Connecting a new TV to my old Macbook

T

TonyWrightE1

macrumors newbie

Original poster

Nov 13, 2010

5

0

• Nov 13, 2010

• #1

Hi there,

I recently got a 40" Toshiba Regza television and I'm having trouble hooking it up to my old generation Macbook.

I have a mini DVI to DVI cable from my Macbook:
http://store.apple.com/uk/product/M9321G/B?mco=16401925

From this I have a HDMI Male to SVGA VGA Male cable:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....19166&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2688wt_1033

This cable goes into the HDMI 1 socket on my television, which is selected to display the HDMI 1 socket's input but I'm only seeing a blue screen.

The Toshiba TV is detected by my Macbook and appears in the drop down of display options on my mac's top tool bar, but the 'Toshiba TV' is greyed out and unelectable.

I have played around with mirror options, resolutions and hitting F7 but have had no joy.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Tony.

 

I

iThinkergoiMac

macrumors 68030

Jan 20, 2010

2,664

5

Terra

• Nov 13, 2010

• #2

I'm confused. The adaptor you have and the cable you have cannot possibly connect together without yet another adaptor. Plus, (S)VGA to HDMI needs a box to work properly, since VGA is analog and HDMI is digital.

Just buy a DVI to HDMI cable, connect the DVI end to your adaptor and the HDMI end to your computer. Problem solved.

 

T

TonyWrightE1

macrumors newbie

Original poster

Nov 13, 2010

5

0

• Nov 14, 2010

• #3

Hi, thanks for your reply.

Could you tell me if either end should be male or female?

Also, from all the photos on eBay, it doesn't look like any of these would fit my Apple mini DVD to DVI adapter because there's a thin straight pin on them EG.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5m-HDMI-DVI-C...nectors_RL&hash=item3a5fffa4ea#ht_1871wt_1141

Many thanks,

Tony.

 

I

iThinkergoiMac

macrumors 68030

Jan 20, 2010

2,664

5

Terra

• Nov 14, 2010

• #4

I'm beginning to thing you have a mini-DVI to VGA adaptor, because all DVI ports have a space for that flat pin.

Can you post a picture of the end that doesn't plug into your computer on the adaptor you have?

 

MarshallRA

macrumors newbie

Nov 14, 2010

15

0

• Nov 14, 2010

• #5

If you look closely at the picture of the DVI to mini DVI adapter, you will see its a DVI-D port which means it cant convert to analog VGA, only DVI-A or DVI-I will.

 

I

iThinkergoiMac

macrumors 68030

Jan 20, 2010

2,664

5

Terra

• Nov 14, 2010

• #6

MarshallRA said:

If you look closely at the picture of the DVI to mini DVI adapter, you will see its a DVI-D port which means it cant convert to analog VGA, only DVI-A or DVI-I will.

Click to expand...

We're trying to go to HDMI, though, so it really doesn't matter. We don't want anything analog.

 

MarshallRA

macrumors newbie

Nov 14, 2010

15

0

• Nov 15, 2010

• #7

True, you got a point, but I pointed that out because the cable he linked to was VGA to HDMI, and I thought he was going Mac - mini DVI to DVI - DVI to VGA - VGA to HDMI - HDMI to the tv.

 

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TonyWrightE1

macrumors newbie

Original poster

Nov 13, 2010

5

0

• Jan 29, 2011

• #8

Hi all. Thanks for your help so far.

Apologies but I have made a mistake. The adapter that Apple store sold me was actually an Apple mini-DVI to VGA Adapter cable, shown here -

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/M9320G/A?fnode=MTY1NDA4Mw&mco=MTczNzE0NjM

I'd really appreciate any tips on what else I now need to purchase to get the old Macbook hooked up to my HD TV.

Thanks!

Tony.

 

I

iThinkergoiMac

macrumors 68030

Jan 20, 2010

2,664

5

Terra

• Jan 29, 2011

• #9

You need to buy a mini-DVI to DVI adaptor and then a DVI to HDMI cable.

Alternatively, you could get a mini-DVI to HDMI adaptor and an HDMI cable, but the first combo gives you the most flexibility and I'd recommend that one. Neither has more quality than the other.