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Measure the distance between the projector’s HDMI port and where your laptop will be while you’re using it. Where your projector is mounted will determine how long the cable needs to be. Check the placement, though, and make sure that the cable you buy won’t impede any other connections ( > Find great HDMI cables options on Amazon). Most laptops have an HDMI port, even slimmer models like Chromebooks, so that shouldn’t be a concern. There are two important things about the cable from a practical perspective: the connections and the length. When it comes to learning how to connect a laptop to a projector, you can get yourself set up in just four easy steps: Step 1: Get the right cables It’s very easy to connect devices using HDMI. They’re much better at sending 1080p content than previous iterations of the technology. If you want the absolute best resolution, look for a Category 2 HDMI cable. Since it transfers uncompressed signals there’s no quality loss. HDMI also has benefits when it comes to video quality. Both your video and your audio will travel through the same channel, sparing you the complex cable mazes of old ( > Find great HDMI cables options on Amazon). The biggest advantage of HDMI when it first came on the scene was that it cut down on the number of cables you need to use. Whatever length or style of cable you need, you’ll be able to find one pretty easily (and affordably). Because it’s used so widely, you’ll also find a lot of options when you’re shopping for HDMI cables. It’s the connection you’ll be most likely to find on the widest variety of A/V and electronic equipment, including projectors, laptops, and gaming consoles.
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The main reason to use HDMI is convenience. We’ll walk you through the steps below and you’ll be watching your favorite shows in no time. Learning how to connect a laptop to a projector with HDMI isn’t much different than doing it on your TV. No matter what other options they offer, pretty much every home theater projector will at least have one HDMI port. Multiple connection options are great if you want a projector that’s more versatile, but it can also make it trickier to figure out how to set up your system. Just like TVs, most modern projectors give you a lot of different ways to watch content.
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