What is the HDMI port on my laptop for?

Now i know quite a bit about computers etc, and i have just got a new laptop and it has a HDMI port in. It is the first computer i have had with a HDMI port so i have never used them.

At first i thought i might be able to connect my HD camcorder using its HDMI lead but when i did this and loaded up the program, it didn't find the camera.

I then thought i might be able to connect my laptop to my TV, i tried this and tried to find the external screen but nothing would come up on the TV.

Can anyone help? What can i use with this HDMI port? Is there some setting i need to change on the laptop or am i just not using it right?

Any help will be great, thanks.

Comments

  • poppasmurfpoppasmurf Posts: 1,781
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    You need to set your computer up to have 2 displays, and use the Function buttons (F5 or F6)to turn the display on.

    When i tried I couldn't get a picture, but when I used my second HDMI port on my LG Plasma it worked immediately.
  • hopeandfaith06hopeandfaith06 Posts: 17,133
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    poppasmurf wrote: »
    You need to set your computer up to have 2 displays, and use the Function buttons (F5 or F6)to turn the display on.

    When i tried I couldn't get a picture, but when I used my second HDMI port on my LG Plasma it worked immediately.

    Well i thought i had set up 2 displays, and i pressed the F4 button on my laptop with the Fn key and the laptop screen went blank as if it was sending the picture to the tv but nothing happened on the tv, but i know that hdmi lead and hdmi port works as my PS3 is normally connected to it.

    I'll have an other look into it but any more help from anyone will be great
  • dobbin231dobbin231 Posts: 466
    Forum Member
    Can you give us :

    1) The make and model of laptop
    2) The make and model of the TV you are attempting to connect to.


    Thanks
  • hopeandfaith06hopeandfaith06 Posts: 17,133
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    dobbin231 wrote: »
    Can you give us :

    1) The make and model of laptop
    2) The make and model of the TV you are attempting to connect to.


    Thanks

    Sure thing,

    My laptop is a HP DV5 1110EM: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1971451564.1231849846@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccfdadegeldkkigcflgceggdhhmdgmh.0&category_oid=-27749&sku=052738&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null

    My TV is a Sharp Aquos LC-46XD1E http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/Sharp-LC46XD1E/

    Hope this is ok
  • hopeandfaith06hopeandfaith06 Posts: 17,133
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    Any more help? I provided the information you asked for dobbin
  • hopeandfaith06hopeandfaith06 Posts: 17,133
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    Anyone? Please
  • hopeandfaith06hopeandfaith06 Posts: 17,133
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    Never mind, got it working myself
  • poppasmurfpoppasmurf Posts: 1,781
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    Never mind, got it working myself

    What did you do?
  • dobbin231dobbin231 Posts: 466
    Forum Member
    Any more help? I provided the information you asked for dobbin

    Patience grasshopper.....!

    I have been looking at the manual for your laptop here.

    The relevant manual is Multimedia Vista and it's on page 17 (connecting an HDMI device). I did think that maybe the hdmi port may need to be switched on manually. However it says that it works by using Fn+F4 which you have already tried. DId you try using Fn+F4 (toggle) several times? SOmetimes this toggle has several settings and is changed each time you press Fn+F4.

    WHat I would try (if you haven't already) is to

    1) start the laptop and
    2) press Fn+F4
    3) try all the different outputs on your TV
    GOTO step 2) until you exhaust all options.

    It definitely works because there is a thread on another forum from someone that is using the same laptop as you into a TV via the HDMI port (see here)

    So it must be possible. You may have to toggle the Fn+F4 switch several times because your laptop also has a PC monitor output. That will also be switch on by Fn+F4. So the first time you press Fn+F4 you may be switching the video output to the PC monitor port.

    THere also seems to be something you need to set in order to get the sound through the HDMI output port (again see the multimedia manual above-it explains it there in the section after the HDMI port).

    I hope that this is some use to you and let us know how you get on.

    ****
    EDIT
    ****
    I see that in the time it took me to research and write this you have sorted it yourself. The above may be some help if you are having any problem with the sound through the HDMI port. Let us know how you sorted it as that may be useful for others who are having the same problem as you were.
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