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HDTV that supports 13" MacBook native resolution

S

smitha96

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 11, 2005
101
0
Hi,
Is anyone aware of an HDTV that supports the MacBook's native resolution? Currently I have a 32" Samsung which does not - first I have to change the resolution on the MacBook to something smaller and then hook up the TV, resulting in a distorted and blurred image. I'm looking to replace the Samsung with something larger, say 40"-55".

Thanks!
 
You want a 40-55" HDTV that runs at 1280x800 so it can mirror the Macbook's screen natively? :confused: Good luck with that.

Can you start by explaining why you can't extend your desktop? Normally, what you would do is run your Macbook at its native resolution and then run your TV at its own native resolution. You can still full screen any video you want on the TV this way.

In case my sarcasm belies me, I basically doubt there are any TVs above 27" that have that display resolution, and precious few even at that size....
 
There isn't any TV that runs 1280x800. You can find 720p models that are 1280x720 or 1366x768. 1080p TVs will be 1920x1080.

The reason you won't find a TV that's 1200x800 is because the MacBook uses a 16:10 screen ratio whereas all HDTVs are 16:9 ratio screens.
 
mkrishnan said:
Can you start by explaining why you can't extend your desktop? Normally, what you would do is run your Macbook at its native resolution and then run your TV at its own native resolution. You can still full screen any video you want on the TV this way.
Click to expand...

I haven't tried that lately, but with my Unibody 1st gen macbook, I lose frames when playing video on the TV using an extended desktop instead of a mirrored desktop...

...A mirrored desktop is going to be easier for the onboard gpu, correct?
 
smitha96 said:
I haven't tried that lately, but with my Unibody 1st gen macbook, I lose frames when playing video on the TV using an extended desktop instead of a mirrored desktop...

...A mirrored desktop is going to be easier for the onboard gpu, correct?
Click to expand...

It is, yeah, but as we said, it's also not going to happen.... What kind of video is it? And is that macbook (the 1st gen unibody one) the same macbook you're talking about here, or which macbook revision are you talking about now?
 
smitha96 said:
I haven't tried that lately, but with my Unibody 1st gen macbook, I lose frames when playing video on the TV using an extended desktop instead of a mirrored desktop...

...A mirrored desktop is going to be easier for the onboard gpu, correct?
Click to expand...

It'll be best if you shut the lid on the MacBook and direct all video output to the external display. You'll need an external keyboard and mouse but it basically becomes a slim desktop.
 
NewMacbookPlz said:
There isn't any TV that runs 1280x800. You can find 720p models that are 1280x720 or 1366x768. 1080p TVs will be 1920x1080.
Click to expand...
Right, I understand what an HDTV's native resolution is going to be. But they support other gobs of other resolutions non-natively. Mine supports about a dozen different non-native resolutions but not 1280x800.

Here's my question: do you know of any HDTVs that support 1280x800 non-natively?

Hope this is making sense...and thanks to everyone. :)
 
Wow you guys are fast...

@ mkrishnan: yes, the macbook I am using is first gen unibody fall 2008. I'd like to view both HD video and SD video...I'm guessing 1080P would probably be REALLY pushing it? I'm using VLC player.

@ Chundles: I'll investigate this suggestion since I have a bluetooth mouse and keyboard just chillin'.
 
smitha96 said:
Right, I understand what an HDTV's native resolution is going to be. But they support other gobs of other resolutions non-natively. Mine supports about a dozen different non-native resolutions but not 1280x800.

Here's my question: do you know of any HDTVs that support 1280x800 non-natively?

Hope this is making sense...and thanks to everyone. :)
Click to expand...
Like I said in the 2nd half of my response, since HDTVs are 16:9 screen ratio (width vs height) and the MacBook is 16:10 you will not find a full-screen fit for 1280x800. You'll either have to choose a different output resolution (extended desktop) or put up with stretch or cropping.
 
Aah, okay, well, I do understand what you're looking for now -- although Chundles's suggestion is the way to go. No idea what TVs will accept 1280x800 as a display resolution.

As for 1080 ... take a look at these...

http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8300945231/m/246005506931

http://www.figure.fm/post/en/4311/1080p+on+Unibody+Macbook.html

There are a few technical issues to be aware of -- the ability to hardware accelerate some decompression and the fact that not all codecs in all players support the use of multiple cores, apparently, that may be playing in here.

It might not be 1080p so much as how you've got the video ripped.
 
Is it possible to support an external HDTV monitor at 1080p using a mini display port to hdmi cable, or do I have to do mini display port to dvi?
 
If video is important to you, then you'll definitely want to think about installing Windows 7 using Boot Camp.

With Windows 7 you won't have to deal with all of the nonsense of extending a desktop or mirroring it, or getting an external keyboard and mouse and closing the lid at the right moment or putting the system to sleep or any of that junk. You can just connect the display and the first time Windows will ask you what you want to do. Or you can go into display properties and manually set it. Built-in display will be disabled. You'll also be able to set custom resolutions in the nvidia drivers. Though 1920x1080 is supported without a problem or need for custom resolutions.

The other benefit is that the 9400M in your MacBook with Windows 7 will give you bitstream decoding for MPEG-2, H.264 and various other video codecs. Meaning dropped frames will be a thing of the past. I play actual blu-ray discs on my original unibody MacBook using an external reader and Windows 7 and my CPU use hangs around 15%. A 14Mbps H.264 1080p video in OS X, no matter what decoder, pegs the CPU at 100% and frames are dropped left and right. Same video under Windows hangs around 15% when using bitstream decoding and around 65% when using software (FFDshow).
 
Got a 55" Samsung LED TV that I link to a 13" MacBook through mini-Display to HDMI adapter. Hook'em up, and choose System Preferences->Displays. A selection box will appear on the MB, and a separate one will appear on the Samsung. Choose your TV's resolution from that one, tell the MB which side the TV is located on, and close the pref pane. You've got an extended desktop, and the mouse pointer gets lost easily in all that real estate.

I've got the TV set for 1080p through its own setup. VLC, QuickTime Player, iTunes videos, and streaming web vids at full screen resolution work fine. Some web videos drop frames and chop the sound (one site for Warehouse 13 is particularly bad), but that's not the Mac's fault, or the TV's, or the ISP's; just try another source until you find one that doesn't break up.
 
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