text: ok, i have the equipment, now how do i use my tv as a monitor? i have an s-video connector,  the red, yellow, and white connectors, i have them hooked up to the laptop and television, and i am not seeing anything on the screen. i have friends who do this all the time so i know it can be done. what am i missing/doing wrong here? my laptops display is not showing up at all on the tv. do i need software, or do i need to tweak my current video software? specific instructions, links, whatever, would be fantastic. thanks in advance! make sure your red white and yellow cables (also known as rca cables unless it's component) are connected to their corresponding input holes on the tv, check and see if the cables are connected to the corresponding output holes or hole on the laptop. then check the three line channels a standard tv has normally labeled video or line for a signal of some kind. e-mail me to tell me if it works at middleearth13@yahoo.com (optional) or if it doesn't work tell me what slots are on the laptop that you can plug your red yellow and white cables in (just so you know if you didn't already, if it's rca cables you use the colors mean this: red: audio (sound) right; white: audio left; yellow: video