Windows 10 connection to TV. Connecting a laptop to a TV via HDMI
There are often situations when the size of the monitor is not enough for comfortable work with the computer. In this case, the computer is connected to a TV or projector and the image is displayed on it. But what if you want the picture to be displayed both on the main computer screen and on an additional TV connected to it? In this article we will tell you how to mirror screen from computer to TV in Windows 10. To do this you will need:
- Computer with an unused VGA or HDMI connector
- Cable connecting computer and TV
- TV having the above connectors
Connecting your TV to your computer
The first thing you need to start with is choosing a cable. You need to inspect the back of the system unit and determine which free video outputs are present on it.
Description of connectors on a PC video card
Then you need to check the same on the TV. It is required that the same connectors be available on the computer and on the TV. If both ports are free, then it is better to give priority to the HDMI connector, since it has greater bandwidth and, therefore, better quality. In addition, when connected via HDMI, not only the image is transmitted, but also the sound.
HDMI cable
VGA cable
If you connect your computer to your TV via a VGA connector, you should pay attention that on most modern TVs, when connected through this video output, the screen resolution will be significantly lower than the “native” resolution of the TV, which will negatively affect the image quality. The TV's specifications always separately indicate the screen resolution when connected via a VGA connector.
IMPORTANT!
The cable to the computer and TV should only be connected when the devices are turned off!
After the computer and TV are connected by cable, all that remains is to indicate on the TV which connector it should receive the image from (usually the source button).
Setting up Windows 10
Unlike older versions of the operating system, Windows 10 is extremely convenient for working with multiple displays. There are three ways to mirror the screen from a computer to a TV in Windows 10 .
The first method is the simplest. With the computer turned on, you must simultaneously press the keys "Windows" + "P". This combination allows you to switch between dual-screen computer modes. All that remains is to select the desired mode.
If the user finds it difficult to use keyboard shortcuts, you can use the Windows Action Center. In the lower right corner of the screen you need to click on the corresponding icon. A window will open in which you need to select the “Transfer to screen” option. In the “Project” menu that appears, select “Repeating”.
Activating screen mirroring in Windows 10
If the resolution of the TV screen is greater than the resolution of the monitor screen, then the picture on the TV display will be located in the center, surrounded by black fields. In this case, you need to use the following method.
On the desktop, in an unoccupied space, click on the right mouse button. A context menu will open in which you need to select the “Screen Options” item. In the window that opens, you need to find the “multiple displays” item and click on the pop-up menu. In it, select the “Duplicate screen” item. After this, be sure to select the TV (screen 2) and check the “make the main display” checkbox.
Full screen duplication
Conclusion
From all of the above, we can conclude that connecting a computer to a TV is not so difficult. The main thing is to follow the instructions and everything will work out. These instructions are also relevant for connecting projectors and other devices for displaying images from a computer screen.
If you decide to connect your TV to a computer or laptop on Windows 10, now I will show you and tell you how to do it. We will connect in two ways: via a wireless Wi-Fi network, and using an HDMI cable. Under Wi-Fi connection, I will enter the connection via a Wi-Fi router, and the DLNA technology setting. When using a computer, you can watch movies, photos, and listen to music on TV. Well, connecting using an HDMI cable is a regular HDMI connection :) With this connection, the TV will be like a monitor in Windows 10.
Honestly, there is not much difference whether you have Windows 7 or Windows 10. Both connecting to the TV via HDMI and Wi-Fi is practically no different. But let’s look at the example of a laptop with Windows 10 installed. I think this article will be relevant and useful for a long time.
We connect the TV to the laptop (Windows 10) via Wi-Fi. DLNA setup
We will not consider setting up Wi-Fi Direct technology (when you can connect a TV to a laptop without a router, wirelessly) And (not all devices support this technology). These are topics for separate articles.
If you want to connect your TV to your computer via a wireless network, you can do this as follows:
- Connect your TV to the same network. Here are instructions for , and instructions for .
The main thing is that the laptop and TV are connected to the same router. By the way, not necessarily via Wi-Fi. One of the devices (or even both) can be connected to the router via cable.
After you connect everything, you can proceed to setting up a DLNA server on your computer. By running the server on your computer, you can watch movies on your TV. Please note that on the TV, using this method the desktop will not be displayed. You will only be able to view certain files. We have three articles on setting up a DLNA server:
- – in this article we launched the server without third-party programs, using standard tools in Windows 10.
Despite the fact that they are written using Windows 7 as an example, setting up a DLNA server on Windows 10 will proceed in exactly the same way. I checked that the DLNA server running on a laptop with Windows 10 installed is displayed on the TV without any problems.
I have instructions from the links above for LG and Philips TVs. But a server launched using the methods described above will work without problems on other TVs: Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, etc. Set up DLNA using the "Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)" program. (as I did in the article for Philips TV). It can be called universal.
I think we've sorted out the wireless connection. Let's move on to the wires.
Connecting via HDMI in Windows 10
We take a regular HDMI cable. We connect one end of the cable to the TV in the HDMI connector. There can be several of them, connect to any one.
We connect the second end of the cable to a laptop or desktop computer.
If the picture from the computer does not appear on the TV, then most likely you need to select the signal source on the TV. There should be a special button on the remote control. Typically, it is signed INPUT, or SOURCES. Click on it and select the HDMI connector to which we connected the cable as the source.
An image should appear on the TV.
In Windows 10, you can control the second screen. In our case, this is a TV. In the top ten this is called "Projection". To call this menu, just press the key combination Win+P. A menu will appear on the right where you can choose one of 4 options.
You can, for example, display the image only on a TV.
That's all the settings.
If the sound on the TV does not work when connected to Windows 10 via HDMI
It is possible that after connecting the TV to the computer, the sound will play not from the TV speakers, but from the laptop speakers or connected speakers. This can be easily fixed.
Right-click on the volume control icon in the notification bar and select Playback devices.
Your TV should be on the list there. Right-click on it and select Use as default.
The audio will now come from your TV's speakers.
Using a connection via the HDMI interface, multimedia data is transmitted in good quality and high speed. Information is transmitted through special cables connected to two or more necessary devices. HDMI is the most popular digital interface and has replaced the old analogue one. In this article we will tell you in detail everything about this type of connection and look at how to enable it on a laptop.
The emergence of new digital interfaces such as HDMI was facilitated by the obsolescence of the previously popular VGA. Not only did it render the image with lower quality, but it also distorted it, which often caused difficulties in work. The connection in question has high bandwidth and supports audio transmission.
In addition to HDMI, several other types of digital data transfer interfaces are popular - DVI and DisplayPort. They all have different connectors and some characteristics, which allows you to use the required connection for different situations. Read more about comparing these interfaces in our articles at the links below.
Types of HDMI cables
As mentioned earlier, the connection of two devices is made using special cables. They come in different sizes, standards and only support certain equipment. In addition, they have different types of connectors and specifications. You can read more about this in our other materials.
Enabling HDMI
On all devices that support HDMI connection, it is automatically enabled. Users only need to make a few simple settings so that the connection of the two devices is successful, and a clear picture and sound appear on the screen.
Usually it is enough to change just a few operating system parameters and you can immediately start working on the equipment. For detailed instructions on connecting computers and laptops to a monitor via HDMI, read our articles at the links below.
Causes of HDMI failure
Sometimes malfunctions occur in the operation of devices, this may also be due to the connection interface. When using HDMI, two problems are often observed - lack of image and sound. The main causes of malfunctions are considered to be incorrect device settings, outdated drivers or physical failures. In such cases, it is recommended to resort to one of several methods for solving the problems that have arisen. Read more about them below.
Above, we examined in detail the main function of the HDMI interface, became familiar with the types of cables, figured out how to enable this connector on a laptop, and talked about possible malfunctions. We hope our article was useful and you learned everything you need about connecting devices via an HDMI connector.
If you have a large LCD or plasma TV, sooner or later you will want to connect a laptop or computer to it to watch a movie, or maybe work or just feel what it’s like :) The temptation is not small and your hands are itching.
In the first part of the article I will talk about possible ways to connect devices, in the second part we will talk about video card settings in Windows 7/8/10, and in the third part I will tell you how to output sound via HDMI. At the end there is a visual video describing everything that happens.
HDMI cables, connectors, adapters
I tried working on a 32” Toshiba TV with a resolution of 1366x768 and I didn’t really like working with text, although designers and gamers will probably appreciate this ability to connect equipment. In the simplest case, you only need one HDMI cable to connect your computer and TV. The cable has identical connectors at both ends:
You can buy an inexpensive cable, just make sure that if you plan to use 3D mode, the cable must be HDMI 1.4 or higher. Now you only need to find the HDMI jack on the back of the TV and the same one on the computer. This is what the sockets on the back of the TV look like:
And approximately this socket should be looked for on the back side of the system unit:
It is located directly on the video card next to the VGA or DVI monitor connection. With one correction, if you don’t have one, then the socket will be located on the motherboard, simply put, somewhere near the USB ports, but it will look the same.
It’s easier with laptops; their HDMI socket looks the same, except that in different models it’s located on different sides:
Compact devices such as tablets, netbooks, cameras and cameras have mini-HDMI connectors. They are 3 times smaller in size and, accordingly, they require a mini-HDMI cable. Often the TV hangs on the wall and it is not possible to insert a massive cable at the back. Cables with a plug at an angle of 90 degrees are sold especially for such cases. There is also an option to buy an HDMI corner:
With the help of such a corner you can connect both from the back and from the side. They even come with an adjustable angle and with a bend not straight, but to the side. Just before purchasing, estimate by appearance which direction the cable will go after connecting through the corner (up-down-right-left). There are simply corner adapters oriented to different sides, be sure to take this into account! You won't be able to connect without HDMI connectors. Unless there is a free connector for a DVI monitor, you can buy a DVI-HDMI adapter and use it.
So, insert the cable into both connectors until it stops. Be sure to disconnect both devices from the network before connecting! Be sure to read about this in more detail in the article! If some negative factors coincide, HDMI ports or even the entire TV, computer or laptop may burn out!
If your TV does not have enough ports, you can purchase a so-called HDMI switch or “switcher”. It connects to just one input on the TV, and you can connect several sources to the switch. Using a button or a separate remote control, you can switch between devices:
You can buy regular Chinese switchers for $10, and not those sold in online computer stores for $50-$100 and more! Already tested by many people and everything works great even without an external power supply. The only thing is that if you are going to watch heavy 1080p high-definition movies through it, then you should take a closer look at more expensive models.
Setting up an HDMI connection
So, everything is connected and now all that remains is to configure Windows a little. If only one TV is connected, the picture should appear immediately. Please note that in order for the computer to boot on TV, the monitor must not only be turned off, but disconnected from the system unit!
After loading Windows, all that remains is to select the appropriate screen resolution. You can do this by right-clicking on an empty space on the desktop and selecting “Screen resolution”
Here you can select your preferred resolution. The higher, the clearer the picture, but the smaller the elements on the screen. By default, the system selects the maximum resolution that the device supports. You can leave it like that if everything suits you. But if the work is uncomfortable, the font is too small and difficult to read, then you can reduce the resolution, but there are nuances.
LCD TVs and monitors are designed to display a certain number of dots (pixels) horizontally and vertically, for example 1920x1080 (this is the matrix resolution). And if you set a non-standard resolution, then in order to display it on its matrix, the TV will scale it, and this MAY lead to deterioration in quality and blurring of the picture, or maybe everything will be fine.
If your TV supports a resolution of 1920x1080 (Full HD), then it will also display 1280x720 well, while all the details and fonts will be larger. For an HD Ready TV (not Full HD), there is no point in setting 1920×1080, because its real resolution is 1366x768 pixels.
Using the “Advanced Settings” button on the “Monitor” tab, you can set the screen refresh rate. I recommend setting it to 60Hz or higher if your TV supports it:
The TV on this tab may not be called by its name, but by something like “Universal PnP Monitor”. If, when watching a video, it twitches a little or does not go smoothly, then you can experiment with the frequency. Select “True Color (32 bit)” for color rendering quality.
If there is any change in resolution, frequency or color depth, the system will display a window to confirm the changes. If the device does not work with the new parameters, then you will not be able to see this window and will not confirm your actions. There is no need to panic, just wait 15 seconds and the system, realizing that you do not see anything, will return the previous settings.
How to set up multiple displays
If a monitor is connected at the same time as the TV, Windows will assume that multiple displays are connected. In general, it doesn’t matter what it is, a TV or a Monica, for the system it’s all displays. There are two modes for multiple displays: duplication (cloning) and desktop extension. This is selected in the same place where you set the resolution.
Duplicating screen
In case of cloning, your Desktop will be displayed identically on both devices. In this case, the screen resolution will be common for both devices, and it is impossible to set it differently, at least for now. If you know how this can be done, please write to me in the comments 😉
It turns out that to use this mode it is better to have both a TV and a monitor with the same resolutions, otherwise someone will have to work on a different wavelength :) Or the devices must be at least the same format, for example, both are widescreen. If the monitor is square (with an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 5:4), and the TV is widescreen (16:9 and others), then the picture on it will have black bars on the left and right, just like that.
Desktop extension
Everything gets more interesting here :) This mode allows you to have two or more desktops. That is, if you place two displays side by side, then when you move the mouse cursor will move from the monitor to the TV and back. The system assigns a number to each device, which is visible in front of the display name. If it is not clear who is under what number, then click the “Determine” button and a large number will be displayed on all displays on the entire screen with its number:
At the top you can see pictures of devices with signed numbers; they indicate the location of the displays in space. By dragging them with the mouse, you yourself set who is on the left, right or top, bottom. Click “Apply” and voila! The desktop expands into two displays. Using the appropriate checkbox, you can make one of the devices the main monitor, i.e. Where is the Start button?
For a computer and TV in expansion mode, you can separately adjust the screen resolution and frequency in the same way as you did before for one device. The settings of NVidia, AMD (ATI) and other video cards have their own options for installing multiple displays. For example, for NVidia GeForce series video cards, you need to right-click on an empty space on the desktop and select “NVidia Control Panel”. In the "Display" section you can configure your monitors:
How to output sound to TV via HDMI
Firstly, on your video card. You can see whether the HDMI audio output driver is installed in “”. To open it, press the “Win+Pause” buttons and select “Device Manager” on the left. In Windows 10, you need to right-click on the Start menu and select the item of the same name.
In the “Sound, gaming and video devices” section there should be something like “Device supporting High Definition Audio”, i.e. High definition audio support:
Secondly, in the playback devices (open by right-clicking on the speaker near the clock or “Control Panel -> Sound”) there must be a digital audio device (HDMI) or something similar in name.
Thirdly, when the TV is connected to the computer, the device will change its status to “Ready”. Now you need to right-click on it and select “Set as default”.
Fourth, on different TVs, not all HDMI inputs can receive sound! A port called “HDMI 1” should definitely be able to do this. If it doesn’t work on its own, then you need to dig into the TV settings to see if you can use a digital audio stream for HDMI input No. X, rather than an analog one (used when additionally connecting tulips). If it’s on your computer or laptop, then read my article on solving this problem.
Watch two videos (playlist) with a visual process of connecting and setting up Windows 7 (8/10)
Edited: 2018-07-16
My name is Alexey Vinogradov, I am the author of this wonderful site. I am interested in computers, programs, programming. We have more than 20 years of experience and a lot of wasted nerves :)
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Probably, many owners of laptop computers had a desire to display the image from their laptop on a display with a larger size and resolution. This screen is better suited for viewing high-quality photos and videos, and the graphics of modern games will look more beautiful and realistic on it. The most obvious and simple solution to the issue is to connect a monitor from a desktop computer to the laptop. However, all the latest TV models that run their own operating systems also provide the ability to pair with a PC. In this article we will tell you how you can connect a laptop to a TV wired and without using wires (via Wi-Fi). Please note that we are not talking about a simple broadcast of video and photos from a laptop on a TV, but about full duplication of the desktop and all Windows functionality, i.e. using the TV as another monitor.
Connecting via HDMI cable
The HDMI interface is one of the most common means of connecting digital devices today. It can be used to transmit sound and video in high quality and with minimal loss. Almost all modern models of laptops and TVs are equipped with HDMI connectors. Other interfaces - VGA, DVI, Scart - are also used quite widely, but inputs/outputs of such formats are not available on all devices. For example, you are almost guaranteed to find the same DVI on any video card or monitor, but it is most often absent on laptops and TVs. Also, some TVs may not have a VGA connector, although laptops are required to have one.
Let’s say right away that it doesn’t make much difference which wire you use to connect your laptop to the TV. Whether it's HDMI, VGA or DVI, the sequence of actions and the final result are not much different. The only thing you need to take into account is that the DVI and VGA interfaces are capable of transmitting only a video signal, so the sound will have to be supplied using a separate audio cable.
Connecting wires and setting up the TV
So, let's begin. We will connect an HP laptop with Windows 10 preinstalled to an LG TV running webOS. This is what the HDMI connectors look like:
For connection we use an HDMI cable 5 meters long. His photo is shown below.
The connection is made with the equipment turned off. We plug one end of the cable into the laptop connector, the other into the HDMI 2 connector of the TV.
We turn on both devices and wait for Windows to load on the laptop. As for the TV, it is currently broadcasting a TV show (the antenna cable has not been disconnected). We pick up the television remote control and find the signal source control button. It is usually called Source or Input.
Click it and select HDMI-2 in the menu that appears on the TV screen.
After some thought, the TV should display the laptop desktop.
In our case, it slightly went beyond the boundaries of the TV screen. To fix the problem, you had to go to Settings on the TV (Settings button), then select “Screen” and set “Screen Format” to “Original”.
Now the image fits perfectly within the boundaries of the TV screen.
Setting up displays in Windows 10
Right-click on the desktop and select “Display Settings” from the context menu. You can configure displays directly on the page that opens or by going to the advanced settings using the “Advanced screen settings” link.
The drop-down menu has several display options: “Duplicate these screens”, “Extend these screens”, “Show only on 1”, “Show only on 2”.
By default, duplication mode is active. This means that the same thing is displayed on the laptop and TV screens. The second option provides the ability to transfer working program windows between displays and broadcast your information on each of them. The purpose of the last two modes is clear - the picture will be displayed only on one of the two screens, the second will be turned off.
Here, in Settings, you can set the screen resolution and make some other settings.
We won’t focus on them; everyone can experiment and adjust everything for themselves. We completed the main task - we connected the laptop to the TV via an HDMI cable.
Setting up displays in Windows 7
The above information on configuring displays is relevant for Windows 10, in which screen settings are made through the Settings utility. In Windows 7, all actions are performed in the Control Panel, although the essence does not change. Let’s go to the desired configuration page by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting “Screen Resolution”.
The interface of the settings page will be slightly different than in Windows 10, but the meaning remains the same, so it won’t be difficult to understand everything.
Sound problems
The HDMI interface allows you to transmit not only video, but also sound. However, it may happen that you have connected and configured everything seemingly correctly, but the sound does not play on the speakers built into the TV. To eliminate this problem, go to Control Panel - Sound. On the Playback tab, the default device should be set to the TV, in our case LG TV.
If the device is turned off, you need to turn it on. If it is not displayed at all, then right-click on the window and check the “Show disabled device” checkbox. Next, turn it on and everything should work fine.
Using Wi-Fi
Let's consider another way to connect a laptop to a TV, this time wirelessly using WiDi technology and a Wi-Fi network. Let us immediately make a reservation that this method is only suitable for laptop computers assembled using Intel components. Plus, WiDi technology must be supported by your TV. Be sure to install the latest firmware on your TV, as older versions of the software may not provide the ability to connect via WiDi.
Before proceeding directly to configuring a wireless connection between a laptop and a TV, you need to make sure that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (one router). For LG, to check the connection, go through the settings menu to the “Network” section.
If the TV has not previously been connected to Wi-Fi, you need to set up the connection. There shouldn't be any problems with the laptop.
Each TV model will have its own WiDi instrumentation layout. For LG, the sequence of actions to access it is as follows:
– Press the SMART button on the remote control;
– Go to “Connection Manager”;
– Select the item “Person. Computer (PC)";
– Select Intel WiDi from the list and click on the “Start” button on the right.
Now the TV is ready to connect a laptop, all that remains is to perform the necessary actions in the Windows 10 interface.
Go through the Settings utility to the “Display” section and click on the “Connect to a wireless display” link.
A panel will appear on the right, on which, after a few seconds of searching, the TV should be displayed, in our case LG webOS TV.
Click on it to start the connection and wait for the procedure to complete. If everything goes well, “Connected” will appear in the panel under the name of the wireless display.
The Windows desktop of the laptop will be displayed on the TV.
The projection mode, by the way, can also be changed, as we did when connecting devices with an HDMI cable.
In principle, the goal has been achieved, all that remains is to check whether the sound works.
Finally, we note that if you want to connect your laptop to your TV in the most reliable and stable way, then, of course, it is better to use an HDMI cable. The wireless connection is subject to failures, and image transmission may experience delays, which will be especially noticeable in games.
If you have something to tell about the topic raised in the article, write below in the comments.
