Connecting my laptop to my TV *RESOLUTION*

[sephirothXR]

My laptop has HD-DVD, but its resolution is like 1280 x 800. HD-DVD resolution is something like 1900 x 1220. I'm getting an HDMI to HDMI cord, but this won't make it look any better on my TV. Is there any way I can make my HDTV the actual screen of the laptop, so that nothing appears on the laptop, and the video signals are all transmitted to the TV?

 

[lostandwandering]

What graphics processor is your laptop running? This would help me direct you with what you need to do. There should be an option that allows you to select which screen you want to use. BTW it's 1920x1080.

 

[sephirothXR]

What graphics processor is your laptop running? This would help me direct you with what you need to do. There should be an option that allows you to select which screen you want to use. BTW it's 1920x1080.

nVIDIA Geforce GT 256 MB dedicated and up to 1024 MB if shared. Also a great deal considering the laptop was $1099 and came with HD-DVD!

 

[lostandwandering]

OK, go to the nvidia display panel and select the display settings tab. When you plug your second monitor is, the display mode will probably change from "single display" to "mulitiple displays" (or something like that). Change it back to single and select the monitor you want under "current display". I think that will do it.

 

[sephirothXR]

OK, go to the nvidia display panel and select the display settings tab. When you plug your second monitor is, the display mode will probably change from "single display" to "mulitiple displays" (or something like that). Change it back to single and select the monitor you want under "current display". I think that will do it.

Thanks A LOT! Once I get this cord, I don't think I'll ever be on this 15.4" screen again! Well you seem to be a great expert, I want to ask you another thing.

You know the option that you can tangle with Battery life and performance? Well right now mine is at balanced, but if I have it charged, is it fine to put it at low battery life and high performance? Or does this mess up the battery?

 

[lostandwandering]

Nope, it doesn't actually do anything with the battery. What that is is what NVidia calls PowerMizer technology. Waht this does is control the core and memory frequencies of your graphics card (controls its speed). When you have it set to balanced, it lowers the frequencies a bit so you still get good graphical performance and good battery life. When you set it to the one you talked about, it increases the cards frequencies to give you the best performance, but at the same time it drains your battery faster because the GPU requires more power to run at those frequencies.

PowerMizer:

NVIDIA® PowerMizer® 6.0 Technology
The sixth generation of NVIDIA's advanced hardware power management technology that reduces notebook power consumption & heat generation for the graphics subsystem, thereby enabling a truly mobile, cool & quiet, uncompromised user experience.

 

[sephirothXR]

Well I wasn't talking about Graphics Card battery and performance. I'm talking about when you go the Control Panel, then to Hardware and then to POWER OPTIONS. Here you can control battery life and performance. So is the one that is in Vista's Control Panel different from the one you're talking about(is yours in the nvidia control panel)?

 

[lostandwandering]

OK, I see what you're saying. I thought you meant it was an option for your graphics card. Unfortunately, my laptop is setup a little different and the options are different and don't really seem to do much. I really can't say what would happen if you change those settings. Do you know the utility called SpeedStep? I think what you are talking about is a very basic version of that. I think it changes your CPU speeds depending on how you have it set up. Again, I'm not entirely sure about that so do go on my word alone.

 

[sephirothXR]

I've connected my laptop to my TV with the nVIDIA control panel, but the whole thing won't show up. I can see half of the taskbar and like 1/4 of the start button. So here is what I got from the help section from the control panel.

On the NVIDIA Control Panel Select a Category... page, select Video & Television. .

Select Adjust screen size and position to open the associated page.

To reduce the size of your desktop on your television screen, continue to click the (-) button on the image that is labeled Size: until your desktop is reduced to the size you want.


Now I've gone into Video and Television but I see no option that says Adjust Screen size and position, just the options for color and one that says change the signal or HD format. I don't see this option, do I have to do something for this option to appear? How do I get it to work appropriately?