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Connecting my MacBook to my TV, which do I need?

L

LotusoftheLeaf

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 30, 2008
20
0
I just got a new Vizio LCD TV with a VGA port. My old TV used to have a DVD player built-in, so now I have no DVD player. I'm planning on connecting my laptop to my TV to use as a DVD player and so I can watch YouTube videos on the much larger 37" TV screen.

I already have the VGA cable. I found the RCA cables and the audio adapter to get the sound. All I need is the VGA adapter, but I've found two and I'm not sure which is the one I need.

One is the Mini DVI to VGA: http://images.monoprice.com/productmediumimages/48501.jpg

The other is the Mini Display Port to VGA:
http://images.monoprice.com/productmediumimages/51071.jpg

Which is the one I'd need or would either work with a MacBook?
 
I have the MacBook now connected to my TV. Is there someway I can set it as a secondary monitor so that I could be watching a movie on the TV and still be using the laptop to browse the web?
 
LotusoftheLeaf said:
I have the MacBook now connected to my TV. Is there someway I can set it as a secondary monitor so that I could be watching a movie on the TV and still be using the laptop to browse the web?
Click to expand...

Yes, set it to extended desktop mode instead of mirroring in your display preferences. You can then place the video on your TV (secondary monitor) and keep other stuff running on the main screen.
 
You would need either a mini display-port to vga or HDMI (Seriously reccomend HDMI) for the limited time aluminum macbook or a mini dvi to VGA or HDMI (yet again I seriously recommend the HDMI)
I have both and the HDMI is much better than the VGA. 1080p looks amazing and iirc all VGA can offer is like 720i :/
 
There is no "720i" resolution.

VGA can do 1920x1080. The problem is that its analog and tends to have all of the short comings of analog video.

OP needs to get the monoprice mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter and an HDMI cable. No reason to use VGA.

Heres an actual mini DisplayPort to HDMI cable http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024603&p_id=5995&seq=1&format=2

Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=5311&seq=1&format=2

And heres one with audio http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=5969&seq=1&format=2
 
I'm not sure if anyone here would know, or if it's even possible, but when using the TV as a monitor is there someway I can make the TV display a movie in full screen but still use the laptop's monitor for other things? The TV won't stay in full screen if I do anything on my laptop.
 
LotusoftheLeaf said:
I'm not sure if anyone here would know, or if it's even possible, but when using the TV as a monitor is there someway I can make the TV display a movie in full screen but still use the laptop's monitor for other things? The TV won't stay in full screen if I do anything on my laptop.
Click to expand...

Put the menu bar on your laptop not the TV so the TV is just the secondary screen doing all the work and the laptop is still the powerhouse.

Why would you be watching a movie and trying to do other stuff anyways, tho? :/
 
I do all the time. Even right now I'm watching TV, chatting with my boyfriend online and posting on this thread. I guess I just like to multitask. :p
 
LotusoftheLeaf said:
I guess I just like to multitask. :p
Click to expand...

I do it, too. I can't just sit and watch tv. It makes me fall asleep. I have to be actively doing something.

As for full screen on just one display, it doesn't really work that way. The best way to do it would only be if you are using Quicktime X. You can just maximize it with the green plus button and it sort of resembles full screen. Only works though if your tv's aspect ratio is the same as the video you are watching on it.
 
matthewscott661 said:
I do it, too. I can't just sit and watch tv. It makes me fall asleep. I have to be actively doing something.

As for full screen on just one display, it doesn't really work that way. The best way to do it would only be if you are using Quicktime X. You can just maximize it with the green plus button and it sort of resembles full screen. Only works though if your tv's aspect ratio is the same as the video you are watching on it.
Click to expand...

Good job, CMD + F
:cool:
 
Boston Fan said:
mosx said:
And heres one with audio http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=5969&seq=1&format=2
Click to expand...
I'm not real up-to-speed on how things like this work, so forgive my newbie question :):

So if I use this cable, I will be able to send BOTH video and sound from my late 2008 Aluminum Unibody MacBook to my HDTV through an HDMI cable?

MacBook --> Monoprice cable (linked above) --> HDMI cable --> HDTV
Click to expand...

Just bumping this to see if anyone might have an answer to the question above - Thanks!
 
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