watching i-player programmes on an hd tv

[iloveglee]

I have an acer laptop with a hdmi slot. I also have an hd tv with a spare hdmi slot. I like to watch programmes from i-players but find the computer screen a little small, especially if there are two of us trying to watch. Is it a simple matter of connecting the laptop to one of the tv spare slots and then just putting on the programme on i-player, or is it much more complicated than that. I have bought an hdmi to hdmi cable, but it is all sealed up in plastic, impossible to get into without breaking the packaging. I want to e sure that this will work before I open it as they may not take it back if it is no use, but has been opened. There are no instructions on the outside of the pack to guide me.

[T&S]

You should be able to connect your laptop to your TV and watch Iplayer through yout TV. You will nedd to change your display settings on the laptop though. I'm sure someone far cleverer than I will be able to tell you how.

[ChuckFickens]

As above...

But as they also say, generally you need to tell the laptop to output the video and sound through the HDMI rather than the internal screen and speakers, how to do this depends on what laptop it is and what version of windows you are running.

(as a note, most modern computers can output audio through the HDMI, but not all)

[iloveglee]

Well hopefully there's somebody out there who can tell me how to change the computer settings because i really don't have any idea!!! The laptop is an acer aspire 5742Z and its running on windows 7.

[ChuckFickens]

Loads of people can tell you now you've said what the laptop is.

To change the screen output press FN = F5, it will cycle round the various options, you are better off setting it so only the TV is active, not both displays as that puts a lot more load on the laptop.

To change the audio right click on the speaker down by the clock, select playback devices and then right click on the device that says HDMI in the name and select set as default device

[iloveglee]

well, tried that, but on right clicking on the sound icon, the only thing that comes up in the playback devices is speakers - no hdmi. the laptop most definitely has an hdmi slot though for a cable, does this mean that i have to buy something else for the laptop, or download something. i haven't ever tried to do this before, but when I bought it i'm sure in the information there was mention of being able to play it through the tv.

[iloveglee]

as a followup to the last reply, i decided just to undo the cable and see what happened and hope that it would work. it did, eventually. when i plugged the cable into the laptop, nothing happened, but when i plugged the cable into the tv as well, the tv automatically became the default audio. then there was no picture, but after taking the cable out, and putting it back again - into the tv, got both sound and picture. have not yet figured out to disable to picture from the computer screen. the picture on the tv is not the full screen on the tv, although it is full screen on the laptop. still - much better than trying to watch things on the computer, and at least the connection between the two works so i wont have to take the cable back

[Giggsie]

I am interested in this too. I also have got my laptop connected to my tv but have still got picture on computer have not figured how to make monitor blank screen. Have acer laptop on windows 7. Anyone help?

[iloveglee]

previous answer suggested pressing FN=F5 but am not entirely sure what this means. I don't imagine that it is particularly a problem to have the video on the computer screen as well but if running the computer just on battery it may well run the battery down quicker.

[ChuckFickens]

It was a bit of a typo....

I meant FN + F5. As in hold down the FN key (bottom left of the keyboard) and press the F5 key (top row)

Doing so whold cycle through the different settings for for screen output.

(it's not the same button on all laptops, so don't expect FN+F5 to work on your's, futicat, unless it's another acer)

[Giggsie]

thanks chuck must try that it is an acer I have. What happens whenI press these 2 together does it just put monitor blank and does it go back to normal when tv is put off?