VGA Display Adapter

musicpyrite · Oct 21, 2004

Long story short: I picked up 17" monitor from my school that was throwing it away, I think the monitor runs at 1024x768, but it could run at 800x600 since it's so old.

I got to thinking about having a dual display with my iMac, and was wondering if that was possible with the VGA Adaptor.

Screen mirroring really has no benefit for me, so I would like to try screen spanning. I've heard of iBooks doing this hack, but I'm not sure if the iMac can do it; could someone please tell me if my iMac is compatible with the hack, and where to download the program to do it?

I've always been sort of jealous of dual displays, and wanted to give them a try.

15" iMac G4 1 GHz
GeForce4 MX
10.3

hotwire132002 · Oct 21, 2004

musicpyrite said:
Long story short: I picked up 17" monitor from my school that was throwing it away, I think the monitor runs at 1024x768, but it could run at 800x600 since it's so old.

I got to thinking about having a dual display with my iMac, and was wondering if that was possible with the VGA Adaptor.

Screen mirroring really has no benefit for me, so I would like to try screen spanning. I've heard of iBooks doing this hack, but I'm not sure if the iMac can do it; could someone please tell me if my iMac is compatible with the hack, and where to download the program to do it?

I've always been sort of jealous of dual displays, and wanted to give them a try.

15" iMac G4 1 GHz
GeForce4 MX
10.3

It should work just fine. I remember reading that the hack works on the G4 iMacs--I was going to try it on mine but didn't want to risk damaging it. I'm paranoid

. Anyway--it should work fine.

musicpyrite · Oct 21, 2004

Thanks for the info hotwire132002, I found this, and download the program.

Look's like I'll be heading to the Apple store shortly.

Dual displays, here I come!

hotwire132002 · Oct 21, 2004

musicpyrite said:
Thanks for the info hotwire132002, I found this, and download the program.

Look's like I'll be heading to the Apple store shortly.

Dual displays, here I come!

That's where I read it a while back. Same site. Good luck!

marknicholls · Mar 19, 2005

Hey

Is there any possible way i can connect my 15" flant panal imac (800mhz) to my TV? is there any kind of adapter i can buy?

Many Thanks

hotwire132002 · Mar 19, 2005

marknicholls said:
Hey

Is there any possible way i can connect my 15" flant panal imac (800mhz) to my TV? is there any kind of adapter i can buy?

Many Thanks

I seem to recall that Apple's mini-VGA to S-Video adaptor doesn't work with the older iMacs. So, what I would suggest is to get a mini-VGA to VGA adaptor, and then get a scan converter like this one to hook it up to the TV. Good luck!

marknicholls · Mar 19, 2005

hotwire132002 said:
I seem to recall that Apple's mini-VGA to S-Video adaptor doesn't work with the older iMacs. So, what I would suggest is to get a mini-VGA to VGA adaptor, and then get a scan converter like this one to hook it up to the TV. Good luck!

Many Thanks - do you know what the quality would be like? Would a DVD on the mac, run DVD quality on the TV?

Thanks

Mechcozmo · Mar 19, 2005

marknicholls said:
Many Thanks - do you know what the quality would be like? Would a DVD on the mac, run DVD quality on the TV?

Thanks

DVDs are lesser resolution than your built-in, so yes, it would be fine in terms of quality.

marknicholls · Mar 20, 2005

Mechcozmo said:
DVDs are lesser resolution than your built-in, so yes, it would be fine in terms of quality.

Excellent, will video and sound run at the same time? there wont be a delay? i now need to find a way of extending the cable to run 20M

Kind of ironic, my whole setup is wireless but me and my partner are buying our first appartment, so are saving money! need to do it on the cheap! so if we can get good results doing it wired, so be it

Just found this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5174130402&fromMakeTrack=true

I guess all i need then is a 20M RCA/S-video Cable

Which do you advise to use? Does S-Video transmit vido and sound? so it is literally a choice of using on or the other?

Thanks

hotwire132002 · Mar 20, 2005

marknicholls said:
Excellent, will video and sound run at the same time? there wont be a delay? i now need to find a way of extending the cable to run 20M

Kind of ironic, my whole setup is wireless but me and my partner are buying our first appartment, so are saving money! need to do it on the cheap! so if we can get good results doing it wired, so be it

Just found this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5174130402&fromMakeTrack=true

I guess all i need then is a 20M RCA/S-video Cable

Which do you advise to use? Does S-Video transmit vido and sound? so it is literally a choice of using on or the other?

Thanks

S-video transmits video only. To send the audio out of the iMac to the TV, you'll probably need a 1/8" to RCA adapter. (They're like two bucks at RadioShack)

marknicholls · Mar 20, 2005

hotwire132002 said:
S-video transmits video only. To send the audio out of the iMac to the TV, you'll probably need a 1/8" to RCA adapter. (They're like two bucks at RadioShack)

Beofre i buy all this, should there be a delay with the video and audio? I need it exact if it should be fine, just to confirm this is what i need:

Mini VGA to VGA convertor

VGA to TV Converter

S-Video Cable

3.5mm 1/8" mini plug to 2 RCA adapter

Thanks

mkrishnan · Mar 20, 2005

marknicholls said:
Beofre i buy all this, should there be a delay with the video and audio? I need it exact

Exact like oscilloscope-and-picoseconds exact, or exact like no noticeable lag?

This is going to depend on the lengths of your cables. I would guess that if your cables are comparable in length, then this will not be an issue. S-Video, composite and component output never carry audio embedded in the video signal, and they all work fine for the high-end consumer crowd. If you really are worried about the microsecond or picosecond level lag, then you probably are going to need an oscilloscope to get it right, and you could still get it right, most likely, by adjusting the relative cable lengths of the two feeds...or of course by buying a delay box.

marknicholls · Mar 20, 2005

mkrishnan said:
Exact like oscilloscope-and-picoseconds exact, or exact like no noticeable lag?

Within a half a second should be fine

point665 · Mar 20, 2005

When I used to use my TVator to play DVDs from my old PC onto a tv I used a Stereo "Y" Adatper (Can get it at alot of stores, converts the 3.5mm audio plug to RCAs (white and red)) and a 8 foot 3.5mm audio cable extension (from Radioshack)... I never noticed a delay in anything, and I was using a 20 ft VGA extension cable to the box...

I once went to a friends house and did not bother to take my CRT monitor, so I just took the TVator... using it for regular work on a small TV sucked, the quality for text is not great at all.

marknicholls · Mar 20, 2005

point665 said:
When I used to use my TVator to play DVDs from my old PC onto a tv I used a Stereo "Y" Adatper (Can get it at alot of stores, converts the 3.5mm audio plug to RCAs (white and red)) and a 8 foot 3.5mm audio cable extension (from Radioshack)... I never noticed a delay in anything, and I was using a 20 ft VGA extension cable to the box...

I once went to a friends house and did not bother to take my CRT monitor, so I just took the TVator... using it for regular work on a small TV sucked, the quality for text is not great at all.

Excellent - was the DVD's DVD quality on the TV?

Thanks

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