There are many ways to connect your laptop to your TV. In this article, we present all the ideas to you to connect your laptop to your tv.
How To Connect Laptop to TV? [HDMI, wirelessly, VGA]
No need for a smart TV to access Pluzz, Canal Play, Netflix, YouTube, Arte +7 … Connect your computer to your TV and enjoy, on the big screen, all online video platforms.
Simple and fast, all you need is to find the right cable or key, and Tech Advisor is there to guide you.
To find out how to connect your tablet or smartphone to your TV
Which cable to choose to connect your PC to your TV?
Before you buy anything, examine the ports on your computer and TV. The HDMI port is the most common on both TVs and computers.
All the better, this is the easiest way to connect to each other. Even though the vast majority of TVs and laptops sold in the last 10 years own this port, it is better to check your devices. Note that there are several sizes of HDMI that we detail below.
We surrounded in red the HDMI socket.
The VGA port (sometimes called PC IN – as in this picture) is also widespread. It is a bit less convenient than the HDMI port since it only transfers the image. You will need to get a second cable (3.5mm audio) for the sound.
We surrounded in blue the HDMI socket.
If your computer does not have a video output, you can still connect it to your TV using an adapter to plug into your USB to turn it into a VGA output. These adapters cost around 25 € .
You do not like cables? There are several wireless solutions detailed in the rest of our article.
Use an HDMI cable
Using an HDMI cable to connect a computer to a TV is simple and economical.
The cable costs around 15 euros, the quality of the image and sound is not degraded by the latter and there is no setting to do!
Before you buy your HDMI cable, check the size of the sockets on your computer and TV.
Type A (left) is the standard. It is often present on large devices, such as televisions, computers or game consoles.
The type C (in the middle), also nicknamed Mini HDMI, and the type D (right) generally qualified Micro HDMI, are found almost exclusively on tablets, ultra-portable PCs and smartphones.
– When you have found the suitable cable, turn on your TV, your computer, and connect them with HDMI.
– On your TV, choose the correct video output using your remote control (button usually named AV or INPUT).
– Your computer should automatically adjust your image for optimal viewing.
– If you want to change the view manually, on your computer go to Settings → Display → Advanced Settings → Resolution.
Use a VGA cable
If your computer and TV do not have HDMI ports but VGA ports, you will need two cables: a VGA for the picture and a 3.5mm audio jack for the sound.
The procedure to follow is very simple:
- Turn on your TV and your computer and connect them with the VGA cable.
- Plug your 3.5mm Jack cable into your computer’s earphone output and into the sound input of your TV.
- Your computer should adjust the image automatically. If you want to change it, go to your display settings.
How to connect your computer to your wireless TV?
If you can not or do not want to use a cable to connect your computer to your TV, try wireless. Several options are available to you, and they depend greatly on the material at your disposal.
If your devices are new, they may have innovations like Miracast or WiDi. These allow you to connect your computer, smartphone or tablet to your TV, wirelessly.
These technologies are not yet widespread, due in particular to the lack of compatible devices, but it does not cost anything to check.
Another way to connect your computer to your TV is to use a media box like Chromecast from Google . Available in France since November 2016, this accessory is a little more expensive than an HDMI (39 €) but it allows you to stream the content of all your Android devices, iOS, Windows on your TV.
Use a USB to HDMI cable
If you do not have an HDMI port on your computer but you have one on your TV, you can use a USB to HDMI adapter.
The only complication is that you have to download software to turn your USB port into video output. Also, make sure that the USB / HDMI cable / adapter is compatible with your computer before you buy it.
Use an external hard drive to watch a video on your TV
If your television is recent, it certainly has a USB socket. In this case, you can transfer a video from your computer to a USB flash drive and connect it to your TV.
Only technical point to keep in mind: the format of the video. Prefer videos in MP4, and check which other formats are compatible with your TV.