When I try to connect my packard bell easy note laptop to my Samsung 40inch lcd using vga cable in PC mode the TV just switches itself off.the laptop isn't the greatest but runs on xp and I would have thought it is capable of what I am asking it to do.do I need to change the settings on my laptop or TV and if so could you direct me.

Many thanks to anyone that could help me

You'll have to tell your laptop to send the signal out the cable you attached. It doesn't happen automatically.

My laptop has a couple of special keys to do this. One is the blue Fn key. The other is F4, which has a blue icon on it showing a computer screen.

If I hold my Fn key down and tap F4, the image on my screen switches to the cable. I tap again to switch back.

So, look for those special keys on your keyboard. Connect your cable to the TV. Make sure the TV is switched to the input for the computer cable, then tap those special keys on your laptop.

Thanks for your reply,but unfortunately it didn't work.still a blank screen

When you press the special keys to send the picture out your cable, does your laptop screen go blank?

Of not, there is a chance your laptop can't actually use that port.