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pixeltarian

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 21, 2009
49
0
what adapter combo do I need to do this?

mini display port to RCA video


thanks in advance!
- Jeffrey
 
2 adapters. A Mini Displayport to VGA adapter, then a VGA to RCA adapter.
Sorry, that won't work because the miniDP->VGA adapter does not have nhe needed analog signals. The only known way to do this is with a VGA->S-Video/Composite Scan Converter. Apple dropped all support for S-Video/Composite when they went with miniDP.
 
Sorry, that won't work because the miniDP->VGA adapter does not have nhe needed analog signals. The only known way to do this is with a VGA->S-Video/Composite Scan Converter. Apple dropped all support for S-Video/Composite when they went with miniDP.

ok so what can I adapt miniDP to? I'd like to hook my computer up to my television and it's an old television. the only inputs on it are RCA and coaxial.
 
ok so what can I adapt miniDP to? I'd like to hook my computer up to my television and it's an old television. the only inputs on it are RCA and coaxial.

By the sounds of things you'd be better off buying a newer TV as a scan-line converter will be expensive!
 
By the sounds of things you'd be better off buying a newer TV as a scan-line converter will be expensive!

or a DTV converter box. I'm sure one of them is bound to have digital input. Does anyone know if this could work? is there a DTV convector box with a compatible digital input for the miniDP?
if the signal is coming through a coaxial antenna - doesn't that mean I can just adapt the miniDP to a coaxial? I know that RCA/coax cables can carry a digital audio signal through s/pdif...
 
can someone explain why this wouldn't work?

http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9319G/A?fnode=MTY1NDA3Ng&mco=MzE3NDYyNw


I guess a friend of my girlfriend bought it for her new macbook and it works, but that does not make sense when everyone is saying you need a special converter.

can someone give me the scoop?
The original question was about the Mini DisplayPort connector on the new MB/MBP/MBA. The link that you showed is for the Mini DVI connector on the older units, and it works fine on those models.
 
ok so what can I adapt miniDP to? I'd like to hook my computer up to my television and it's an old television. the only inputs on it are RCA and coaxial.

In all honestly, you need to ask yourself if it's worth it to do this. It's going to look really, really bad, and it's going to cost you money to boot.
 
or a DTV converter box. I'm sure one of them is bound to have digital input. Does anyone know if this could work? is there a DTV convector box with a compatible digital input for the miniDP?
if the signal is coming through a coaxial antenna - doesn't that mean I can just adapt the miniDP to a coaxial? I know that RCA/coax cables can carry a digital audio signal through s/pdif...

Many signals can be carried down the same type of cable, but they don't necessarily cooperate with each other. To get a signal onto coax into a format that is recognizable as a channel was about $800 a channel when I looked into it a few years ago. I haven't looked to deeply into the mini display port standard, but the consensus on here is you actually need a circuit to convert the digital signal to analog for you. As demand for your application (newest display standard to oldest display standard) is limited, they aren't dirt cheap.

Many DVD-writers have a FW port on them that you can use as input, but Apple killed that off too (assuming you could get the video to stream out the firewire port which is a big assumption).

If I were you I would save my money for a monitor or tv to use as a display.
 
for the record,

I am sad.
I hear ya. Consider:

1) I have a projection 4:3 tv in perfect condition, and it has component/composite/s-video inputs but no vga/dvi/hdmi. My :apple:TV has component outputs, so it connects fine, but it has no 4:3 aspect ratio support, so video does not look right.
2) I also have a firewire camcorder (virtually new) and the new Macbook does not have a firewire port.
3) MobileMe does not work with IE6, which most all hotel computers still use, so you are left stranded without your email.

It seems like Apple has a history of killing off "old" technology before it is really "old". After all, there are still quite a few tv's and projectors around the world in schools and hotel/conference rooms that the miniDP models cannot support.
 
i would try 2 different adapters. 1) mini display to dvi. 2) dvi to rca. this should work.

From what I just tried last night, this is not working.... =(
Seems I can only use miniDP to VGA and then use VGA to connect my macbook to tv. Not sure whether VGA to RCA is working.
 
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