Connecting laptop to Panasonic 42PX600U

OK, this seems like it should be straightforward but I'm not getting it. My Panasonic 42PX600U plasma has a PC input, and I'd like to hook my laptop up to it with a regular SVGA cable.

What is confusing me is the resolution issue. The Panny manual lists the following resolutions available over the PC input: 640x400, 640x480, 852x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024, and 1366x768.

My laptop (Dell D620) has several choices available for screen resolution, but the only one in common with those above is 1024x768, which if I am not mistaken, would be a 4:3 image that wouldn't fill the whole screen. The built-in video on this laptop is Intel 945GM Express Chipset family.

What are my options for getting the best image from the laptop onto the TV?

Thanks!

1360x768 doesn't show up as an option on my laptop even when I display all modes available. I found a post on a different website where the author said he was feeding his Panasonic plasma a 1280x720 signal and it worked fine.

Do I run any risk of damaging the TV if I just connect the laptop and go through the different resolution choices to see what looks best?

Thanks again.

OK, I hooked the laptop up to the VGA input on the TV. If I set the PC to 1024x768, the display on the TV works fine except for the stretch.

If I view the display properties, there are other resolution choices available, but not 1366x768 or 1360x768. Any choice other than 1024x768 results in either in image larger than the screen (I can scroll around the image) on smaller with black bars.

Another thing - when I look at display properties, there are 2 display choices - I have been making all the changes on display 1. The settings for display 2 don't seem to change anything even when hooked up to the TV.

I've heard a lot about Powerstrip SW that many people use on HTPC to get the correct resolution - maybe this is something worth checking out?

Yes, I rebooted and that actually limits my resolution options even further - only two available (1024x768 and one other). And I don't have the option to do the "show all modes" when I boot with the TV connected.

This is my work laptop - built-in graphics. The properties just say:
Intel 945GM Express Chipset family

I don't know if it matters, but this is a widescreen laptop, so I would have thought it would be easier to find a resolution that works on a widescreen TV. So far the best choice I have found it 1024x768 but it does give the stretch which I would like to avoid obviously. Also the colors are really odd - overly bright and vivid, almost fluorescent.

Well, I'm about to give up. I did D/L Powerstrip and try it, but the 1366x768 still wasn't available. I tried to add it and Powerstrip tells you that not all adaptors will work and does a reboot. After the reboot, no change, so I guess this laptop just can't do 1366x768?

Bummer!

1024x768 is OK, but not ideal due to the stretch.