Hooking Macbook Pro up to Older TV

[fookera]

Hello!

I am a college student and I have an older "box" TV, so it's not a newer flatscreen one. (I am also technologically challenged! So please excuse me if this is a remedial question. )

Is there any way I can hook my Macbook Pro up to my older TV through the audio/video slots? If there's not a direct cable to do this, is there some sort of way to rig it?

Thanks!!!

 

[cwaddell2002]

Hello!

I am a college student and I have an older "box" TV, so it's not a newer flatscreen one. (I am also technologically challenged! So please excuse me if this is a remedial question. )

Is there any way I can hook my Macbook Pro up to my older TV through the audio/video slots? If there's not a direct cable to do this, is there some sort of way to rig it?

Thanks!!!

Check this out: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10114&cs_id=1011407&p_id=4724&seq=1&format=2

If you have a VGA dongle for your macbook pro, you can connect this - but be advised, scaling a high res image, like you macbook screen down to 480i is going to eliminate a whole whole lot of detail. You will probably be able to watch a tv show or movie and not hate it, but browsing the internet or reading basically anything is going to be a non-pleasant experience.

 

[fookera]

Awesome, thank you so much! This looks perfect because I primarily wanted to just hook my mac up to the TV to watch Netflix stuff.

Thanks!!!

 

[darkgroove]

NO NO NO NO!!!! Do not buy that!!!!!!

What you need is to get an Apple adapter for your MBP and then use regular audio cables to connect to your TV.

Check this link out: http://www.applemediacenter.com/guides/connecting-to-a-television/

And look at "Composite & S-Video" for your video and "RCA" for your audio. That is going to end up being cheaper than a VGA box, and more portable should you want to take it to a friends house (you would be using a VGA adapter, plus this VGA box, plus the cables... just cut out the middle man).

 

[cwaddell2002]

NO NO NO NO!!!! Do not buy that!!!!!!

NO NO NO!!!!! - Turn your caps lock off and relax... He has a mac book pro - that should have a mini display port if it is a current one, if not see below. There is not a mini display port to composite adapter - it is not a supported standard by the mini display port in the MBP... check the apple forums for everyone bitching about it. If he had a mini DVI, the OP would be fine, and I agree a direct adapter would be much better, but he doesn't, so a VGA to composite box is his best option. Wikipedia the mini display port if you need more information....

Now if he has an older Mac Book Pro with a DVI Connector, then one of these: http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9267G/A will do just fine, but that isn't linked off the site you provided anyway...

The Macbook, minus the pro part has a mini dvi, which is spec'd on the site you linked to...

Besides, the quality loss will be negligible when going to composite and the solution from monoprice has some zoom options, which could be handy when trying to get an image to fill as much of the screen as possible, although YMMV....

To the OP, two good solutions depending on the model of mac book you have... pick what you think might work best for you and enjoy!