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Question

Connect a laptop with a WXGA GPU@1280x800 to a 1920x1080 LG

Dec 28, 2013 8:54PM PST

Hi,

I've recently purchased an LG LED 32LN5400. Wanted to connect one of my laptops to it, but it failed. The other laptop I have with a native 1920x1080 full hd GPU managed to connect easily to the TV, but I could not connect the laptop with WXGA GPU@1280x800. Tired changing the resolution options of the laptop's GPU, but to no avail.

Here is a forum thread I started, in my attempt to getting this issue resolved:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-1946196/connect-1280x800-notebook-gpu-1920x1080-led-hdmi-cable-fail.html

Looking forward to hearing from you with any tips on how to resolve this, should it ever be possible to be resolved.

Best,
J

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Re: screen
Dec 28, 2013 9:01PM PST

Can you elaborate on "it failed" and "tried changing the resolution, but to no avail"? That doesn't tell much.

- What laptop?
- What video driver?
- What connection (VGA, DVI, hdmi)?
- Do you have the monitor.inf file to tell the laptop about what resolution the monitor has?

Kees

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Connect a laptop with a WXGA GPU@1280x800 to a 1920x1080 LG
Dec 28, 2013 11:12PM PST

The laptop is a Compaq Presario CQ50. It failed, as in ... the TV would not receive any signal from the PC. I was using an HDMI cable and, as I said, it worked with that cable to connect my other HP laptop (full hd 1080), but not the Compaq... The Compaq has an nVidia 8200M G gpu and the driver for it is the latest nVIDIA provides, namely GeForce R331 Game Ready Driver - WHQL Version: 331.82 - Release Date: Tue Nov 19, 2013

@Kees_B - 'Do you have the monitor.inf file to tell the laptop about what resolution the monitor has?' - not sure what you're trying to say with this. I am not talking about any monitor, I am only trying to connect a laptop to and LG LED TV via HDMI cable; as simple as that.

PS - I am using Win7 Pro x64 on both the laptop that successfully connects to the TV and on the one that does not (not that the OS should make any difference, but still...)

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Did you press Fn+F5, as told in ...
Dec 29, 2013 3:49AM PST
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man...
Dec 29, 2013 7:01AM PST

Man, is it not clear from all I've written that I clearly tried all that is explained in the link you supply.... The reason I raised this question here is because what is described in your link is exactly what I am doing and it isn't working. Please read what's already been posted...

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Answer
monitor.inf *2 parts here
Dec 28, 2013 11:18PM PST

1. It's sometimes required. Yes I understand folk today rarely bump into that driver but worth checking. Please catch up with google on what it is as well as seeing if LG supplied it.

2. I see you're confused about the native laptop resolution and the external. These do not have to match UNLESS you are mirroring the display. And if the native resolution is not supported by the TV, then it won't work. So what to do? (google this) "Extend the Windows Desktop." As this is a basic Windows skill and feature I'll stop here.
Bob

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@ R proffitt
Dec 29, 2013 2:22AM PST

1. @R. Proffitt - Please make sure you know what you mean by this - '1. It's sometimes required. Yes I understand folk today rarely bump into that driver but worth checking. Please catch up with google on what it is as well as seeing if LG supplied it.' Not sure u know what u mean by it.

2. If none of the native resolutions the pc supports are supported by the TV, then it simply won't work. Yes or no, it's as simple as that. Why would I google 'Extend windows desktop etc etc...' are you still living in the XP era?

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I hear you sowhat.
Dec 29, 2013 4:09AM PST

Folk today do not want to do their own work or research. As far as Microsoft is concerned, I've seen little progress in the PC Windows as to this area. We still have to get out there and learn more.

If you want to see Microsoft's new take on removing us from having to work hard, look to Windows 8 RT.
Bob

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Dude...
Dec 29, 2013 5:17AM PST

Dude, I need a simple answer, to a question that should also be simple and straightforward... I think I described it quite well up there and I have already raised this question on multiple forums and have done my share of research on it. I am not one of your 'folk' who dont want to do their own work. If I was, I'd not be writing all this around forums here and there on the net. If you can't answer my question (which, as I said, should be straightforward and pretty much a yes/no/do-this-to-make-it-work kind of question) then just dont bother to write back.
Thanks!

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I hear you again.
Dec 29, 2013 5:28AM PST

I don't find this to be straight forward at all today. The industry is all over the map and the only company that seems to give a damn about making it easy is Apple.

So there's my answer. Go get some Apples.
Bob

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Answer
Bantering with moderators? Hey, I'll keep trying anyway.
Dec 29, 2013 7:21AM PST

I have to ask that you try to Extend the Windows Desktop. I see you find me asking you to refer to the web or your product manuals unacceptable but as this is all volunteer my hope is to guide you to the answer since I'm not there to see every screen.

If you want to MIRROR the laptop screen that's going to be problematic and may result in you bursting into flames.

Let's try to avoid that.
Bob

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Indeed...
Dec 29, 2013 7:15PM PST

Indeed, let's try to avoid that. As I said, googling extending windows desktop etc etc ... isn't much of help. If you have something more specific in mind on that subject matter... then throw it in, but I told you that I've already tried all the standard techniques and approaches to get it to work... pls re-read what i've already posted up there and it will be perfectly clear to you how far I've reached with that issue. Thanks for your input anyway Happy

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Looks like you need help on site.
Dec 30, 2013 2:33PM PST

Remember that I rarely find 2 laptops in a row that use the same procedure to extend the windows laptop. Since I don't own your laptop or PC I can't document the exact steps.

I hear you want support so why not go get it? I can share what I would do but you need more.
Bob

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...
Dec 30, 2013 5:29PM PST

Connecting a laptop to a monitor/TV via HDMI cable is a pretty straightforward procedure. Basically, plug in the cable and press fn+Whatever button is assigned on your pc to connect to an external monitor. THat's all. The fact that this isn't working in my case is not to say there are plenty of other ways of doing it, but that there is something wrong with the PC's or TV's settings, OR that eventually it would never ever work due to the resolution difference....

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Re: settings
Dec 30, 2013 5:48PM PST

Not only the PC settings can be wrong, the PC hardware or drivers also. Does it work with an external monitor (in stead of a TV used as monitor)? A simple plain monitor has less settings than a TV.

Anyway, if it's, say, a Dell laptop and it doesn't work with a Dell monitor, it's a Dell issue, not a LG issue. Since you posted in the LG forum you seem to think it's a LG issue mostly. I doubt that, since it works with your other laptop.

Kees

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...
Dec 30, 2013 9:29PM PST

i dont care if it's an LG issue or Compaq/HP issue, I just want to know whether or not it is supposed to work in principle. Yes, to answer your question I have been able to successfully connect that laptop to an external monitor, but now, trying to connect it to the LG LED TV ... fails. My other Hp laptop (as I said already 100 times) manages to successfully connect the the LG TV... A SIMPLE QUESTION - IS IT SUPPOSED TO WORK, IN PRINCIPLE, OR NOT? As I said it's also evident to me that the PC I am successfully able to connect to the TV has, similarly to the TV, an LED screen with a native 1920x1080 resolution, again, exactly the same as the TV, so... fine. But the other PC's GPU has native resolution WXGA High Definition BrightView Widescreen (1280 x 800), which apparently is different than the TV... therefore I am asking this simple question - DESPITE THE DIFFERENCE, IS IT SUPPOSED TO WORK IN PRINCIPLE ??? Pls, answer this simple question, don't deviate from it...

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Re: is it supposed to work in principle
Jan 1, 2014 12:11AM PST

That seems a question for the Compaq/HP Customer Service. They should what it is designed for, and why it behaves different from your other HP laptop.
I'm inclined to say it should work, but that certainly is not an HP authorised answer.

If that "other external monitor" you're talking about also is 1920x1080 it's somewhat strange that would work and the LG TV wouldn't. Probably HP would say LG is incompatible, and LG would say HP is incompatible. That wouldn't be really helpful.

Anyway, a device like http://www.iogear.com/product/GUC2025H/ might work, unless the LG is incompatible with that also. Worth a try, maybe.

Kees

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thanks
Jan 1, 2014 4:29AM PST

Well, thanks... i guess u r pretty much right about one saying it's the other's fault. It's the way it is, really. As to the other external monitor, I was referring; - NO, it was not 1920x1080. Unfortunately I dont have another LG TV or sth like that with res. 1920x1080 to try and see if then the Compaq PC would connect to it, thus figuring out where the problem is. But since I can connect my other HP to the LG tv... then I guess the problem MUST be in the Compaq PC. I just want to get the crux of this resolution thingie, namely FULL HD (1920x1080) vs. WXGA (1280x800). apparently both are different in that their ratios, as I mentioned earlier, are different - one is 16:9 other is 16:10 (8:5) so.... hypothetically is the 1280x800 SUPPOSED to be successfully sending signal to the 1920x1080, or NOT? Again, hypothetically....