extending display to a TV - VGA to HDMI

This seems easy but it is challenging. I am trying to connect my laptop (Dell inspiron 1545 - 2010- windows 7 ) to a flat LCD TV 32" screen. Dell shipped me a HDMI adapter with a female jack 0n one side and HDMI on the other. while my laptop port is also a female. So I took an adapter with  both sides being male ( I use it to extend display on 20" monitor) and connected one side to laptop and the other to the adapter that Dell sent me. The other end of the Dell adapter is the HDMI that goes in to the TV,  I changed my screen resolution to 'extend these displays' - nothing happens on TV - anyone can help?