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jrbchillin

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2011
3
0
Ok, I bought my Macbook pro 13" a year and a half ago. I've decided to hook it up to my TV. I have a Samsung 42' HD tv. Anyways, I bought the connector and an HDMI cable and plugged it into my tv. When I go to the HDMI seeting on my TV, all that shows up is a secondary wallpaper (it's the pink and purple space looking one). The only way to get anything from my computer to my TV is if I switch to mirroring but no sound is there and the picture quality is crappy. What do I do to fix it or is the only solution is to buy audio cables and just turn on mirroring?
 
Unfortunately the mini DisplayPort on your computer only outputs video so you'll need something like this or this to get audio as well. The first device listed only supports stereo sound, while the latter supports 5.1 surround sound, just FYI.

Instead of mirroring you can always make your TV the primary display by going to: System Preferences / Displays / Arrangement and dragging the white bar from the smaller screen (computer) to the larger one (TV). Either way make sure the TV resolution is set to the best possible or the picture may look a bit fuzzy.

Or you can simply drag any video application window over to the TV monitor and make it full screen.
 
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Too bad, hope you get it figured out. Is this something that only works on the newest versions?

The new Air and Macbook Pro both support audio over HDMI and work extremely well, I've used both. The Air automatically sent the audio to the TV but on my new 2011 macbook I had to switch the audio in the control panel. The quality is extremely good. IMHO. Photo slideshows look amazing. You do have to have an adapters that supports audio, some don't according to the Apple store dude I talked to. Browsing the net works really well also.

I use a 9 foot mini display to HDMI cable, a female to female coupling and another 16 foot HDMI cable run under the floor so I can reach my TV from my recliner :)
 
well, I just tried switching the white bar over to the bigger section (tv). It worked but still no sound and the mouse arrow doesn't show up on the TV, just on the computer and I can't select anything. UGH, what a waste of money to get the HDMI cord and connector.
 
well, I just tried switching the white bar over to the bigger section (tv). It worked but still no sound and the mouse arrow doesn't show up on the TV, just on the computer and I can't select anything. UGH, what a waste of money to get the HDMI cord and connector.

Under the arrangement tab, see what order the two screens are in and drag them around if desired. How the displays are arranged determines what side of the screen will allow you to drag your mouse over to the next display.

As for the audio, I think you have to spring for one of those adapters listed above or similar, sorry.

5477664565_3bc57f7fa0_b.jpg
 
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So if I just switch my settings over similar to the pic you posted, I'll be able to move the mouse on both screens?

You should be able to move your mouse from screen to screen no matter how the you have the screens arranged. The arrangement just determines what side of each screen you must move to in order to move over to that screen.

For example, my screens are arranged with my TV on the left and the computer on the right, as the photo above indicates.

I'd need to move my mouse to the right side of the TV (because I have my TV arranged to the left of my computer screen) and I'd need to move my mouse to the left side of my computer screen (because I have the TV arranged to the left) in order to go between them.

I know that sounds kind of confusing but you have to imagine that your TV and your computer are literally in the order that they appear in the arrangement tab.
 
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