Hello there. For those who don't know who I am, I am a machinima director for machinima.com. I've recently agreed with some of the higher ups to make a tutorial video on how to make machinima. However, I need to connect my iMac (core duo) to my component inputs on my TV (red, yellow, white). I was going to try and get the mini-DVI to video in order to do this. What else do I need besides this peripheral? Please give me links or exact product names if possible. To be more specific about what I will do: I will need to plug the component cables into a signal amplifier which will send the audio and video to both my TV as well as a capture card that will record the output. I know that I could just get a program that will record my screen but those tend to be very expensive and I have a lot of connections to be able to get most cables for free. If there is any better way to do this, please let me know. However, I can't stray away from recording via a capture card and the capture card can only do use component cables.
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Help with the mini-DVI to Video adapter
- Thread starter drkessence
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Hi and welcome...
To get help, you're going to have to be more specific too.
1) Are you really using component inputs? Component inputs are not typically labeled red/yellow/white. They are typically labeled red/blue/green. This may help:
If you have two or three RCA jacks for video and audio, with labels like R, L, and Video (or video and audio on two ports, if the audio is mono or digital), that's COMPOSITE video.
If you have four or five RCA jacks (three for video and one or two for audio), this is component video.
If you use composite to do this, the video quality will be extremely poor -- on the order of VHS cassette. Is this acceptable?
Component would be high quality video, but as far as I know, there is no Apple DVI to Component converter.
So you are talking about this device:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9267G/A
Correct? That's composite, once again, not component.
2) To get as far as the signal amplifier, you just need:
3 RCA cables or a bundled cable that has three RCA jacks at each end.
1 mini / 1/8" headphone jack to dual RCA converter (like the link below) -- gender should be male for the headphone side and female for the RCA side.
http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-Stereo-Female-Adapter/dp/B000J1H4VI/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_1
I have no idea about the signal amplifier part... I'm honestly not even sure you need it.
Again, extremely low quality.
To get help, you're going to have to be more specific too.
1) Are you really using component inputs? Component inputs are not typically labeled red/yellow/white. They are typically labeled red/blue/green. This may help:
If you have two or three RCA jacks for video and audio, with labels like R, L, and Video (or video and audio on two ports, if the audio is mono or digital), that's COMPOSITE video.
If you have four or five RCA jacks (three for video and one or two for audio), this is component video.
If you use composite to do this, the video quality will be extremely poor -- on the order of VHS cassette. Is this acceptable?
Component would be high quality video, but as far as I know, there is no Apple DVI to Component converter.
So you are talking about this device:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9267G/A
Correct? That's composite, once again, not component.
2) To get as far as the signal amplifier, you just need:
3 RCA cables or a bundled cable that has three RCA jacks at each end.
1 mini / 1/8" headphone jack to dual RCA converter (like the link below) -- gender should be male for the headphone side and female for the RCA side.
http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-Stereo-Female-Adapter/dp/B000J1H4VI/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_1
I have no idea about the signal amplifier part... I'm honestly not even sure you need it.
Again, extremely low quality.
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Yeah, sorry about that. I meant composite. The only reason I need the signal amplifier is because it is sending the signal to both my TV and my capture card. My capture card can only do composite and s-video. If you can tell me a method of getting S-video as well as the audio then I could use that because the signal amplifier can use s-video as well. Well, only if s-video will look better. While I'm great at computers I'm not very good at the hardware part. I kinda feel ashamed of that since I'm in the process of getting my major in computer science 
And once again, links would be greatly appreciated. Especially if it's something like Best Buy or Circuit City, but something like Newegg.com or something of the sort would be fine.
P.S.- I have two 3 pronged male-to-male Gold Series RCA cables if that helps any
And once again, links would be greatly appreciated. Especially if it's something like Best Buy or Circuit City, but something like Newegg.com or something of the sort would be fine.P.S.- I have two 3 pronged male-to-male Gold Series RCA cables if that helps any
S-Video is higher in quality -- yes. It's probably closer to the quality of progressive scan DVD instead of VHS.
If you look at the Apple DVI to Video adapter, there is a DIN plug alongside the composite video output -- it's the plug on the right in the picture on the Apple website.
I'm not sure I understand your question. To use S-Video instead of composite, you just use the red and white audio plugs, but instead of the yellow video plug, you run an S-Video cable from the adapter to the amplifier.
This is an example of an S-Video cable:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...dio+/+Video+Cables-_-Monster+Cable-_-82155339
If you google "S-Video cable," you will find lots more.
Does your TV have an S-Video port?
If you look at the Apple DVI to Video adapter, there is a DIN plug alongside the composite video output -- it's the plug on the right in the picture on the Apple website.
I'm not sure I understand your question. To use S-Video instead of composite, you just use the red and white audio plugs, but instead of the yellow video plug, you run an S-Video cable from the adapter to the amplifier.
This is an example of an S-Video cable:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...dio+/+Video+Cables-_-Monster+Cable-_-82155339
If you google "S-Video cable," you will find lots more.
Does your TV have an S-Video port?
I'm pretty sure it has an s-video port. Its a brand new 32' Samsung HDTV but I can't check it to be sure. I'm at home right now and my TV is back in my dorm room. So basically, I just need to plug the s-video cable from the mini-DVI to my signal amp? And what about audio? Should I still use that RCA converter you linked to?
Yes, and yes.
And just one more try... at least check out a thread on free screen recording apps....
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/273800/
And just one more try... at least check out a thread on free screen recording apps....
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/273800/
Sweet. Thanks a lot. I appreciate the help. I'll be sure to mention you in the "Special Thanks" in the credits of the tutorial.
Oh, and one more quick question. Will this also work with Boot Camp? Most of the tutorials will be on my Mac's AfterEffects, Photoshop, and Final Cut programs but I'll also need to use Boot Camp and do some stuff in Garry's Mod and Valve's Source Development Kit.
Bootcamp wise, you'd have to use Windows screen recorders. I think there are rather lots of these... here is an example:
http://www.debugmode.com/wink/
The hardware video solution should work essentially unchanged in Windows -- you'll just have to make sure the screen spanning setup in Windows is to your liking.
Thanks again. BTW, I just tried the link given in the thread that you linked(copernicus) but the program crashes every time I try to stop recording.