PC to HDTV

[azazellee]

Ok. So I have a Toshiba Regza which has a VGA input on it. So I hook up my laptop to it. What shows up on the TV is in full screen with spaces on the sides. When I try to change to the resolution to a widescreen setting (ive tried them all), the TV says "unsupported video input". I can strech out the image so it fits the TV, but of course I'd rather it be natural widescreen. Anyone know how to make this happen, or am I S.O.L.?

[gearyt]

sol.... sorry
you need a video card with a HDMI / DVI output to get what you want

[guitarist155]

Originally Posted by gearyt

sol.... sorry
you need a video card with a HDMI / DVI output to get what you want

not really, he just needs a video card that supports wide screen, vga can handle the resolution it just needs your computer to output it

[BLindsay]

So all the 4:3 resolutions work but the 16:9 ones do not?

how old is the laptop, and what video card is in it?

[Snpbond]

You need to make sure your tv will support the resolution you set on your laptop. Look in the manual for the tv, under specifications. I use my macbook to run widescreen on my tv and set the resolution to 1360x768 (or something like that, thats from memory). Perhaps you set the resolution too high for the tv..

[crackinhedz]

Perhaps you set the resolution too high for the tv..

yeah, some tv's have limited resolution support for the VGA connection. Better check the user manual.

[azazellee]

It's a new laptop. The screen on it is widescreen so the video card shouldn't be the problem. I've misplaced the TV manual. I'll have to find it online. What really sucks is my wife went out and bought this computer on her own, and she could've got the same one with an HDMI output on it. That probably would have made this alot easier.

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by azazellee

It's a new laptop. The screen on it is widescreen so the video card shouldn't be the problem. I've misplaced the TV manual. I'll have to find it online. What really sucks is my wife went out and bought this computer on her own, and she could've got the same one with an HDMI output on it. That probably would have made this alot easier.

Actually, the video card most likely is the problem. "Problem" might not be the right word; I'm thinking "issue" is more appropriate. You just need to adjust the screen settings on your PC to match what your TV can handle; all TVs are different so just play around a bit and/or RTFM! Try to stick to something that's close to 16:9 like Snpbond said so that you don't get the stretchies.

My setup has a Dell SX260 (a pretty non-fancy computer) outputting its video over a VGA, and it looks cherry. The video settings I chose were 1360 x 768 @ 60 Hz (click here for image). I was going with 1280x1024 for the first few months of having my setup, but switched it very recently to get a "truer" 16:9 ratio. I don't know what I was thinking before; probably that the 1024 would give me a better image. That is not necessarily so. I'm very glad I switched to 1360 x 768 because everything looks right now. It was all horizontally stretched before the switch.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by guitarist155

not really, he just needs a video card that supports wide screen, vga can handle the resolution it just needs your computer to output it

Listen to guitarist155 (and me )

[azazellee]

So much for that. The owner's manual says it has to be set to 800x600 or it won't work.

...Crap.

[guitarist155]

Originally Posted by azazellee

So much for that. The owner's manual says it has to be set to 800x600 or it won't work.

...Crap.

figures, but if you wanted to use it like an 11in 4 x 3 it would be great

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by guitarist155

figures, but if you wanted to use it like an 11in 4 x 3 it would be great

He he he... good one.

Originally Posted by azazellee

So much for that. The owner's manual says it has to be set to 800x600 or it won't work.

...Crap.

That sucks that you can only do 800 x 600. I don't really understand why an HDTV would only allow that; that's completely incongruous with what HDTV is inherently all about. Weird. Sorry, dude.

[liquidice]

don't know the program, but if you do some digging around online there is a freeware program that you can download and force your laptop to output in other resolution/screen size. That might help.

[gearyt]

not an expert at pc's, but would a VGA to HDMI convertor solve the problem..
let you go thru the HDMI input instead of the VGA input of the TV ??

[airkitty]

Agreed, except that you don't have to convert DVI (= HDMI with no sound) to HDMI, per se. They are compatible and an adapter or DVI to HDMI cable should work. My 6 year old Dell 4600 with an updated video card works real nice with just a DVI to HDMI cable.
Mark

[guitarist155]

correct except that he is using VGA not DVI, they do make a converter box that is VGA to hdmi that you could try but i think they are a bit expensive.

you can't just use a cable from vga to hdmi as vga is analog and dvi/hdmi is a digital signal

[airkitty]

OOPS - my bad. I should wake up before I post. Thank you for the correction.
Mark

[Blu_Ray_Fan]

Originally Posted by azazellee

So much for that. The owner's manual says it has to be set to 800x600 or it won't work.

...Crap.

Thats what you get for buying a Toshiba , should have but a Sony!! LOL j/k

I'm still bitter