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How to: Connect a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro to a TV

GGJstudios said:
Your friend is wrong. Apple DOES allow DVI to VGA adapters to work, but only for those Macs with a DVI port. You have to use the adapters that are appropriate to your computer. My older model MBP has a Dual-link DVI port, so I can use a DVI to VGA adapter. Since your model has a Mini DisplayPort instead of a DVI port, you have to use a Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter.
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ooh, just went ot bestbuy today. and i got the VGA MDP thanks man.
 
New Macbook Pro's

With the new macbook pro's i5/i7 what is the best way to get digital sound. I think I heard it can be done through the mini display port with an adapter to hdmi for audio and video.


Any confirmation or information regarding this would be great.
 
IDANNY said:
With the new macbook pro's i5/i7 what is the best way to get digital sound. I think I heard it can be done through the mini display port with an adapter to hdmi for audio and video.


Any confirmation or information regarding this would be great.
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That's how it's supposed to work. You just need to get an adapter and plug the HDMI into your entertainment system.
 
I dont have speakers to my tv, if I hook up my macbook pre late 2009 will audio come from my tv or computer?
 
applefan89 said:
I dont have speakers to my tv, if I hook up my macbook pre late 2009 will audio come from my tv or computer?
Click to expand...

What's a pre late 2009 model? Or did you mean MacBook Pro?

Anyway, if your TV has no speakers, the sound will come from your MacBook Pro, unless you connect the audio to a Hi-Fi system.
 
Macbook Pro 13" mini display port to serial + serial to component not working

Macbook Pro 13" mini display port to serial + serial to component not working

So I tried the above using everything as suggested and I can't get a proper picture through component on my Samsung 52" lcd or on a 32" Sony tube tv. All three colors were matched properly on the tv end and I have the Mac set to mirror. I tried every option on resolution and hz to no avail.

What's the deal? Are the suggested methods in the opening of this thread wrong or did I miss something?

I didn't by a scan converter and went the component route bc it seemed the least bulky and a little cheaper. Now I'm not so sure.
 
brobrent said:
Macbook Pro 13" mini display port to serial + serial to component not working

So I tried the above using everything as suggested and I can't get a proper picture through component on my Samsung 52" lcd or on a 32" Sony tube tv. All three colors were matched properly on the tv end and I have the Mac set to mirror. I tried every option on resolution and hz to no avail.

What's the deal? Are the suggested methods in the opening of this thread wrong or did I miss something?

I didn't by a scan converter and went the component route bc it seemed the least bulky and a little cheaper. Now I'm not so sure.
Click to expand...

when you say "serial", do you mean VGA or DVI? Because neither will work as you want them to. If you are trying to output to component video, you will need a miniDisplayPort to VGA adapter and a VGA to component TRANSCODER.
Really though, with the LCD TV, I would use another input than component, such as HDMI, VGA or if it has DVI. And if your Sony is not HD, then Apple has a DVI to Svideo adapter, although it seems to be an expensive endeavor if it even works (you would also need a miniDisplayPort to DVI adapter in this last case).

Personally I would not try linking a bunch of adapters together, either use another input on the TVs or look for the proper adapter.
 
Which cable to get?

I have an older powerbook g4 (from 2005) 15inch, model A1106 with a DVI slot 24 pin (and the extra 4 on the other side as seen below). I believe its D-DVI?

http://laptops.webhostingoverview.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/147.jpg

I want to hook my powerbook up to an hdmi input on a flatscreen tv. I'm scouring amazon trying to find the right DVI to hdmi cable.

I would think this would work, but there seem to be no 4 pins on the left side.
41VMA6YjgfL._SS400_.jpg


I'm not sure if any of the ones I'm looking at would work. They are 24 pin, but on the 4 pins to the right seem different than whats on the cords..

im getting so frustrated, on a big deadline.I just don't want to order the wrong cord. could someone please help steer me in the right direction? thanks so much in advance
 
figured it out.i need an apple on, a belkin brand because according to the guy at radioshack the architecture on other cables won't fit mac
 
Okay sorry if this has already been answered but I couldn't find it. I just ordered the new 2010 MBP. Is there an adapter available for the Mini Displayport that goes to HDMI but also supports audio? I don't want to get the one with the USB for audio.
 
Why do Apple make this all so confusing? Does anyone know anywhere in the UK that sells a lead that can connect a 2010 macbook pro to an HDMI input on a TV with sound too (I dont have a seperate hi-fi or speakers, just the TV ones) :confused:
 
Excellent and well-informed information. Thank you. This was my first foray into MacRumors, and it certainly was well worth the registration.
I received an Apple TV for Christmas, and have been using it with my home television, which has HDMI inputs. I use the optical output of the Apple TV and play the audio through my stereo. Awesome.
 
Trouble using a Mini DVI to HDMI Adapter Cable can anyone help?

I bought a Mini DVI to HDMI Adapter Cable to connect my Macbook to my TV to play films. When I connect it up, the TV displays my desktop picture but nothing else. I am trying to play films through Vuze, which says I should be able to drag and drop my films to the device I wish and they will automatically be converted to the right playback format. It doesn’t seem to have my TV as a choice of device. TV is a Panasonic Viera. Can anyone help?
 
Hi

I'm trying to connect my mabook to my dad's TV, I can connect my macbook to my tv (but thats newer and HDMI).

I've got all the right cables but when i'm connecting it up I'm not getting a picture. Any ideas?

His TV needs RCA cables, which I am using. I have all the cables, bought today. My macbook works just fine with my tv via HDMI

Thanks
 
Mini displayport to HDMI adapter audio out under Bootcamp

I know mini displayport supports audio out on all new Macbook Pros, I have mini displayport to HDMI adapter from Monoprice.com and wondering if I can use that adapter under Bootcamp or VMWare or Parallels with Windows 7 installed on Mackbook Pro? Is audio out over minidisplay port only supported under Mac OS X or it should also work under bootcamp/VMWare/Parallels? I use streaming service from India in my native language and the service does not support Mac OS X period. It only supports steaming over IE 7.0 or higher and am considering 13" MacBook Pro but want to make sure I can connect Macbook Pro to TV and still do audio out over minidisplay port under Bootcamp/Windows 7.
 
DeanCorp said:
Great Thread. I am sure this will be useful to all new mac users.

Just thought I would let you know, that if you have a 'newer' machine with a mini display port, you can now purchase a third party adapter -> Mini Display Port to HDMI that carries audio too. It was released about 3 days ago.

Here is the link: Mini Displayport Male and USB Male Audio to HDMI Female Converting Adapter
Click to expand...

I just got a new MacBook Pro (April 2011), so I was wondering if this adapter will carry audio too. According to their description it does, but wanted know if anyone can confirm.

Thank you in advance.
 
losing my mind over this

I have a Macbook and all i want is to hook it up to my TV. I had a bad experience already where i bought some cable but the didn't work. I was unaware that the apple cable was DVI-D and the other was DVI-I. I thought it was all the same. So now im right where i started with money spent. Is there a definitive Apple computer to Tv walk-trough if not what do people suggest (people with real know how, that can talk from a place of authority). I have an older Tv with no HDMI its Component,S-Video or composite. What to do???!!!???


What i tried and failed with

-Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter
-DVI-I to 3 RCA Component Cable

-----------------------------------------
My Mb specs
OSX10.5.8
2.13 GHz intel Core 2 Duo
2GB 800 MHz DDR2
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M
Pre 2009
 
Connecting Mac to TV or Hi-Fi

Apple uses a variety of ports and plugs on their computers to get video and audio out of them.
The following is a small rundown on what ports and plugs and adapters exist to transmit video and audio from a Mac to an external display or TV and for you to decide what you actually need.
As this is quite an USA centric website, I will focus on online shops from the USA, but the adapters and cables can be had worldwide.

Here are the direct links to the posts showing you the various interfaces on TVs and Macs for video and audio:


For further information you can also look at:
"How to: Connect a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro to a TV " (this post is part of this thread)

Find out what Mac you have: Identify your Mac (iFixIt) or look at this shiny graphic.

"The Home Cinema Guide - Home Theater Setup, HDTV, Buyer Guide, Surround Sound Speakers, Blu-ray Players and more..."
"List of video connectors" on Wikipedia or
"Audio/Video Cables and Connectors Explained" or
"TV Connectors and Cables Explained" or
"About Digital Video (HDMI®, DVI™, DisplayPort™)"
"Laptop to TV Cable Finder"
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Most common video interfaces on external computer displays and TVs

Most common video interfaces on external computer displays and TVs:
VGA (Video Graphics Array)
The oldest video connection for computers that is still around. It is transferring an analog video signal and go up to 2048 × 1536 pixel (QXGA). It is often found on most displays and projectors, sometimes even on TVs.
MR_video_out_display_VGA.png
VGA cables can be bought online from:

Also of interest: "VGA Connector Guide - the Port and Cable Explained"
​
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DVI (Digital Visual Interface)
The successor of VGA, which is capable of analog and digital video transfer, though Apple restricted their adapters to DVI-D, which is purely digital.
MR_video_out_display_DVI.png
DVI cables can be bought online from:

Also of interest: "Understanding the DVI Connector and Video Cable"
​
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HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)
HDMI is a digital interface for transferring video plus audio via one plug, port and cable. It is often found on TVs for digital input.
There are a variety of four connectors, three of them are explained here: "HDMI Connector Types Explained"
The most common one is the Type A connector, as shown below.
MR_video_out_display_HDMI.png
HDMI cables can be bought online from:

Also of interest: "HDMI Connector Guide - the Port and Cable Explained"​
Click to expand...

DisplayPort
DisplayPort is a royalty-free interface for digital video and audio transmissions and is used for computer to display or TV connections.
MR_video_out_display_DP.png
DisplayPort cables can be bought online from:

Also of interest: "Understanding the new DisplayPort video-connection standard"
​
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Component video
Component video, also known as RGB Video, is a common video input found on TVs and is an analog interface to transmit video in three signals and can be used for SD (PAL and NTSC) and HD (720p, 1080i and 1080p) video.
Component transmits a better signal than S-Video and Composite video, but uses the same RCA plug and port form factor.
MR_video_out_TV_Component.png
Component video cables can be bought online from:

Also of interest: "A Guide to Component Connections and Cables"
​
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S-Video (Separate Video or Y/C)
S-Video is a very common video input found on TVs and VCRs and also on computers (desktops and notebooks) as a video output to connect to a TV.
The 4-pin DIN connector is the most widespread one, but there are 7-pin DIN connectors used too. The 7-pin DIN connector does not have superior image quality, it just carries both the Y/C and Composite signal.
MR_video_out_TV_S-Video.png
S-Video cables can be bought online from:

Also of interest: "A Guide to the S-Video Cable and Connector"
​
Click to expand...

Composite video
Composite is a very common video input found on TVs and VCRs and can also be found on some graphic cards to connect to a TV.
Composite video uses an RCA connector and is sold as cable with a yellow plug, though one can use the red, black or white RCA plugs, used for audio, too.
MR_video_out_TV_Composite.png
Composite video cables can be bought online from:

Also of interest: "Composite Video Signal - the Cable and Connection Explained"
​
Click to expand...

SCART (Syndicat des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs)
SCART is an interface found on many older TVs and VCRs and video DVD players and is widespread in Europe.
It transmits video via S-Video or Composite and there are adapters to connect S-Video or Composite cables to a SCART port.
MR_video_out_TV_SCART.png
SSCART adapters and cables can be bought online from:

Also of interest: "SCART Leads and Connectors Explained"
​
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Common video interfaces on Macs

Common video interfaces on Macs

Mini VGA
The iBook G4, eMac and iMac G5 use an analog video output called "Mini VGA", which can be connected to VGA plugs and cables and to analog video out adapters.
Early 12" G4 PowerBooks used Mini VGA too, but it was replaced with a Mini DVI port later.
MR_video_out_Mac_Mini_VGA.png
Mini VGA adapters can be bought online from:
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Mini DVI
Mini DVI is a digital common interface on the later G4 12" PowerBook, on Intel iMacs till 2009 and on the white and black pre-Unibody MacBooks and on Intel Mac minis before they changed the design to Unibody.
MR_video_out_Mac_Mini_DVI.png
Mini DVI adapters can be bought online from:

Also of interest: "Mini DVI, what it is and how to capture it"
​
Click to expand...

Micro DVI
Micro DVI can be found on the first MacBook Air and it was replaced with Mini DisplayPort in later iterations of the MacBook Air.
MR_video_out_Mac_Micro_DVI.png
Micro DVI adapters can be bought online from:

Also of interest: "What is a "micro-DVI" port? How is it different from DVI and mini-DVI?"
​
Click to expand...

Mini DisplayPort (MDP) / Thunderbolt
Mini DisplayPort is the current digital standard on all current Macs to transfer video to an external display or TV. It has been introduced in 10/2008 with the release of the Unibody MacBook and MacBook Pros and has gradually been adopted on all other Macs.
MDP is capable of transmitting video, and since 2010, audio too. MDP is a miniaturised version of DisplayPort. It is also license free and can support resolutions of up to 2560 x 1600, which Mini DVI and Micro DVI are not able to do.
Since 2011, all Macs come with a Thunderbolt port, which is meant for fast data transfer and also as means to connect to an external display device to mirror or extend the Mac's screen.
To learn more about Thunderbolt (TB) and its compatibility with Mini DisplayPort (MDP): Introducing Thunderbolt​
MR_video_out_Mac_Mini_DP.png
MDP adapters and cables can be bought online from:


Also of interest: "What is "Mini DisplayPort"? Is it an industry-standard? How is it different from or better than Mini-DVI and Micro-DVI?"
​
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Most common audio interfaces on external computer displays and TVs

Most common audio interfaces on external computer displays and TVs:

TRS connector (also called "audio jack, phone jack, phone plug, jack plug, stereo plug, mini-jack, mini-stereo or headphone jack")
TRS (Tip, Ring, and Sleeve) is a common analog audio interface found on almost any device with an audio in- or output.
All Macs use the TRS connector to transfer audio from the Mac to any other input (receiver, TV, headphones, speakers, ...).
The most widespread TRS connector size is 3.5mm (1/8'), 6.3mm (1/4') is more rare and found in more professional or expensive equipment.
There are mono and stereo TRS connectors out there, the mono ones have one conductor (one black ring), the stereo ones have two conductors (two black rings). See this linked image for visual evidence.
MR_video_out_AUDIO_TRS.png
TRS adapters and cables can be bought online from:
Audio Cables - RCA / 3.5mm from Monoprice
and many, many other places
​

Also of interest: "A Guide to Mini Jack Connectors and Cables"
​
Click to expand...

RCA connector
RCA connectors are widespread as you might have already noticed. The red and white (sometimes black) RCA connectors are used to transmit analog stereo audio from one audio unit to another, most often a VCR or DVR or CD or DVD player to a receiver or amplifier.
MR_video_out_AUDIO_RCA.png
RCA adapters and cables can be bought online from:
Audio Cables - RCA / 3.5mm from Monoprice
and many, many other places
​

Also of interest: "Stereo RCA Audio Cable Explained"
​
Click to expand...

More will follow on TOSLINK and SPDIF.
 
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