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Samsung LCD TV + MacBook Pro problem!

E

eStatic

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 12, 2008
15
0
Hi,

I just bought my first mac, a MacBook Pro. Everything is just fine but I observed two problems. First, the led on my MagSafe connector turns off randomly and the second problem is that I can't use my Samsung LCD TV, HDTV. Before the MacBook Pro I had a Toshiba laptop and through a VGA cable I could use my Samsung LCD TV in 1920x1080 resolution just fine. But now, with my MacBook Pro and the DVI to VGA adapter - and the same VGA cable, my MacBook Pro sees the TV and it recognises it as SAMSUNG. The problem is that, although I can see my desktop on the TV - in 1920x1080 resolution, this works for just a few seconds and after that the TV turns off, as if there was no signal from de the MacBook Pro. If I change the resolution of my Samsung TV on my MacBook Pro the image reapears on my TV but, again, after a few seconds the TV turns itself off again...

Any help?
 
Not at this time, but I will test it tomorrow on a Plasma TV, I will even test another DVI to VGA Adapter... I hope the adapter is the problem. Thanks!

I also bought a DVI-to-HDMI cable and I was able to get an image on my LCD TV, even in 1920x1080 but I wasn't able to get the image to entirely cover my TV screen... and I wasn't able to see my entire dock. :(
 
Please make it simple

I am having trouble understanding it all and am having the same problem with my macbook pro and the samsung. What cable do I buy if I want to overcome this issue? Or, what latest LCDTV is the best option in the 19 to 22 inch range?

THANKS
 
Cave Man said:
Sounds like an issue with your DVI to VGA adapter. My MBP works great with my Samsung 40" LCD. Do you have another VGA device, such as a monitor, to test it on?
Click to expand...

It is not the DVI-VGA Adapter, I tested it yesterday with a projector and two other TVs and it was working. I also tested another DVI-VGA Adapter on my TV and it was doing the same thing... :(
 
why not use DVI->HDMI?

I have a samsung lnt5271F LCD TV, which works great with my mbp. I use a DVI to HDMI adaptor at the MBP and then a normal HDMI cable from there to the HDMI1 input on the TV (set to HDMI1 to PC mode in setup). This gives me native 1080p resolution on the TV.

I can use a DVI to VGA adaptor, but if I do, I can't get full 1080p resolution, so it is a bit blurry as it tries to upscale from 1440x900 or whatever the mbp native resolution is.

Note the the connection to the TV only works if the AC adaptor is plugged in, don't know what that is all about.
 
I've managed to get my LCD TV to work in 1920x1080 perfect both with HDMI and VGA.

For VGA I had to install SwithcResX and make a custom 1920x1080 setting.
 
DVI-VGA Adaptor Problems

Cave Man said:
Sounds like an issue with your DVI to VGA adapter. My MBP works great with my Samsung 40" LCD. Do you have another VGA device, such as a monitor, to test it on?
Click to expand...

Which adaptor please? I have tried two so far (Apple and a cheap generic), and they both have the same problem. It is fixable by removing pin 10 of the VGA cable, but this is also used to detect the presence of a PC and the "smart" functions on the Samsung do not offer unoccupied connections for selection!
 
eStatic said:
It is not the DVI-VGA Adapter, I tested it yesterday with a projector and two other TVs and it was working. I also tested another DVI-VGA Adapter on my TV and it was doing the same thing... :(
Click to expand...

Hmm. If the problem is the combination of the Samsung and the DVI-VGA adaptor, and if more than one supplier/manufacturer produces adaptors which have an interconnection that causes this problem (it disappears if you eliminate contacts on pin 10), then your observations do not exclude the adaptor being the problem.

I am currently looking for an adaptor that does not have this problem.
 
No desktop image appears with minidviport to VGA adapter on Samsung LCD HD TV. WHY???

Hi,
I am hoping somebody can throw me a rope and help me figure out why I can get this connection right. I have my MBP from 2009 plugged into an HD Samsung TV with VGA. The VGA plugs directly into my asus netbook and works just fine. When I plug it into my mac I only get the default Mac image (universe) and no desktop. I don't know what to do differently. Have tried everything I can think of. Is there a setting I need to apply on my mac to read the TV? It seems like it happens automatically. AC adapter is plugged in. When I first connect the two the mac screen blinks a solid blue color as though it is reading the connection and then the universe appears on the TV, but nothing else. Thanks!
 
sbfree13 said:
Hi,
I am hoping somebody can throw me a rope and help me figure out why I can get this connection right. I have my MBP from 2009 plugged into an HD Samsung TV with VGA. The VGA plugs directly into my asus netbook and works just fine. When I plug it into my mac I only get the default Mac image (universe) and no desktop. I don't know what to do differently. Have tried everything I can think of. Is there a setting I need to apply on my mac to read the TV? It seems like it happens automatically. AC adapter is plugged in. When I first connect the two the mac screen blinks a solid blue color as though it is reading the connection and then the universe appears on the TV, but nothing else. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Once you see the "universe" on your TV, open Displays from the System Preferences. Click "Detect Displays" and you should see 1 on your MBP and 2 on the TV. You should be able to change the settings for the TV. Click on "Arrangement" and you should see he option to "Mirror Displays". I'm using 10.5.8 btw. Mirror will display everything on your MBP desktop on the TV.
 
Hi Stev3n,
I appreciate the help. After I posted I stumbled on the display option in the preferences, however when I tap the 'detect displays' nothing happens. Only when I hit 'gather windows' does the option to change display res occur. downgrading res doesn't help either. Why do you suppose the detect button is non-responsive? Thanks again
 
Just figured it out! I ended having to select the 'show displays in menu bar' box which then brout the detect displays and turn on mirroring option up in the menu bar. Thanks for the aid!
 
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