cubs_fan

I'm running Windows XP on a Dell Inspiron B130 laptop with an Intel 915 GM/GMS Express Chipset. I'm trying to connect the laptop to my Samsung LN-T4061F LCD TV via a VGA cable. When I first tried this, there was no video at all. Wanting to make sure that everything was ok with the VGA port on the laptop, I connected the laptop to an external monitor (made by eMachines), and the video was fine. Then comes the weird part. After I disconnected the laptop from the monitor, I reconnected the laptop to the television, and the video suddenly appeared. Everything works great until I shutdown or restart the laptop, and then the video won't show up on the television unless I connect the laptop to the monitor first. Also, I've tried this on all sorts of different resolutions, and the results are the same every time.

I'm using the most updated driver Dell offers for the chipset, and although I've read some threads that say it might be necessary to enable the TV-out on the laptop, I haven't found a way to do that (I can find no option for that through dispay properties..settings..advanced or through the BIOS). I'm not sure what enabling VGA or TV-out entails, but could it be enabled or activated when the laptop is connected to the monitor? As much fun as it would be to leave a clunky monitor in my living room just to allow my laptop to transmit video to my TV, I'm really looking for a more permanent and less awkward solution, if one exists (and I'm thinking one must). Any help would be appreciated.

TheMatt

Hi,

I would do this: Turn off the laptop, connect the LCD TV and make sure it is on. Also, make sure it is on the right input. Then, turn on the laptop and see if you get a picture on the second monitor at boot. It might go away after Windows, but you can always re-enable it in Windows again.

cubs_fan

Thanks for your help. I tried what you suggested, and no picture appears on the TV at boot or once Windows starts. I'm still looking for the reason why first connecting the laptop to an external monitor apparently triggers the laptop's VGA port to work when it's connected to the TV. Any ideas?

TheMatt

I am thinking it is an input issue. Monitors can detect if there is a signal going to them through VGA. Are you sure you have the right input? I know it sounds obvious, but double check.

Also, are you using the same VGA cable for both monitors?

cubs_fan

Yeah, I'm sure I have the right input on the TV because it will work every time I connect the laptop to the monitor before I connect it to the TV. When connecting the laptop to the monitor, I use the VGA cable already attached to the monitor. When connecting the laptop to the TV, I use another VGA cable. But, I know the cable connecting the laptop and the TV works because it will transmit the picture when I try it after connecting to the monitor. Are there any other factors that could affect input?

TheMatt

I would try swapping the cable anyway just to rule out the possibility of a cable issue.

cubs_fan

Ok, I tried swapping cables, and the situation is still the same. And I'm still stumped.

twajetmech

Check the laptop manual, I know on my own using Fn&F2 will cycle between the laptop monitor//laptop monitor and external monitor//external monitor only.
Edit....for your laptop Fn&F8 will toggle between the monitor choices

cubs_fan

If I connect the laptop to the computer monitor, I can toggle successfully with Fn and F8. When the laptop and the TV are connected, I can only toggle with Fn and F8 if I've already connected the laptop to the computer monitor.

Dell_CA

Hello,

My name is Mike, I’m a Technical Analyst located at Dell corporate headquarters in Round Rock, TX. I’m part of an internet outreach team developed to interact with the online community regarding technical questions and issues that customers face with Dell products. I read your question and wanted to offer some help.

You may need to use the Fn + F8 keys as suggested by twajetmech to toggle between the internal LCD, external source, and both internal and external. Some external monitors will automatically detect and redirect the source for the video, which is what is more then likely happening with your system. Once the setting has been configured its set until the system is restarted and the configuration goes back to default.

Please post back to let us know if this fixes the problem or not.

Thanks,

Mike
Dell customer advocate

cubs_fan

Thanks to everyone for these ideas. When I connect the laptop to the TV and hit Fn and F8, I can see and select each of the three settings. But, for each setting, the TV reports "Not supported mode," as it always does.

So, to clarify, the running theory is that the external computer monitor automatically detects the video and then sets the laptop system in a mode that is detectable by the TV? (Please note that I don't really know what setting the system's mode means, but I'm trying to understand the basics of the situation.)

Dell_CA

Cubs_fan, your understanding is correct, but lets try putting it in other terms for a clearer understanding. The notebook has drivers that are loaded and are able to support the internal LCD and external monitor sources. There is a possibility that the Samsung TV doesn’t register as a usable signal with those drivers, but when a default CRT monitor is attached to the system then generic VGA drivers are loaded which the Samsung TV is able to detect.

You may also want to look on the TV set for a “Function” button that switches the input source for the TV. I have a Samsung LCD TV and it has 5 input options so I’ve seen the supported mode message before. If you have a VGA signal coming in, but the TV is set to HDMI for example… that would be a “Not supported mode.”

If that doesn’t work then you can try something a little off the wall and try to create and save a hardware profile while connected to the Samsung TV. This might be able to save the configuration so you can simply pull up the hardware profile instead of having to connect the external monitor and then the TV. Generally hardware profiles are used to keep certain devices on and off depending on the computers location (docked, undocked, active wireless card, disable LAN, etc..) It may work, it may not, but it’s worth a try if the function button on the TV does no good. To create a hardware profile look here.

Mike.
Dell customer advocate

cubs_fan

I tried creating a hardware profile, crossed my fingers, and it still didn't work. With my luck, I can't say I'm too surprised.

Is there any way to confirm that the Samsung TV is able to detect the generic VGA drivers? Could I manually load generic drivers temporarily (or permanently if it won't result in some visual catastrophe) to determine if generic drivers would resolve the issue? It seems to me that pinpointing the problem might help to decide what, if any, further action there is to take.

openhouse

cubs_fan, I have the same issue with you. When I connected my Dell B130 to my VIZIO LCD TV, I got the same error message: "Not supported mode.". But when I connected it to my "ACER" LCD Monitor, everything works fine.

I also connected my Toshiba notebook to the TV by using the same VGA cable and connected to the same port on the TV by selecting the same input mode: "VGA Input", everything works fine.

So I think there must be something happened with this Dell machine.

Please let me know if you found any way to fix it. Thanks.

Dell_CA

Sorry I’ve been so long in getting a follow to you, but I haven’t forgotten about you… quite the opposite. I’m still working on trying to find a solution, or at least a cause. In the mean time give this a shot and see what happens...

Shut down the notebook and restart it. Plug it in to the TV and wait for the “Unsupported” message to appear. Right click on the desktop of the notebook and select “Properties” and then “Settings.” You should see two screens on the display page (1 & 2.) Now go to the TV and hit the “Function” key until the input is set to VGA. If you still see the message try the Fn+F8 key combo to see if it will toggle to the TV (it may take a minute, you’re using integrated graphics so it might take a little longer to adjust.) If not, click on the second monitor in the display properties window and select “Advanced” and then “Monitor.” Make sure the tick box that says “Hide modes that this monitor cannot display” is checked. If so, click “Properties” and then “Driver” and attempt to update the driver for the TV. Hopefully this will bring an image to the TV.

If this doesn’t get the TV to kick in try clicking on the second monitor in the display properties and then select the “Extend my desktop to this monitor” tick box and apply. You should, at this point, be able to see an image on the TV. This is just to ensure that a connection can be made without having another device reset the driver.

Mike

Dell_CA

Ok... I think we've got it. Our problem is a resolution conflict. You can take a look at the user guide for your TV here. If you go to the section "PC Display" and click on "TV Modes" you will see a list of supported resolutions that the computer must be set to before an image will display. When you hook it up to an external monitor the resolution is automatically adjusted and carried over to the TV. So try this...

Set the resolution on your B130 to 1024x768 and then try attaching the TV. You may have to use the Fn+F8 command and the function key on the TV to select the input source, but this should get you working without having to pull out the e-machine monitor. Let me know how it works out for you.

Mike.

cubs_fan

Thanks for sticking with me, Mike! It looks like we've got this thing licked! It seems that it was partially a resolution issue and partially a problem with an aspect ratio setting (that I discovered serendipitously). Following your advice, I went to Display Properties and changed the resolutions of the notebook and the second monitor to 1024x768. Nothing new happened, and I was unable to update the driver for the monitor in Advanced. However, while I was in Advanced, I took a shot in the dark and clicked on the longest tab: "Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator Driver for Mobile." I hit the "Graphics Properties" button and then chose "Display Settings" on the left panel. I found the tab for the "Monitor" and, for the heck of it, changed the "Display Expansion" field from "Maintain Aspect Ratio" to "Full Screen (No Border)." I hit apply, and bingo! I now have an extended desktop on my Samsung TV.

For some reason that I still don't understand, the Fn + F8 keys will not toggle between the different viewing modes, but right-clicking on the desktop and selecting "Graphics Options" and "Output To" allows me to toggle successfully. Now all that's left is to see if there's a way to save the Display Expansion settings permanently. If I don't find one, though, I'm perfectly content to change a few settings rather than hauling out an eyesore of a monitor every time I want to connect the laptop and the TV.

I suspect that all of this has to do with your suggestion of the resolution conflict, and I thank you for your perseverance and your prowess. Thanks also to everyone who took the time to respond to this unwieldy thread started by the digitally challenged. I'm happy to report that I can finally shelve that old monitor for good!

Dell_CA

cubs_fan, this is great news! I'm glad I could help, and thank you for posting your results.

Mike
Dell customer advocate

openhouse

cubs_fan, good luck! But I still can not make it work with my VIZIO TV.

I changed the resolution for both to 1024x768 and also changed the "Display Expansion" field to "Full Screen (No Border).", but I still got the message "No timing Supported".

Really have no idea on it.

dlamming

Hi everyone! This is the first thread I've found in quite a bit of searching that seems like it might help me... like many people here, I have a samsung tv and a dell latitude x1 laptop that I'm trying to connect to the tv via svideo. So far, the tv just reads "no signal detected" when I hook it up, and the laptop also fails to detect the tv as an external monitor. I followed the advice on the dell website, and upgraded by bios and video chipset drivers to the most recent ones, but still no luck.

I'm pretty stumped where to go from here... any advice on where to start?

Thanks much!