MacBook on 32'' HD LCD TV

[LGShepherd]

Hi everyone, I have been reading this forum since i bought my mac (Dec 2006) but i have never had the need to post until now....

I have just upgraded my TV to a 32'' HD LCD and i am getting sick of having to put movie files on DVD to watch them, so i decided to by the mini DVI to DVI adapter and a DVI to HDMI cable and i have just hooked it up to the TV and the dual display is working which is sweet.

BUT...

when i turned Front Row on, the TV goes black and Front Row operates on the macbook but not the TV. Is there anywhere to disable the MacBook screen so Front Row operates on my TV. Also, could I just use my MacBook on the TV and not the dual display? I am thinking of buying the BT keyboard so i can use my MacBook in bed and not have to have the laptop on me knee.

Thanks in advance for any response.

 

[Richard Richard]

Hello there ... You can mirror the display in system preferences and also there is a key on your keyboard that can do it with one tap ,

well thats what my mate Eddie say's anyway , cheerie Byyye

 

[Jiddick ExRex]

Use a BT mouse/keyboard or an ordinary USB mouse and keyboard, close your macbook so it goes to sleep, and then wake it by clicking on keyboard or mouse. Voila, clamshell mode with only one screen, your TV.

When the issue with front row appeared, where you using the macbook or TV as the primary screen (adjustable in System preferences by dragging the menubar to the other screen)?

 

[LGShepherd]

the MB was the primary screen, to be honest, i didn't have a really long mess about with it and didn't know what to do!

does anyone else notice any loss in quality when using their MB on a bigger screen? i haven't had much chance to really test it yet.

oh and another thing, is the MB able to to give high def picture on the MB screen or via DVI to HDMI?

sorry for the newbie questions! i've been a microsoft user for 11 years and a Mac user for 7 months!

thanks for your help. I'll do what you suggested when i get home from work

 

[LGShepherd]

BUMP

just another quick question, is there anyway at all to get sound from the MacBook played thorugh a surround sound system other than using the headphone jack?

i'm assuming no but i thought i would ask because it makes me think how mac mini's are used through TV's? what about sound?

 

[maverick808]

Unfortunately, Macs suffer utterly awful quality when doing DVI to HDMI or DVI to DVI in TVs. I've experimented with 5 different TVs, 2 MacBook Pros and 2 MacBooks.

If you are lucky enough to have a TV with a VGA input AND a DVI or HDMI input then try this. Plug your MacBook into the DVI or HDMI connection and test the quality. Sucks right? Now try using a DVI to VGA converter (if you have an MBP then this comes with your laptop) and plug a VGA cable into your TV. Picture looks amazing right?

Why? I have no idea.

 

[LGShepherd]

i thought about trying VGA but i kno you can't send sound through VGA, so i went for the HDMI connection (don't ask where the idea came from for me to think sound could be delivered this way) but i'll have to try that, should be able to get DVI to VGA cable pretty cheap somewhere.

any idea how i can get more from the sound from my macbook?

 

[maverick808]

You'll be amazed in the difference when you try VGA.

Sorry, but I can't help with the audio. I have two Mac plugged into two TVs but I'm not really an audiophile and have always just lived with the standard analogue out.

 

[dingdongbubble]

So VGA is the way to go?

I was kind of confused in choosing between a Macbook and an iMac. I wanted the iMac for the screena nd performance but I wanted the MAcbook for the portability. So I thought that I should go for the Macbook and hook it up to a HDTV as a monitor. Is this a good idea? And VGA according to you is better in almost all cases?

BTW yes you can ahve surround sound on a MAc. You can buy a USB version of the Creative XiFi. It connects to ur computer via USB and thats it.