Connecting TV To Computer Via Vga
Agree, sometimes when using programs on laptops that require a large workspace that a standard screen cannot provide, it is much more convenient to use a modern TV panel as a monitor. In this regard, there is an urgent need to solve the problem when you need to connect the TV to the laptop via the VGA output. Why VGA? Because almost all models of laptops and TVs are equipped with such connectors. But when creating such a connection in some cases, you may encounter some difficulties. Next, it will be shown how to get around or eliminate them, as well as make the correct connection and initial configuration of both devices.
How to connect a TV to a laptop via VGA: what is needed?
The first step is to make sure that you have the appropriate connectors on both devices. Of course, when connecting devices to each other, it is desirable to use the same outputs and inputs. There are no problems.
But you can often meet a situation where the laptop has only a VGA output (aka D-Sub), and the TV only has an HDMI connector. Here the essence of the question of how to connect the TV to the laptop via VGA-HDMI, is to use a special adapter.
Connection Issues via VGA
But problems are not limited to this. This is due to the fact that through VGA only a picture is transmitted, but not sound.
But many would like to use the powerful speakers of modern TV panels with multi-channel sound. How to connect a TV to a laptop via VGA, so that there is sound too?
In such a situation, you will have to purchase a special model of the VGA to HDMI adapter, on which there are additional connectors for audio transmission (either a regular 3.5 mm mini-jack or standard “tulips”).
How to connect a TV to a laptop via VGA with sound?
As a rule, connection when choosing the above scheme is not particularly difficult.
From the VGA and HDMI connectors are connected to the corresponding ports, after which the audio cable is connected. It is not possible to confuse the connectors. There is a special socket for the mini-jack, and the “tulips” are connected in accordance with color marks.
Initial screen setup
Connecting the TV to the laptop via VGA-HDMI is completed. Now you should check the screen duplication settings.
It may be necessary to initially indicate the type of connection on the TV panel by selecting HDMI as the source when you press the Source (Input) button on the remote control several times or by calling the corresponding menu. On some models of television panels, you may need to enable or disable the TV / AV or TV / modes (it all depends solely on the modification of the TV and its manufacturer).
After that, to connect the TV to the laptop via VGA, you need to send the image to the TV panel. As a rule, one of the F1-F12 function buttons should have a special icon with two screens. The button is used in combination with the Fn key, although there is no single standard among manufacturers. Usually a single press leads to the appearance of the image on the TV, the secondary returns the image to the laptop screen.
However, all Windows systems have a one-stop solution. It is enough to use the combination of Win P, after which the setup menu appears, which includes expanding the screen to multiple monitors or duplication. In Windows 10, this feature is available when you click on the notification icon in the system tray at the bottom right. In addition, if the automatic screen settings did not work, you will need to set the resolution on the TV directly in the Windows system manually, based on its characteristics and capabilities.
Alternative Image Adjustment Method
But, let’s say, in this way the TV did not connect to the laptop via VGA, or the combination did not work for some reason.
As a fallback, you can use RMB on the free “Desktop” area with a choice of screen resolution settings. In the main settings, you can perform the same operations (expand the screen to two monitors or duplicate it, depending on the needs of the user). For example, when expanding to the TV panel, you can display only the media player, and when duplicating, display the entire space of the “Desktop” or the running program.
Sound setting
It turns out that connecting a TV to a laptop via a VGA connector is only half the battle. Now you have to do the sound tuning, because for some reason Windows systems do not automatically switch to television panels.
You can call up the sound settings through the PCM menu on the volume icon in the system tray, where the line of playback devices is selected. In principle, access to the settings can be obtained from the standard “Control Panel”.
Here on the playback tab you should pay attention to the device in the name of which there is HDMI. Right-click on a submenu and select the default device usage line in it. If the TV-panel audio system is not in the list, in the called menu you should use the activation of the display of disconnected devices, and then repeat the steps described above.
As for switching the sound format, it all depends on the capabilities of the speaker system of the TV itself. On some models, right on the remote control, you can find a special button that changes the sound, activating various audio circuits with setting the priority sound of different speakers, setting the equalizer, if any, etc.
Conclusion
As you can see, the problem of how to connect the TV to the laptop via the VGA output is solved quite simply. Questions with the choice of connectors, in theory, should not be. The most important thing is to make the subsequent adjustment of the broadcast of image and sound to the television panel. However, no particular difficulties are expected here, since in Windows-systems this whole procedure is standardized.
Actually, the connection procedure comes down to the correct choice of the necessary adapter, its connection to both devices, image and sound settings. In this case, Windows sometimes, when choosing an audio device, can additionally install the appropriate driver. But such a procedure is performed in the background, and user participation in this process is not required at all. For the rest, as practice shows, everything is simple even with the use of several outdated laptop models and television panels. And in the case of Smart TV, the setup is usually simplified even further. Such panels in most cases are initially oriented towards the ability to connect external computer or mobile devices with automatic recognition of the device and its corresponding settings at the time of connection.
