high-resolution images are transmitted, but also sound.

To connect, you will need either a special set-top box for the TV, or support for this technology by the TV receiver itself. The latter include:

LG Smart TV (not all models)
Samsung F-series Smart TV
Toshiba Smart TV
Many Sony Bravia TVs

Unfortunately, I don't have the opportunity to test and demonstrate how this all works, but detailed instructions on using Intel WiDi to wirelessly connect a laptop and ultrabook to a TV is on the official Intel website:

I hope the methods described above will be enough for you to be able to connect your devices in the right way.