Best Approach to Connect T61p to HD monitor ?

[jklee]

Hi folks. I have a T61p and was just given a Gateway FHD2400 monitor. T61p has vga output but no hdmi or dvi output. What's the best solution available? I looked at buying a docking station from Lenovo, but the reviews at the Lenovo site were pretty critical of the station (really a port replicator with DVI). Any better solutions? I don't need a docking station for any other reason . . . just trying to get digital output to the monitor. Thanks!

[mgo]

Hi folks. I have a T61p and was just given a Gateway FHD2400 monitor. T61p has vga output but no hdmi or dvi output. What's the best solution available? I looked at buying a docking station from Lenovo, but the reviews at the Lenovo site were pretty critical of the station (really a port replicator with DVI). Any better solutions? I don't need a docking station for any other reason . . . just trying to get digital output to the monitor. Thanks!

Just connect the two with a VGA to VGA cable and tell the T61 to connect to the monitor only. Since you did not specify your operating system, the method varies, but will be super easy.

Just make sure the settings match the native resolution of monitor. The interface for setting it all up is pretty straight forward.

If you are running XP it may be necessary to install the drivers for the monitor. Most of the time, Windows Update will "see" the monitor and offer the drivers automatically when you run Update.
Just have your external monitor connected to your computer when you run Update.
Vista and Windows 7 are similarly easy.

[jklee]

Thanks. My apologies. I should have noted that I was trying to get higher resolution and quality than I would get just making a VGA to VGA connection.

At present, I'm looking at the following options:

1. USB to DVI converter cable
2. Advanced Mini-Dock from Lenovo and then running one of the following two cables from the dock to the monitor - either:
a) a DVI cable; or
b) a DVI to HDMI converter cable.

But it's my understanding that while DVI and HDMI will get me the same image quality re the video output, only HDMI can also carry the audio. But I would assume that if it's DVI output, even using the DVI to HDMI converter cable isn't going to allow me to carry the audio. I'll instead need a separate solution for the audio, yes?

Someone suggested that if I wanted the HDMI, I could also stry USB to DVI converter cable and then adapter DVI to HDMI . . . but that seemed a bit much . . .

And to

[sjthinkpader]

I use 2.b) and it works fine. Some monitor doesn't report the EDID data correctly so you will have to set the resolution. Best is to use WinXP MCE, Vista or Win7.