I have noticed a growing number of threads based upon this, and so I have created this to help MacBook users get their television set working as an extra monitor. Although a majority of Macbook users will never do this, some people like to do so in order to see what a video project will look like on a television set, or simply to give them a larger canvas to work on, watch videos on, play games on, the list goes on. If you are one of these people and don't know where to start, this guide is for you.
First things first: RCA (SCART), S-Video, VGA, DVI or HDMI?
Both Analogue and Digital television sets:
RCA - also called SCART Component in areas that use PAL television (the World) as opposed to NTSC (USA, Canada and Japan). These are the red, white and yellow cables you may use to join a DVD player to your television set. The yellow cable carries video, the red carries the right stereo channel, the white carries the left stereo or mono channel. It is unlikely you will achieve a resolution of 800*600 before icons and text become too difficult to read.
S-Video - an outdated analogue video system mainly used in areas with NTSC televisions. These cables are traditionally yellow tipped just as the video RCA cable, though can also be red or green. Again, it is unlikely you will achieve a resolution higher than 800*600 before icons and text become unreadable.
Digital television sets only hereon:
VGA - still the world standard in connecting a PC to a monitor. Some televisions will also have a VGA port allowing you to use them as a computer monitor. VGA cables are typically blue tipped and the jacks are trapezoid in shape with fifteen teeth. Try to keep your resolution to the same as the television set, lower resolutions may cause artefacts or poor screen alignment.
DVI - progressing over VGA. It is not unlikely that if you own a new LCD television, it'll have one of these. DVI cables are typically black or blue tipped, and have a large rectangular jack with three rows of teeth as well as four larger teeth arranged like a plus (+) symbol. You are more likely to get a better HD image using a DVI cable than a VGA.
HDMI - the digital replacement for RCA/SCART. You can buy mini-DVI to HDMI adapters but their greatest flaw is that you cannot output your MacBook sound through the television set. The cables are typically black with a thin, long trapezoid jack, typically gold.
I have chosen the connection I want. Now what?
Connecting to an analogue television set through RCA/S-Video MacBook with Intel GMA Graphics ONLY
YOU WILL NEED
- Apple mini-DVI to Video Adapter (make sure you select PAL/NTSC accordingly)
- Audio RCA cables
- 3.5mm stereo audio to RCA stereo adapter
- Either Yellow Video RCA cable or S-Video cable
HOW TO DO IT
- Plug the end of the Video RCA or S-Video cable into your television set, and the other end into the Apple mini-DVI adapter. Do not use both video RCA and S-Video.
- Plug in the red and white RCA audio cables into the corresponding audio jacks for your video input, and plug in their other ends into the 3.5mm stereo audio adapter.
- Plug both adapters into your MacBook and select the corresponding input from your television's menu system.
- Use System Preferences to select the correct resolution for your television set, and whether you want it to mirror your MacBook display or become an extended desktop.
Connecting to a digital television set via VGA/DVI
YOU WILL NEED
- Intel GMA MacBook: Either Apple mini-DVI to VGA adapter or Apple mini-DVI to DVI adapter.
- nVidia M MacBook: Either Apple MDP to VGA adapter or Apple MDP to DVI adapter.
- Either VGA or DVI monitor cable.
- Depending on your television set:
- EITHER a 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo audio cable of same length as VGA/DVI cable.
- OR a stereo RCA audio cable of same length as VGA/DVI cable; and a 3.5mm stereo audio to RCA audio adapter.
HOW TO DO IT
- Plug the VGA or DVI cable into the back of the television set.
- Plug the other end of the VGA or DVI cable into the Apple adapter.
- Plug Either the 3.5mm stereo audio cable or the audio RCA cables into the corresponding audio jacks on the television set.
- Plug in the video adapter and audio cable or adapter into the Macbook.
- Use System Preferences to select the correct resolution for your television set, and whether you want it to mirror your MacBook display or become an extended desktop.
Connecting to a digital television set with HDMI
Whilst possible, it is complicated to achieve sound output from your MacBook through HDMI connection. HDMI, like SCART, carries audio and video in one cable with one jack at each end. This guide aims to be simple and recommends you buy a 5.1 surround sound kit for about £30 ($50) instead of mucking about with adapters that can cost upwards of £100 ($160).
YOU WILL NEED
- Intel GMA MacBook: Apple mini-DVI to DVI adapter.
- nVidia M MacBook: Apple MDP to DVI adapter.
- Backwards compatible HDMI to DVI cable
- Separate sound output if desired.
HOW TO DO IT
- Plug the HDMI end of the cable into your television set.
- Plug the DVI end of the cable into the Apple adapter.
- Plug the Apple adapter into the MacBook.
- Use System Preferences to select the correct resolution for your television set, and whether you want it to mirror your MacBook display or become an extended desktop.
- Plug in separate sound output if desired.
I hope this will help all of you out there who are unsure as to how to get your MacBook to talk to your television set. Wolf ∑:•p
First things first: RCA (SCART), S-Video, VGA, DVI or HDMI?
Both Analogue and Digital television sets:
RCA - also called SCART Component in areas that use PAL television (the World) as opposed to NTSC (USA, Canada and Japan). These are the red, white and yellow cables you may use to join a DVD player to your television set. The yellow cable carries video, the red carries the right stereo channel, the white carries the left stereo or mono channel. It is unlikely you will achieve a resolution of 800*600 before icons and text become too difficult to read.
S-Video - an outdated analogue video system mainly used in areas with NTSC televisions. These cables are traditionally yellow tipped just as the video RCA cable, though can also be red or green. Again, it is unlikely you will achieve a resolution higher than 800*600 before icons and text become unreadable.
Digital television sets only hereon:
VGA - still the world standard in connecting a PC to a monitor. Some televisions will also have a VGA port allowing you to use them as a computer monitor. VGA cables are typically blue tipped and the jacks are trapezoid in shape with fifteen teeth. Try to keep your resolution to the same as the television set, lower resolutions may cause artefacts or poor screen alignment.
DVI - progressing over VGA. It is not unlikely that if you own a new LCD television, it'll have one of these. DVI cables are typically black or blue tipped, and have a large rectangular jack with three rows of teeth as well as four larger teeth arranged like a plus (+) symbol. You are more likely to get a better HD image using a DVI cable than a VGA.
HDMI - the digital replacement for RCA/SCART. You can buy mini-DVI to HDMI adapters but their greatest flaw is that you cannot output your MacBook sound through the television set. The cables are typically black with a thin, long trapezoid jack, typically gold.
I have chosen the connection I want. Now what?
Connecting to an analogue television set through RCA/S-Video MacBook with Intel GMA Graphics ONLY
YOU WILL NEED
- Apple mini-DVI to Video Adapter (make sure you select PAL/NTSC accordingly)
- Audio RCA cables
- 3.5mm stereo audio to RCA stereo adapter
- Either Yellow Video RCA cable or S-Video cable
HOW TO DO IT
- Plug the end of the Video RCA or S-Video cable into your television set, and the other end into the Apple mini-DVI adapter. Do not use both video RCA and S-Video.
- Plug in the red and white RCA audio cables into the corresponding audio jacks for your video input, and plug in their other ends into the 3.5mm stereo audio adapter.
- Plug both adapters into your MacBook and select the corresponding input from your television's menu system.
- Use System Preferences to select the correct resolution for your television set, and whether you want it to mirror your MacBook display or become an extended desktop.
Connecting to a digital television set via VGA/DVI
YOU WILL NEED
- Intel GMA MacBook: Either Apple mini-DVI to VGA adapter or Apple mini-DVI to DVI adapter.
- nVidia M MacBook: Either Apple MDP to VGA adapter or Apple MDP to DVI adapter.
- Either VGA or DVI monitor cable.
- Depending on your television set:
- EITHER a 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo audio cable of same length as VGA/DVI cable.
- OR a stereo RCA audio cable of same length as VGA/DVI cable; and a 3.5mm stereo audio to RCA audio adapter.
HOW TO DO IT
- Plug the VGA or DVI cable into the back of the television set.
- Plug the other end of the VGA or DVI cable into the Apple adapter.
- Plug Either the 3.5mm stereo audio cable or the audio RCA cables into the corresponding audio jacks on the television set.
- Plug in the video adapter and audio cable or adapter into the Macbook.
- Use System Preferences to select the correct resolution for your television set, and whether you want it to mirror your MacBook display or become an extended desktop.
Connecting to a digital television set with HDMI
Whilst possible, it is complicated to achieve sound output from your MacBook through HDMI connection. HDMI, like SCART, carries audio and video in one cable with one jack at each end. This guide aims to be simple and recommends you buy a 5.1 surround sound kit for about £30 ($50) instead of mucking about with adapters that can cost upwards of £100 ($160).
YOU WILL NEED
- Intel GMA MacBook: Apple mini-DVI to DVI adapter.
- nVidia M MacBook: Apple MDP to DVI adapter.
- Backwards compatible HDMI to DVI cable
- Separate sound output if desired.
HOW TO DO IT
- Plug the HDMI end of the cable into your television set.
- Plug the DVI end of the cable into the Apple adapter.
- Plug the Apple adapter into the MacBook.
- Use System Preferences to select the correct resolution for your television set, and whether you want it to mirror your MacBook display or become an extended desktop.
- Plug in separate sound output if desired.
I hope this will help all of you out there who are unsure as to how to get your MacBook to talk to your television set. Wolf ∑:•p