T400 Video Out options

[snabjab]

I have a question about the T400 video out options that I couldn't find an answer for in old posts. So far as I can tell, the only video out option it has is VGA (ie no S-Video like on my T42). My question is, do VGA to S-video(or RCA, for that matter) adapters make it easy to output to a TV? Secondly, if I upgrade to a HDTV in a few years will I regret not having HDMI or DVI out? Any rumors about the new T410 having a digital out?

Apologies if these are basic questions - the simplest can be the hardest to answer at commercial websites dedicated to making a sale and leaving the details hazy. Many thanks...

[magicdanw]

Sadly, there's no such thing as a passive VGA to S-video or RCA. You can buy one online, but it will only work with a small number of graphics cards, and I'm fairly sure that Lenovo doesn't use them. If you want to output from your laptop to a TV, you either need a digital TV that accepts VGA input (the preferred solution) or a TV scan converter. These are expensive, non-passive converters, and I've never seen one for under $100 that gave a decent picture, but that's just me. In the end, I'm not obsessive about quality, and my family has a TV with VGA input, so that's good enough for me. Whether you'll be disappointed about not having a digital video output really depends on how much of a videophile you are. Like I said, I don't care, but I'm not picky.

[snabjab]

Wow, that's a bummer. Many thanks for passing on the bad news. I've loved having my T42 capable of doing pretty much anything I ever wanted it to do over the past four years and I'm disappointed to hear that video output will be a hassle with the T400. Streaming seems to be the way of the future and I've enjoyed using my T42 to send Netflix streams to the computer. I'm not particularly hung up on the feed being digital, I'd just like it to be easy to hook up. Is Lenovo unusual for not offering this feature? My impression that a VGA input on a TV is somewhat rare.

[magicdanw]

I don't think most laptops offer TV out, with an exception being Sony laptops. VGA input on a CRT TV is rare if existent at all, but it's pretty common on new LCDs.

[snabjab]

Interesting. Then it would seem there's no trend toward including digital out which might lead to its inclusion on the T410.

[FTC]

Hi. Back in July I bought in EBAY a "Laptop/ PC VGA to TV Video converter Scart Adapter" (http://cgi.ebay.es/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... SA:ES:1123) for 37USD and have used it extensively since to connect the T400 to an S-Video TV. Works really well and as you can see is a quite cheap solution.

[magicdanw]

Hmm, that's what I bought and the quality was terrible, but perhaps mine was defective?

[snabjab]

Thanks FTC, that's very helpful.

Not sure if forum rules prevent posting a link to commercial sites, but the user reviews of these boxes at one well known purveyor of all things computer don't inspire much confidence. Looks like something of a crapshoot.

Really disconcerting that they've made this so difficult. Is there really no room for an S-video out? Guess they figured it was obsolete anyway. Not quite.

[ryan1212]

With the advanced mini dock (can be found inexpensively on ebay or the outlet) You can do DVI from a T400.

The other option is to buy a SL400 which has HDMI, but that model is kind of a fusion of a thinkpad and an ideapad and is not the same quality as a T series, but lower priced.

Also the T500 15" models have display port.

[dr_st]

T410 should have DisplayPort (T400s already has it). This is a digital video out, and adapters converting it to HDMI do exist.

[snabjab]

Looks like it's a challenge to go Displayport -> S-Vid/Comp, but displayport seems the way of the future and digital sets are only getting cheaper.

Apparently I'm about to turn this into a "should I buy now" thread. My old T42 works fine, minus a dead battery and a flickering screen due to lousy Win7 drivers. I'm reluctant to go back to XP because the default photo viewer in Win7 is so much handier for my work documents (any suggestions on a substitute with the same functionality?).

A T400 with the following specs is available for $1,400 shipped/tax, using coupon USPTHINKPAD:
T9600 / 14" WXGA+ LED Camera / Radeon 3470 / 4GB RAM / 500GB HDD / Intel 5300 / Bluetooth / 3 year warranty.

My questions:
1) This price seems about $100 off the Black Friday lows. How much lower is it likely to be than a new T410 with a similar config? (Which I suppose is a way of asking how much cheaper my T400 config is compared to when the T400 came out.)

2) Does Bing/Fatwallet/etc cashback work along with lenovo coupons?

I apologize if I've taken this thread in a new direction. Thanks to everyone for the help!

[magicdanw]

I joined this forum to ask questions about getting a new laptop, since my T61 died a few days ago. I was able to find a new T500 on eBay for only $700! If you're looking to save some money (and who isn't?) I'd suggest looking around there for new or lightly used laptops still under warranty, because you'll find some pretty sweet deals.

[snabjab]

I just may, thanks for the suggestion. It's my inclination to get a nearly maxed-out system which will do everything I want for a number of years. I should probably adjust my attitude a little by going cheaper and planning on replacing more frequently.

[FTC]

Hi,

Regarding the converter for which I posted the link before, of course note that I do not endorse at all the seller.. Just telling my experience. Do not expect something too fancy either. Mine works just fine at regular TV quality (PAL system, not hi def) so that my kids can see some movies streamed from the T400 when we were on vacation. It served well its purpose and also is quite small and convenient to travel with... don't really know if other units are defective, work worst or better than mine either.