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New HDTV... Best way of playing files from my laptop?

  • 28-01-2012 11:14AM
    #1
    Shaque attack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 921 ✭✭✭Shaque attack


    Hi guys,

    I hope this is the right forum for this. Feel free to move if it's not.

    I just got myself an LG HDTV and I've been messing around with it for the last hour or two. I put some music, pic's and videos onto a usb key and it had no trouble playing any of the file formats I had.

    So I'm wondering what is the best value for money way of having my files handy to use on the TV? I don't have any HDMI ports on my laptop so that's out. Would there be much of a difference between getting an ordinary external hard drive and leaving it connected to the TV when I have it loaded up or should I get one of the external hd's that come with remotes?

    Are there other options I'm missing? I dont want to be going back and forth with a usb key all the time.

    Cheers,


Comments

  • #2
    dharn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭dharn


    i have an ordinary iomega hard drive connected to my tv you can explore all media on it with tv remote, mine is a panasonic but wont play many files, i use realplayer to download youtube videos they are fla. files but panosonic wont play them it is very picky you lg might be better in that regard


  • #3
    Ryker Crooked Duet
    Posts: 4,333 ✭✭✭ Ryker Crooked Duet


    Shaque attack wrote: »
    Hi guys,

    I hope this is the right forum for this. Feel free to move if it's not.

    I just got myself an LG HDTV and I've been messing around with it for the last hour or two. I put some music, pic's and videos onto a usb key and it had no trouble playing any of the file formats I had.

    So I'm wondering what is the best value for money way of having my files handy to use on the TV? I don't have any HDMI ports on my laptop so that's out. Would there be much of a difference between getting an ordinary external hard drive and leaving it connected to the TV when I have it loaded up or should I get one of the external hd's that come with remotes?

    Are there other options I'm missing? I dont want to be going back and forth with a usb key all the time.

    Cheers,

    Connecting the laptop to the tv could still be an option?

    As posted on page two:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056513622
    Gary Magnificent Photocopier wrote: »
    For the dell you will need two cables, a vga to vga cable like this which goes in the pc in port above

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-5M-MALE-MALE-SVGA-VGA-PC-MONITOR-TFT-CABLE-LEAD-/290457055240?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item43a096f008

    This only carries the video though, so you will also need a headphone to headphone i.e 3.5 to 3.5 jack. This goes in the headphone socket on the dell and the pc/dvi audio in port in the pic

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-5mm-3-5mm-Gold-Jack-iPod-Lead-AUX-input-Wire-Cable-/170755054558?pt=UK_CE_MP3Access_RL&hash=item27c1cb5bde

    Try to get both cables the same length so the audio doesnt go out of sync but you should be ok regardless. you can the the cables in any power city or pc store.

    Finally once its connected the you will need to go into the display properties while the laptop is connect and change to the best resolution, probably 1366 x 768or higher.

    This method is the cheapest, if the mac doesnt have hdmi (dont think any macs do but could be wrong?) it will cost you a fortune with adaptor cables, the dell will be the easiest.

    The same should work here.You dont need hdmi, VGA cables will work perfectly up to 1080p hd (your laptop might only be able to output 720p 1366X768 over vga) but it will still work perfectly and most hd files on the laptop will on be 720p anyway.


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