best way to combine a pc with tv with HDMI cable??

[fiddysheqel]

sorry if this is in the wrong forum - i tried my best to find the right one!
and also i tried searching so forgive me if this was answered before...

I have a HD tv and I currently have an S-video cable to hook it up to my laptop whenever i want to watch something from my laptop. As we all know, the quality of this cable is horrific - absolutely terrible. I was told that an HDMI cable will transmit the best resolution from a laptop/another computer. My only problem is that none of my laptops or desktops have an HDMI slot. Now, I was wondering, what is the best way to go around doing this? Is there, for example, a converter cable which plugs into, for example, a USB slot and the other end connects to an HDMI cable?

Please help! Thanks for any help...

 

[charper1]

Are you looking for a wireless or hardwire solution? Or either?

 

[fiddysheqel]

wireless is possible, but my most preferreed solution is to go through a wire (instead of hardware) as, i think, it would be the cheapest. no?

 

[bobhaze]

wireless is possible, but my most preferreed solution is to go through a wire (instead of hardware) as, i think, it would be the cheapest. no?

Does your laptop have DVI output? If so all you need is a DVI to HDMI cable.
If not, there is no purpose in worrying about HDMI since you're already analog, so just go into your TV via component. Some desktop video cards will let you select component output, but its unlikely in a laptop. So to go from VGA out to your TV you may need a transcoder like one of those on this page https://www.digitalconnection.com/store/Product_List.asp?CID=3&CAT=VIDEO CONVERTER

 

[hbk409]

you could probably do this its a dvi to hdmi cable http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...04&p_id=2404&style=&seq=1&format=1#largeimage
then use http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...03&p_id=2396&style=&seq=1&format=1#largeimage to attach to the vga port on the laptop to make the vga a dvi connection, I could find a dvi to hdmi cable anywhere. this might work

 

[bobhaze]

you could probably do this its a dvi to hdmi cable http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...04&p_id=2404&style=&seq=1&format=1#largeimage
then use http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...03&p_id=2396&style=&seq=1&format=1#largeimage to attach to the vga port on the laptop to make the vga a dvi connection, I could find a dvi to hdmi cable anywhere. this might work

The cable listed will work, but the adapter won't convert VGA to DVI. It only works the other way. The adapter you referenced will only work with a DVI-I output like that on many video cards. A DVI-I connection is one that includes both analog VGA and DVI on the same jack, so the adapter isn't doing any electronic conversion, just adapting the plug to the correct pins for a signal that is already present. You can't turn it around and get digital from a source where there is none. If the laptop has a DVI-I, the cable can be used alone. If not, to use DVI or HDMI the signal would need to go through a conversion from analog to digital which would require a transcoder.
However, if the computer is not already outputting digital video there is little point in converting it to digital. It's only going to be as good as the input anyway. Using the component video connections from the VGA output will cost less and should give equivalent results.
Here is a good article on the subject: http://www.digitalconnection.com/FAQ/HDTV_4.asp

Bob