How To Connect A Mac To Tv

[graydenp]

I guess I am retarded because I cannot get the dvi to video adapter (http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/MacBookPro_15and17-inch_Core2Duo_UserGuide.pdf) to work. So I connected the DVI to Video Adapter to my computer then I connect a video cord to the adapter and plugged it into my tv. Then I opened the system prefernces then clicked displays and then I clicked detect displays and nothing happend. Nothing showed up on my tv. I went and bought an s-video cord because I thaught that the normal yellow video cord would work but it did not . I would appreciate it if someone could help me out. Is there a step I am missing or not doing correctly.

 

[Yoursh]

I'm assuming you have a Macbook Pro from the link you posted, correct? If you do, try shutting everything off first. Connect the dvi-video out adapter to the MBP. Connect the video/s-video cable to the tv then turn the tv on and have the correct video in set on the tv. Then turn on the MBP and see if it auto detects the tv. If not, you may have a bad adapter.

EDIT: Had to drag out my mini-dvi to video out adapter(using on my macbook) to check something I verfied that even if you don't have a tv connected to the adapter, you should still see the NTSC/PAL settings with the adapter attached. It easier to verify if you check the box in display pref. 'Show displays in menu bar'. This will let you quickly see the displays that are detected without opening the pref. screen. If your still not seeing it, I'd say you have a bad adapter. Hope this helped.

 

[Fabian Crizon]

Plasma TV - Imac poor image quality

Im trying to connect my 17 inch imac to a 42 inch plasma tv. I bought the minidvi to video adapter and was able to do so, but the image quality is very poor. Is there any way I can get a quality image on the plasma TV? Any adapters, cable or devices out there that can do that for me? I would appreciate any help.

Thanks.

 

[kuebby]

I'm assuming the "video adapter" is a RCA jack (composite video I believe). The maximum resolution on that is 640x480 while your internal display is 1440x900 so obviously there's going to be a serious loss of image quality.

If you want good quality I recommend either DVI or HDMI.

 

[Yoursh]

Im trying to connect my 17 inch imac to a 42 inch plasma tv. I bought the minidvi to video adapter and was able to do so, but the image quality is very poor.

Yeah, the mini-dvi to video adapter is for standard tv's. It looks like crap when you blow it up on a HD set. (I've tried this myself) To get the quality you want, it first depends on what type of hook-ups your plasma has. If it has........

HDMI-You will need to first buy the mini-DVI to DVI adapter.http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=1792F16B&nplm=M9321G/B Then you will need a DVI to HDMI cable. http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=71415FD7&nplm=TH572LL/A(this is just an example, you can find much cheaper ones if you look around)

DVI-Get the same adapter as above. Just get a DVI to DVI cable. Any basic type, like the ones that come with lcd computer monitors, will do.

PC connection/VGA-Some HDTV's have a standard vga connector sometimes labled PC-in/PC connection/Monitor-in. If you have one of these you could use a mini-DVI to VGA adapterhttp://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=17927D0B&nplm=M9320G/A and a standard vga cable.

Component(red/green/blue) cable-No real option here unless you want to fork out a lot of money for a digital to analog converter.

I personally use one of the HDMI connectors on my Sharp lcd HDTV with my Macbook. The tv has a vga port, but the HDMI gives me more resolution settings. Though none exactly match the native resolution of my set, but it's close enough.

Hope this wasn't too long winded of an answer for you. Just see which setup would work best for your situation.

 

[faanshu]

hi,
i have mac book pro n i hv bought Svideo cable and audio cable to connect with the TV.
however the TV only showed up my wallpaper on the desktop. The files on the desktop disappeared...
Also i was watching realplayer files on full screen, but there was nothing on the Tv screen i.e. js black screen.

Wondering if anyone knows whats going on?
Thanks!

 

[cassy]

how i fixed the same problem

This is kind of late but just in case or for future readers...if it is just showing your wallpaper you probably haven't turned on mirroring. The easiest way to do that is just go to system preferences, select "displays" and then check the box that says to show displays on menu bar. After that just go to your menu bar and find the new icon...and click turn mirroring on.

 

[Xavier]

I bought a DVI to HDMI cable to connect my Macbook Pro to my 32" TV (obviously with HDMI imports)

It was as simple as buying the cable, and plugging it into both the computer and TV

 

[eplesage]

Sound for this feature?

I got the DVI to HDMI cord, and plugged it in to my MBP. It shows the display and mirroring is on etc... so video and everything shows up. But, is there a way to get SOUND to play through the TV speakers?

 

[plinden]

DVI doesn't carry sound - you have to connect the audio out on your Mac to the TV.

 

[jannickw]

Certain DVI connectors do support sound(reference: Radeon HD3800 graphicscard supports sound over DVI !).
So I was thinking the following; since HDMI (which is the connector on your TV) supports sound, why not get a DVI-I(dual link) connector, hook that up to your DVI-port on your MBP and connect it to the HDMI-port on your TV screen.
The only problem is, does the DVI-port on the MBP support DVI-I(dual link)?
Since the Radeon HD3800 does support sound over DVI, and the 8800GT in the MBP was released after the HD3800, I was thinking/hoping that the
8800GT would also support sound over DVI-I(dual link).
IF this would be possible, there's still the question if Apple included these features in the drivers for the 8800GT in the MBP.
Since I don't have the equipment needed, the DVI-I(dual link)-connecter for instance, and I would not like to take the risk of buying this equipment, I would like to ask if anybody could test this?

Greetings from a new forummember

 

[stoneage]

Dvd - Tv

I know this must be simple, but I have never done it. My DVD player broke and I thought I could watch a movie on my TV using my MacBook. I have a miniDVI-VGA cable and a VGA extension to my TV, but I don't get a picture on the TV, just the MacBook.

 

[finiteyoda]

Dual-link DVI is for high-bit-rate DVI applications, it has nothing to do with audio over DVI, which is an extension to DVI standard specific only to ATI cards (and requires a special ATI adapter). It will not work with macs.

Best way I've found to run audio from a mac, is to use a mini-to-rca cable (you can get these for like 5-10 bucks at radio shack), one end plugs into the headphone/audio out jack on your mac, other end to your tv/receiver. These connections sometimes pick up ground noise, so even better way is use a mini-to-toslink optical cable, these are a bit harder to find (online's your best bet, radio shack won't have them), and requires a mac with a mini-optical jack (macbook pro's have them, i don't know which other macs do). This gives you a nice, crystal clear digital pathway for your mac to send audio.

Certain DVI connectors do support sound(reference: Radeon HD3800 graphicscard supports sound over DVI !).
So I was thinking the following; since HDMI (which is the connector on your TV) supports sound, why not get a DVI-I(dual link) connector, hook that up to your DVI-port on your MBP and connect it to the HDMI-port on your TV screen.
The only problem is, does the DVI-port on the MBP support DVI-I(dual link)?
Since the Radeon HD3800 does support sound over DVI, and the 8800GT in the MBP was released after the HD3800, I was thinking/hoping that the
8800GT would also support sound over DVI-I(dual link).
IF this would be possible, there's still the question if Apple included these features in the drivers for the 8800GT in the MBP.
Since I don't have the equipment needed, the DVI-I(dual link)-connecter for instance, and I would not like to take the risk of buying this equipment, I would like to ask if anybody could test this?

Greetings from a new forummember

 

[umagrama]

I thought wrong when I thought mirroring my MacBook to the tv was going to be simple. I bought a mini-DVI to VGA and want to now buy an adpter to connect the VGA into RCA into the TV. I am choosing RCA because it is pretty standard on TVs now a days.

Could someone please enlighten me if this set-up will work.

Thank you!

 

[techfreak85]

I got the DVI to HDMI cord, and plugged it in to my MBP. It shows the display and mirroring is on etc... so video and everything shows up. But, is there a way to get SOUND to play through the TV speakers?

get a stereo 1/8th inch to rca audio cable and plug the rca to the tv.

 

[ftaok]

I know this must be simple, but I have never done it. My DVD player broke and I thought I could watch a movie on my TV using my MacBook. I have a miniDVI-VGA cable and a VGA extension to my TV, but I don't get a picture on the TV, just the MacBook.

Make sure you set the TV to the right input. Also, you might want to try and put the MB to sleep, then wake it with the TV connected. Sometimes, the display port on the MB needs a "jolt".

I thought wrong when I thought mirroring my MacBook to the tv was going to be simple. I bought a mini-DVI to VGA and want to now buy an adpter to connect the VGA into RCA into the TV. I am choosing RCA because it is pretty standard on TVs now a days.

This may or may not work. Either way, it's unnecessarily complicated and won't result in a very good picture (depending on your TV). If your TV is limited to s-video/composite inputs, then a better way would be to use the mini-DVI/Video adapter.

If your TV has better inputs (i.e. DVI, HDMI, or VGA), then use the appropriate adapter and you'll get better video quality in terms of resolution and probably color accuracy.

get a stereo 1/8th inch to rca audio cable and plug the rca to the tv.

Not all TVs have RCA audio inputs. Some TVs have the 3.5mm mini-jack audio input. In those cases, a standard 3.5mm audio cable will do the trick.

 

[techfreak85]

Not all TVs have RCA audio inputs. Some TVs have the 3.5mm mini-jack audio input. In those cases, a standard 3.5mm audio cable will do the trick.

Really? thats really supprising. how are u supposed to get sound in if ur not using ota or cable?

 

[ftaok]

Really? thats really supprising. how are u supposed to get sound in if ur not using ota or cable?

I think you're misunderstanding me. I was referring to using an auxillary audio input for a TVs VGA/DVI/HDMI input. It was in addition to your answer of using a 1/8" minijack by RCA adapter to get sound out of the Mac to the TVs speaker.

I was just adding that not all TVs use RCA connectors for this. Some TVs use the 1/8" minijack for this input. In this case, you would just need a 1/8" minijack cable, not a 1/8" by RCA adapter.

That's all. It has nothing to do with Cable or OTA. Other inputs will likely have RCA audio. Typically, analog inputs (s-video, composite, component) will have RCA audio. Digital and PC inputs (HDMI, VGA or DVI) can have either RCA or 1/8" minijack.

ft

 

[spatlese44]

Component(red/green/blue) cable-No real option here unless you want to fork out a lot of money for a digital to analog converter.

But VGA is analog and therefore could be connected to a component TV. I have an adapter for VGA to component (old All-in-wonder card). As I recall, the real wonder was what resolution to set it at. Part of all the pins for VGA is handshaking to set that. Component doesn't have that. I'm assuming nobody has tried this?

 

[Artisan]

Why is this so darn hard.....right i have a macbook pro and a samsung lcd tv thingy. Could someone please just send me a link for what i need to buy and preferably good quality stuff. Whether its one or two leads and i shall purchase them straight away...Done loads of searching and researching and its to be honest getting on me wick...

Really appreciated if someone could help me...

Jay

 

[ftaok]

Why is this so darn hard.....right i have a macbook pro and a samsung lcd tv thingy. Could someone please just send me a link for what i need to buy and preferably good quality stuff. Whether its one or two leads and i shall purchase them straight away...Done loads of searching and researching and its to be honest getting on me wick...

Really appreciated if someone could help me...

Jay

Honestly, it's not hard at all ... but if you want help, you're going to have to give more info.

Start with what model Macbook Pro you have and what model Samsung HDTV. If you can post that info, I'll try and give you a hand.

ft

 

[TheZA]

Why is this so darn hard.....right i have a macbook pro and a samsung lcd tv thingy. Could someone please just send me a link for what i need to buy and preferably good quality stuff. Whether its one or two leads and i shall purchase them straight away...Done loads of searching and researching and its to be honest getting on me wick...

Really appreciated if someone could help me...

Jay

Go to monoprice.com. Buy a Mini-DVI to DVI or Mini-DVI to HDMI adapter. Then DVI-HDMI or simply an HDMI cable, respectively. And you will need an audio cable.

 

[mcavjame]

I guess I am retarded because I cannot get the dvi to video adapter (http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/MacBookPro_15and17-inch_Core2Duo_UserGuide.pdf) to work. So I connected the DVI to Video Adapter to my computer then I connect a video cord to the adapter and plugged it into my tv. Then I opened the system prefernces then clicked displays and then I clicked detect displays and nothing happend. Nothing showed up on my tv. I went and bought an s-video cord because I thaught that the normal yellow video cord would work but it did not . I would appreciate it if someone could help me out. Is there a step I am missing or not doing correctly.

It honestly sounds like you just did not switch inputs on the TV. Most TVs have an input button on the remote that permits you to step through all the connections you have (component, composite, cable, HDMI etc). The yellow RCA cable is composite and is often called AV (Audio Visual) in the input list. Your TV may even have more than one composite input, so be sure to check them all.

As another poster indicated, you will also need a mini to RCA connection to get sound from the headphone port to the TV. This will help to let you know when you are on the right set of inputs.

Be sure mirroring is on, but I think that the video adapter is mirroring by default anyway (could be wrong). Because you likely won't be able to see you display icon on the menu bar, mirroring is found in System Preferences>Displays>Arrangement

 

[ronnylovtangen]

I got the DVI to HDMI cord, and plugged it in to my MBP. It shows the display and mirroring is on etc... so video and everything shows up. But, is there a way to get SOUND to play through the TV speakers?

I send sound to Apple TV wireless with Airfoil, and then ouputs the sound from Apple TV to a Home entertainment system. Pretty nice

 

[Artisan]

Honestly, it's not hard at all ... but if you want help, you're going to have to give more info.

Start with what model Macbook Pro you have and what model Samsung HDTV. If you can post that info, I'll try and give you a hand.

ft

Thx Ft

My macbook pro is the 2.33ghz intel core 2 duo using version 10.4 osx if thats what you mean. My telly is a Samsung 40" LE40N model. Hope that helps.

Appreciated

Jay