How to connect laptop to lcd monitor?

unkel

I need to connect my laptop to the lcd monitor in my car. There is a video-in connection (single plug) in the car
My laptop has video-out (S-video) but I would prefer not to use it and instead use the VGA connection directly. Is this possible, or how would you go about it?

Any help is much appreciated

GoneShootin

Whats the diff tween using the S Video vs VGA - do you need the S Video for something else?

You should be able to pick up a video in -> S Video converter for small money.

unkel

GoneShootin wrote:

do you need the S Video for something else?

No, not using the video-out for anything else. I would like to use the VGA connection directly as it would not depend on any installed drivers. The aim is to get the resolution as low as possible

My car is late '96 so almost 10 years old! The lcd in the car is natively used for televison + teletext

unkel

And the laptop does not have a screen, hence it'd be difficult to switch to tv-out on the blind

Chalk

if you have a monitor hooked up it should auto start to that.
mine does ,ie, it knows if theres an external display connected during boot.
not sure of doing it without drivers.

if it needs them, just install the drivers on another pc using the keyboard only and then follow the steps on the broke pc?

echomadman

once you've configured the tv out using a regular external monitor, surely there's a keyboard shortcut to activate the tv out, fn+f8 i think on my dell.
otherwise get a vga-tv converter http://www.psism.com/tviewgold.htm for example.

jayok

What make model of laptop is it?

unkel

Thanks for the advice, lads. Apologies for my late response

What I really need is a direct cable from S-video out (laptop) to the video in in the car. I don't know what video in connection it is, but it seems to be similar in size to a 3.5mm headphone connection. It definitely is NOT scart, S-video, composite(yellow), VGA(15 pin) or DVI

It doesn't need to do sound, video only is fine. Any suggestions?

Chalk wrote:

if you have a monitor hooked up it should auto start to that

It doesn't unfortunately

echomadman wrote:

once you've configured the tv out using a regular external monitor, surely there's a keyboard shortcut to activate the tv out, fn+f8 i think on my dell.
otherwise get a vga-tv converter http://www.psism.com/tviewgold.htm for example.

Aye, did that, but the results are crap. Don't want to spend money on a convertor

jayok wrote:

What make model of laptop is it?

Compaq PP2130

Chalk

so your looking for a vga to svideo cable?
you know as well as i do that they dont exist.
the 3.5mm video out thats used on camcorders and your lcd is just a shrunk down s-video.

scan converter or video out is what your stuck with.
imo both will look sh1t on a tiny monitor.
time to get a digital instead of analog monitor methinks

unkel

Chalk wrote:

so your looking for a vga to svideo cable?
you know as well as i do that they dont exist

No, I realise I will have to use the laptop's svideo out

Chalk wrote:

the 3.5mm video out thats used on camcorders and your lcd is just a shrunk down s-video

Ah! That's new to me

Where can I get a cable for that? (svideo out from the laptop to "shrunk down s-video" 3.5mm into the lcd monitor)

Chalk wrote:

time to get a digital instead of analog monitor methinks

Nah, budget is tight to none and the lcd is built into the car so that's what I want to use

Thanks for your help!

Chalk

http://www.connectxpress.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=5209&sku=29149&engine=bizrate


google around for camcorder video cables,
maplins might do one
in fact they do
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=33039&doy=15m6

unklerosco

Chalk wrote:

so your looking for a vga to svideo cable?
you know as well as i do that they dont exist.

WRONG!!!! They do exist... Here's one i made earlier... Do a google, U can get VGA to composte n S-video connections..

unkel

Ta lads

Chalk, I have one of those. In fact now you mention camcorder, I actually have two :eek:

unklerosco, thanks for the tip, I've ordered one from the States for $3.99

I'll let you know if it worked using both...