I have a 12" iBook and was considering getting the video adaptor in case I want to hook it up to a tv to watch a movie. But given the low resolution in the iBook, would the image quality on the tv totally suck? Can anyone tell me if it's worth the 20 bucks?
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Apple video adapter - worth it?
- Thread starter polythene pam
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A normal TV has lower resolution than the iBook. Trying to display higher resolution on a TV only makes things worse, so I think you'll have to turn the resolution down to 640x480 for best results, even though that resolution doesn't actually fit the TV resolution anyway. (704x480)polythene pam said:
In my experience, trying to show a normal computer GUI on a tv sucks, but watching a movie is usually fine, not as good as a dedicated DVD player, but fine..
The iBook's resolution is 1024x768, NTSC TV is *at best* 720x480. DVDs are 720x480. The picture from the iBook on the TV through s-video will look as good as a real DVD player would through s-video.
Just a warning to anyone that wants to buy this cable. I did, and discovered that if you have a G4 iBook it doesn't work, and its not supposed to work. If you have a G4 iBook then all you can do is hear the sound through your TV there is no video support. That is if you're buying the AV cable for iBook, that is the cable you're talking about ( link here ) right?
If you have a G3 iBook it works fine and I would recommend it. My teacher had a G3 iBook and used this cable almost everday in class. It showed up fine on the TV and I'm sure playing movies would be great (thats why I bought one, but there's no support for G4.....)
If you have a G3 iBook it works fine and I would recommend it. My teacher had a G3 iBook and used this cable almost everday in class. It showed up fine on the TV and I'm sure playing movies would be great (thats why I bought one, but there's no support for G4.....)
Oh, you probably are talking about the video only cable and not the AV.... sorry about that I just didn't want anyone else to be confused as I was that the AV cable didn't work on the G4 iBook. Well, that cable is great and all but just remember that there is no audio support so you won't be listening to anything unless you really want to use those crappy speakers on your iBook...
I would guess the color signal is not getting to the TV. Could be the adapter or the cable or the TV. The pins in s-video cables are notoriously fragile, see if one hasn't broken off or something. There should be 4. Try a different cable and a different TV to see if it's the adapter's fault.ITASOR said:
Jedi you have got me totally confused! 
The cable I was talking about is one called Video Adaptor, though now that I saw the AV cable you mentioned, I wonder what the difference is!
So with the video adaptor cable the audio would still be coming from my iBook? meaning I would need a second cable connecting my audio out to my tv???? hummm....
by the way Padme sucked in Revenge of the Sith
The cable I was talking about is one called Video Adaptor, though now that I saw the AV cable you mentioned, I wonder what the difference is! So with the video adaptor cable the audio would still be coming from my iBook? meaning I would need a second cable connecting my audio out to my tv???? hummm....
by the way Padme sucked in Revenge of the Sith
Hopefully this might help clarify the S-Video Cable Query- There are two kinds... one display's full color and the other black and white, in construction they are built differently and that;s why there is a difference; To learn more google the darn thing...
As for the PowerBook/iBook video on a Television PowerBooks are FANTASTIC... The resolution on these doesn't matter because PowerBooks, are capabe of not only "Mirroring" but also "Dual Display" support, and your PowerBook will do all the thinking for you when you "Cmd-0" and go fullscreen; However for the iBook, you will have to "Mirror", although the iBook's Resolution will be really crappy, the Television will remain Television... or get some Third-Party hacks; To learn more google the darn thing...
Note* At least on the PowerBook you have several differing Video Resolutions for the televsion from <500x"X" to >1000x"X" (Okay I don't know for sure but there are options... Try it It's fun)
CHECK YOUR SPECIFICATIONS AND KNOW WHAT CABLE IS BEST, OR IF EVEN SUPPORTED BY YOUR COMPUTER MODEL.
As for the PowerBook/iBook video on a Television PowerBooks are FANTASTIC... The resolution on these doesn't matter because PowerBooks, are capabe of not only "Mirroring" but also "Dual Display" support, and your PowerBook will do all the thinking for you when you "Cmd-0" and go fullscreen; However for the iBook, you will have to "Mirror", although the iBook's Resolution will be really crappy, the Television will remain Television... or get some Third-Party hacks; To learn more google the darn thing...
Note* At least on the PowerBook you have several differing Video Resolutions for the televsion from <500x"X" to >1000x"X" (Okay I don't know for sure but there are options... Try it It's fun)
CHECK YOUR SPECIFICATIONS AND KNOW WHAT CABLE IS BEST, OR IF EVEN SUPPORTED BY YOUR COMPUTER MODEL.
I have the Apple video adapter for my iMac and it works sweet - I can imagine the experience would be the same with your iBook. As for resolutions and such, you would have nothing to worry about.
Standard Radioshack AV cable
You could use standard AV cables, too (Red/White Stereo Cinch, Yellow Video Cinch connectors), whic are pretty cheap to buy anywhere.
Apple changed he polarity on their AV connector on purpose at least with the iBooks. So if you attach a standard AV, the color code of the connectors is messed up, but technically it´s the same. I think the red one is actually the video (yellow) and yellow goes for stereo left (red) or vice versa, I can´t remember correctly.
You may want to try and safe some cash. Try it with a friend´s one.
You could use standard AV cables, too (Red/White Stereo Cinch, Yellow Video Cinch connectors), whic are pretty cheap to buy anywhere.
Apple changed he polarity on their AV connector on purpose at least with the iBooks. So if you attach a standard AV, the color code of the connectors is messed up, but technically it´s the same. I think the red one is actually the video (yellow) and yellow goes for stereo left (red) or vice versa, I can´t remember correctly.
You may want to try and safe some cash. Try it with a friend´s one.