Laptop to TV problems

[Maiyr]

Hello all,

I am trying to setup my laptop (HP Pavilion dv6) as an interim HTPC. I am connecting to the TV via HDMI out on the laptop, to a converter box, and then Component in on the TV. I go into my Graphics options and select Clone Display.

Here's where things get dicey.... The max resolution supported on my laptop is 1366x768. Of course this is not supported on my TV so it appears as just a scrambled mess. If I set the resolution to 1280x720 then I get the image appearing correctly on the TV (not perfect, but it is there) and on the laptop. Of course now on the laptop the screen doesn't look it's best. This is all done by simply right clicking the desktop, selecting screen resolution and adjusting the resolution.

This laptop is using Intel HD Graphics on a Core i5.

If I right click on the desktop and got to Graphics Properties it opens the Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel. From here I can set it to Clone Displays and it also appears that I should be able to set the TV to a different resolution than the laptop display. I have tried going with 1920x1080 for the TV (it is 1080i/720p) and even used the 1280x720 (which works when adjusting resolution outside of the Intel Graphics Control Center) but all to no avail. All I can get on the TV is an image reminiscent of the incorrect resolution settings.

I have also tried multiple extended display settings, etc... all result in no good image on the TV.

Is it possible that since this laptop does not natively support 1920x1080 that I simply cannot use that resolution when attempting to output to a TV?

Or am I just missing something completely? For a 16:9 TV is 1920x1080 not the correct resolution... argh, and I thought this would be so easy.

Maiyr

 

[Maiyr]

Question came to mind. With cloning am I just going to have to accept the best resolution of the lesser monitor/TV? With cloning do both displays have to run at the same resolution?

Oh, this is Windows 8....

Thanks,

Maiyr

 

[SMOGZINN]

Question came to mind. With cloning am I just going to have to accept the best resolution of the lesser monitor/TV? With cloning do both displays have to run at the same resolution?

Oh, this is Windows 8....

Thanks,

Maiyr

Yes, you are not going to be able to clone them. Set it as two separate monitors and you should be able to set individual resolutions for each.

 

[Maiyr]

Thanks Smogzinn...

So I have tried setting up the TV as an extended display. This does then allow me to set resolutions independently. The bizarre thing is that even if I set the TV for a display of 1280x720 I still get a scrambled picture. 1280x720 is the same resolution that works on the TV if I use the clone display setting. I can live with it, but it is certainly not optimal. Just weird that 1280x720 works when using clone and doesn't when using extended.

Thanks,

Maiyr

 

[piasabird]

Might get better video connecting it to a HDTV instead of a converter box. Once you plug HDMI into a converter box you are losing probably sound and video quality. It really needs to be plugged into a HDTV device that is HDCP compliant and can use HDMI or DVI. HDMI is preferred. Non HDCP compliant devices just cause you headaches.

This is a somewhat useful explanation:
http://tv.about.com/od/hdtv/a/hdmidvihdcp.htm

You might try plugging it into a friend's HDTV that has a HDMI plug to see if you get a better picture. I have one computer at home that was one of the first generation core 2 duo processors but it is using the 775 socket and does not have Video on the processor. However, I built one computer for the Myself which had an i5 2500k and the integrated video on that CPU was 10 times better when connecting to a Samsung LCD HDTV.

 

[SMOGZINN]

Might get better video connecting it to a HDTV instead of a converter box. Once you plug HDMI into a converter box you are losing probably sound and video quality. It really needs to be plugged into a HDTV device that is HDCP compliant and can use HDMI or DVI. HDMI is preferred. Non HDCP compliant devices just cause you headaches.

ACK! I missed that he was going through a converter box. Let me look at the OP again...

I am trying to setup my laptop (HP Pavilion dv6) as an interim HTPC. I am connecting to the TV via HDMI out on the laptop, to a converter box, and then Component in on the TV. I go into my Graphics options and select Clone Display.

So, it is going Laptopt -> HDMI -> Converter Box -> Component -> TV.

So, your laptop sees the converter box and not the TV in this case. It will only display what the converter box is able to handle. I would guess the most likely case is that the converter box is only able to display 720p signals. Why in clone mode it works but not when you extend your display is a mystery but it almost certainly is caused by the converter box.


Also check that you are using the right cables.
Make sure it is component, which looks like this:

and not Composite or RCA which might look like this:

 

[Maiyr]

Thanks all,

I will check out that link. Yeah unfortunately this is an older HDTV (doesn't even have it's own tuner) and component is my only option at the moment as the 1 DVI input is in use by the DVR/FIOS receiver. The converter has HDMI in and the R/L audio and component out. It is supposed to support up to 1080i. My TV supports both 1080i/720P and so on...

I am curious now how it would look if I was using a laptop that supported 1920x1080.

Ah well, this is just an interim solution while I build an HTPC and purchase a TV that actually has HDMI inputs.

Thanks,

Maiyr

 

[Maiyr]

Sad face......

I think I figured out my issue with the resolution.... My converter only supports output up to UXGA (1600x1200). So that is likely why the 1920x1080 will not work, but the 1280x720 does. Oh, and I figured out the Extended Display issue. That was just me being stupid. So I can at least now run the laptop monitor at its correct resolution while running the TV at 1280x720. Not perfect (far from) but it will have to do until I can get all the necessary pieces in place for a full fledged HTPC experience.

Thanks all,

Maiyr