I want to connect my old laptop to my TV to play games and stuff as if it was a console, but it doesn't have an HDMI port. Do any of the VGA to HDMI cables actually work? Or are they a scam? I thought VGA was Analog and HDMI was digital they would seem to be incompatible. And VGA doesn't output sound does it?

VGA to HDMI adaptors are active (i.e. contain electronics to sample the VGA signal and sound and convert it to an HDMI one) and are therefore likely to be relatively expensive and not just a simple cable - here's an example. Make sure to check reviews, especially for things like processing lag (as the additional video processing will incur a slight delay in the video signal, which might make games unplayable).

However, I am yet to see a relatively modern television (one that would have HDMI ports, for example) that doesn't have a VGA port on it somewhere. Are you sure yours doesn't?

Prepare to be disappointed, since most tv resolutions aren't close to most newer monitor resolutions and taking into consideration the distance you will likely be from the TV vs. your monitor. However, I do this with some success with videos and I imagine games as well, provided I make sure to adjust the resolution and some other features. Not too sure about the issues when using a VGA to HDMI though. Hope it turns out well.

Thanks.