Hooking the laptop to the TV

[Spacemom]

I have an older Gateway that only has a VGA output. It also has a built in Intel graphics "card." I purchased an adapter that is VGA to RCA. I've connected everything up but there's nothing showing on the TV. I've messed around in the display settings, but still can't figure it out. Could someone speak slowly and with small words and tell me what to do? :D

Thanks.

[RoyGBiv]

1. This probably won't work ...

I say "probably" only because I don't know specifically what kind of video card is in the machine.

The video card needs to have a TV-OUT (composite through VGA) function. Most older cards don't actually have this.

[ConsAreLiars]

2. Try playing around with the input options on the TV set itself.

You may need to run the "find channels" routine again when it is active - it may turn up on channel 91 or so, or there may be some other means, some button on the remote or set, to cycle between all the RCA inputs. I would guess that the problem is in setting the TV to display the signal, but there might also be some action on the computer software side that is needed to activate the send-signal process, so you might want to dig through that manual.

[Fumesucker]

3. Some laptops have to be manually switched to the VGA output..

See if there's a setting for the laptop to activate the VGA output rather than the LCD display, some laptops won't do both at the same time..

[RoyGBiv]

4. Model Number?

If you could give us the model number, we could probably give a more precise answer.

The previous two responses are things to try *if* the machine actually has a TV-OUT function.

[Spacemom]

5. The laptop is a Gateway 4530gz

the video card is an Intel 82852 chipset.

I've googled this chip and found information at the Intel website. It seems to indicate that it has a TV-out function, but I can't seem to find it. :shrug:

Thanks for the help anyways.