Lap top hooked to TV?

DMAX154

Active Member
Has anyone hooked up their laptop to there TV? I recently bought a lap top to hook up to my TV. The camp ground I am staying at doesn't have cable and I don't have a dish. I got the laptop with the intention on being able to go online and watch TV and I know you can hook the laptop to the TV but I am not sure on how to do it.
 

boatto5er

Founding VA Chap Ldr (Ret)
Has anyone hooked up their laptop to there TV? I recently bought a lap top to hook up to my TV. The camp ground I am staying at doesn't have cable and I don't have a dish. I got the laptop with the intention on being able to go online and watch TV and I know you can hook the laptop to the TV but I am not sure on how to do it.

If you TV has a VGA input it can be done. You'll have to buy a cable to connect from the video out on the laptop to the VGA in on the TV. This is ususally a 15 pin D-Connectors (female one end, male the other end) cable. Also, the laptop has to be set to send the signal to the external video connection. This is done on most brands of laptop by by holding down the Fn (function) key and pressing the F5 key. There are normally 3 different settings: Laptop screen only, external video only (no video on the laptop screen), and video to both laptop screen and external.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
I have hooked mine up to the tv. My old laptop had a s-video plug. I just hooked that and the ear phone jack out to the audio in. You also have to tell your laptop where to send the video. Either out to tv or to the screen on your laptop. If your laptop has a HDMI plug and your tv has one, better yet.

Peace
Dave
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Go to Radio Shack and tell them what you want to do and they will be able to sell you the right cord. I know what it looks like, but don't remember the nomenclature for it. I connect my laptop to TV's, media projectors, etc., for training presentations. Once you get it, look in your laptop manual for the keystrokes required to transfer the display from the laptop to the TV. Usually something like holding the Fn key and then hitting F3 or F4 once or twice.
 

2010augusta

Well-known member
If you have a newer laptop you can hook it to the TV with an HDMI cable. With all of the above and the HDMI you will have to either use laptop speakers or connect a second cable for the audio. this will probably be a headphone to RCA cable.
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
OK.. I am going to get bit for this but I think it needs to be said.

I have an air card for my internet access. A Sprint with no limit and a Verizon with a 5 Gig limit. I don't have satellite internet such as Datastorm or Hughes.

If your going to watch TV on an air card or through a Satellite you are going to be paying a large air card bill or satellite will limit your access. Verizon will love to see you. Your bill after the 5Gig is either $.25 per meg or $.05 per meg.

If your connecting to the campground's wifi then you are going to shut down the access for everyone else in the campground. I know some campgrounds will actually block your access once they find out that you are streaming video.

Another thing you will find is that most free wifi's at campground will not be fast enough to stream video. It will be jerky and maybe even drop out. I don't think you would be happy with the video you will be watching.

This is actually why I have two air cards. I want to be on a solid internet as much as possible and I can't get that through most campground wifi's. A lot of people just want to get email and pay bills on the internet and if your streaming video you and all the others doing so are causing the others poor or no access.

My suggestion is bite the bullet and get Directv.

Now understand this is not ment to flame you or anyone else. I am just trying to give you the facts about using campground internet access.

FWIW
BC
 

2010augusta

Well-known member
One other thing to mention that some people may not know, is that if you are stay a one campground for a month or more, many cable companies will allow you to get High-speed cable internet on a monthly bases. In Texas we had Time Warner's Road-runner internet and now we have Comcast Hi-Speed, Both of these were $50.00 or less each month and they will give you a refund for any unused part of the month. We keep the modem and a wireless router in the basement and use two laptops in the trailer.
 

DMAX154

Active Member
Part of the problem is that the campground I am staying at doesn't have the option of cable it does not come down the road that the campground is on. Everyone on the road has Dish or Direct TV. I don't want to get Direct TV at home for two reasons 1) I like my cable and I am happy with the service and my bill we pay about$145 a month for Digital cable with the DVR, internet, and phone with unlimited long distance. 2) if we get direct TV at home then we have an unuseable internet connection. Meaning that my wife works from home sometimes and is not allowed to use dial up or any kind of over the air type internet service. Pretty much has to be cable. I am also begining to see about the wifi not being fast enough. I guess I will have to keeping buying seasons of NCIS and other TV shows I like and watching them. Thanks for all of your help.
 

SouthernNights

Past South Carolina Chapter Leader
OK.. I am going to get bit for this but I think it needs to be said.

I have an air card for my internet access. A Sprint with no limit and a Verizon with a 5 Gig limit. I don't have satellite internet such as Datastorm or Hughes.

If your going to watch TV on an air card or through a Satellite you are going to be paying a large air card bill or satellite will limit your access. Verizon will love to see you. Your bill after the 5Gig is either $.25 per meg or $.05 per meg.

BC

OK Bob.. Help me out a little please. Sam and I have been looking at the Verizon aircard. We were told that it would be next to impossible to fill up a 5 gig card. We dont want to watch movies through it but we are both moderators on an online game so I guess that is the same as a movie?

For the most part, it would be used to check emails for business and Sam does this face book thing. We only check the game for an hour or so if we have been gone for more than a few days and the park has WIFI. I did not know I was going to make the WIFI police come get me.

What happens when the card "fills up"? The Verizon store failed to mention the added cost after it does fill up. They keep saying "oh.. we have never heard of that".

Have you ever filled up the 5 gig card? Is it a monthly thing?? The Sprint store says they only have a 5 gig card also. How do you get one with out a limit?
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Southern Nights, You purchase an air card and then you pay for monthly 5 gig service usage. I have found that Verizon stores know about phone service but not to much about the air cards. It would be best if you contacted the 3Gstore and talked to them. All of your questions will be answered there. Many people on this forum have used them as their selling agent. Oh, and if you use over your 5 gig allotment, you pay extra per megabyte.

Peace
Dave
 

boatto5er

Founding VA Chap Ldr (Ret)
Southern Nights, You purchase an air card and then you pay for monthly 5 gig service usage. I have found that Verizon stores know about phone service but not to much about the air cards. It would be best if you contacted the 3Gstore and talked to them. All of your questions will be answered there. Many people on this forum have used them as their selling agent. Oh, and if you use over your 5 gig allotment, you pay extra per megabyte.

Peace
Dave

And that extra is what can get expensive. If you're using the service primarily for email you won't have any problem. Just try to avoid uploading or downloading large attachments, and don't plan on streaming video's over the aircard and you'll be fine.
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
SouthernNights

OK Bob.. Help me out a little please. Sam and I have been looking at the Verizon aircard. We were told that it would be next to impossible to fill up a 5 gig card. We dont want to watch movies through it but we are both moderators on an online game so I guess that is the same as a movie?
You don't really fill up the air card. It isn't a storage device. It is like using a cell phone and you are allowed so many minutes. Once you use those minutes the rest of the minutes after that will cost you a lot of money.

For the most part, it would be used to check emails for business and Sam does this face book thing. We only check the game for an hour or so if we have been gone for more than a few days and the park has WIFI. I did not know I was going to make the WIFI police come get me.
Campgrounds don't have WiFi police they just have angry tentants that can't use the WiFi because someone is streaming video. Checking email and working on face book should not cause you a problem. Also moderating a game site should not cause you a problem.

What happens when the card "fills up"? The Verizon store failed to mention the added cost after it does fill up. They keep saying "oh.. we have never heard of that".Have you ever filled up the 5 gig card?
I have never use 5gig limit on my Verizon. You can check how much you have used by logging on to the Verizon web site and see what you have used as of a certain date.

Is it a monthly thing??
Yes it resets each month.

The Sprint store says they only have a 5 gig card also.
Sprint, Verizon and AT&T have enacted the 5 gig limit.



How do you get one with out a limit?
You don't get unlimited from any of these as far as I know.
I would not worry about it to much. I upload pictures to Photobucket for my Grandkids and have not had a problem. Using common sense about what your uploading and downloading will do you well.

As indicated above. IF YOU STREAM VIDEO YOU WILL MOST LIKELY EXCEED YOUR 5 GIG LIMIT. (that is not screaming... Just want to make sure everyone understands.)

BC
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
The catch is if you already have an aircard with unlimited service and you change you will lose the unlimited service. Most all providers have gone to the 5G limit. I have only seen one provider still offering unlimited service but their coverage area is so limited their card is almost worthless. IMHO. Overages on the 5G limited service can get very expensive and 400-1000 bills are not uncommon so beware. One other consideration is if you are operating close to an international border you could hit a tower in the other country and be hit with international roaming charges.
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
Jim
I agree with you on the border access. If you have Verizon it gives you this message about $20 access charge if you on Global Access. This can happen if your roaming or near the north or south country borders.

If you get this warning from Verizon you should try to call them to let them know your still inside the country. They can also turn off the Global access until you get to a different area..

I have had no problem with Sprint giving me a warning about out of country access.
I have heard that if you have the no limit card and you go excessive a lot they will warn you and possiblely change your access.. Not sure if this is true. EVDOAlex may have some incite to this.
 

SouthernNights

Past South Carolina Chapter Leader
Thanks Jim and Bob. That does clear up my questions.

Bob, thanks for taking the time to breakdown the post the way you did.

Jim, thanks for the warning on the border crossing. That might be important next year.
 

htneighbors

Unbelievably Blessed!
The DW & I both have unlimited aircards from Alltel. Hers (purchased in Nebraska)recently switched to Verizon. Mine (purchased in Wyoming) did not. Not sure yet what Verizon will change to when the current unlimited contract on hers runs out. I previously had an AT&T 5gig limit card. Working in Wyoming at that time, coverage was worthless. I use mine on the job and send/receive photos and prints. Lots of them. One month, while on AT&T, I used 12gig and the next month I used 9gig. They were going to put me on "roam restriction", meaning I could not use the card when not on ann AT&T tower. Unfeasible to me, they terminated my contract. I got the Alltel unlimited card and it has worked great! I seldom have signal problems. It even works great where I am now - MiddleOfNowhere, Nebraska! Of course, when in a more populated area where 3G service is available, it works even better.
 
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