Here are some quick, easy, and free ways to connect your laptop to a projector.

1. Use VGA cable: The simplest approach is to use an old-school VGA cable. This will connect your laptop's video port (usually a standard row of four or five yellow and white connectors) to the projector's video port (which looks like three red and white connectors).

 

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2. Double-Sideways HDMI Cable: Another option is using a double-sided HDMI cable that can be found at most computer stores for about $5 USD. 

 

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The HDMI connector is a bit larger than VGA, but the end result is the same: a video connection between the laptop and projector. 

 

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3. Use an adapter cable: For users of older laptops, like Dell Latitudes and HP Omnibooks, that use an old parallel printer port 

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(or some users of new laptops that want something inexpensive), you can get a USB-to-Parallel Port adapter cable for about $10 USD [that will connect to a common USB port on your laptop.] 

 

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This approach is far less elegant than using VGA or HDMI, but it works without needing any software.

 

 

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4. Use a wireless video connection: To enable true mobility and flexibility, some people use a wireless video connection, 

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such as AirBeamTV or Splashtop HD. These products enable you to use your projector almost anywhere in the room, unlike the previous three methods, because they can display video from your laptop on your projector wirelessly.

 

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5. Use Microsoft's Remote Desktop: Microsoft's new Remote Desktop app allows you to mirror the screen of another computer onto your laptop, including a Mac or PC. The software is available in Windows 8 and newer versions of Windows. This approach requires a fast internet connection; using Remote Desktop over Wi-Fi will work better than using it over 3G/4G or EDGE cellular service.

 

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6. Use a wireless display adapter: A few companies, including Microsoft and Belkin, have released wireless display adapters to solve the problem of connecting a laptop to a projector when wires are not possible. 

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These devices, which connect to your laptop through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, convert the video signal from your laptop into one that can be sent wirelessly to your projector.

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 The upside is that you can use them with any laptop—Windows or Mac. The downside is that you will use up one of your USB ports (unless you buy an external USB hub) and these adapters usually cost $100 or more.

 

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7. Use a Mini-DisplayPort-to-HDMI Adapter: If you have an Apple laptop, you can use a Mini-DisplayPort (MiniDP) to HDMI adapter to connect your laptop to a projector with an HDMI cable. These adapters are available for $50 and up, depending on the vendor and the length of the USB cable.

 

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The good news is that most new laptops come with this type of video connection. The bad news is that many 

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projectors only have VGA or HDMI inputs—meaning that if you don't have this adapter, or if it breaks or malfunctions, you will not be able to connect your laptop to most projectors.

 

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