Connecting to a LCD TV?

[AndyR]

My first LCD HD TV will be coming next week (37" Toshiba WLT68) and I want to get the stuff to connect my MacBook to it.

Its VGA not a DVI connection so I know I need to get the Apple MiniDVI to VGA etc but whats best for sound? Am I best to use Optical as the TV has Optical In/Out but what cable?

Any ideas?

 

[ftaok]

My first LCD HD TV will be coming next week (37" Toshiba WLT68) and I want to get the stuff to connect my MacBook to it.

Its VGA not a DVI connection so I know I need to get the Apple MiniDVI to VGA etc but whats best for sound? Am I best to use Optical as the TV has Optical In/Out but what cable?

Any ideas?

My advice would be to just use the standard R/L audio cables. The speakers on your TV are not likely to be great, so going to the expense of optical cables doesn't make that much sense.

Just get a mini-jack to RCA adapter (~$2) and a R/L audio cable (~$2).

 

[GoCubsGo]

Yeah if you don't have a dedicated speaker setup with that new tv then the RCA would be your better bet. But I would look into a dedicated speaker setup as it'll make your 37" HDTV viewing experience much better.
Nice TV BTW.

 

[mkrishnan]

This is a Toshiba Regza?

It has HDMI, doesn't it? HDMI and DVI are plug compatible. Is using one of the HDMI ports a possibility? Then you just get a cable that goes from DVI to HDMI (readily available... HDMI can carry audio, so you might even find one that goes from DVI+Audio to HDMI).

But also, at least on my TV, the VGA port comes with its own *3.5mm* (headphone style) jack -- not RCAs. The component, composite, and S-Vids all have dual RCAs, but I think the VGA port just did 3.5 because that's what's coming out of most computers. So yours might be this way also.

 

[MacBoobsPro]

Ive done what mkrishnan has said.

miniDVI > DVI > HDMI

DVI doesnt support audio, so (10 minutes ago) I bought an audio jack to go into headphones socket on MB and audio input on TV. When I get home I'll give it a whirl.

Once the iTV comes out I will go HDMI > HDMI as it contains audio and visual in one 'expensive' cable.

 

[ftaok]

This is a Toshiba Regza?

It has HDMI, doesn't it? HDMI and DVI are plug compatible. Is using one of the HDMI ports a possibility? Then you just get a cable that goes from DVI to HDMI (readily available... HDMI can carry audio, so you might even find one that goes from DVI+Audio to HDMI).

But also, at least on my TV, the VGA port comes with its own *3.5mm* (headphone style) jack -- not RCAs. The component, composite, and S-Vids all have dual RCAs, but I think the VGA port just did 3.5 because that's what's coming out of most computers. So yours might be this way also.

While going DVI to HDMI would be digital-digital and potentially have the highest quality, Toshiba has generally not supported PCs through the DVI and/or HDMI ports of their TVs. With that in mind, before you go the route of using a DVI-HDMI cable, make sure that the TV supports 1:1 pixel mapping (aka no-overscan) on the HDMI ports.

Also, the HDMI port may not have auxilliary audio ports associated with them since it's expected that the HDMI carries audio.

Depending on the specs of the original poster's TV, VGA may be the best option for him.

ft

 

[mkrishnan]

Good info, did not realize that! Thanks. Hope you enjoy your TV, Andy!

 

[MacBoobsPro]

Good info, did not realize that! Thanks. Hope you enjoy your TV, Andy!

Indeed it is. Thanks ftaok.

Not to hijack someone elses thread but next to my HDMI port on the TV there is a little Audio port for a headphone style jack (i think). I guess I'll find out tonight.

I tried all the other audio options with the DVI > HDMI setup but nothing worked. If this cable doesnt work I will have to wait for iTV before I can get sound from my TV via the MB with pure HDMI.

Good luck AndyR with the audio and congrats on the TV. I got a 42" LG plasma and now when I watch our old 28" CRT I get tunnel vision. Its freakin tiny!

 

[balamw]

SwitchResX can come in handy when trying to optimize the input signal to an HDTV be it VGA or DVI/HDMI.


FWIW my Toshiba claims not only not to support PC input on the HDMI but only claims to support 1024x768 in on the VGA port while it is a 1280x720 native screen. Lousy PC support. My Samsung provides full resolution on the VGA port.

Not to hijack someone elses thread but next to my HDMI port on the TV there is a little Audio port for a headphone style jack (i think). I guess I'll find out tonight.

FWIW both of my LCDs have a menu selection to tell it to ignore the HDMI audio and look elsewhere for it. You might need to make some changes from the UI besides hooking up the cables.

B

 

[AndyR]

The older 37WLT66 only supported 1024x768 on VGA and no 1:1 pixel mapping but the newer 37WLT68 does 1:1 pixel mapping at 1280x768 on VGA so should be cool. Sorry if I'm slightly out with the figures as I don't have the pdf manual to had atm.

Cool, think I'll just get a vga m>m cable and sort out some rca leads. The TV has separate R+L audio input for the PC connection so that should do nicely.

Getting excited now! Started a new job in May last year on much more money so finally able to afford a new tv so thought I'd treat myself after xmas! Was looking at a smaller slighty cheaper model but then got put of by some features and thought, hey, I watch a lot of tv so why not get a better one. Plus I managed to get a price match done at John Lewis so I got £500 of the TV and also got a 5 year warranty with it as well!