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Hook up Macbook to HDTV

G

gillilandboy

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 3, 2007
264
1
St. Louis MO
I have a Macbook black and I would like to hook it up to my HDTV. I have HDMI component, S-Video and normal video out on the HDTV. I don't mind buying any cables or anything. If anyone knows how to do this and could help me out that would be great.



Thanks.
 
gillilandboy said:
I have a Macbook black and I would like to hook it up to my HDTV. I have HDMI component, S-Video and normal video out on the HDTV. I don't mind buying any cables or anything. If anyone knows how to do this and could help me out that would be great.



Thanks.
Click to expand...



Google "DVI to HDMI cable".

Also, you'll find there are other threads covering this topic on these forums.
 
Buy the mini-DVI to DVI adapter, then buy the DVI to HDMI cable, both are offered by Apple's website for $19 and that way you only have 2 parts and not 3. Total cost would be $38 before tax.
 
Yeah, mini-DVI -> DVI and DVI -> HDMI is definitely the way to go. I don't think they have mini-DVI adapters, but www.monoprice.com is the place to get most adapters and cables, including DVI -> HDMI. I got that adapter there for like $3.50 and it has worked flawlessly for me.
 
Optical? Nahh, all you need is a mini-plug to RCA "Y" cable.

I don't even think you could get from audio out on your 'book to optical in on your receiver....

soLoredd said:
What about audio? What cable is needed to hook up to optical on a receiver?
Click to expand...
 
AndyFL said:
Optical? Nahh, all you need is a mini-plug to RCA "Y" cable.

I don't even think you could get from audio out on your 'book to optical in on your receiver....
Click to expand...

Of course you can get optical out. Just plug in a headphone jack style Toslink cable, the other end goes into receiver and OS X should adjust itself accordingly. Worst case scenario, you have to go into the System Preferences to tell it to output optical.
 
optical audio output adapter

If you want to output optical audio, you need an adapter for the Mini-optical output, usually to toslink. I have some extras. $6 shipped in the US.
 
Picture quality

If you connect your macbook to the HDMI connection on your HDTV, will there be any difference in picture quality than if you connect to your VGA connection? I have many connection options on my HDTV and am wondering if there is any difference is all. Thanks.
 
This is what I use....
I've spent hundreds of dollars here....fantastic store.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10231&cs_id=1023104&p_id=2404&seq=1&format=2

Right now, I'm using my 32" westinghouse as my monitor.... 1024x768... looks great.

VGA is analog, therefore not really HD (unless you are using a digital source like RGB/HV)

Plus, it is really hard to get VGA to show properly in 16x9 ... both the computer and the TV recognize each other properly and it looks amazing on my TV using that DVI to HDMI cable.
 
<----- IDIOT. Don't mind me.......learned something new today! ;-)



TheStu said:
Of course you can get optical out. Just plug in a headphone jack style Toslink cable, the other end goes into receiver and OS X should adjust itself accordingly. Worst case scenario, you have to go into the System Preferences to tell it to output optical.
Click to expand...
 
So can anyone actually confirm what the DVI end of the adaptor looks like? It seems like noone actually owns one.

This image shows that it has a dual link DVI-D port.
02-dvid-01.jpg


I am worried though, because wikipedia and comments on the apple store say that it doesn't support dual link. I've already ordered a dual link DVI-D cable to connect to it.

Can someone PLEASE confirm what sort of cable it is?

Apple are ****ing useless in that they don't give any specifications and just say "DVI".

EDIT: This site says it's 1x24 pin female, so maybe it just has dual link pins but doesn't support dual link monitors?
 
OK, so it looks like we're set for the video connection : mini-dvi to dvi adapter + dvi to hdmi cable.

For the sound, it will be a toslink adapter to optical plug in the HDTV.

Now, what about the resolution ? How do you have to setup your MacBook to get the best result on your 32" HD Ready TV (native resolution being 1366x768) ?

I bought my MacBook in August 2006, does it really have that optical output for the sound ?

I will need long cables to link that to my HDTV (15ft), but my setup could be awesome if it could work :p
 
AndyFL said:
<----- IDIOT. Don't mind me.......learned something new today! ;-)
Click to expand...

Is the toslink cable interesting when you just plug it from your macbook to your hdtv, and not to an amplifier ? Will the quality be much better than a jack to RCA cable ?

I don't have any sound system right now, the sound will only come out my Sony Bravia KDL-32D3000.

Thanks for your help.
 
I am trying to connect to a receiver also to listen through my speakers and watch on my new 32" LCD. Any advice?
 
That's cool. I hope a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI comes out soon, and can carry audio.
 
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