PC->TV HELP

[Makoes]

Ok...I have a Gateway (ATI Radeon HD 5570) Win7 computer that I am trying to hook up to my TV (samsung 46" LCD 1080p) via a VGA cable, however, I cannot seem to get the tv or PC to read each other.

Tried looking online for help and was met with more jargon then I could handle.

I know there is something on my computer that I need to do...and atm, whenever I switch my tv over to the computer setting, it displays a message "no signal" for a few seconds, and then the TV shuts off...

We were having this issue when trying to hook the Laptop up to the TV, after an update to the Laptop it worked, but the laptops so old that it cant really stream movies well, on top of that we're not sure how to get the sound to come out the TV instead of the laptop.

Would like to know how to get the sound to come out the TV once we get the PC/TV working together to, but its not that important since I have my speakers on the PC.

So...if anyone can give me some directions on how to get my PC/TV co-operating, that would be nice. Preferably in a step by step manner...

Thanks in advance

[Rawr]

Not sure if this helps but I can hook my PC to my computer using my PS3. Network Sharing in the Control Panel is where I set it up at, but for going straight to the TV I'm not really sure.

[Makoes]

Sadly that doesn't help how we are trying to hook things up.

I just wish I was more computer literate...and that my TV didn't turn off when no signal was found...I just want to Watch cartoons/anime on the TV and have family time.

*glares evily at PC/TV*

[Tsuki]

Just word of advice, even if you do get it working, it will most likely look terrible. It's very hard to find a good resoltion for TVs, and you will almost never get a good colour setting, and as a result, words will either be too small, or too huge, everything will be a bit fuzzy, and possibly also tinted orange or green.
TVs are not really optimized for computer use, so your best bet is to just get an actual moniter; they're generally easier to hook up anyway.
This is just from my experience x3

[Makoes]

/sigh.

At least Rawr suggested a possible other way to do something...

[Royi]

Just word of advice, even if you do get it working, it will most likely look terrible. It's very hard to find a good resoltion for TVs, and you will almost never get a good colour setting, and as a result, words will either be too small, or too huge, everything will be a bit fuzzy, and possibly also tinted orange or green.
TVs are not really optimized for computer use, so your best bet is to just get an actual moniter; they're generally easier to hook up anyway.
This is just from my experience x3

This. You could try using a HD cord instead to connect them (if you have a fancier newer video card that has them). I generally have problems with the simple VGA. some tv's don't like them.

Otherwise though I have much better luck connecting my Directv (my provider) directly to my lil 22 or 24 inch HD monitor. Looks very sharp.

TV on a monitor generally works just fine, but computer on a tv? i haven't had much luck. it just gets distorted usually

[Rawr]

Boy toy says:
Most contemporary video cards have, HDMI output and DVI output. Most contemporary TV's have both those inputs. But if your asking then, I'm going to guess the obvious isn't there and the equipment is older. So, there are three major ways to connect to a TV from a PC. VGA input(called "component" some times, look on TV). DVI input(called "PC" some times, look on TV) and HDMI, called HDMI(you should have several of these as they are the most used method to send a video signal for entertainment systems.

Once you find one of those look on your video card:
A big usually white square looking connector, is DVI.
A smallish trapezoid type connector usually blue or just pins is VGA.
A even smaller thin slot usually just a metal hole is HDMI.

If your TV is VGA and your video card is DVI, buy a DVI->VGA adapter and a VGA cable, connect it up.

Most connections should be obvious, like HDMI->HDMI.

I seem to recall there used to be some strange adapters to go from VGA to RCA(red white yellow individual cables from the 90s) which would also probably work, though maybe are harder to find.

If no option seems obvious, you can try Googling (Videocard output type) to (TV input type). but the most likely answer you probably don't want to hear is buy new stuff.

I personally prefer using hdmi for all things TV. All this is from my boyfriend, hope it helps.

[Makoes]

Well, like I said, I am using a VGA cable. Same cable I used to connect my Laptop with my TV, though my laptop itself is a bit older and cannot run the movies from the site very well, which is why we are trying to get my PC hooked to the TV instead (and my PC has better speakers). The cord is connected to both TV and PC, but neither TV not PC seem to recognize each other. I know there is something in the Control panel that I need to do on my computer and THAT is what I am having a hard time figuring out.

[Rawr]

Boytoy says 1st thing that might be wrong would be a broken cable, second you might not have your video card set to the second output. Try that and see what happens.

[Makoes]

ok...how do I do that?

[Rawr]

ok...how do I do that?

For the broken cable, try hooking up to something you know works to test it. The ATI card has Catalysis the setting should be somewhere in there.

[Boven]

I have a Samsung DLP set. It's almost certainly a little older than yours, but odds are it'll work similarly. I'm assuming the tv has a VGA input that you're using instead of DVI or HDMI.

Do you get any message on screen when you switch the tv's source input to VGA? If there's no signal (either from nothing being connected or a bad cable) mine will display a 'Weak or No Signal" message. Mine doesn't shut off in that case, but the screen does go black. Being an LCD, yours might behave differently and actually shut off.

I assume you're setting the laptop to actually send a display signal to whatever video port you're hooking the cable up to.

Assuming you do get a signal through to the tv, have a look at the available video settings on the set. Odds are it'll have some modes for Game, Movie, etc. When I got my tv, I couldn't resist playing WoW on it a little (heck, my Tauren chars were 13" tall on screen!) and discovered quickly that the tv really needed to be in its Game video mode. Even then, the colors were a bit oversaturated.