Connecting Laptop to Samsung HDTV

Al Roberts

I've been having problem trying to connect me laptop to me Samsung Flatscreen, and I've been reading up on it a bit, a lot of people are having trouble with connecting to samsung T.V's.

It's strange because it works grand on my other cheaper T.V.

I wan't to use it to watch movies through. I have tried all the different commands like fn etc can't think of them off hand, still no joy. Is it just a problem on Samsungs side.

I'm connecting it up using vga to vga for visual and 3.5 to 3.5 for sound.

Adam

how is it a problem on samsungs side? if you're on the vga input channel and you're getting no picture, it's something you're not doing right with the laptop, i.e. setting up a second display.

Al Roberts

I'm doing the exact same thing on me other t.v and it works grand on that.

mp22

On my samsung i have to set up the laptop to show the desk top only on the tv (laptop screen gets turned off).laptop is a dell vostro on win 7

Al Roberts

mp22 wrote: »

On my samsung i have to set up the laptop to show the desk top only on the tv (laptop screen gets turned off).laptop is a dell vostro on win 7

Yep when hook everything up my laptop screen goes blank so I can't configure anything while being connected. I'm using a compaq with with Windows 7.

Adam

then i would imagine it's a windows 7 problem, i have a samsung tv myself and i've used another one before and had no problems connecting them to several different tv's.

when you hook up the vga your laptop screen goes blank, that's a laptop settings issue, but can you not get any picture on the tv? are you sure which AV vhannel you're supposed to be on?

Al Roberts

Adam wrote: »

then i would imagine it's a windows 7 problem, i have a samsung tv myself and i've used another one before and had no problems connecting them to several different tv's.

when you hook up the vga your laptop screen goes blank, that's a laptop settings issue, but can you not get any picture on the tv? are you sure which AV vhannel you're supposed to be on?

No not getting any picture on on the tv, even when I go into menu and try to chose PC from the setting it's greyed out.

I think my best option is to get a loan of a laptop of a mate and see if I have the same problem with that.

mp22

Just a thought my laptop screen resolution is set at 1200 by 800 may be yours is set at something that the tv cant use?

Adam

mp22 wrote: »

Just a thought my laptop screen resolution is set at 1200 by 800 may be yours is set at something that the tv cant use?

this is a possibility

make and model of tv and laptop?

edit: the fact that the option on the tv is greyed out implies that the tv isn't receiving a video signal, so i'm still going with the laptop being the problem.

Al Roberts

Adam wrote: »

this is a possibility

make and model of tv and laptop?

edit: the fact that the option on the tv is greyed out implies that the tv isn't receiving a video signal, so i'm still going with the laptop being the problem.

Yeh I'd agree that it's most likely the laptop. But at the same time if it works on one tele should it not work on all tele's.

Laptop: Compaq Presario c500
Tv: Samsung PN42B450 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

@mp22 I've tried all the different resolutions.

Adam

do you have it connected on boot up? if so, do you see the POST screen on the tv?

Al Roberts

I have tried it 2 ways, having it connected on boot up and just connecting it while laptop is running.

Sorry, I don't quite get what you mean by the "POST" screen!

Could it be anything to do with the fact I installed Windows 7 over Windows XP.

Adam

Al Roberts wrote: »

I have tried it 2 ways, having it connected on boot up and just connecting it while laptop is running.

Sorry, I don't quite get what you mean by the "POST" screen!

Could it be anything to do with the fact I installed Windows 7 over Windows XP.

Power On Self Test, basically the white text on black screen that you get at the very start of powering on any laptop/pc

Al Roberts

If I have it connected on boot up, I see nothing on the TV screen. The laptop screen shows the usual but as soon as I log into my user account its goes black.

Al Roberts

Ok I'm back, I've bought a new laptop, Dell Inc. Studio 1749,

have the same problem, so unfortunately it wasn't the old laptop that was causing the problem:mad:

I'm still trying to connect using vga/vga and 3.5/3.5

I can now see my laptop screen when I connect the cables, but my T.V. still doesn't seem to be receiving a signal. The P.C. option is still greyed out.

I've tried many different resolutions, Fn tap P, rebooted etc...

Really frustrating, I was looking forward to watching the football later.

maggy_thatcher

If you open the display properties, what does it say? Does it show two screens or one? Similarly, if you open Device Manager, what devices are listed under Display devices?

Al Roberts

maggy_thatcher wrote: »

If you open the display properties, what does it say? Does it show two screens or one? Similarly, if you open Device Manager, what devices are listed under Display devices?

ATI mobility Radeon HD 5650 is in the device manager.

maggy_thatcher

Al Roberts wrote: »

ATI mobility Radeon HD 5650 is in the device manager.

That's the display adapter, not the display itself. There should be a section Displays or something like that (I don't have Windows here so can't see exactly what it is called)

Al Roberts

I can't see anything with display there. Here's a print screen if it helps.
http://img243.imageshack.us/f/devicemanager.jpg/

maggy_thatcher

Al Roberts wrote: »

I can't see anything with display there. Here's a print screen if it helps.
http://img243.imageshack.us/f/devicemanager.jpg/

It was called 'Monitors' and was marked as "Generic PnP monitor". If you disconnect it from the TV, does that entry disappear? Also, it's more the 'display properties' page that would be more useful -- as that shows the screen layouts that you have.

As an aside - doesn't the Dell Studio 17 series have a HDMI connection? If it does, then use that instead of the VGA one. You'll get a much clearer picture, and it's generally easier to set up. On my setup that's what I'm using (my laptop has a DVI connection). You may even find that it pumps sound through that connection as well (I've no idea if it does on that particular laptop...), which would negate even needing to mess around with the audio jack. If it doesn't, Samsung TVs (at least our one anyway) allows for using the audio jack in for channel HDMI1. In addition, if you ever purchase DRMed video content, you may find that it won't output through the VGA port due to draconian restrictions (whereas it will be transmitted through HDMI as that can be encrypted)...depending of course on how well implemented the HDMI support on the laptop is!

Al Roberts

Yeh the laptop has a hdmi connection, I'll have to look into that.

Just one last question, How do I show the display properties page? I can't seem to find it, I remember it on XP, just now that I'm using windows 7 it's a bit confusing.

maggy_thatcher

Al Roberts wrote: »

Yeh the laptop has a hdmi connection, I'll have to look into that.

Just one last question, How do I show the display properties page? I can't seem to find it, I remember it on XP, just now that I'm using windows 7 it's a bit confusing.

I've never used Windows 7, so don't know...I'd have thought it was still accessible as an option in the Control Panel though (if right-clicking the background and selecting 'Properties' doesn't work).

daiz

It is the tv that giving you the problem, here is the simple solution, remove all cables from tv including all scarts. hit the source button on the tv, and go through all the sections - tv - scart - hdmi ect, leaving it on each section untill it flicks to blue screen or black for most models and is recieving no signal. then plug in you laptop making sure you push FN and F7 (for most laptops) until the laptop screen goes black. this mean that you tv is recieving full power from your graphic card. now push source again untill you get to vga, and end of story.

I got this answer from www.fixitforafiver.com they have live techs online all day and you give out free-bee so if this does not work give them a shout.

Hope it works out for you

Daizzzzzzy