I want to connect my laptop to the tv. I need specific instructions on how to configure my laptop. I have an s video cable, and my laptop is a HP Pavilion with Windows XP. I am using a 4 pin S Video cable. The laptop has a 7 pin S Video jack. Does that affect it?
So you should have a cable that you can plug into your laptop, and one that you could plug into the side of the tv or into the dvd player thats connected to the tv. The tv should turn black and then select a different input. Try every input to see which one is connected to your laptop. Thats how it is for me

and if your tv screen doesn't go black then whatever just change the input.