HDMI PC to TV - problem!

I have successfully connected my Dell 1555 to a Panasonic Viera TV (tx-l24e3b), an HD TV, as a second monitor just once, with brilliant results (picture only so far), showing desktop and photos on the laptop, so I know it can be done. I did it without recording what I did - I just tried and it worked!

Now I need to do it again, and a day spent trying has produced no result!

I follow recommendations on several websites including Microsoft:

1. Connect HDMI cable to TV and PC when off, switch on TV first, then PC
2. Use TV remote control to find AV then HDMI2 - blank screen
3. On PC open Display settings
4. In that window showing Multiple displays choose Extend these displays - the PC reads '2. Panasonic TV' [which must mean the cable is OK]. Click 'Apply' then 'Keep changes'
5. TV remains blank ie PC desktop is not showing
6. Open screen resolution, set to 1366x768 (recommended for PC). TV screen remains blank so try other resolutions. Screen remains blank.

I would be very grateful for any help with this, particularly by anyone with the same laptop or TV!!!

Have you double checked that your HDMI cable is definitely plugged into the HDMI2 port on your TV? Try changing the source to HDMI1 with the TV remote to see if that makes any difference.

Hi Christian - I have tried both HDMI1 and HDMI2 but by plugging the cable into the two different sockets on the TV - they are clearly labelled. I suppose they could be incorrectly labelled so I could switch with the remote to check that. I think that when I used the cable successfully - the first time - I was careful to plug into HDMI2 because it's the only connection with sound as well as picture.

Alan

On a laptop I think you have to press Function (key) and F8 to switch over the video signal. Take a look at the laptop manual sometimes it is a different F Key

Thanks to both. I've cracked it, and for the sake of anyone else with this combination of TV and laptop, here's what you do, in the order given:

1. With the TV running any television programme, plug the HDMI cable into HDMI2 (because it has sound unlike HDMI1)

2. Plug the other end of the cable into the PC BEFORE booting up, then boot up.

3. With the TV remote control, navigate from Television to HDMI2 (probably to AV then HDMI2) and press OK

And that's it - no fiddling with Display settings or Resolution in my case with this quite recent TV. What a pity Panasonic don't explain it anywhere in the operations manual - it would have saved me a day at least!

No worries, glad to hear it's all up and running :)