Mac-Mini HTPC Video-Out Problems (DVI to Component)

[m021478]

I recently decided to go with a Mac-Mini as the central-brain of my HTPC configuration, and I was immediately halted in the process of getting things working by my inability to properly output video from the Mac-Mini such that it's even visible on my 50" Plasma TV (Panasonic TH-50PHW3).

Neither of my A/V Receivers (Denon AVR-3805 & Denon AVR-2805) have HDMI inputs, but both of them have component video inputs for HD content, so I purchased the DVI-to-Component cable linked below to use for outputting video from my Mac-Mini to the Denon:
http://sewelldirect.com/DVI-to-Component-Adapter-Cable-6ft.asp

Needless to say, nothing I've tried has been effective in my Mac-Mini being displayed on my Plasma TV??

Any thoughts?

 

[RangeRiderr]

Maybe this may work

Here's something I downloaded from a 2005 posting that may help. I haven't tried any of this.

For piping the video out to your TV, you face the familiar analog/digital choice once again - choice being predicated largely on what you already have. In the best of all possible worlds, you have a nice spankin' new TV with a DVI connector, which you simply hook up via the Mac mini's DVI out to achieve the holy nirvana 1920 x 1200 resolution signal. If you're considering purchasing a new TV for your media center, make sure it has either a DVI or an HDMI connector. The industry is moving in the direction of keeping all of these signals digital from end to end, which is good for us because it means higher quality video and audio, and that we don't have to keep buying a gazillion adapters from the Apple store. Huzzah!

If, like most of us, you have to convert your Mac mini's sweet digital output back to old analog, there are two fairly straightforward options: cheap, and not so cheap. Cheap is a $19 DVI to S-video adapter from Apple. Note that that product page must say at least a dozen times the adapter is only for use with a G5, which is truly annoying since they link right to it from the Mac mini product page. They must not have gotten around to updating the page yet, but it reportedly works just fine with the Mac mini.

If your TV uses composite/RCA in instead of S-video, you can use an S-video to RCA adapter. My G4 Powerbook came with one:

S-video to componenet adapter

If you don't already have one lying around, you can order one online for about $13-$17 depending on the length you need. You'll have to get both the DVI to S-video and the S-video to composite adapter, connect them, and hook that contraption into your composite RCA cable:

S-video to componenet RCA cable

 

[m021478]

Unfortunately, due to my current A/V system configuration I cannot plug directly into my TV (all of my A/V equipment is located in a rack in the basement of my 3-story apartment, and my TV is located in the living room on the top floor...I would most likely be able to get video by plugging directly into the TV, but there would be no way to hook up the audio, as my speakers run through the receiver in the basement)

Seeing as how I cannot connect my Mini directly to my TV to use VGA, and also the fact that my receiver doesn't provide any HDMI inputs (the only HD input is does provide is 'component'), I need to somehow find a way to go DVI video-out from my Mac-mini to component-in on my receiver...As far as I can tell, this would appear to be the only way to maintain an HD quality output from my Mini to my TV...Any Thoughts?

I'd read elsewhere that either a transceiver, or perhaps a DVI-to-analog converter might be the solution to my problem...Will a DVI-to-analog converter or a transceiver allow me to maintain HD quality video out of my Mac-Mini, and somehow get the video from the mini to the available component video inputs on my receiver?

Essentially, I have to figure out a way to go from my Mac-Mini's DVI video-out port into my receiver using the only HD input that the receiver has (component)...

My goal here, obviously is to find a way to maintain HD picture quality, without needing to get a new receiver...

Not to mention that I just read the footnote at the bottom of the page I linked to in this thread's initial post, in which it points out that this DVI-to-Component cable will not work with a PC or Mac!!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated... Thanks!