1. What do you have?
2. What are you plugging it into?
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my laptop's USB-C port can send video? expand_more
Most modern laptops can — video over USB-C needs DisplayPort Alt Mode, and laptop makers build it in as standard. The exceptions are some budget machines and a few ports that are charge-and-data only, so if nothing appears on the screen after you've checked the display settings and the input source, that's the thing to look up. Phones are the opposite: most mid-range and budget Android phones lack it entirely.
Why won't Netflix play through my Lightning to HDMI adapter? expand_more
Because of HDCP copy protection. Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video require it across every device in the chain, and uncertified third-party Lightning adapters don't negotiate it — so mirroring, photos, YouTube and presentations all work, but a subscription stream shows a black screen or an error. Only Apple's own adapter and MFi-certified ones handle it reliably. If streaming on the TV is the goal, a streaming stick is cheaper and works properly.
Why is there no sound when I connect through VGA? expand_more
VGA is a video-only analogue standard — it has never carried audio. HDMI and DisplayPort carry sound alongside the picture, VGA does not. Use an adapter with a separate 3.5mm audio output, or run a 3.5mm cable straight from your laptop to the room's speakers, and remember to switch the laptop's audio output to that device.
Does the direction of an adapter matter? expand_more
Yes, and it's the most common mistake. An HDMI-to-VGA converter takes HDMI in and puts VGA out; a VGA-to-HDMI converter does the reverse and is a different, more expensive product because it has to convert an analogue signal to digital. They do not work backwards. Read the title in the order it's written: the first connector is the input.
Do I need an expensive HDMI cable? expand_more
Almost never. HDMI is digital, so the signal either arrives intact or fails visibly — there's no in-between where a costlier cable looks better. Pay more only for a higher version (2.0 for 4K at 60Hz, 2.1 for 8K), for lengths beyond about 10 metres where you want an active cable, or for build quality if the cable gets plugged and unplugged constantly.
My combination isn't listed. What now? expand_more
We only list combinations we can actually supply from stock, so an absent pairing usually means we don't hold the part rather than that it's impossible. Order anything else and put the question in the note field — we call every order back before dispatch and will tell you honestly whether we can source it. Delivery is a flat LKR 450 per order island-wide, so adding the cable to something else you need costs nothing extra to ship.