Everything you need to know about connecting your laptop to your TV.

Introduction-

For many of us, our lives are in our laptop. It has all the information about us, for us and is our lifeline to the rest of the world. It is how we connect to our banks and our friends, how we work and how we play. Laptops make it so convenient to have everything at our fingertips all of the time, but it isn’t a perfect solution. If you’ve ever had a crowd gathered around your little screen, you know what I mean. There is a lot that we keep in those little digital notebooks that we would really love to have on the TV where we can enjoy it more comfortably and share it with others.

Making the Connection-

Making the connection is easier than you’d think. If you take a moment to look at the available ports on your laptop, and the available video inputs on your TV you can quickly find the best solution for connecting your laptop to your TV.

VGA

VGA has long been the standard video output for laptops. While VGA is normally designed to connect to a monitor or projector, a simple converter box can let you connect to a standard definition TV or an HDTV. Some newer HDTVs even let you connect directly to a VGA port.

VGA Cables $6.95 - $43.95

TVdeck PC to TV $34.95

HDMI

HDMI is becoming more and more popular on laptops these days- and for good reason. If you have an HDTV, connecting to your computer through HDMI is dead simple. A single cable sends HD video plus audio to your TV and is available in a variety of lengths. If your laptop has HDMI and you have a Standard Definition TV, don’t worry, we have a solution for that too.

HDMI Cables $5.95 - $49.95

HDMI to Composite $54.95

Have a Mac?

Apple uses mini displayport (now Thunderbolt) for the video output on their new laptops. An inexpensive passive adapter can get you to either VGA or HDMI, so that’s no big obstacle. If your Macbook or Macbook Pro has seen a few years, it might have DVI or Mini DVI, but we’ve got those covered too.

Mini Display Port to VGA $29.95

Mini Display Port to HDMI $13.45

Don't Have Any Available Video Ports On Your Laptop?

You’re not out of luck. There are adapters available that allow you to add a video connection like HDMI to your laptop through an available USB port. These adapters are incredibly easy to install and allow you to connect your laptop to TV when you would otherwise be out of luck. If you’re connecting your laptop to an HDTV, you’ll want an HDMI adapter for the best possible quality.

HDdeck - USB to HDMI $99.95

Here’s a convenient chart outlining 6 PC to TV options broken down by standard and high-definition, with maximum resolutions and connection types. Click on a product to go to that product’s page for more information.

Sewell Direct PC to TV Comparison Chart
	STANDARD DEFINITION		HIGH DEFINITION
Part #:	SW-23000	SW-28760	SW-4280	SW-29831	SW-9393	SW-31000
Product:	TVdeck USB to RCA	PC to TV Wireless	PC to HDTV USB to RCA	Hammerhead VGA to HDMI	VGA to HDMI	HDdeck USB to HDMI
Resolution:	480i	480i	480p/720p /1080i	720p/1080p	720p	720p/1080p
Sample Img:
Sample Img:
Recommend Connection:	Composite	Composite	Component	HDMI	HDMI	HDMI
Alternate Connection:	S-Video	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Audio Support?	YES	YES	Requires Cable (Included)	Requires Cable (Included)	YES	YES
Can Still Use Current Monitor?	YES	YES	YES	NO	NO	YES
Special Features	All in one cable for clean & easy setup	Also allows for local RCA or S-Video connection		Small in-line converter	Also connect a component video source (eg:DVD player)	USB Connection does not tie up existing video connection
Price:	$29.95	$69.95	$79.95	$65.95	$69.95	$79.95

If you have more questions, give our support team a ring, they’re happy to answer all your questions about how to connect your laptop to your TV.