Windows 7: Trying to display my laptop on to the TV

Hi I am trying to use my TV (technika lcd32 207) as a second monitor for my laptop,(acer aspire 5732Z) I have bought two differant cables to try and here are the problems I get.

Promlem 1 When I plug the vga-hdmi cable in the tv recognises that a cable has been pluged in and goes to the channel but the laptop does not see it and so does not give the option to use the tv as a 2nd monitor.

Problem2 When I try the vga-scart the laptop gives me all the options to use the tv as the monitor but yep you guessed it the tv does not want to play.

Has anyone else had this problem. Oh and I'm using Windows 7 home edition

have you checked your video props on the laptop

You cannot go VGA to HDMI. VGA is analog and HDMI is digital. You need to use a VGA to VGA cable. Most of the newer TVs have a VGA connector on the back of the TV.

What would I need to check on the video props?

Most commonly you need to match resolution. I've seen it many times with projectors. I guess it's similar with TVs.

It's true though what WindowStar has said - there is no VGA-HDMI cable, there are special conversion boxes that you can buy, but I would try to fix the scart first.

I have an hdmi to dvi cable, the dvi end of the cable plugs into a dvi-vga dongle. Hence hdmi to vga.

But you are still going from analog to digital. That will not work. You need a VGA cable to your TV and plug into the VGA port on the TV. If your laptop has a DVI port then you can use the cable you have.

I have a DVI to HDMI cable which also works.

What video outputs do you have coming from your laptop?

Yes DVI to HDMI is Digital to Digital and will work find. You will not have any sound because DVI does not include sound as HDMI does. You can run another set of wires for the audio part.