Connecting a laptop to a TV?

[TimeChaser]

If I wanted to hook up my laptop to a TV so that I could video files on the laptop and have them play on the TV, what would I need to do it?

[IsIt1984Yet]

1. Do you have an S-video output on your laptop?

[TimeChaser]

3. I don't know, what does one look like?

I have hooked up this laptop to a projector at the school's library before, so I know it can do that...

[IsIt1984Yet]

5. oops, see post # 4, posted in wrong spot.

[qnr]

2. Depends upon the laptop I suppose. Even mine, which is pretty darned old,

has an S-Video output jack, I just plug an S-Video cable into the laptop & TV (and mini-to-RCA cables from the headphone jack if I don't want to use the laptop for sound). I then press Fn & F3 for output to the televison instead of the laptop (If I remember the function key, I haven't really used it in a while). So I guess I'm saying is first look for the simple answer, maybe you can do it with no major trouble.

[IsIt1984Yet]

4. Looks like this

If you do, you get an s-video cable out to your TV (which should have an s-video in)

That covers the picture, now you need sound... they make Y-Cables like this:


These go from your headphone out jack to the red/white audio in jacks in the TV>

[sakabatou]

6. Damn I don't have one... I think...

[TimeChaser]

8. I've definatly got one of those

Now, how much do the cables usually cost?

[ghostsofgiants]

12. I'd guess around $10

If your TV doesn't have S-Video input, make sure you get one that has an S-Video connector on one end and RCA connectors on the other. Just go to Radio Shack or wherever, they'll know what you're talking about.

[IsIt1984Yet]

13. The S-Video cables are like $12-$40

Here:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=pcmcat69400050016

Y Cables are maybe $9-$30
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7005457&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat33400050027&id=1099392032460

[seemunkee]

7. Get a TV tuner card

It would look like this

Costs about $50

[IsIt1984Yet]

9. That's for input, he's trying to play videos from latop on TV.

[seemunkee]

10. Right, I got it backwards

You need something like this
http://www.impactacoustics.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=1001&sku=27388

[ghostsofgiants]

11. No, she doesn't need that either...

She has an S-Video output so all she needs to do is get a cable, connect it to the TV, then configure it as a second monitor (I have mine set as an extended desktop, so I can watch a movie and use the computer still). It's actually pretty simple.

[pstokely]

14. It depends on your TV and Laptop

Some TVs don't even have RCA jacks