Help Connecting Laptop to Monitor Please!

celiotte on 02/10/2021 - 22:52
Last edited 03/10/2021 - 13:58 by 1 other user

Hi all,

I recently bought the Xiaomi 34inch monitor off the OzBargain deal (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/184691942135) but failed to realise I could not connect HDMI (laptop) to display port (monitor) after buying a cable…

I'm using a fairly old Alienware 17inch laptop that has HDMI, USB and Mini Displayport (I think?) and I'm wondering if there was any way to connect the two allowing for complete display port functionality. At the moment, connecting via HDMI is setting me at 50hz on the monitor and with black borders around the edge of videos.

Any help is much appreciated!

Thank you :)

Computing

Comments

  • Hybroid on 02/10/2021 - 22:58
    +2

    50hz on the monitor and with black borders around the edge of videos.

    These 2 things are not related. Change the monitor resolution in your laptop display settings.

    You can also get mini-DP to DP cables easily but HDMI should be more than sufficient.

  • randomusername2017 on 02/10/2021 - 23:03

    There's cheaper options, but this is readily available and supports dual link

    Doubt the old HDMI would handle 2560x1440

  • wikiwiki on 02/10/2021 - 23:13

    What about this? HDMI to DP
    https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/all-in-one-displayport-display-…

    • celiotte on 03/10/2021 - 00:58

      So according to my googling…. HDMI to DP doesn't work if the HDMI is on the laptop, which is a cable I bought but doesnt work :(

  • wikiwiki on 02/10/2021 - 23:14
    +1

    Or this? Mini DP to DP
    https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/comsol-dis…

  • mickyb80 on 02/10/2021 - 23:22

    Device model numbers and if not me, someone will quickly check the ports and recommend the correct cable/connectivity method.

    If things 'look' t obe plugged in correctly, has the screen been detected by the OS on your notebook?
    If so, then it's prob just a resolution and/or refresh rate issue that's causing it.

    Sounds like it's detected as you have mentioned you have an image with boxes.
    Try to right-click on the desktop, go to "Display Settings" and then check the resolution from there.
    You can also attempt to adjust the refresh rate under the "Advanced display settings".

    • celiotte on 03/10/2021 - 01:06

      It is an Alienware 17 R2!

      The screen works on a HDMI to HDMI connection but the refresh rate is only 50hz (I also have the issue where monitors run off the inbuilt windows graphics card rather than the NVIDEA one and I believe this cannot be changed from my past experience looking into this issue). However, I had an old monitor which was able to run at 120-140hz off the windows card.

      I think the hz issue has to do with my old HDMI connection and it might be fixed if I use a DP?

      • mickyb80 on 03/10/2021 - 04:04

        Model number on the AW NB?

  • Master Bates on 02/10/2021 - 23:54
    +1

    HDMI <> DP cables can be directional, check whether the one you bought is DP -> HDMI or HDMI -> DP, sounds like you need the latter.

    • Master Bates on 03/10/2021 - 11:17
      +1

      Additional note, HDMI -> DP is only possible with an active adapter.

  • KaTst3R on 02/10/2021 - 23:57
    +1

    I got a dell laptop connected to the xiaomi 34 via HDMI and a MSI gaming laptop connected via mini-DP to DP.

    The Dell laptop for some reason only output at 50hz which i think could be because it runs an iGPU. The MSI laptop could go full 144hz refresh rate via the Nvidia chip. So i would recommend you get a mini to Dp cable.

    As for the black box you are referring to, that is normal as youtube videos are not scaled to do wide 21:9 videos. So 16:9 aspect ratio videos will have two black bars on the side.

    • celiotte on 03/10/2021 - 01:01

      I see, this makes a lot of sense (regarding the black box), I thought as much but wasn't sure because when I googled the issue, I saw a few conflicting answers.

      Hmmm… so I had another monitor which could run at 120hz (for some reason with laptop to monitor connections, I can't switch the graphics card, the monitors run off the weak one and not the NVIDEA one). But from googling, I read that using a DP over HDMI cable could solve the hz issues!

      Thank you!

  • p1 ama on 03/10/2021 - 00:18
    +3

    If you have a miniDP, I would just get a miniDP to DP cable / adaptor and you'll be perfectly fine.

    Both HDMI and DP can have its quirks - in general, I find that HDMI is more universal (i.e. I've had issues connecting with DP in the past, but switching to HDMI just resolved things), but DP is definitely by far the more universal connector. HDMI has only recently had features that DP has had for much longer.

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