# Laptop HTPC



## DaddyDan2Four (Apr 4, 2010)

I have a laptop running Win7 Home Premium with a 2ghz Pentium dual core, 3gb of ddr2 ram, integrated graphics and only VGA out. I am curious if I can use this as a basic HTPC? My understanding is that VGA does support 720p and 1080p and that I would obviously need a separate audio cable.


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## Harpmaker (Oct 28, 2007)

DaddyDan2Four said:


> I have a laptop running Win7 Home Premium with a 2ghz Pentium dual core, 3gb of ddr2 ram, integrated graphics and only VGA out. I am curious if I can use this as a basic HTPC? My understanding is that VGA does support 720p and 1080p and that I would obviously need a separate audio cable.


You should be able to make it work, it depends on the display device you want to use.


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## DaddyDan2Five (Nov 11, 2010)

I'm the same guy. I just changed my user name to reflect the fact that I'm soon to have a new child. :blink:
The display I will be using will be a 32in Sanyo LCD. I plan on moving to a 42in or 47in but I am assuming that this in where the integrated graphics will start to choke.


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## Cream (Oct 13, 2010)

I do not think that the integrated card choking has anything to do with the size of the display. It has to do with the inputs available on the display and the quality that you want your picture to be.


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## Harpmaker (Oct 28, 2007)

DaddyDan2Five said:


> I'm the same guy. I just changed my user name to reflect the fact that I'm soon to have a new child. :blink:
> The display I will be using will be a 32in Sanyo LCD. I plan on moving to a 42in or 47in but I am assuming that this in where the integrated graphics will start to choke.


If your TV has a VGA port you may be able to get by with just using a standard VGA cable of the needed length. Basically, the longer the cable the better quality the cable should be.

A better solution, although costlier, is to get a VGA to HDMI conversion box (around $100); this also will allow you to run a single cable to the TV since audio can be carried via HDMI. 

VGA is analog and HDMI is digital so a "simple" conversion cable can't be used.

A quick look found this site: http://sewelldirect.com/articles/vga-to-hdmi.aspx


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## DaddyDan2Five (Nov 11, 2010)

> If your TV has a VGA port you may be able to get by with just using a standard VGA cable of the needed length. Basically, the longer the cable the better quality the cable should be.
> 
> A better solution, although costlier, is to get a VGA to HDMI conversion box (around $100); this also will allow you to run a single cable to the TV since audio can be carried via HDMI.
> 
> ...


 
My TV does have a VGA port. What I would like to do is use Media Center, Create a library of my DVD collection, have access to my other media (Pictures, music) and use it to get a better netflix experience. This will be a sort of stop gap. I mainly want to experiment because I'm not completely sure that a HTPC is what I need. I don't have much interest in DVR functionality. Is there any way that I will be able to get surround sound streaming off my laptop?

Oh and I am familiar with with the vga up-conversion box. I don't find it necessary since I can just run an audio cable to my simple surround system. 

I just found this 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102025

Is that what I would need to get surround off my laptop? I'm assuming the the headphone port is not going to cut it.


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## Harpmaker (Oct 28, 2007)

DaddyDan2Five said:


> I just found this
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102025
> 
> Is that what I would need to get surround off my laptop? I'm assuming the the headphone port is not going to cut it.


I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to high end PC audio, I hope one of the other members or staff can help you with this one.


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## nova (Apr 30, 2006)

What laptop do you have?


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## DaddyDan2Five (Nov 11, 2010)

> What laptop do you have?


It's a two year old Gateway
Win7 pro
3GB DDR2
DVD r/w
Two Hard Drive bays
VGA out
3 USB port 
Express Card.


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## DaddyDan2Five (Nov 11, 2010)

I believe I may have found the answer to my sound question.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102020


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## nholmes1 (Oct 7, 2010)

Yes the last option would be what you want to get surround sound. The laptop should work and yes you can get HD from VGA without a problem though you may run into HDCP issues in the future.


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## DaddyDan2Five (Nov 11, 2010)

> Yes the last option would be what you want to get surround sound. The laptop should work and yes you can get HD from VGA without a problem though you may run into HDCP issues in the future.


I don't know much about HDCP but wouldn't any problems be related to Bluray?


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## nholmes1 (Oct 7, 2010)

It could also apply to downloaded DRM equipped media in the future but for now yes just blu-ray and pay tv service such as Sat or Cable (usually just PPV or VOD content).


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## nova (Apr 30, 2006)

Glad you found your answer. I asked about your laptop wondering if it had a S/PDIF output. Double check the specs on your laptop, most have a headphone jack and many have a headphone/S/PDIF output jack.


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## DaddyDan2Five (Nov 11, 2010)

I just did a quick search and I think that it's very possible that the laptop has /S/PDIF. I will have to check when I get home. Even if I have /S/PDIF I think I have found a new issue. I have an older HTIB and it does not have /S/PDIF. :crying: So I'm guessing that I will end up having to go with a 3.5mm to RCA splitter. Not exactly what I wanted but it's a start. The HTIB will be going by the wayside next year as I use this site to educate myself. One thing I've just learned about is the availability of Netflix in Windows Media Center and the Boxee and XBMC plugins. I was very interested in things like the Roku but now I know that those are unnecessary. One question I have is will ripped DVD's or DVD's played from my laptop or any HTPC be up-converted to 720p/1080p?

I just learned that Netflix through WMC does not support HD.....


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