Windows not detecting Samsung LE32R41B LCD TV - Help?

[bradavon]

I have a Toshiba Windows Vista HP laptop connected via it's VGA port to my Samsung LE32R41B LCD TV but it is not working.

When plugged into the TV using a 1m VGA cable that came with a separate monitor it works fine. Windows lets me choose a 1368x768 resolution and the Nvidia drivers detect the TV as made by Samsung.

However when using a cheap 3m VGA cable and a more expensive 5m Belkin Pro Series cable Windows doesn't detect a TV is plugged into the laptop. As it happens 3m wasn't long enough I need about 4.5m.

Looking in the Nvidia drivers it doesn't detect the Samsung TV any more. If I choose "Analogue Source" and set it to 1024x768 (1368x768 is not an option) plus 60Hz refresh rate the TV then detects the signal but only because it happens the TV also supports this.

This is more me forcing it to work than being picked up properly.

I've also discovered if I plug my separate monitor into my laptop using the same 3m cable it's also not detected. I'd have thought this should work, the monitor supports 1440x900. If I use the regular 1m cable that came with the monitor it's fine.

Any ideas why longer lengths than 1m do not work and Windows doesn't recognise the TV any more? Thanks in advance.

[bradavon]

Anyone? Please.

[bradavon]

Up?

82 people have looked but no one is willing to help :(

Edited September 23, 2007 by bradavon

[bradavon]

Anyone?

The laptop has a Nvidia GeForce Go 7300 Graphics card, with the latest version installed (7.15.11.56.16) as shown here:

http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/cgi...iverLanguage=42

I cannot use the actual Nvidia drivers and have to use Toshiba's Nvidia drivers. I guess they modified the graphics board but used a Nvidia chip. If I try Nvidia drivers they refuse to install with a card not found error.

Here is the cable I have, it's not exactly the same as mine is 5m, is gold plated and has those ferrite cores blocks to help stop interference:

I cannot find an exact picture.

[c.grz]

How about returning the bad cable and getting another one?

What model laptop do you have?

[bradavon]

How about returning the bad cable and getting another one?

The thing is I've now tried two different cables by two different manufacturers leading me to think it's not a case of a faulty cable. I've tried a cheap 3m cable and a more expensive Belkin Pro 5m cable, gold plated.

I think it's something to do with the distance the signal has to travel. It's fine with my cheap 1m cable. I do not know how to overcome this though.

What model laptop do you have?

It's a Toshiba Satellite A100-049 15.4" laptop with an Intel Core 2 Duo 1.66Hz, 2Gb RAM and 120Gb SATA hard disk. I bought it new in May.

Why do you ask? Thanks for your help so far.

[c.grz]

Do you have the latest BIOS installed on the laptop?

Have you compared the pin layout of the cable that works to one that does not?

[bradavon]

Do you have the latest BIOS installed on the laptop?

Yes. I checked it only the other day.

Have you compared the pin layout of the cable that works to one that does not?

No. Please explain what I am looking for? Even if the number of pins differs I'm unsure how I'd go about finding the right cable?

EDIT: I've just checked and interestingly both the non-working 3m cable and the non-working 5m cable has 1 less pin less than the working 1m cable. The missing pin on both cables is in the same place.

[bradavon]

Is this likely to be the reason? If so I'll see if I can track down a 15 pin 5m cable. I counted the number of pins and the total number is 15 but the other two cables have 14 pins.

I bought the 5m cable from Amazon which does specifically say it has 15 pins, have they sent me a faulty item?

[c.grz]

EDIT: I've just checked and interestingly both the non-working 3m cable and the non-working 5m cable has 1 less pin less than the working 1m cable. The missing pin on both cables is in the same place.

I think you need to find a cable that does not have that one pin missing as the cables that I've used to connect a PC to a TV have all the pins.

[bradavon]

I think you need to find a cable that does not have that one pin missing as the cables that I've used to connect a PC to a TV have all the pins.

Interesting thanks. Checking the Belkin website the pictures shows a cable with 14 pins:

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage...oduct_Id=266074

[c.grz]

Honestly, I don't know the difference, but that's the only difference between the cables that work and don't work so I'd start there.

I assume you're from the UK so I copied a link to a store in the UK that sells a cable with all 15 pins.

http://www.futureshop.co.uk/profigold-pgm1...e-5m-p-404.html

[bradavon]

I assume you're from the UK so I copied a link to a store in the UK that sells a cable with all 15 pins.

Yes I am. How did you guess? I should put that in my profile.

http://www.futureshop.co.uk/profigold-pgm1...e-5m-p-404.html

I just had a look at that store. I'll try the Amazon returns root first. I suspect they'll only send me out the exact same cable and not bother to check the number of pins but I may as well try first.

Thanks for all your help.

[bradavon]

I e-mailed an eBayer seller who sells what looks like a high quality VGA cable to confirm his have 15 pins and here is response:

"The 9th pin sends no signal, that is why there is no 9th pin."

If you count the pins it is always the 9th pin that is missing. So I guess I'm back to square one :(

[vomit]

i had a similar belkin cable, when i was using it i found that i could select screen resolutions their is no way on earth my monitor could handle, probably some communication signal from the screen to the graphics card.

good luck on your search for a compatible cable

[bradavon]

Thanks.

I cannot figure out why it's so complicated.