When i plug my dell inspiron 6400 running vista to my panasonic viera screen, the laptop picture appears on the panasonic screen but it changes on both to a strange oldschool looking format. The quality also diminishes. Is there any setting which i can change to alter this? Help much appreciated, thanks

Hi Welcome to PCHF


I have never done this... personally.
I do know that even Hi def TV's can display things quite differently from computer monitors.
Is your Video adapter built with a "TV Out" connector?
What type of cable are you using to connect to the TV ?
Does your Video adapter software have a display-manager... ?
The one shown here is for reference ONLY -- yours may differ:

Google Image Result for http://www.presentersuniversity.com/images/CardSettings_5.jpg

scroll about half-way down the page... you'll see a control for TV out-- type connections

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Am using a PC monitor cable, just plugging in am not using any software. Can't find a display option in my control panel on Vista.

I'm not running Vista myself-- but i do know from my own experience --and things I've read... that even Hi Def monitor-type TV's display things at different resolutions.
You can use one-- but sometimes it requires different cables and configuration of your video adapter's output.
I would go to the monitor maker's website-- and start looking through their support pages.

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Seems it's disabled by default -- I think it has to do with the new User Account Control ...

TweakVista.com - Disable UAC (User Account Control)

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