UKC

So, I have a couple of queries as I am not massively tech minded when it comes to problems and setups with computers.

I am running off Windows 7 and that is up to date.

The first one:

My when surfing the web I have started to get loads, and I mean loads of popups. Is this something to do with cookies? I would love it if somebody could suggest how this can be stopped?

The second:

What cable is best to link a laptop to a tv so that films and video's can be played on the tv? Can it be done so that the sound comes out of the tv and not the laptop?

Any further info needed to answer this then ask away.

Cheers,


Ad

In reply to AdCo82:
You can remove all cookies and history using from the settings and options menu within your internet browser. A good program for doing this can be downloaded from the internet for free and is called CCleaner. Also have a look in the internet options within your browser to see what the pop-up settings are. it should be usually be set at medium. you could set to none, but this can be a pain when you actually want to see some of the popups that you are trying to open

The cable for your tv depends entirely on what outputs your laptop has, and what inputs your tv has. VGA, DVI, and HDMI can all work... Sound might work if your tv has an audio input such as a 3.5mm jack.

In reply to AdCo82:

Hi Ad,

1 - the popups.
Could be a few things but it's likely you've downloaded/installed some adware by accident. They get added along with perfectly legit programs unless you're paying careful attention to the T+Cs and tick boxes.
I don't know what your proficiency is but don't do anything you're not comfortable with (google can usually bring up some excellent guides so have a read up if in doubt, and if really in doubt get a friend to do it).
There's a great tool called CCLeaner which among other things is good at removing unwanted programs. Go download that. Then go to the "Uninstall" part of it and look in the list for anything that sounds dodgy or obviously to do with advertisements.
If in doubt google the name and see what comes up, and again don't do anything you're not comforrtable with.
If you're using Chrome go to the Tools menu, and Extensions. Same here, see if anything dodgy is showing, but this is safer - there's nothing here that's going to kill your laptop if you remove it.


2/ you most likely want a HDMI cable. This will depend on your laptop and the tv (most modern/flatscreens will) having the right input for it. If you get one the rest is easy - plug in, adjust the input on your tv (same as for getting to Sky or your dvd player) and it'll show perfectly.
If you don't have HDMI at both ends you can get cables that will convert from say USB->HDMI and I can't say I've looked but I'm sure you can get HDMI->scart

In reply to AdCo82:

You can probably disable popups in your browser, google will help there.

Get something called superantispyware to remove the adware and malware and tracking cookies.

If you delete all your cookies, something that is easy to do in your browser, then you lose functionality on sites with passwords etc, so that ain't necessarily a great solution.

CCleaner does allow you to specify which cookies you want to keep, if you can spend the time going thru them all.

Thank you, I am still getting some pop ups but definitely running quicker.

The last thing I have noticed is that various words are doubly underlined in green and have a hyperlink added.

Anyone know what this is and how it can be removed?

In reply to AdCo82: I too would love to know how to get the sound to come out of the tv when i'm watching a movie through my laptop. I've got mine connected with a hdmi cable and it a sony laptop to a sony tv, no matter what i try i can't get the sound to come out of the tv. I've been through all the sound settings and can't find anything to make it come out of the tv so if anyone knows i would be grateful.

In reply to jonathan shepherd:

A possibility. Check your speaker playback devices (right click the volume icon, select playback). You may have to then select HDMI.

In reply to MikeTS:

Thanks but i've looked at that, i'm using windows 7 and it only gives me playback options for speakers/headphones and independent (rtc) headphones.

In reply to jonathan shepherd:

Strange. I have windows 7 and when the HDMI is plugged in and I've set the TV as the display I see HDMI as a playback device. Then to use it for sound I set it as default or select it in the audio option of video movie player software (VLC) I use. Check your HDMI cable?

In reply to MikeTS:

Does the HDMI output on a laptop only carry a video signal? I ha e to use a seperate audio lead from headphone socket to TV.

In reply to cuppatea:

On mine (a Vaio) it's both video and audio. I don't know much about hifi, but I thought the whole point of HDMI was one cable does all.

In reply to MikeTS:

It does when connected to a DVD player or Xbox, maybe it depends on the model of laptop. Someone further up the thread had the same issue I have.

In reply to cuppatea:

I saw, but since mine's a Sony and you too, I'm surprised. You could try the Google Chromecast thingy, I have one and it works fine but not as good as an HDMI for playing movies. It's also a little limited in the software it works with.

In reply to AdCo82:

I'm guessing that your pop-ups are from general surfing as you can pick up all sorts of sh1t, even from legit sites. However if you went to any adult educational sites to improve techneque then, you are ripe for pop-ups.

The best options for removing or trying to remove popups are

Malware Bytes
Ccleaner

and

Malwarebytes anti-root-kit BETA tool
https://www.malwarebytes.org/antirootkit/

Those three will clean most stuff. However some malware is so well hidden in your computer that the only way to be sure that you have disinfected your machine is to do a clean install.

Sorry.

As for playing movies with your laptop to TV, the best way is HDMI to HDMI on both devices as this will play sound as well as video.

All Window's 7 devices will play sound as well as video. Sadly not all Window's 7 devices are the same. Some devices will be as easy as plug-and-play, while others will make it nigh on impossible to do, but they will all play sound. You just have to experiment with the Volume Mixer until you find the correct settings. It may even be something as strange as not even having any name resembling speakers, but the feature will be there.

My laptop has VGA, the old style connector to older monitors. This plugs into my TV and I can watch video but with no sound. I then have to plug speakers into my laptop to get the sound. That's just the way it is. I have a Tablet with HDMI and this plugs into my TV and works out-of-the-box.

If your TH does not have HDMI, then you will have to jump through lots of hoops to get sound, if at all.

In reply to MikeTS:


Check out Cast Store.

Its an app that actively hunts out Google Chrome apps. Google will only tell you about 9 while Cast Store has well over 100 offerings.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=goko.gcs