OK so I have a cord that connects my laptop's vga out to the tv's RGB. How do I get the display on the laptop to appear on the tv. Right now there is just a black screen.

Assuming you have got the correct cable(?), there's usually a key combination (Fn and one of the function keys) that toggles the display between onboard, external or both. It will be mentioned in your manual or go to the manufacturer's website if you need exact details. "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us..."

Open control panel and select display, you should have 2 monitor icons showing, if the TV is connected and pc mode selected. There will be options for using 1 or 2 monitors and clone mode or independant and which to use as primary. Clone mode will reduce the resolution on the laptop to that of the tv. For independant mode you will need to set the tv to it's native resolution, for most tv's this is 1360 X 768, check the tv manual. In this mode you will see just the bare desktop screen on the tv, no icons or controls. To view a program or window on the tv, drag it across untill it displays on the tv.

Try on checking the manual of your Laptop. I think it has guide on what to do on it. Want A Weekly Update on Latest System Security Problem http://www.systemsecurityinstitute.org

thanks for the help guys, much appreciated