DisplayPort

Big Chris · 16 Dec 2010 at 17:27

I've got a new laptop with a DisplayPort output, but although I've read a few articles online about this output, I'm still a bit confused.

As preset, I connect my laptop to my LCD TV via VGA cable to watch films, can I achieve this using the DisplayPort output instead? And if so, will it achieve a higher definition than VGA? (at present I can only display at VGA 1024x768)

cmndr_andi · 16 Dec 2010 at 18:34

VGA should be able to display up to 1080p video signals - so it shouldn't be the VGA connection limiting things.

May I ask what make and model number of TV you are using?

As for connecting to the TV via displayport - it is very unlikely that your TV has a displayport connection, however it may have a HDMI input. If so, then you can use an active adapter like this and this cable. The image quality will likely be slightly better than VGA (depending in the TV), but the increase in quality will not exactly massive and you won't get any better resoltion (unless the PC mode is not great with your particular TV).

Big Chris · 16 Dec 2010 at 18:43

I've got a Toshiba 32WL66P with HDMI inputs and have found a DisplayPort to HDMI cable online, can I connect it directly with this?

If I connect my laptop via the VGA cable then it will only display using 1024x768, any higher and it doesn't work.

Here's the graphics info for my laptop:

cmndr_andi · 16 Dec 2010 at 18:50

Ah yes - that TV has a native resolution of 1366 x 768, any way you can make this work via VGA?

If not - then the active adapter and cable I linked to above will be your best bet.

As for the one you found online - do you know what the model number of it is? It needs to be an active adapter to work - a passive adapter will not work in this situation as the digital video signals are very different.

Big Chris · 16 Dec 2010 at 19:04

That wouls be why it doesn't go above 1024x768 then I guess! It never ocurred to me that it's not a full HD TV therefore the native res would be lower... doh.

I guess I might as well stick with VGA then.

The website I saw the Displayport>HDMI cable on doesn't have much info I'm afraid, but it's a Startech 3m cable, this is the blurb on the site:

This DisplayPort to HDMI (M-M) Video Converter Cable lets you connect an HDMI capable display to a DisplayPort video card/source. The cable provides a connection distance of 10ft and features a male HDMI connector and a male DisplayPort connector. The DisplayPort/HDMI video converter cable supports high bandwidth video transmissions, easily delivering monitor resolutions up to 1920x1200 or HDTV resolutions up to 1080p - allowing you to take full advantage of your HDMI capable display, while using a cutting edge DisplayPort video source.

cmndr_andi · 16 Dec 2010 at 19:11

From that description you can't be certain that its an active cable - so I would stay clear. Startech make a lot of passive cables (which won't work)- and that could be one of them. If you look at the products that I linked to in post #2 I am confident that this will work for you - however as you say, you may as well stick with VGA, so long as you can get the right resolution. Have you been able to set the res to 1366 yet?

Big Chris · 16 Dec 2010 at 19:14

I've not had a proper play with it yet, but from what I recall last time I only got standard PC type resolutions.

I'll have another go shortly and see what's what... appreciate your advice so far Andi.

Big Chris · 17 Dec 2010 at 11:06

Right, 1366x768 was available as an option, as was 1360x768 but neither of them display correctly.

It seems to be too big for the TV in either res and you can't see the toolbar or sides of the screen.

1024x768 is the best workable res so I guess I'll just stick with that.

hesham1516 · 17 Dec 2010 at 11:14

There was an application called powerstrip that I used to use a few years back for an old ps1 lcd mod, and it let you select whatever resolution you wanted down to the last few pixels or something. play with that if you want a higher resolution that works, but I have a feeling that the only widescreen resolution the tv will accept would be 720p or nothing

Orcvader · 17 Dec 2010 at 14:27

Big Chris said:
Right, 1366x768 was available as an option, as was 1360x768 but neither of them display correctly.

It seems to be too big for the TV in either res and you can't see the toolbar or sides of the screen.

1024x768 is the best workable res so I guess I'll just stick with that.

Might be something to do with the pixel mapping settings on your TV. See if there's a setting for it?