Macbook connection to TV

[leedsutd72]

I have been connecting my macbook to my tv for a while now and have had no problems. Last week the tv stopped recognizing the connection (could not locate the signal). I know it is not the tv or the cables as I tried it with my daughter's macbook and that still worked. Would this most likely be a hardware problem or software? Does anyone know what steps I should take next?

Thanks

[spinnerlys]

What MacBook, what TV, what cables and adapter, and what Mac OS X version are you using?

[leedsutd72]

2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive, OS 10.5.X, samsung LCD tv (not sure which model), andApple mini-DVI to Video adaptor with an s-video cable.

[spinnerlys]

Does your TV have the yellow composite video input?

Do you have a spare RCA audio or video cable, the one with the red and white/black plugs (audio) or the one with the yellow plug.
If so try to connect via that cable.

Have you taken a look at System Preferences > Displays if your Mac does or doesn't recognize the TV?

Do you have another TV you could try, or an external monitor for which you have the appropriate adapter?




Look here for the names of all the connections and plugs I mentioned, if you don't know what I'm talking about: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=792106

[leedsutd72]

Does your TV have the yellow composite video input?

Yes

Do you have a spare RCA audio or video cable, the one with the red and white/black plugs (audio) or the one with the yellow plug. If so try to connect via that cable.

I tried that and it did not work. I do not think it is the tv or the cable as I tried it succesfully with another almost identical macbook

Have you taken a look at System Preferences > Displays if your Mac does or doesn't recognize the TV?

This I have not done. I will try this.

Do you have another TV you could try, or an external monitor for which you have the appropriate adapter?

Yes I do and I should have tried that too. I will do so tonight.

Thanks!

[eelizbic]

Hey there,

I also have a macbook to tv connection question. My macbook is a 2008 unibody running Snow Leopard. The connection is mini displayport->VGA->RCA component.

Following the guide given here (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=792106&highlight=macbook+to+tv+cables), I bought this mini displayport to VGA adapter (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=5107&seq=1&format=2) and this VGA to RGB component cable (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10235&cs_id=1023503&p_id=2170&seq=1&format=2).

I attempted to connect my computer (for the purpose of watching online video) to this tv (http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/dcbint/cpindex.pl?scy=US&slg=AEN&sct=CONVENTIONAL_TV_SU&cat=TV_CA&grp=SOUND_AND_VISION_GR&session=20100210151914_75.50.91.33&ctn=27PS55S/321&ds=27PS55S/321&mid=Link_UserManuals&hlt=Link_UserManuals).

I hooked everything up to AV1 and the TV recognized the display and switched to CVI. However, all I got was colored stripes across the screen. I tried every display resolution offered on the computer with only the result of varying the colors of the lines.

After some googling, it seems that you may not be able to connect from a mini displayport to an analog TV without a converter. Is this true? If so, can you give a recommended (cheaply priced) converter. If not, what can I do to get the display working on the tv?

Thanks

[NewMacbookPlz]

This thread should help the both of you:http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=8536817

Yes, you need an active converter to go MDP-->VGA-->RCA, a simple cable adapter will not work.