Issue Connecting Macbook Pro to HDTV

[dwarfcricket]

Hello!

My old Macbook Pro display screen broke a couple of years ago (according to the tech guy there was a crack on the inside that caused the entire screen to go blank, and it was too expensive at the time). Just recently, I finally bought the HDMI connector cable for the Macbook so I could use it again, but I'm having trouble connecting it.

The TV is an LG, and I bought an HDMI connector cable, and then the adapter for the Macbook. Once I plug everything in, the TV screen goes blank, and then the background to my desktop (the original/classic Macbook Pro background) shows up on the TV, as does the mouse arrow, but there are no files/menus visible. The mouse can clearly move off the TV screen so obviously there is a funky aspect ratio going on, but since I can't actually see anything on my Macbook I don't know how to go about fixing this. I have two HD TVs, and am going to try hooking it up to my larger, older flatscreen to see if it works at all.

Any recommendations as to how to remedy this?

Thank you for any help you can give me!!

 

[GGJstudios]

This may be helpful:
How to: Connect a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro to a TV

 

[miles01110]

Somehow you have to assign the HDTV to be the primary monitor. Usually this is done by dragging the Menu Bar in the Displays System Preferences to the other monitor, but since you have no screen this clearly won't work.

Perhaps "Select All" and move all of the folders on the desktop to the HDTV monitor? That way you can at least access system preferences from the GUI. Once you launch it you'll have to try and drag the window over to the other monitor so you can change it.

This may be helpful:
How to: Connect a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro to a TV

Nice. Completely irrelevant to the problem.

 

[GGJstudios]

Nice. Completely irrelevant to the problem.

You're absolutely correct. I forgot that the linked thread doesn't address what's displayed on the screen; only physical connections.

OP, you might try using Command-F1 to mirror the displays, so you can access the menus.

 

[dwarfcricket]

Somehow you have to assign the HDTV to be the primary monitor. Usually this is done by dragging the Menu Bar in the Displays System Preferences to the other monitor, but since you have no screen this clearly won't work.

Perhaps "Select All" and move all of the folders on the desktop to the HDTV monitor? That way you can at least access system preferences from the GUI. Once you launch it you'll have to try and drag the window over to the other monitor so you can change it.



Nice. Completely irrelevant to the problem.

First, thank you for trying to help me out here!

But, here is another issue (or perhaps a better explanation of the issue): I connected my working MBP using the same cord, but obviously I can access all of my files. I have discovered that even after changing the display on the computer, it doesn't much help the issue. If I drag my browser (or any file that I'm looking at) wayyy over to the right, it shows up on the TV. It's like the TV is only displaying half of my screen, regardless of what display I put it as. I adjusted the display on the TV as well (both using the TV menu, and the display option through my MBP).

Why is it causing it to do this? Wahhh

----------

First, thank you for trying to help me out here!

But, here is another issue (or perhaps a better explanation of the issue): I connected my working MBP using the same cord, but obviously I can access all of my files. I have discovered that even after changing the display on the computer, it doesn't much help the issue. If I drag my browser (or any file that I'm looking at) wayyy over to the right, it shows up on the TV. It's like the TV is only displaying half of my screen, regardless of what display I put it as. I adjusted the display on the TV as well (both using the TV menu, and the display option through my MBP).

Why is it causing it to do this? Wahhh

ALSO, I finally clicked on "mirror displays" which fixed the issue on my working macbook. Is there a way to do this without really being able to use my display on my other MBP or is it just going to be luck that I click on the right options?

----------

You're absolutely correct. I forgot that the linked thread doesn't address what's displayed on the screen; only physical connections.

OP, you might try using Command-F1 to mirror the displays, so you can access the menus.

Thank you! I'll give that a try...

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You're absolutely correct. I forgot that the linked thread doesn't address what's displayed on the screen; only physical connections.

OP, you might try using Command-F1 to mirror the displays, so you can access the menus.

THANK YOU! Problem solved! I haven't accessed this computer in years. I really appreciate the help!