Determine which video output port(s) your laptop has. There are several possible types; your laptop may have more than 1.
A VGA port is roughly rectangular with 15 pins in 3 rows of 5. It’s how you connect your laptop to a docking station.
An S-video port is circular with either 4 or 7 pins.
A composite video port is a circular jack, usually color-coded yellow.
A digital video interface (DVI) port is rectangular, with 24 pins in 3 rows of 8. It is designed for high-definition connections. hp g42 fan
A high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port resembles a USB port, but is longer and thinner. Available in laptops since 2008, it is also designed for high-definition connections.
See which video input port(s) your TV has. This will depend on whether your TV is a standard-definition or high-definition TV.
Standard-definition TVs usually have composite video or S-video ports. The display will not be as sharp as through your PC’s regular monitor, however. hp g7 fan
High-definition TVs may have VGA, DVI or HDMI ports. VGA connections provide an analog signal, while DVI and HDMI connections provide a digital signal of higher quality.
Get the right video cable to connect your laptop to your TV.
If your laptop’s output port is the same kind as your TV’s input port, get a cable with the same kind of connector on each end.
If your laptop’s output port and your TV’s input port are different, you’ll need an adapter cable. Adapters are available to convert DVI to HDMI or VGA to composite video. You can also get an adapter cable to connect your computer’s USB port to your TV’s HDMI port if your laptop has no HDMI port.
Obtain an audio cable if necessary. Some computers and high-definition TVs can connect to the TV’s audio and video with a single cable, while most require separate audio and video cables.
If your laptop is equipped with an HDMI port and an HDMI-enabled sound card, you don’t need a separate audio cable; otherwise, you do.
Your laptop’s audio output is a 3.5-mm jack marked with a headset icon. You can connect an audio cable from here to your TV’s audio input if it has one or to external speakers if it doesn’t.
Connecting Your Laptop to Your TV
Shut down your laptop.
Connect the video cable to your laptop and TV’s video ports.
Set your TV to the input coming from your laptop. Consult your TV’s user guide for instructions if necessary.
Turn your laptop on. You should see your startup screen.
Adjust the screen resolution if necessary. If you have connected to a high-definition TV, its 16:9 aspect ratio may cause the picture to be stretched. Use a screen resolution that matches this aspect ratio.
If you don’t see a recognizable image, you may have to disconnect your laptop temporarily and adjust your resolution before reconnecting your laptop to your TV.