How to connect to laptop with a bad video card?

How to play HD video on HDTV via my laptop?

• Hi, I have a Dell Inspiron 1420 laptop with Nvidia 8400M GS gaphic card. I have managed to play downloaded bluray 1080 video through the use of Nvidia Cuda hardware acceleration. But my laptop has only one vga port and I would like to connect my laptop to HDTV to watch those bluray videos. I have 3 options in total, where 1. I can just get a vga cable to connect to the HDTV. 2. I can get an USB to HDMI adapter. 3. I can get a pcmcia to HDMI card. For option 2, I doubt that the video quality will be affected, since bluray video requires high data rate, and I doubt that the USB cannot meet the requirement. As for option 3, I would know if the pcmcia does have the speed better than USB, and thus have better picture quality? Or do I just go for option 1, does vga port capable of delivering such high data rate and high quality picture to the TV? So what are the best option in order to get the best picture quality out of it. Thank you.

• Answer:

  First, I have not compared so my comments are based on what I'd try. VGA is easiest if your HDTV has a VGA input (verify it can handle the resolution output by the laptop). While analog it can generate an excellent image. Sound would be precessed separately. Since it doesn't cost anything to try I'd give it a go first. You can always use the internal VGA switching on the laptop to select which display you use. If VGA isn't good enough USB to HDMI may work (See link for a couple of options), but I'd verify that any adapter is HDCP compliant otherwise you may not be able to access commercial blu-ray / HD material. In reality it depends what resolution you need. If your HDTV is 720p/1080i VGA is almost certainly the way to go. Frankly I doubt you need (or would really benefit) from either option 2 or 3, particulalry if you are thinking 720p. PCMCIA >> DVI is an option (Link 2), but note comments from users that there may be resolution limitations depending on your monitor. There is a 4th option ... a VGA>>HDMI scaler/converter (See 3rd link for the 1080p version), but it's expensive (the 720p version is less expensive, but probably won't work as well). Hope something here helps.