Hello,
I've been using the Apple DVI to Video Adapter to connect my Mac to my old analog TV, and I must say it works well. However, I've been helping a friend hook up his new HP laptop with a VGA to the same TV. I ordered a VGA to Composite/RCA Adapter Cable, but after we hooked it up, the only image we got was black and white and quite distorted. We fiddled around with the settings, but could not get it to work.
I've heard that instead of a simple cable, an actual converter box is required, to transmit the signals, like this one. I understand why that would be necessary, but what I'm confused about is, why is it that the DVI to composite adapter from Apple works, but the generic VGA adapter doesn't? They both transmit analog signals (since the video is DVI-I on the Mac I'm using, it has the analog pins) and both are just a direct cable, so wouldn't it work? Unless the Apple adapter has an extra component involved that the VGA cable does not.
If anyone could explain this to me, I'd appreciate it. It would help to clear the air and give me a better understanding of how video cables operate.
I've been using the Apple DVI to Video Adapter to connect my Mac to my old analog TV, and I must say it works well. However, I've been helping a friend hook up his new HP laptop with a VGA to the same TV. I ordered a VGA to Composite/RCA Adapter Cable, but after we hooked it up, the only image we got was black and white and quite distorted. We fiddled around with the settings, but could not get it to work.
I've heard that instead of a simple cable, an actual converter box is required, to transmit the signals, like this one. I understand why that would be necessary, but what I'm confused about is, why is it that the DVI to composite adapter from Apple works, but the generic VGA adapter doesn't? They both transmit analog signals (since the video is DVI-I on the Mac I'm using, it has the analog pins) and both are just a direct cable, so wouldn't it work? Unless the Apple adapter has an extra component involved that the VGA cable does not.
If anyone could explain this to me, I'd appreciate it. It would help to clear the air and give me a better understanding of how video cables operate.