Connecting Laptop to HDTV (VGA to Component video)

Another Tech Support Question:
"Can I connect my laptop computer which has a VGA output to my A/V receiver which has component inputs?"


We have an article about connecting Computers to TV's and HDTV's in our:
How to connect your computer to your HDTV or Standard Def Television

To make a long story short, VGA and Component Video are somewhat different animals. A cable won't do it. You need a converter.
The tricky part is getting the laptop video output to be something that the TV will like. If your laptops built-in video is really good, then you can use a less expensive converter called a "Transcoder". A transcoder simply changes the encoding of the signal but does not change resolution or refresh rate, so what goes in is what comes out, just converted from RGB to Y-Pr-Pb. For an HDTV to accept the signal, a component video signal has got to be, 480i, 480p, 720p or 1080i. That means you have to set your laptop to one of these formats *or* you'll need to use a more expensive converter that is a "Video scaler". A video scaler can change the resolution of the video signal. When doing this, you want the least change in resolution possible for best results.
Typically, your best bet with a transcoder is to set up your laptop (or desktop) display to 1280x720@60Hz, and set the transcoder for 720p.
Typically, your best bet with a scaler/converter is to set up your laptop (or desktop) display to 1280x768@60Hz (if 1280x720@60Hz is not available) , and set the transcoder for 720p.

If you have not checked for video card driver upgrades, you should. Sometimes new drivers make it much easier to set this up by providing new resolutions and adjustments for "overscan"*.

*overscan is where the sides and/or bottom of the display are clipped off to some extent making navigation difficult.

HDTV Video Connections or why is everyone fat on my TV?

Part II

VGA and component are analog sources of high definition signals. Analog HDTV signals were first introduced on computers, satellite/cable set-top boxes, VCR and high-end DVD players. The picture quality was superior over composite or s-video, which is not capable of HDTV resolutions. VGA, some times called RGB, is a small format 15 pin, three(3) row connection used on most computers for connecting your monitor and gave us our first view of high resolution video. You will also find these connections on HDTV monitors designed to accept computer standard video and frontal projectors.

Component is a very popular HDTV connection using three (3) cables labeled YpbPr and distinguished by the familiar three (3) colors red, green and blue connectors found on most consumer electronic equipment. Connecting component is simple and trouble free for 480, 1080i or 720P HDTV installation plus the connection of choice by installers. However, the newest HDTV format 1080P is generally only available over a HDMI connection.

Here is where the confusion starts. VGA from a computer is capable of many resolutions, but the standard computer display resolutions are not compatible with HDTV unless the TV monitor can accept computer resolutions over VGA. If you purchase a VGA to component cable or BNC, to connect your computer to a HDTV that is component, it will not work. These cables are for special purpose applications.

For example some older Mitsubishi, Pioneer and other HDTV ready monitors sometimes used the same VGA connector called RGBHV and accepted the signal through five(5) RCA or the professional equivalent BNC connection at HDTV resolutions. These HDTV monitors require a converter box to convert component HDTV to these inputs.

Now you understand why there is so much discussion over the best installation method and if you need a converter from VGA to component and component to VGA. The converter boxes have electronics built in to take the horizontal and vertical sync signals in VGA and convert them to component or RGBHV or if you are going the other direction. Most are confused and for good reasons.

Quiz time! If component is sometimes mis-referred to as red, green and blue what is the HV in RGBHV?

Oh no, that is not the end of it. If the VGA resolution, from a computer source, is not a HDTV standard resolution of 480, 1080i, 720P and now 1080P, a simple VGA to component converter will not pass a picture compatible with the display. Most computers are not HDTV resolution outputs. What do you do now? Look at our PowerStrip user guide for one option to force your computer to a HDTV resolution, but this is not for the faint at heart. Read the entire article before you decide to try it. http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/powerstrip.html

Your best option is an external scaler.

Are you lost yet? Well let throw one more at you. Some displays, projectors, and HDTV’s use the VGA, 15 pin, three (3) row PC connector for both RGBHV and component signals. So how do you know?

1. First, frontal projectors with VGA will also accept component to save space.
2. If a VGA to component cable fails to yield a picture then you need a converter.
3. To save space some converters use VGA connectors for both signals to save space.
4. Read the equipment manual, it will tell you what signals will work over the VGA.
5. This is why VGA to component cable exist, but seldom work unless on a frontal projector or special application!

Finally, we stated that component connections are only HDTV resolutions and VGA has multiple PC resolutions. Check out this Wikipedia link on all the resolutions and picture geometries options. The visual graphic array is just, exciting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_Graphics_Array

Stay tune for part III as we look at scalers and other HDTV switching options.

How do I connect the VGA monitor output from a computer to a HDTV Component video input? Can I just use a VGA to Component video cable?

You will need more than just cables, you will need video format converters.
VGA signals are in the RGB format, while TV's with Component video is a Y-Pr-Pb encoded format.
We have several different models depending on exactly what you will need. The "non scaling" converters output the exact same resolution and refresh rate as they have going into their input. This is confusing to many people, because it is, well, pretty confusing. It converts only the color encoding, not the resolution, and the scan rate stays the same. So for a TV that only takes 720p (1280x720@60Hz) you must set the computer output to 1280x720@60Hz. Not 75Hz, or 70Hz, but 60Hz. Not 1280x1024 or 1024x768, it would need to be 1280x720@60Hz. 1080i settings are the same type of deal, only often trickier. Some of the new video card drivers have specific HDTV (720p/1080i) output settings which usually work very well.
With a converter that has built-in scaling you can convert the color encoding while also converting the resolution and refresh rate so you can take most common video formats of the PC type and convert to most of the common formats of the TV type. This is much easier of course, but also can tend to distort the image if you try and convert from/to very dissimilar formats. For example, converting an image from standard TV size - 4:3 to Widescreen - 16:9 will distort the image, making average people appear rather overweight.

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Related Blog posts:
How to connect HDMI to VGA/Component Video?
Question about Converting HDMI to VGA with a Projector