[mccauley]

If I make an HDMI connection between a 1080p laptop with (HDMI 2.0 + HDCP 2.2) to a 4k TV, can I watch a 2160p movie (at FULL 4k) from a USB External HDD source connected to the Laptop?

If so, then presumably the Laptop graphics processor is bypassed in the above configuration, but A/V is visible on the Laptop screen as 1080p?

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[mccauley]

If I make an HDMI connection between a 1080p laptop with (HDMI 2.0 + HDCP 2.2) to a 4k TV, can I watch a 2160p movie (at FULL 4k) from a USB External HDD source connected to the Laptop?

If so, then presumably the Laptop graphics processor is bypassed in the above configuration, but A/V is visible on the Laptop screen as 1080p?

Thanks for any thoughts.

No one else knows either? Now I don't feel quite so alone in my lack of knowledge.

 

[los153]

If your laptop's graphics adapter supports it, then yes. I would recommend using only the "Extend" or "Second Screen" projection options (on Windows 10, click the Notification area on the bottom right, then "Project"). That way, your TV's resolution settings don't conflict with your built-in screen settings. I actually prefer "Extend" so that my Desktop icons don't get moved around. That seems to also correspond with what you were looking for in your post. Cheers!

 

[Da Wiz]

You have to get the specs for the graphics system in the laptop. Open your Display Settings (in Windows settings) and determine what the highest resolution setting listed for your video subsystem... if it gives you only options from 1080p and lower, you can't get the laptop to output a UHD source with UHD resolution. To get HDR and 2160p, the graphics subsystem in the laptop has to be new enough for HDR to have existed when the laptop was manufactured (so laptop has to be maybe 4 years old or less). If you do not see 2160p as a resolution you can select from the video display settings, you can't send 2160p to a TV over HDMI. BUT, put your TV on your network and if you have a smart TV, you can download a media player app (Kodi is the most stable I've used on TVs, VLC and Media Player have both been buggy. Then use the navigation available in the TV media player to locate the 2160 video on the device connected to your computer (you may have to "share" that device if it is not already shared, in order for this to work). In THAT way, you can get the content to the TV in 2160p. This way, the TV is downloading DATA from the device storing the TV programs instead of the laptop being the rendering device and sending the video over HDMI.

 

[mccauley]

If your laptop's graphics adapter supports it, then yes. I would recommend using only the "Extend" or "Second Screen" projection options (on Windows 10, click the Notification area on the bottom right, then "Project"). That way, your TV's resolution settings don't conflict with your built-in screen settings. I actually prefer "Extend" so that my Desktop icons don't get moved around. That seems to also correspond with what you were looking for in your post. Cheers!

Thanks! I will try this.

 

[mccauley]

You have to get the specs for the graphics system in the laptop. Open your Display Settings (in Windows settings) and determine what the highest resolution setting listed for your video subsystem... if it gives you only options from 1080p and lower, you can't get the laptop to output a UHD source with UHD resolution.

1080p is the max res setting.

BUT, put your TV on your network and if you have a smart TV, you can download a media player app (Kodi is the most stable I've used on TVs, VLC and Media Player have both been buggy. Then use the navigation available in the TV media player to locate the 2160 video on the device connected to your computer (you may have to "share" that device if it is not already shared, in order for this to work). In THAT way, you can get the content to the TV in 2160p. This way, the TV is downloading DATA from the device storing the TV programs instead of the laptop being the rendering device and sending the video over HDMI.

Thank you VERY much for this response. Excellent answer - everything I needed to know. This is the way that I wanted to do it, but wasn't certain it could be done without creating side effect issues. As soon as I can get some TV Network difficulties straightened out I will try your solution.