Solved: Problem with using HDTV as main display

[Skinygrl99]

Sorry if this gets long, I want to make sure I explain the problem sufficiently. I am trying to hook up my LG LCD HDTV to my husband's Toshiba Satellite via HDMI. I right-clicked on the desktop and went into "Graphics Propreties...". At first, I did a desktop clone, which worked out great, but I wasn't satisfied with the resolution. I figured it had something to do with the max resolution available on the notebook, since what displayed on the TV was just a clone of the notebook's display. I then switched to single display, with the HDTV as the display. That worked, andI was able to up the resolution past what was available before. Here is where the problem starts: I was switching back and forth with a few different resolutions, and happened to pick one that apparantly my HDTV does not like, as the screen went black and "Invalid Format" danced around the screen. As soon as I unplugged the TV from the notebook, it switched back to the notebook's display. Here is my question: I need to know how to either fix the resolution issue with the TV without it being plugged into the notebook, or I need to know how to reset the graphics settings so that it does not remember that I ever hooked it up to the TV in the first place, at which point I can start from scratch and not mess around with the resolution to begin with.

 

[cwwozniak]

Hi Skinygrl99, and welcome to TSG.

Found this in the PDF version of the A500 Series User Guide:

Directing the display output when you turn on the computer
Once you have connected an external display device, you can
choose to use the internal display only, the external device only, or
both simultaneously.
Some modes are only available with the appropriate device attached
and turned on.
The quickest way to change the display output settings is to use the
display hot key (Fn + F5):
1 Press Fn and F5 simultaneously.
2 While holding down Fn, press F5 repeatedly until the setting
you want takes effect. Briefly pause each time you press the F5
key to allow time for the display to change.
This hot key cycles through the settings in the following order:
❖ Built-in display only
❖ Built-in display and external monitor simultaneously
❖ External monitor only
❖ TV (or other external video device) only
❖ Built-in display and TV (or other external video device)
simultaneously
❖ Built-in display and external monitor (extended desktop)
❖ Built-in display and TV (extended desktop)
❖ Swap—Switch primary display between internal display
and external monitor when using extended desktop

That should let you get back to using the control panel to select a suitable mode for the exteranl screen.

 

[Skinygrl99]

Thanks!!! That worked!

 

[cwwozniak]

You're welcome.