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How To Connect Your Laptop To Your Television

How To Connect Your Laptop To Your Television

You can utilize your television to display your videos and other files that are on your laptop.

Step 1: You will need

  • a PC or Mac laptop computer
  • a digital TV
  • a VGA 15-pin connector cable; or an S-Video cable and mini to RCA audio cable;
  • or a wireless converter

Step 2: Double Your Display

Make sure your laptop supports multiple displays.

Step 3: The VGA Way

Use a 15-pin, male-to-male VGA cable to connect your laptop to your TV. male-to-male means the pins are sticking out on both ends. Since both ends are male, you'll need to find the female VGA input on your laptop and on your TV. This is often called the PC input. Now, connect one end into the TV and one end into the PC. On a Mac, the VGA input is conveniently labeled with a “display” icon. It's recommended that you do this with everything powered off.

Step 4: Go S-Video

Instead of a VGA cable, you can also use an S - Video cable. All TV's have an S-video input. Your TV probably came with the cable, right in the box. Just hook it up. Then, take the audio cable. Plug the mini end into your laptop and the Red & White into the TV to get better sound than your tiny laptop speakers.

Step 5: Go Wireless

You can also use a wireless converter - like this one from AdLogic. It converts the digital signal on your laptop into a format your analog TV can show. The advantage of wireless is space. You can keep your laptop right on your lap, and those online videos get zapped to your TV.

Step 6: Big Screen Browsing

If you're “mirroring”, meaning your TV screen is identical to your laptop screen, go ahead and use your computer to navigate your way online.
But if you've “extended” your desktop, your TV screen gives you additional space besides what's on your laptop. So you'll have to drag your favorite Internet browser, like Firefox or Explorer, over to the TV screen. Click onto your chosen video and go to the big screen.